Just Because You Are

Chapter 15 (Part 2) - While the Music Lasts

“Achi, alam mo namang mas comfortable ako dun sa lumang kotse. Besides, mainit ito sa mata para gamitin araw-araw,” Quino quipped.

“Well, you can use my new SUV kung ayaw mo ito.” Moira saw her brother merely nod his head. Actually, she knew the reason why Quino was quite fond of the old car that he was using daily. It was their mom’s car.

“Mommy?” Janna asked all of a sudden, interrupting Moira’s thoughts. “Because teacher Raffie is my ballet teacher, I call her teacher! And because Tito Quino is my tito, I call him Tito Quino. So…can Tito Quino call Teacher Raffie teacher, too? And can Teacher Raffie call Tito Quino tito, also?”

Moira, Quino and Raffie laughed at Janna’s curious, innocent questions.

It was then that Moira realized her daughter was still paying attention to the conversations even though Janna was playing games in her iPad. “Well, darling, since they are friends, they can just call each other’s first names,” Moira answered in between her gentle laughs. “But because your Tito Quino also goes to Forte I guess he can also call teacher Raffie as teacher…but then, your Tito Quino isn’t Teacher Raffie’s tito, so she can’t call him that way.”

Janna looked rather confused. “Then, what about…uhm…Babe? Tita Kate calls Tito Raymund babe, doesn’t she? Then Teacher Raffie can also call Tito Quino babe, diba?” she asked again candidly, her tiny face full of innocent expression.

Moira just giggled and hugged her daughter while glancing at Raffie and Quino who were both smiling at each other.

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…All that changes
is only everything…
…when the right one comes
along…

Quino gently strummed the guitar as he and Raffie crooned the last stanza of the song, their voices blending so well together. In front of them was the newly-wed couple, dancing sweetly, immensely enjoying the beautiful music being played for them.

As another soloist began to sing a romantic wedding song, Quino escorted Raffie towards the table where Moira and her Tita Vivian were sitting, together with Reese and a few of their relatives.

“I just love your version of that song!” Moira exclaimed as Quino drew out a chair for Raffie. “I’m glad Kate requested you to do it!”

“I see…so that was the bride’s special request,” commented Vivian, President Andrew’s sister-in-law who had just arrived from Canada. She turned to Raffie and gave her a warm smile. “Well, it was really good, but I think what gave it such a romantic impact was the way it was sung. Maganda ang tandem nyo ng pamangkin ko, hija.”

“Thank you po. It’s an honor to be part of this celebration,” Raffie said, slightly blushing. ‘Romantic impact talaga?’ she thought, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. She was already introduced to Vivian earlier in the church, and she already felt the affability of the middle-aged woman who was so warm and kind.          

“Well, weddings aren’t complete without singers, isn’t it?” Reese uttered out suddenly.

Raffie simply smiled at Reese. She had also met Reese in the church, but her frosty reception was quite opposite from Vivian’s warm welcome. She wondered if Reese was just merely as reserved as Quino since she learned that the former had been a really close family friend of the Chua’s and that she and Quino practically grew up together.