Letters to Cleo #Wattys2016

Epilogue

I'm dancing with my Nanay while she is with her tito. We are at the reception of our wedding. Mamayang kaunti ay ihahatid ko na si Nanay sa kanyang upuan at kukunin ko naman si Ailee. Then we'll have our first dance.

"Son, I can see that you are so happy. That makes me and your Tatay so happy as well," ang sabi ng babaeng kasayaw ko.

"Is it that obvious, 'Nay?" I replied with a light chuckle.

Sino ba naman ang hindi magiging masaya? I waited a year and two months for this day to come. Oh yes, it took that long! Although talks about the wedding preparations started right after our pamamanhikan, it took so long to decide on a date because of some other superstitions. And when the day has finally been chosen, I realized that it got pushed back much later than the 1-year anti sukob thing. Pero ano pa nga ang magagawa ko kundi ang sundin silang lahat. I kept telling myself that it'll be worth the long wait. Kaya ngayong dumating na ang araw na ito ay halos mapunit na yata ang mukha ko sa sobrang laki ng ngiti ko.

Kanina sa simbahan, pagbukas pa lang ng pintuan at nakita ko siyang nakatayo doon, ay napaluha na ako. I really can't help it. She was a vision and I can't believe she'll be walking to me. And from here on she'll be beside me every single day.

"Basta anak, alagaan n'yo ang isa't isa ha? We are always here for you. Kapag may problema 'wag pag-awayan, pag-usapan ang solution."

"Opo."

"O siya, ihatid mo na ako sa upuan ko. I know you're dying to dance with her."

"Thank you for everything Nanay. Mahal na mahal ko po kayo."

Pagkatapos kong ihatid si Nanay sa kanyang upuan ay lumapit naman ako kay Ailee at sa kanyang tito. He handed Ailee's hand to me and then left the dance floor. I lightly pulled on her and brought her to the middle. We stood there face to face as we waited for the opening notes of the song to play.

As we heard the introduction of the Justine Timberlake song begin to play, I winked at her before holding her right shoulder. This is how our choreographed dance begins. I'm not a bad dancer but I've never danced in front of a lot of people... well, not since I was in grade school. I feel a bit conscious but we've practiced this dance a hundred times that I know I can dance it even with eyes closed. Plus, syempre si Ailee ang kasayaw ko kaya ganado ako. I feel like I can do anything basta siya ang kasama ko.

Habang sumasayaw kami ay may naririnig akong hiyawan galing sa mga tao. I think I distinctly here Rafa's voice at syempre panay pang-aasar lang ang mga sinasabi niya. We can also here people clapping ang cheering for us. Ailee had a very huge smile on her face. I can tell she's enjoying this. Kaya naman ginagalingan ko na rin para hindi naman nakakahiya itong gwapo niyang asawa sa harap ng ibang tao.

********

We stayed one more night in the hotel where we had our preparations just to be alone. Ang pamilya ko kasi ay tutuloy sa bahay ko at ang iba naman ay sa condo ni Anton bago tumulak pabalik ng Batangas the following day. Ako ang nagdecide ng arrangement na ito dahil gusto kong masolo ang asawa ko on our first night.

When we were finally alone in our room ay dahan-dahan ko siyang hinila palapit sa akin.

"O bakit?" she asked.

"Wala, gusto lang kitang yakapin."

"Okay," ang sagot niya sabay yakap din
sa akin.

"Thank you for saying I do," I told her.

"Why are you thanking me?"

"Ewan ko, basta thank you. Thank you kasi hindi nagbago ang isip mo."