Aware kami sa closeness ng family naming lahat. Kuya Ronie, Clark, and Leo are friends since childhood. Then Leo and William are both Vergaras. Clark and Patrick are friends since their teenage days. Calvin is a friend from college, and now, officially a part of the Lauchengco family kahit medyo malayo man ang connection.
Married na si Kuya and Jaesie last year. And now, it was Patrick and Melanie's turn. Worst, I could feel the pressure because Mum has a plan we had no idea when she's gonna drop.
We were in a luncheon, special table para sa aming lahat na pamilya. Nakahiwalay kami sa ibang visitors. We were at a twelve-seater table. It was covered with white linen and gold satin. Four white-rose centerpieces were displayed above it.
Kaharap lang ng table namin ang family ng ikinasal. Uncle Bobby and Auntie Liz were sitting on the center end of the table. Sa kabilang end ang newlywed na sina Patrick and Melanie. Ang parents ni Mel, busy naman sa ibang VVIP kaya mauupuan lang kami kapag natapos sila roon, especially farm nila ang location ng wedding.
Dad was sitting at the end of the table. Jaesie was beside him then Kuya and Mum bago ako. Ang katabi ko, si Clark then si Eugene sa kabilang dulo.
Everyone was fully aware that Leo and Kyline were already engaged for more than four years. Malaki na si Eugene. Their youngest son, Luke Anakin, already knows how to piss someone off kahit two years old pa lang. It was a good thing na hindi iyon kasama rito because that kid is a tiyanak.
Though Luan is absolutely a heartbreaker in the making because of his cuteness, he really knows when to drop some truth bombs when it's not needed. Eugene, on the other hand, is a softie and a ray of sunshine kahit pa kamukhang-kamukha ni Leo sa mas light complexion lang gaya sa mama niya.
Eugene is that kid na kapag may sinabi siyang masama, he would suddenly cry while saying his sorry for hurting someone else's feeling. Si Luan, kapag may sinabi siyang hindi maganda, parang deserve pa naming ma-offend.
Sa barkada ni Kuya, sina Leo at Patrick pa lang ang may anak pero dalawa na sa unexpected groom ng barkada ang ikinakasal.
Kuya never told us he had a plan to get married. Si Mum lang naman ang nag-i-insist na magpakasal siya since he was twenty-five. Now, he already had Jae, the holder of Dad's favorite daughter, which I never had kasi favored lagi si Kuya ni Dad. Akala ko, gender issues lang at mas gusto ni Daddy ng lalaking anak kaya hindi ako favorite. But when Jaesie came to our family, saka ko lang nalaman na hindi pala gender ang dapat kong problemahin.
Patrick is the playboy among the group. Malamang kasi siya ang habulin ng chicks sa kanilang lahat. Now he was tied to Melanie, mukhang hindi niya problema ang mga babaeng umaaligid sa kanya. After all, si Melanie pa nga ang dahilan kaya na-expire ang marriage certificate nila kasi ayaw magpakasal sa kanya. He could cheat, actually. But Patrick looked like he had no plan to do so, or else, hindi na niya makikita sina Mel at Damaris (baby nila) kahit kailan.
Ang weird ng atmosphere sa table. Siguro kasi compared sa wedding ni Kuya, wala pa kaming idea sa next na ikakasal last year. Now, it's either si Leo o si Clark. Whatever reason, for sure, may say na naman si Mum—at iyon ang inaabangan namin.
Last day of January, hindi na pinaabot ng February ang kasal na inaasahan naming lahat. It was Patrick's decision kasi habang tumatagal, lalo raw niyang nararamdamang ayaw na siyang pakasalan ni Melanie. Not sure about Mel pero halatang jino-joke time lang niya ni Patrick. Sa ganito kaengrandeng wedding, duda akong ika-cancel niya 'to.
"I'm really excited sa susunod na ikakasal," parinig ni Mum kaya pare-pareho kaming napahinto na mga umiinom sa mesa.
Inatake agad ako ng kaba at sinipa-sipa ang binti ni Clark sa tabi ko habang poker faced lang, kunwari walang narinig.
"Next year ang kasal ninyo, Leopold, right?" Tita Pia asked, and the tension in my system was going up.
"Hoping, Tita," Leo answered casually. "Paghahandaan pa kasi namin. Going three na rin kasi si Luan this year. By June, papasok na siya sa school."
"Sana pala dinala mo rin dito si Luan, ano?" masayang sagot ni Tita Pia kay Leo, and he smiled so awkward na halatang-halata na ayaw niya ng suggestion ni Tita Pia.
"How was the wedding, Eugene?" Auntie Liz asked. "Did you enjoy it?"
We all looked at Eugene na nasa tabi ni Clark. He was smiling so sweetly at Auntie Liz and nodded.
"It's kinda hot po sa place namin earlier, Lola Mommy. But it's okay lang po. Dada make paypay the fan he borrowed from Mommy Filly."
"You should ask your Dada for an electric fan as well," Auntie Liz replied. "Sana sinabi n'yo agad kanina para nakapag-provide kami."
"It's okay, Tita. Wala namang kaso 'yon," sagot ni Leo.
"Oh! I remember, si Ronerico pa rin ba ang sponsor ng wedding?" reminder ni Auntie Liz noong church wedding nina Kuya at Jaesie. "Or that was a joke."
Nagkapalitan ng tingin sina Leo at Kuya. Ang alam kasi naming lahat, sarcasm 'yon ni Leo kay Mum. Pero mukhang iba yata ang intindi ng parents namin.
"Yes, Auntie, ako," confident na sagot ni Kuya, as if that was the truth.
We were expecting Mum's interference about Kuya and his potential expenses related to Leo, but she was quiet and drank her water from her goblet. She didn't look pissed, but she wasn't pleased about Kuya's answer.
"Beach wedding ang plan namin ni Ky," mabilis na sagot ni Leo. "Intimate wedding lang."
"That's good," Tita Pia answered, and it was a bit weird that Clark's mom was the one interviewing Leo and his plans. "We're looking forward to your wedding, Leopold."
I eyed the table with a hint of sarcasm because that was a bad news for me since Mum was looking forward to it as well. Hindi naman siguro coincidence lang na looking forward ang parehong mama namin ni Clark sa wedding ni Leo matapos niyang sabihing payag siyang ikasal kapag naikasal na rin si Leo at si Ky.
Sobrang weird ng luncheon na 'yon. Ang tahimik ng parents namin kahit pa parang lahat yata kami, ine-expect na may pasabog na announcement sila like "Clark and Sab are gonna get married soon!"
We ate in peace. Our parents talked about business and other commitments. They asked Leo and Kyline about Eugene's studies. They gave a hint of request about Kuya and Jaesie's plan to have a baby soon kasi nga may baby na sina Pat and Mel. As in walang nag-uusap about sa amin ni Clark, and that was a trigger to my anxiety more kaysa pag-usapan nila harap-harapan sa amin.
"Ninong Clark, I want that bread," Eugene asked sweetly, pointing to the blueberry-filled brioche in front of me. "Can I have that one?"
"What's the magic word?" Clark asked.
"Pleeeease?"
Clark giggled at Eugene's answer and took the huge plate in front of me and hand it to Eugene.
Kuya's barkada was joking that Eugene was supposed to be named Clark Junior, and I really bought that joke until Kyline admitted that Clark actually suggested the name for Eugene but Leo declined it without a second thought. Kahit din naman siguro ako, ide-decline ko 'yon kung ako ang parents ni Eugene.
But the kid was sitting beside Clark, and if Eugene wasn't his father's exact replica, walang makakapagsabi na hindi siya anak ni Clark. After all, matagal naman nang sanay si Clark mag-alaga ng bata. He grew up taking care of me, and Eugene was easier to handle compared to me, to be honest.
After Clark returned the plate where he got it, his gaze shifted on me to ask. "Tahimik ka yata." Inilagay pa niya ang kanang braso niya sa sandalan ng upuan ko.
"Do I have to say something?" I asked.
"Hmm . . ." He bobbled his head from side to side. "Puwede mong klaruhin sa kanila ang tungkol sa wedding ngayon pa lang."
"Hindi ba masyadong passive kung random kong ibi-bring up?"
"Actually, yeah. Pero halatang anxious ka kasi.Kanina ka pa nagfi-fingertap diyan. Ano ba? Ano'ng gagawin ko?"
I stared at his eyes. One thing I hate about Clark's eyes when he was looking at me, I never understand how he thinks. Yung mga ex ko, kapag tinitingnan ko sa mata, alam ko agad kung bored ba o masaya. Si Leo nga, alam ko agad kung aburido o hindi. Si Kuya, mas malala pa kasi wala naman siyang ibang expression kundi maghamon sa kausap gamit ang tingin. But Clark is one of those people na para akong tumitingin sa kawalan kapag tinititigan ko. Nababasa ko lang siya kapag kalokohan ang topic. And I guess hindi kalokohan sa kanya ang pinag-uusapan namin ngayon.
"Waiting ako ng announcement ni Mum," sagot ko kay Clark saka inilipat ang tingin sa plato kong ubos na ang laman. "I can't talk right now about the wedding kasi wala pa naman siyang ina-announce."
Clark was too observant. Ako ngang anxious mismo, hindi agad napansing nagfi-fingertap na pala ako sa hita ko kung hindi pa niya babanggitin. Bigla tuloy akong napahinto sa ginagawa ko, and I ended up cracking my knuckles just to get at ease.
"Hayaan mo muna 'yan," biglang sabi ni Clark. "Wala pang announcement, huwag muna tayong mag-assume."
Then he pulled my chair a bit closer to him and held my left hand. He placed his fingers between mine and his thumb was casually brushing my thumb's side as if calming me without doing big movements na mapapansin ng mga kasama namin sa table.
"Clark, pa-update ako sa drive ng records mamaya pag-uwi, ha?" utos ni Leo.
"Sure!" masayang sagot ni Clark. Kung kumilos siya, parang wala siyang ginagawang kakaiba. Nagawa pa nga niyang asikasuhin si Eugene na demand nang demand ng pagkain habang hawak ang kamay ko.
Binitiwan din niya ako nang alukin siya ng fruit salad ni Tita Pia. Hindi niya ibinalik ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ko pero tinapik-tapik na niya ang kaliwang hita ko gaya ng ginagawa niya kapag kailangan ko nang pakalmahin o kaya patulugin.
It was calming me. Unfortunately, lalo lang niya akong pinatutulog habang busy ang lahat sa kanya-kanyang topic. I laid my head on his shoulder and hugged his right arm.
"Huy, bawal matulog dito," mahinang paalala niya. "Nasa mesa tayo."
"Inaantok ako sa ginagawa mo."
"Gusto mo na bang matulog? Ipaalam kita kay Tita Tess, sabihin ko, pagod ka."
"Saan ako matutulog? Sa van?"
"Doon sa tinulugan n'yo nina Jae?"
"Eh? Wala akong kasama?" nakangusong tanong ko. Ayokong bumalik doon sa old house. Feeling ko, may mumu roon kapag mag-isa lang ako.
"Mamayang gabi pa matatapos 'tong ceremony. May after-party pa. Samahan kita?"
Umangat ang tingin ko sa kanya. I was trying to hold my smile because of his offer. Tiningnan ko na lang siya na kunwari, nagdududa ako sa intensiyon niyang samahan ako.
"Isasama ko si Eugene," sabi niya na lalong nagpawala ng ngiti ko. "Hahaha! Joke lang."
Tumayo na siya at bumitiw sa 'kin. Pinanood ko siyang yumuko kay Mum at may ibinulong. Pagsulyap ko, nakatingin na si Mum sa akin at seryoso lang ang siya saka tumango. It was odd because I was expecting she was in all smiles because Clark was asking for me to have a rest somewhere apart from here.
Her serious face shifted to a forced smile and nodded at Clark. She carefully tapped Clark's back and nodded.
Whatever Clark said to Mum probably wasn't what I was expecting. Umaasa ako ng proud at masayang reaction kay Mum pero mukhang nalungkot pa nga.
Clark returned and whispered to Eugene, but it was loud enough for me to hear.
"Kuya Jijin, I'll take care of Tita Sab muna, ha? If you need something, talk to Dada first, okay?"
"Okay po, Ninong Clark."
Clark stood up and looked at Leo. "Dude, doon muna kami ni Sab sa mansiyon."
"Ha? S-Sige, okay lang." Kahit nalilito, pumayag na si Leo.
Sunod na nagpaalam si Clark kay Kuya na katabi ko lang. Tinapik nga lang niya sa balikat.
"Dude."
"Go ahead," sagot ni Kuya kahit walang malinaw na context.
It would always be a mystery to me on how Clark explained things to other people and persuading them to believe in him. I had no idea sa kung ano ang mga sinasabi ni Clark sa ibang tao, pero sure ako na kapag may sinabi siya sa kanila, madalas sa madalas, pumapayag agad sila.
None of us know what he has in mind, and maybe none of us might have known what else was in there unless he gave us the chance to know what those were.
"Tara na, Sab."
And we left that luncheon without hearing anything controversial about the two of us.
♥♥♥