Basco, Batanes / October 24, 2021
7am pa lang ng umaga, gising na si RJ. Ito na. Ito na ang araw na pinakahihintay niya. In just a few hours, he will marry the love of his life.
He got out of bed and grabbed his phone to see if there are any messages. Meron nga. One from Maine.
Good morning, my love! I can't wait to see you later. Nicomaine Dei Faulkerson sounds really nice no? Hihi. Love you!
He smiled after reading her text. His surname really fits her name. Napakagandang pakinggan.
"Good morning, dad," bati niya sa daddy niya. Umupo na siya sa tabi ni Riza para kumain ng breakfast.
"Good morning. Oh, kamusta tulog mo?"
"Okay naman dad. Nakatulog naman ng maayos."
"Kuya, lumabas ka ba kagabi?" tanong ni Riza sa kanya. "Kumakatok kasi ako sa kwarto mo kagabi, hihiram dapat ako ng charger kaso hindi ka naman sumasagot."
"Anong oras ka ba kumatok?"
"Mga 8:15 ata?"
Napaisip siya. 8:15? Nasa labas pa sila ni Maine non at nakatambay sa Rolling Hills. But he chose not to tell them. That will be his and Maine's little secret.
"Tulog na ko non."
"Sabi mo yan, kuya."
His sister didn't pursue asking. Buti na lang. Pero ang hindi niya alam, kumatok din si Riza sa pintuan ni Maine. Gets na niya nung wala ding sumasagot sa kwarto nito. Magkasama silang dalawa.
"Teka RJ, ready ka na ba para mamaya?"
Napangiti siya, nasa isip lahat ng mangyayari mamaya. "Oo naman dad. Ready na."
"Mukhang hindi ka kinakabahan ah?"
"Susmaryosep dad, ako pa ba?"
"Nako kuya, yang pagka-chill mo ngayon tanggal yan mamaya," asar ni Riza sa kanya. "Chill chill ka pa ha."
Pucha. Tama nga si Riza.
Yung chill chill niya kanina? Nawala lahat pagdating nila sa chapel.
They're minutes away before the wedding. Nakapwesto na silang lahat sa labas para simulan ang wedding march. Kaharap niya ngayon si Margaux, ang wedding coordinator nila.
"RJ, you're up."
Nagsimula na siyang maglakad papunta sa dulo ng aisle. His dad walked first, pagkatapos si James na best man niya. He also saw Andrew and Gara sitting on one of the pews. Flower girls kasi ang mga anak nito. Nginitian niya ang dalawa.
Naaalala pa niya noon, selos na selos siya kay Andrew simula nung maging sila ni Maine. Akala kasi ni Maine, hindi niya napapansin na iniiwasan siya nito. He knew Maine was dodging his calls, hindi nga rin ito pumupunta sa bahay nila. It was after five weeks, three days and sixteen hours when he decided to talk to her.
"Maine! Maine mag-usap naman tayo please!"
He was outside her bedroom in Bulacan, asking her if they could talk. Ilang linggo na kasi silang hindi nag-uusap at baka masiraan siya ng bait kapag nagtuloy-tuloy ito.
Pinagbuksan siya ni Maine ng pinto after five minutes. Wala kang mababasang expression sa mukha nito kaya lalong natakot si RJ.
He said sorry for pestering her, she said sorry for dodging his calls. They both miss each other pero nung mga panahong yon? Mas mabuti talaga na hindi muna sila magkita ng madalas.
Kasi para kay Maine, lalo lang siyang nalilito sa feelings niya.
RJ came back to his senses when he felt someone nudge him.
"Anak, ayos ka lang ba?"
"Ayos lang, dad."
"Mabuti naman. Yung bilin ko sayo ha? Magiging mag-asawa na kayo. Lagi mong uunahin ang kapakanan ng magiging pamilya mo."
He smiled at his father. "Yes, dad."
"Sige na, umayos ka na. Nandiyan na si Maine."
The doors opened and there she is, at the other end of the aisle. Kanina, hindi siya umiiyak. Pero nung makita niya si Maine? Parang bulkang sumabog ang tearducts niya.
And the inevitable happened.
His future flashed right before his eyes the moment he saw her walking down the aisle.
Mas lalo siyang umiyak. Mas lalo naging intense yung nararamdaman niya para kay Maine. Akala niya wala ng hihigit pa sa mga masasayang moments nila together. Meron pa pala.
Ito yung moment na yon.
Ang makita si Maine na naglalakad papunta sa kanya.
Napakaganda ni Maine sa gown niya. It was very simple yet elegant. Lalong lumutang ang ganda nito. Hindi siya lalong makapaniwala. Sobrang ganda ng mapapangasawa niya.
When the song started playing, hindi na tumigil ang luha niya sa pagpatak. Maine was walking down the aisle with an acoustic version of Umagang Kay Ganda on the background. Isa kasi yon sa mga paborito nilang kanta. He noticed Maine was crying too, much more than him. Ang ganda na sana ng moment.
Kaso bigla siyang natawa.
Kasi binelatan siya ni Maine habang nasa may bandang gitna na siya ng aisle.
Well played, Maine. Well played.
"Puro ka kalokohan," bungad niya kay Maine pagdating nito sa may pwesto niya. Her dad shook his hand and hugged him and before finally handing his youngest daughter to him, bumulong muna ito sa kanya.
"Take care of my bunso, RJ. At tatay na ang itawag mo sa akin simula ngayon."
"Salamat po, Tay."
Niyakap siya ulit nito at tinapik sa balikat bago tuluyang ibigay si Maine sa kanya.
"May chance pa umatras, Maine," asar ni RJ kay Maine. "Gawin mo na habang maaga pa."
"And miss the chance to annoy you for the rest of our lives? Not a chance, mister."
They smiled at each other and started interlacing their fingers. Ngayon, sabay silang haharap sa Diyos para sa pagsisimula ng isang bagong kinabukasan.
"Friends, we have been invited here today to share with RJ and Maine, a very important moment in their lives. In the time they have been together, their love and understanding for each other has grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife. Now, who gives this woman to be wedded to this man?"
Maine's father stood up and smiled. "I do, father."
"Thank you," the priest nodded. "The gift of marriage brings husband and wife together in the delight of sexual union. It is given as the foundation of family life in which children are born and nurtured, and in which each member of the family, in good times and in bad, may find strength, companionship and comfort, and grow to maturity in love. The vows you are about to take are to be made in the presence of these witnesses, therefore if either of you knows a reason why these two may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now or forever hold your peace."
Nagkatinginan pa sila ni Maine, sabay tawa.
"Nag-isip ka pa talaga kung may tututol ha," asar niya kay Maine. Binelatan lang siya ulit nito.
"Mukha mo, Pokerson. Tse."
"Hmm. Mukhang ready na kayong dalawa ah," sabi ng pari sa kanila. "Simulan na natin ito."
***
"The rings, please."
Inabot na sa kanila ni Jakob, ang ring bearer nila na pangalawang anak nina Dani at James, ang mga singsing nila. Medyo nagulat pa si Maine pagkakita sa mga singsing.
"Bakit parang may nadagdag?"
Tama nga siya. May mga pinadagdag na diamonds si RJ sa wedding ring ni Maine, forming it into an infinity sign.
"Para mas personalized," ang nasabi na lang ni RJ. Their wedding date and initials are also engraved on the rings.
"RJ, I give you this ring as a reminder that I will love, honor, and cherish you, in all times, in all places, and in all ways, forever."
"Maine, I give you this ring as a reminder that I will love, honor, and cherish you, in all times, in all places, and in all ways, forever."
Pagkasuot nila ng mga singsing, ngumiti sa kanila ang pari at sinabing, "You may now state your personal vows."
It was Maine who spoke first.
"January 2003 when I wrote that bucket list on a sheet of paper. It was a spur of the moment thing, naisip kong magsulat ng mga lugar na gusto kong puntahan at mga bagay na gusto kong gawin pagpunta ko sa Amerika. Then my sister Coleen saw the list. And she asked me kung may kasama ako na gagawa noon. Without any hesitations, I answered you. Of course, it would be you. You are my bestfriend, my partner in crime, my special person. But never have I imagined that that list would open doors for us, to have an us. I will always be grateful for that list, RJ. Because it made me realize that no matter where I go, no matter how far I reach, it wouldn't be worth it without you by my side. Basta kasama kita, alam ko na safe ako, sure ako at special ako. Maraming salamat, RJ. Maraming salamat sa walang sawang pagmamahal at pag-aalaga. Pinapangako ko sayo na hanggang sa pagtanda nating dalawa, magkasama pa rin nating sasalubungin ang pagsikat ng araw. Hahawakan ko ang mga kamay mo hanggang sa paglubog nito. Hanggang sa kabilang buhay, ikaw at ikaw lang ang mamahalin ko. I love you so much, RJ. In more universe than one."
Tulala si RJ sa vows ni Maine. Wala siyang masabi. Wala kasi itong hawak na papel kaya alam niyang straight from the heart ito. Natakot tuloy siya.
"Masyado mo namang ginalingan yung vows mo, Meng. Hindi pa naman ako prepared," nagtawanan lahat ng tao sa chapel. "Eto na nga. Sabi nila, maswerte raw ako dahil ikaw ang girlfriend ko. Maganda, mabait, matalino, talented. Tama sila. But above all the positive adjectives, maswerte ako dahil kakaibang saya ang nararamdan ko kapag kasama kita. I see everything in a different light when I'm with you, Maine. Different, meaning positive. Lahat makulay, lahat masaya. Sa halos buong buhay ko na kasama kita, hindi lang sa iisang araw ko hiniling na sana, sa tamang panahon, makamit na natin yung genuine happiness na hinihiling natin noon. And we did it. We're here, together. Maraming salamat sa patuloy na pagmamahal at pag-uunawa, Maine. Katulad mo, hinding-hindi ko bibitawan ang mga kamay mo sa lahat ng pagsubok na darating sa ating dalawa. Hinding-hindi ko bibitawan ang mga kamay mo sa mga panahong masayang-masaya ka, lalo na sa mga panahong umiiyak ka. Asahan mong nasa tabi mo lang ako, kasama mong bumubuo ng mga pangarap mo, mga pangarap nating dalawa. Mahal na mahal kita, Maine. Ilang beses man akong bigyan ng pagkakataon na maikot ang mundo, ikaw at ikaw pa rin ang pipiliin kong makasama sa pag-ikot na ito. I love you so."
Hindi na napigilan ni Maine ang sarili at niyakap na si RJ habang umiiyak silang dalawa. Kahit mga guests nila sa chapel, nag-iiyakan na rin. It was a beautiful vow.
"By the power vested upon me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. RJ, you may now kiss your bride."
The whole chapel started to fill with endless clapping and shrieking as RJ put up Maine's veil. Maine cupped his face as he leaned forward, and soul-kissed her now husband.
Maine rested her forehead on RJ's and whispered, "I love you."
"I love you most," was his reply, together with a kiss on her forehead.
"May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Faulkerson Jr.!"