5 Year’s Later.
Vice sigh and took a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror.
“Are you Ready??” wika ni Vhong ng sumilip ito sa pinto nia.
Lumingon sia at pilit na ngumiti. “Yeah, maybe..”
Tumango ito. “Hintayin ka namin ni Kuys Billy sa baba, bilisan mo jan. Wag mong sabihin na unang darating ang Bride sayo.”
“wag kang mag alala, matagal matapos si Karylle lalo nang nandon si Ngangabu., “
Ngumiti ito.”Pogi mo sa suot mo ah?? di ka ba nangangati?”
Yumuko sia sa suot nia. He’s wearing Black suit and red tie. “Para nga akong Gangster sa suot ko eh..” wika nia.
“U look Tao Vice.. promise., for sure madaming mag titilian mamaya sa simbahan mo..”
Napahawak sia ulo at marahang inayos ang buhok. “Sabi ko naman sa inyo na mag GOWN ako , ayaw niong pumayag..”
“Siraulo..ang dugyot..” pailing-iling na wika ni Vhong. “Baba na ako.. bilisan mo..”pagkatapos lumbas ng pinto
Tiningnan nia ulit ang sarili at pilit na ngumiti.
Kaya mo toh Vice.
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Palabas na sia ng pinto ng makita si Billy na nakatayo malapit sa kotse, tila may binabantayan ito sa pinto.
Napatingin sia rito mula ulo hanggang paa, gaya nia malaki rin ang pinagbago nito, pumayat ito at balbas sarado ang mukha, nang napansin siguro nitong nakatingin sia rito ay kumaway ito.
“Vice!..”
Tinaas nia ang kamay. “Bhestie..” lumapit ito at mahigpit silang nagyakapan.
“Woah..” hinawakan nito ang balikat nia at marahang inatras. “Ang Pogi mo ah..”
“nangangati na ako sa POGi na yan..” biro na sagot nia.
“Talaga lang ha? Dahil siguro yan kay----“
“Tapos na ako Hon..” wika ng isang babae sa loob ng kotse.
Lumingon si billy at pinuksan ang pinto. Napangiti sia ng bumama si Coleen mula sa kotse yakap ang isang matabang cute na sangol.
After ng LAST AIR ng showtime 2 years ago ay agad na nag pakasal ang dalawa, at sa loob ng isang taon ay nagawa ito ng isang maliit na chikiting.
“Tapos na ba naka dede ang jun-jun ko?” nakangiting wika ni Billy habang nilalaro ang sangol na karga ni Coolen.
“Hon, ano ba.. natutulog na..wag kang maingay.. kitang natutulog ang bata” maktol ni Coolen habang nilalayo ang bata.
Sumimangot si Billy. “Ang damot mo.. napapansin ko na dis past days na di mo pinapahiram ang anak ko..”
“Pano ko ipapahiram sayo.. wala lang ginawa kundi paiyakin si potpot..” sagot naman ni Coolen.
Tumaas ang kilay ni Vice. Of all ba naman na magagandang nickname POTPOT pa ang napili ng dalawa.
“hindi---“
“Shhh!..” awat ni Coolen kay Billy dahil nag simulang gumalaw ang 8 months old na baby boy na karga nito. “Ang ingay mo..” pabulong na wika nito. “Kunin mo ung sumbrero ni potpot, nasa kwarto..” utos nito sa asawa.
Di nia mapigilang tumawa at tinapik ang likod ni Billy. “Utos ni Komander .. sumunod ka..”
Nong una’y ayaw pumayag ni Billy sa utos ni Coolen pero ng pandilatan ni Coolen si Billy ay nag dadabog ang lalaki at kinuha ang sombrero ng bata.
Nang umalis si Billy ay naiwan sila ni Coolen sa labas ng lobby.
“Kumusta kana kua Vice..?” basag ni Coolen sa katahimikan.
Lumingon sia at tiningnan si Coolen, gaya ni Billy ay may nagbago rin dito, di ito ang dating coolen na tahimik, mahinhin at bata tingnan. Ngayon, napaka MAMA ang dating nito, not in the way na MANANG, ung bang MOTHER lang tingnan, pero nanatiling maganda at seksi parin nito.
Nakasuot ito ng white dress, habang ang baby nito ay naka suot ng suit and bow tie, at talaga namang namana ng Bata ang shape ng mukha ni Billy lalo na ang mata nito.
“Tara na?” wika ni Vhong habang kasabay nito si Billy.
“Oh.. San ka ba galing Vhong at bakit nauna pa ako rito..”
“May kinuha—“
“May kinuha daw tapos nadaanan kita kanina na may kausap don sa condo unit 234..” sumbong ni Billy.
Nanlaki ang mata ni Vhong na para bang sinaway si Billy.
“Ayan ka na naman sa kalokohan mo.. di ka pa ba.. napala kay Denise Cornejo?” asar nia kay Vhong.
“Sira!.. klasmate ko un nong HS,nong lumabas sia ng napadaan ako..tapos nag kwentuhan lang saglit..” defensive na sagot ni Vhong.
“Naku sinasabi ko sau.. baka mabugbug ka nian..”
Umi-iling ito at nag suot ng shades. “Di na mangyayari un.. nagbago na ako..”
“Talaga lang.. dapat mag bago ka.. dahil pag nalaman ng FIANCEE mo ang ginagawa mo .. for sure kakainin ka nia ng BUHAY..” wika naman ni Billy.
“Oo,. Pasok na pasok ka sa bibig non..” may bayad na pananakot na sabad ni Vice.
“Ang sama nio.. I susumbong ko kayo kay Ate Anne..” wika naman ni Coolen.
“Anong isusumbong?” wika ng isang boses babae sa likod ni Vhong.
“Lagot..” bulong ni Billy.
“bebe ko..” nakangiting wika ni Vhong at masuyong hinalikan si Anne sa pisnge.
“Anong susumbong na yan? “ nakataas na kilay na wika ni Anne.
“Isusumbong nila sayo.. kong gaano kita ka mahal..” paglalambing nito kay Anne dahilan ng fake cough ni Vice sa gilid. “DIBA guys?” may diin na wika Vhong sa kanila.
Sabay na tumango si Billy at Coolen habang sia naman ay nanatiling nakatingin lang sa dalawa.
1 year ng engaged ang dalawa pero hanggang ngaun ay wala paring exact date para sa kasal ni Vhong at Anne, sabi kasi nila na eneenjoy pa nila ang buhay nila, ung nag tra-travel ang dalawa all over the world and sooner or later ay mag sesettle down sila if naikot na nila ang mundo.
“V-Vice?? ikaw ba yan?” manghang wika ni Anne habang nakatingin sa kanya.
“Hindi Anne, picture ko toh..”
Inabot sia ni Anne at mahigpit na niyakap.Agad nagkatinginan si Vhong at Billy. Magsasalita sana sia ng maramdaman ang mahina na hikbi ni Anne sa dibdib nia.Hinaplos nia ang buhok nito.
“Makaiyak ka naman parang ang tagal mo kong di nakita..”
Umatras ito at tiningala sia. “Im just happy..”
Kinurot nia ang ilong nito. “Wag ka nang umiyak.. masisira ang make up mo.”
Ngumiti si Anne at marahang pinunsan ang luha.
“Tara na.. Naghihintay na sia..” tapik ni Vhong sa balikat nia.
“Finally.. magiging completo na ulit tayong SHOWTIME FAMILY..” wika ni Billy.
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He arrived at the old church on this one fine day to witness a ceremony that will take everyone’s breath away.
“Meme!..” bungad ng isang masiglang sigaw ng bumaba sia mula sa kotse.
“Buern!..”
“Ay! Lalaki ka na!..” medyo napaatras ito ng lumapit sia.
“Ay! Ang baboy mo na!..” ganting asar nia.
“Di kaya!.” Sabay tapik nito sa bilugan niang tiyan.
Di sia makapaniwala sa mga pagbabago na nakikita nia. Hindi na ito ang Buern na maarte sa pangangatawan, medyo naging moreno ang kulay nito at lumapad ang katawan, di naman mataba, ung bang macho lang tingnan.
“Anong ginawa sau ni Nicka at naging ganyan ka na?”
“Pinalamun ng pinalamun..” sabay tawa nito. Pati pag tawa nito nag bago, lalaking-lalaki ang tono.
“Nasaan ang asawa mo?”
3 years na itong kasal kay Nicka. Natawa nga sia ng malaman niang si Nicka mismo ang nag propose kay Buern.
“Nandoon sa loob nakikipag chicakahan..”
“tawagin mo nga.. gusto---“
“Hi..”
Sabay silang napalingon ng makarinig Boses babae.Nakangiti ito sa kanila at agad lumapit. Tiningnan nia ito mula ulo hanggang paa, at aaminin nia nagagandahan sia sa dilag na nasa harap nia. May pag ka chinita ang babae, wavy ang brunette na buhok nito. Kitang-kita rin ang magandang dimples nito sa pisnge.
“Ui! Buti nakarating ka..” wika ni Buern sa tabi nia.
Gulat na nilingon nia si Buern. So., kilala nito ang babae?
“Sino yan?” bulong nia kay Buern.
“di mo kilala?” manghang tanong ni Buern.
Umiling sia.
“Hi.. im Arianne..” agad itong nag beso sa kanya. “Archie before..” mahinang bulong nito.
Nanigas sia kinatatayuan. “A-Archie??”
Tumango ang babae sa harap nia. “The one and only..”
Nakanganga siang lumingon kay Buern na ngauy nakangiti na ng nakakaloko.
“That’s how retoke works..”
“Anak ng asdfghjk----“
“She’s here.. Vice.. punta kana sa Altar..” wika sa kanya ng wedding planner.
Tinapik sia ni Buern sa balikat.”Catch u Later buddy..”
Tumango sia at dali-daling naglakad papuntang altar.
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He stood anxious at the front of the altar watching two families and friends coming together to witness this long awaited event. He is holding back his tears while counting every minute as he waits for her. Finally, the church doors opened and the organ began to play its favorable harmonies, he turned around to follow the gaze of the crowd; and there she is.
Di mapigilang mapangiti ni Vice while looking at her, though her hands were covered with the bouquet she’s holding, he knows she’s trembling with joy. Ang magandang mukha nito na natatakpan ng puting belo, although he can’t see her face, he knows a smile is plastered on her face from ear to ear; a smile that shined brighter than the morning sun but also serene like the parting sunset.
The closer she is to the altar the more excited he got. He can’t contain his smile and the tears no matter how hard he tried. Their eyes meet she winks at him to let him know that it is really happening and she is ready.
He looks around to see the faces of the crowd, the flowers, the ambiance of the church, the flashing cameras coming from all angles to capture the intimacy of the ceremony down to the smallest detail.
Time seemed to stop as he maintained his gaze at the woman before him. Tears streamed down her face as she recites her vows in exchange for a ring.
“I Do.”
Those two words that departed from her mouth cause him snapped out of his trance and he realized the ceremony is about to come to its closure.
“I now pronounce you, Husband and Wife. You may kiss your bride.”
The veil that masked her was lifted to expose her beauty. To witness such perfection was a privilege, he thought. She laid her soft lips that he has always longed for and the tears began to rush down his face.
“Finally..”She whispered.
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The crowd applauds and everyone cheers for the newly wedded couple. The church bells rang, the sun beamed down gloriously while rice was thrown in the air. He stared closely at every grain that seemed to sparkle as she walked by with her husband. It killed him to see the two of them officially together but being the best man, he had to be happy even for a little bit.
He stopped in his tracks while watching the two of them being surrounded by the crowd to be given their best wishes. He knew he had to say goodbye to her one last time but to try and get past the mass of people was suicide. Standing off in a corner, there he stands just watching her. That smile is even brighter now as she was slowly drifting away.
He felt a strange feeling in his chest as if his heartstrings were being plucked all together then one by one.
“Karylle.,Look at me.” Vice mumbled to himself.
“Look at me so I’ll know you’ll be okay now.” Tears were streaming down his face once more, but not because of happiness.
A glimmer of hope lit up his face and she seemed to be searching for something… or someone.
“Kurba.. dito..” He mumbled again as if she could hear him.
Their eyes finally meet and she smiled at him, he smiled back of course. She nodded indicating that it is time to part ways and he understood.
He waved his hand and walked away; turning his back on the woman he love with all his heart.
“Today is the happiest day of her life, but also the day I let her go. Saying goodbye may leave me hurt, but it will free me from all the aches and wounds.
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It may not be us now,
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but maybe after 2.5 million years, It will be us once more,
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and Our Love will Remain forever..”
#BeautifulDisaster
@airanewkulitz
Author’s Goodbye:
I would like to thank.. all my readers.. kung di dahil sa inyo, di magiging success ang story na ito.
Esp. Sa Nema Gail Beauties.. led by Dora. sa SUpport and Idea's
I know.. di maganda ang ending, at gusto kong humingi ng SORRY.. Hope u’ll understand.. NABUO ang BEAUTIFUL DISASTER dahil sa Vkmoments .. at alam naman nating CONFIRM na ang wedding. That’s why ginawa kong REALISTIC ang ending.
Ito lang ang masasabi ko sa mga co-sib ko.
Whatever happens.. here..
We Remain…