The gorgeous biologist's supposedly awesome afternoon was ruined. Her mood turned extremely sour because of her boyfriend's disappearance and the incident of the lock door. On top of all that, add the hormonal adverse effect of her medication, mood swings, so Sabina was fuming by the time she reached the dining hall of the ancestral house that evening.
And her annoyance and anger escalated more when she saw Timothy's chair. It was empty and the young architect was nowhere to be seen.
Where's that git? She asked herself inwardly, pissed with her boyfriend's unexplainable disappearing stunt.
"Hey guys have you seen Tim?" Irritably, she asked the twins, unable to contained herself.
The twins shared a blank look before Jacob answered his obviously irked sister. "Yes, he's outside somewhere."
"Well, it's almost dinner time. He should be here by now." She huffed, scolding Timothy mentally.
"It's alright, he went ahead of us. He had eaten dinner 30 minutes ago in haste, saying that he has something to attend to." Anton explained, making Sabina angrier and more annoyed.
The young woman flopped on her seat while punishing her boyfriend in her mind again and again.
"Inconsiderate moron!" Sabina cursed silently.
"I've been worrying about him since this afternoon and now, he didn't even waited to have dinner with us? And what is this "something to attend to" matter that couldn't wait?" She continued to murmur angrily to herself.
Unknown to her, the twins was listening to everything she was saying. The two men shared a regaled look as they watched their only sister go berserk with extreme annoyance.
"Insensitive brat!" She huffed.
"Timothy Sebastian pray tell that all this, is really important because if not I'll kick your ass back to Manila." She whispered lividly.
This not so low whisper earned a snigger from the twins. "Relax Aria. This might be really important so chill. Give the poor young man the benefit of the doubt." Anton encouraged her.
The gorgeous biologist didn't reply she just sit their quietly as she rolled her eyes on her twin brothers.
After several long minutes, Doña Esperanza came sauntering in and following is her son, Don Luis.
"Come on, let's eat." The patriarch declared after the family said a small sincere grace.
To Sabina's great chagrin, nobody asked for her boyfriend but she didn't complain, thinking that Timothy was responsive and respectful enough that he had informed her grandmother and her father that he will not be joining them for dinner.
The dinner was pleasant and tension free but this didn't pacify the anger inside Sabina. She wanted Timothy to be there with her and with her family and not outside prioritizing some irrelevant chores or things.
"You're just pushing your food around you plate, mi amor but I haven't seen you chew." The old clan matriarch noticed. She too, knew what's about to happened and she's very much part of the conspiracy.
"Your abuela is right, Bonita. Eat. You need to eat." Don Luis seconded his mother's observation.
Not wanting to worry her folks, the gorgeous biologist started eating mindfully and after a few moment, she genuinely began to enjoy the food.
Yaya Loring had prepared an all Ilocano feast for the family. Pigar Pigar, Igado, Bagnet, Dinakdakan, Poqui-poqui and of course, Pinakbet.
Heartily, the Dela Vegas ate their dinner, throwing stories here and there to divert Sabina's attention away from her boyfriend.
They may have successfully diverted her attention but this didn't lessen the annoyance she was feeling towards the missing young architect. "Where are you, Sebastain?" She whispered petulantly as everybody was starting to rise, signaling the end of dinner.
The family was on their way to the Veranda when one of yaya Loring's kids materialized in front of them. He was panting hard because of running all the way from outside.
"Señor," He began breathlessly as he addressed the old Tobacco Mogul.
"Shadow, señorita's horse is missing." Jojo annunciated the bad news in between shallow and labored breathing.
Sabina's horrid mood magnified ten folds as she heard the news. "Shadow?" Her voice taking a high pitch.
Hesitantly, the adolescent boy nodded his head. "Yes, señorita." He replied briefly, his eyes flickered at the young young woman and reflected fear.
"What? But how?" With a much higher pitch, Sabina queried again.
"I was about to go check on him for the night but when I got there, the door of the stable was open and Shadow wasn't on his stall. I looked everywhere but I couldn't find him señorita. I'm so sorry señorita." Jojo explained thoroughly, voice slightly quivering from nervousness.
The gorgeous biologist softened at this. "Don't worry Jojo, we will find him. I'm certain about that." She stated to pacify the teenage boy.
The Dela Vega men shared an amazed look. The lad had managed to pull it off without giving Sabina any suspicion.
"I think it would be better if we take a look at it." Anton suggested as he winked at the stable lad.
"Alright, señorito." Jojo immediately replied, still faking an agitated and scared facade.
Everyone change the course of their path including the old clan matriarch. Sabina readily saw this so she opened her mouth. "Abuela, it's kind of dark now. I think it would be better if you stay here. We will be back in a bit. I'm just going to..."
But her words were drowned by Doña Esperanza voice. "No mi amor, I need to see this myself." She replied cryptically.
So hurriedly, both Jacob and Anton flanked their grandmother-- guiding her through the dimly it path towards the Dela Vega's stable while the gorgeous biologist stood watching, a little baffled with everything that was happening.
As the group reached the massive stable, Sabina automatically ran towards Shadow's stall and true enough the horse wasn't there.
She went back with the others with a fouler mood. "Should we look for him tonight or wait until the sun rises?" She asked everyone but no one was paying attention to her.
The group was standing at one side of the stable away from her-- and she had noticed that the crowd had grown and now it includes yaya Loring, her husband manong Fernan, her eldest daughter Veronica and her other children.
But to her great disappointment her boyfriend wasn't with them. "And where the hell is Sebastian?" She muttered under her breath.
Out of nowhere a sound of galloping hooves sounded from the far end of the Dela Vegas' vast land. "Shadow?!" Sabina called out, the heaviness in her chest slightly decreased.
The sound continued and it's getting closer and closer until a silhouette of a running horse was formed in front of the gorgeous heiress.
But there was something unusual with the horse, it appeared that Shadow found a new kind of saddle, long and somewhat glinting plus there was something in his head.
When the horse was only meters away from her, it shuffled into a slow trot as it closed the gap between them. The horse neighed before stopping into a full halt.
Immediately, Sabina reached for the horse's ears and caressed it while the women in the crowd made adorable noises. "Where have you been boy? Going for a run under the moonlight ha?" She whispered affectionately.
"And who put that beautiful flower crown on your head? Don't they know that you're a he?" She giggled while lifting the flower crown from the head of the handsome horse.
Thoughtlessly she put the flower crown on her head as she grabbed the bridle in attempt to usher the horse towards the stable but the tips of her fingers caught something cold, smooth and hard.
In the middle of the dimly lit pathway, the gorgeous biologist halted. She squinted her eyes and tried scrutinizing what appeared to be a piece of shiny metal tacked in one of Shadow's cheek pieces.
Under the help of the moon light and inadequate light from the stable's open door, Sabina was able to read what's written on the gold plated alloy.
Hey, Sab! Marry me?
She blinked vigorously a couple of times and read the letters again. But it didn't change and it reads the same.
Hey Sab! Marry me?
Hey Sab! Marry me?
Hey Sab! Marry me?
Obviously it was customized and made special for her. The realization made her heart drummed inside her chest. And a smile almost broke her lovely face. Little by little, tears started to cascade from her big expressive eyes.
There was no really slowing down because Timothy is at it again. A loud gasp escaped her smiling mouth, when she turned around to looked for the young man that's making her blissfully happy at the moment.
Bended on one knee, the young architect was already in front of her. He must have crept sneakily behind her when she was checking the metal plate a while ago.
Timothy "Marry me, Maria Sabina?" He declared, eyes extraordinarily shiny. In his hand was their old engagement ring but the solitary diamond on top of it was replaced by a larger cushion-cut sapphire.
"Wow!" She gasped, as the moonlight hit the precious stone giving her the glimpse of the color of the ocean that she truly loved.
"Sab?" Timothy muttered as he waited for her answer.
Deeply moved and truly happy, the gorgeous heiress began to cry and giggle at the same time while Timothy was still down on his one bended knee.
"Quit horsing around and say yes!" Two voices shouted from the crowd, obviously the twins who were turning impatient now. Sniggers were heard from the small crowd and Shadow neighed once again.
Yes, Tim!
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
I will marry you!
With that giddy and ecstatic response, Timothy rose from his position and put the cushion cut sapphire ring on her left hand ring finger. He embraced the young woman tightly-- hoisted her from the ground and swirled her around while Sabina continued to giggle and cry.
"I love you and you alone can make me happy. By the way, the flower crown made you look like a moon fairy." Timothy Sebastian whispered as he swirled his fiancée around.
"And I love you, Tim. And this moon fairy is all yours, heart and mind." Sabina Dela Vega whispered back.
As the couple halted, everyone approached them and offered their heartfelt "congratulations."
When the crowd had thinned down and the couple was left alone. Timothy leaned over and readily claimed his fiancee's lips in a deep kiss. The kiss was passionate and gentle at the same time. Symbolizing Timothy's fierce and undying love for the petite woman in his arms.
"I've been meaning to do that since I saw you walking out of the house to the stable." He murmured huskily.
As Sabina pulled away, that was the only time she noticed the young man's full outfit. Timothy was wearing a plaid button down dress shirt tucked in a denim jeans complete cowboy's hat and scarf.
A loud snort bubble from her throat. "Be honest, Tim?"
"What?" Her fiancé asked, suddenly nervous.
"What's with you and wearing costumes?" She cackled loudly as she ran towards the house away from her slightly blushing fiancé.
∞∞∞
After the engagement, Timothy's father, Diego Sebastian, Margaret and other close relatives went to the city of Vigan to do the traditional "Pamanhikan", the couple decide to get married in the magnificent and ancient church of Paoay and to have their reception at Vitalis.
They were planning to get married around summer the next year so they have only 4 months to prepare for the wedding.
For Sabina this was her dream wedding, with all the people they love, beautiful ancient church and a beach reception.
But the gorgeous biologist wasn't completely happy, her mind kept on darting towards the future, towards the next months, the next weeks.
Will her condition change? Will it normalize? Will she get pregnant? Can she give Timothy children or even a child?
Good thing, the young architect was always by her side, trying his best every time-- to divert Sabina's attention since he was well aware what his fiancée was thinking.
"Don't think about it, Sab. It doesn't matter, okay?" He would always say every time he would see her with faraway look in her eyes.
Sometimes, Timothy would just pull her in a hug and whisper. "You're more than enough, mahal. Always remember that."
Or there were days that he would just lay down beside her and massage her back area and the region below her belly. "All I want is for you to be healthy, Sab so that we can grow old together. That's the most important thing for me."
These simple words would instantly lighten up the gorgeous woman's grim mood, helping her to accept and cope up with her health problem.
Just like right now, the couple was at the cradle taking their much needed rest. They just got home from Sabina's third shot and from a meeting with their trusted wedding coordinator.
Timothy decided to get a coordinator contrary to his fiancée's wish, thinking that this might add up,to Sabina's stress level.
Gently, the young architect was again massaging Sabina's left bicep, where the shot had been administered. "Better?" He asked.
"Much better. Thank you, mahal." She replied.
"From now on, there will be no secrets between us, right?" Timothy queried as he continued to massage his fiancée's arms.
The gorgeous biologist creased her forehead at this. "Yes, why? Is there a problem?"
The handsome architect shook his head. "Nothing serious but papa will announce our engagement via a broad sheet tomorrow, at the lifestyle section. I tried to stop him but he was really so proud and excited about it. What do you think?" He inquired doubtfully.
His beautiful fiancée offered a small smile before replying. "For me it's okay, mahal. I'm just concerned with papa Luis, you know old fashioned he is."
"No worries. Papa consulted papa Luis, abuela and even the twins before he did it. And all of them agreed. They told him that it was a good idea to shut up all your stalkers and for the public to know that the Dela Vega heiress is back for good." Timothy explained thoroughly.
"Then by all means, allow papa Diego to do what makes him happy." The gorgeous biologist replied as she placed a chaste kiss on her fiancé's soft warm lips.
The very next day at the lifestyles section of the Sunday paper, the whole country have seen the photo of two happy families that were destined to be allies because of Timothy and Sabina impending marriage.
These includes the people from the Sea and sky Leisure park, the Madrids and of course, Bianca Sebastian.
∞∞∞
To be able to personally break the good news to their friends, the newly-engaged couple decided to visit their friends in Mindoro. Timothy was too excited to share his good news to tatay Leo, Nancy Rankin and of course, to his best friend Terrence Leonardo.
Sabina had initially called her two best friends Patricia and James to informed them of her 2nd time engagement. "I'm really happy for you and this time make sure that nothing will happen, okay? I will see you as soon as we get back, alright?' Patricia happily stated over the phone, upon learning the good news.
The couple was currently in Macau doing a photo shoot with Margaret and some of the Ford Models.
Afterwards, Sabina and Timothy made sure to inform everyone, especially those who have never left their sides and remained loyal to them since their fall out. They felt that it was only fair to be with them in this blissful time.
As soon as their chopper landed, Terrence immediately wrapped his long arms around the newly-engaged couple. "Congratulations! And this time, I, myself will make sure that you two will end up in front of the altar, exchanging I do's. Do you hear me?" He teased.
"Thank you, Brad. For all the advices and for being always there not just for me but most of all for always being there for Tim." Sabina hugged the kind engineer as she uttered these emotional words.
Terrence reciprocated her embrace tightly. "No big deal, Sab. I will do it again and again if I had to, for my best friend and for his lady love." He whispered back.
As soon as the two separated Nancy Rankin came running. "How are you, Love?" The half Brit asked.
"I'm perfectly fine, Nan. Thank you for asking." The gorgeous biologist murmured as she wrapped her arms around the tall woman.
"And Congratulations! I told you, this is all written in the stars." She added in a teasing tone.
Sabina giggled at this, her usual rich and full giggle. "Thank you. And this early, I'm telling you, make the necessary preparations, okay? Because you will be one of my bridesmaids." She declared.
"It's an honor my friend." The half Brit muttered, ecstatic for being part of the wedding entourage.
The two women walked side by side as they trudged towards the almost-completed the Sea and Sky main hotel, The Reef.
From afar, the petite biologist spotted Tatay Leo, busy checking the newly delivered furnitures for the hotel. Hurriedly, she ran towards him and gave him a warm hug.
"Hi Tay, it's good to be back. How's nanay and the boys?" She inquired happily.
While chuckling, the old man, rubbed the young woman's back. "They are great and very happy with your gift but first let me congratulate you and your young man."
As he pulled away, he caressed Sabina's cheek. "This is the start of your true happiness, anak. And bear in mind that you deserved this. You truly deserved this, for being fair, selfless and kind so give me a favor and be happy. Okay?" He said emotionally.
"I know that now, Tay. Thank you for being a part of that realization. Your words from the very start had helped me to be in this position." She replied equally sentimental.
As Timothy joined them, the young consultant Dylan Madrid appeared by their side. "Hey, can I talk to you, Tim?" He added in a humble but slightly hesitant tone.
Upon hearing this Timothy immediately sought his fiancée's eye and held it. Silently, the couple talked. Sabina conveyed her message by slightly tilting her head as a sign of agreement.
"Alright, come on." The handsome architect muttered as he walked towards a secluded corner.
∞∞∞
To ensure their privacy, the duo chose a corner table away from everyone. They sat across each other so they could talk eye to eye.
"Go on." Timothy muttered impatiently, urging the young consultant to start talking.
"First, I would like to apologize for the way I behaved this past few months. You see, I thought that I could make Sabina fall for me so I was pushing hard, fighting back so I could win her." Dylan Madrid disclosed humbly.
The young consultant's meek and bashful admission of his wrong doings made Timothy softened a bit. "It's alright man, I've been in that similar position so I fully understand."
He studied the latter's face and pressed on. "And I apologize, too. We two have been pushed to the edge because of our affection towards Sabina. Pushed to being petty like young teenage boys." He chuckled at this lightly and later on was joined by the young consultant.
"My mother helped me realized that. Even my sister had now accepted her defeat, in fact. She was planning a change of lifestyle and go back to school." Dylan shared.
"Good to hear that but I guess, this is the last time that we will talk about her. What Darcy did to me and Sabina was hard to forget so pardon me if I said those words. Time will come that forgiveness will be given but I chose to continue my life without her, friendship and all." The young architect explained.
"So I'm hoping that you will understand and will respect my decision." He added.
The young consultant nodded his head. "Sure, Tim and I'm sorry for bringing her up in this conversation." Again, Dylan apologized humbly.
"Just so you know man, I'm genuinely glad for you and Sabina. Despite my selfish ways, I really wanted her to be happy. When I read the news of your engagement last Sunday, I decided to give up and let you guys be happy." The young consultant confessed.
He smiled at his boss, before he pressed on. "That's why I'm here. I have every intention of staying long with the Sebastian Builders so I wanted to clear the air between us. I want a harmonious relationship with my colleagues especially with my boss."
"And I'm glad you did that, Dylan." Timothy answered sincerely,
A sigh of great relied left the young consultant's lips. "So are we cool, man?" He asked.
"We're cool," the young architect readily responded.
The young consultant started to rise. "But before I forget, "Congratulations, man." He extended his hand and gratefully Timothy took it in a firm hand shake.
"Thank you!"
∞∞∞
Christmas and New year have passed. And Sabina and Timothy continued to prepare for their summer wedding. Albeit the hired wedding coordinator, the gorgeous bride personally oversee everything, from the colors of the flowers to the over-all look of the reception, from Timothy's socks to her something blue and from her father's tie and to her future father in law's shoes.
When the schedule of her fourth shot came, Timothy was there to pacify her agitation and nervousness. But it seemed fate was really testing their strength.
"To be honest Sab, from the ultrasound result, I see no remarkable changes in your condition but still there are things to be thankful about, at least it's no longer progressing." Dr. Cher Magno addressed the couple sitting in front of her desk.
Upon listening to this, the gorgeous heiress wanted to cry but her fiancé held her hand and squeezed it lightly.
"The chocolate cyst had stopped growing although the adhesion is still there." A soft sigh left the doctor and Sabina didn't know what to make out of it.
Does it mean I'm hopeless? She asked herself mentally.
Before her negative thoughts become a full blown pity party, Dr. Cher Magno spoke again.
"But don't feel bad Sabina, I have seen cases like this one. No changes during the course of treatment but everything was cleared up and normal at the end of the regimen. After all we are just halfway through the treatment period." The pretty gynecologist added.
As Sabina readied her bicep, a warm breath grazed her ears. "It's going to be alright, Sab. We're in this together, remember?" Timothy reminded her in a whisper.
Shakily, the petite marine biologist nodded. "Thank you, mahal." She whispered back as she offered him a small smile.
She inhaled deeply as the lady doctor sank the syringe needle on her smooth bicep. Slowly the familiar discomfort brought about by the intramuscular medicine crept in her upper arm again.
And as the doctor pulled away the syringe, Timothy promptly started massaging Sabina's left bicep. This scene brought a big smile on Cher Magno's pretty face.
"Your next dose will be on the third Saturday of next month so mark your calendar. I will be out of the country until the 17th so we will do it a little late, okay?" She looked at the couple and smiled.
"But for the next shots we won't be doing any more ultrasound procedures. We will do it three weeks after your sixth and final shot."
The couple nodded their heads in comprehension although Sabina's eyes remained sad and glassy.
"Now, continue with your cardio exercises and Yoga or Pilates and don't stress yourself too much. I will see you next month."
"And Congratulations to your recent engagement. Uncle Luis informed my dad obviously excited on your impending wedding. And we all read it from that Sunday paper." She added in finality.
"Thank you!" They couple responded in unison.
Upon reaching the sanctuary of Timothy's X5, Sabina instantly broke down to tears. "I'm really hopeless, useless." She began to repeatedly hit her lower abdomen as she cried.
"Hey, hey. Stop." Readily, Timothy grabbed both her wrist.
"Stop Sab, please." His voice cracked. His heart was breaking for his fiancée but he was helpless. All he could do was to remain calm and strong for her.
After several long minutes of awful weeping, Sabina stopped. "I'm sorry for breaking down like that. Did I scare you?"
Timothy didn't reply, instead he embraced her tightly. He perfectly understand her situation, tears, mood swings and all.
"Just don't do that again, ha Sab?"
~~~
Pamanhikan - root word: panhik ("going upstairs").
Pamanhikan is the Filipino tradition of a man and his family visiting his future bride's family in order to ask for her hand in marriage.
Source: tagaloglang.com