S T O R M
Days passed by and our wedding was coming. They temporarily separated me to Fara. Naiwan si Fara sa bahay habang ako naman ay dinala ni Dad sa hacienda.
I released my backpack on the sofa as I wandered my eyes around the living room of Lolo Max's mansion. Mas lalo yatang dumami ang mga diyos-diyosan na nakadisplay doon. Kung nandito lang si Fara, siguradong mas lalong matatakot 'yon. I'd missed her already.
Natanaw ko si lolo na papalapit sa amin. Medyo nahihirapan ito sa paglalakad kaya ako na mismo ang lumapit sa kanya para magmano at alalayan siya.
"Lo, pahiram ako ng kabayo mo ah! Maghohorse-back riding lang ako," Alex told him. "Thanks!" Di pa man nakaka-oo si Lolo, kumaripas na ito ng takbo.
Naiwan kaming dalawa ni lolo sa sala. Inalalayan ko siyang umupo sa sofa.
"How are you, Lo?" pangungumusta ko sa kanya.
"Mabuti naman," aniya at biglang napaubo.
"Inuubo na kayo." Hinimas ko ang likuran niya.
"You'll get married again?" tanong niya nang mahimasmasan siya.
"Yes, Lo, pero kay Fara pa rin."
"Humihina na ako at nagiging sakitin na. Kailan niyo ba ako bibigyan ng apo?"
"H'wag niyo pong alalahanin 'yon. Maabutan niyo pa mga apo niyo sa akin. Matagal pa kayo bago mamatay," biro ko sa kanya.
Pinagmasdan ko siya. Hindi ko maiwasan ang makaramdam ng lungkot, lalo na kapag napapasulyap ako sa mga rebultong collection niya.
"Matanda na ako." Muli siyang umubo. "Anytime mamamatay ako."
"Bata ka pa, Lo." Nasa seventy pataas pa lamang ang edad niya. Naniniwala akong aabot pa siya ng eighty pataas. "Gusto mo bang gumaling at humaba ang buhay mo, Lo?" medyo seryosong tanong ko.
Napatitig naman siya sa akin saglit bago nag-iwas ng tingin. "Of course."
Napangiti ako nang bahagya at saka hinawakan ang kanyang balikat. "Even though you don't understand me most of the time, I still love you," I sincerely said. "But this love is useless if I would not tell you the truth... That you need Jesus in your life."
Hindi siya tumugon ngunit bigla siyang tumayo kalaunan. "Matagal ko nang tinanggap ang Panginoong Jesu-Cristo," aniya nang hindi ako nililingon.
"Lo, if you already accepted Jesus in your life, you wouldn't collect these images and sculptures."
"Those images are the remembrance of the saints and God. It's a sign of respect and acknowledgment," madiin na sabi niya.
"Remembering God is not about collecting these things," sabi ko sa mahinahon na paraan. Ayaw kong biglain siya, ngunit hindi ko hahayaang mamatay siya na naniniwala pa rin sa bagay na lubos na kinamumuhian ng Diyos ― ang pagsamba sa diyos-diyosan. "Paano po kayo nakakasiguro na ganyan nga ang mukha ng Panginoong Hesu-Kristo? This is a big insult to God."
"Ito na ang kinagisnan ko. Don't push me to your religion!" His voice raised and gave me a sharp look.
I heaved a deep sigh to let out the pressure between us. "Lo, I am talking about here is the will of God. I want you to be free from this..." Inilibot ko ang tingin ko sa mga rebulto na nasa paligid namin. Napapikit ako ng mariin bago muling nagsalita. "Jesus is the only way to heaven. No other else. Kung pwede lang bumaba mula sa langit ang mga santong sinasamba ninyo, makikiusap din ang mga ito na h'wag ninyo silang sasambahin. Those images insult God. God wants us to worship Him in spirit because He is spirit, not a wood or stone. We don't have to buy images and sculptures just to prove that we have God in our lives. Anyway, God is not for sale."
Yamang tayo nga ay mga anak ng Diyos, hindi marapat na isipin natin na ang kaniyang pagka-Diyos ay tulad ng ginto, pilak o ng bato na inukit sa pamamagitan ng kalinangan at kathang-isip ng tao. (Mga Gawa 17:29)
Making and worshipping images and sculptures are biblically not acceptable.
Unti-unting nawala ang matatalim na tingin niya sa akin. "What do you want me to do? To leave my religion and to follow your religion?" Nakipagtagisan siya ng tingin sa akin.
I shook my head. "No, it's not about religion; it's about how God will be glorified through your life. You don't need to change your religion. Just do what pleases God. But it is impossible for you to do what pleases God if you will not leave the wrong principle that your religion taught you." I bitterly smiled at him. "It's up to you if you don't want to believe me, but at least, I've warned you."
I tried my best to convince him but he was always rejecting me, so it was the time to let him believe what he wanted to believe. Wala na akong magagawa kung talagang ayaw na niyang makinig. Ipauubaya ko na lamang siya sa Diyos.
"I love you, Lo. Please, listen to me."
He just looked away.
***
Inabot ako ng ilang araw sa hacienda hanggang sa dumating ang araw ng kasal namin Fara. To be honest, I was really excited but I felt a little bit nervous. The feeling was really different from the first time we got married.
"Nasaan na po kayo?" I asked our family driver on the phone. He picked up someone at the airport.
"Malapit na po," he said.
"Okay, take care." Binabaan ko na ito.
Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang aking sarili sa full length mirror. I wore a grey suit. I got curious about Fara's look later. She would be gorgeous for sure.
"Bro, you have to go outside now. Malapit na raw dumating sina Fara," napalingon ako kay Bryan na nasa likuran ko.
"Okay."
We went outside, and there I saw the beautiful set up of the venue. It looked like heaven because there were a lot of white roses.
"Good luck!" Some of my old friends and classmates greeted me. Wala sila noong unang wedding ko dahil exclusive for relatives and close friends lang ang unang kasal namin ni Fara.
I thanked them all.
The organizer directed us. I stood near the altar. Naroon na si Pastor Alvin na napakalawak ng ngiti sa akin. Ilang saglit lang ay tumabi na rin sa akin si Tyler. He was my best man this time. Si Kirby kasi noon ang best man ko.
"Thank you for taking care of my sister. Love her more," he said.
"Yeah, I love your sister so much."
He smiled at me.
We saw a white car with flowers at the front. Some helped Fara to get out of the car, until I finally saw her face covered by white vail. I couldn't see her face clearly, but I noticed that her hair was cutted. Its length was even to her shoulder this time, and that made her look more beautiful. Medyo isang linggo na rin kaming hindi nagkikita. I'd missed her so much.
Medyo nanlalamig ang mga kamay ko dahil ang tagal dumating nina Mang Jimmy. Hindi pwedeng mahuli sila ng dating.
Fara started to walk in the red carpet together with her flower girls. I was smiling while watching her walking, although I felt so nervous.
Nailipat ang tingin ko sa isang itim na sasakyan na dumating. Tila nabunutan ako ng tinik sa dibdib nang makita kong bumaba roon si Tito Francis na nakatuxedo nang kulay itim. Tito Francis hurriedly approached his daughter, and Fara quickly hugged him. I knew she cried.
I took a deep breath to control my tears as I watched Fara begin to walk with his father. Athough I couldn't see her face clearly, I could still see her smiling and crying at the same time. Nang makalapit sila sa akin, kitang-kita ko ang mamasa-masang mata ni Tito Fancis.
"Storm, thank you for loving my daughter," he told me.
I smiled at him. "It's my pleasure, sir. I'll take care of Fara and will love her with all my heart," I vowed and glanced at Fara. She smiled at me.
He gave me his daughter's hand and tapped my shoulders. "I trust you. Don't break it," he said before he left.
"Stop crying, your make up will fade," I joked with her as I led her to the altar. She just let out a chuckle.
I couldn't stop glancing at her during the ceremony. She really looked beautiful.
We said our "I do's" until Pastor Alvin announced, "You may kiss the bride."
I put up the vail covering her face. I held her waist and gently pulled her closer to me. I stared at her beautiful brown eyes before I gave her the sweetest kiss that I could give.
I heard applauses and shouts.
Our kisses lasted for a few minutes, unlike the kiss we had in our first wedding, it didn't even reach two seconds.
***
F A R A
"Are we still going there?" I asked Storm while we were riding a horse. I was hugging Storm tightly from behind.
"Yes." He answered.
I still wore my wedding gown. Halos sumayad iyon sa lupa.
Yes, we were going up to the hill. We just let our guests enjoy the food at the reception since we already had done our part there. I was excited to see the place again — a place where he first told me that God loves me and broke my heart when he didn't respond to my feelings for him.
Tumingin ako sa langit at nakita kong makulimlim. "It's going to rain."
"I'm ready to get wet in the rain just to be there," natatawang sabi niya.
"Really?"
"Mind to join me?"
"Of course!" nakangiting tugon ko.
We crossed the brook. Storm helped me to get off the horse when we got there. I could see how dark the cloud was. Good thing, there was no thunder. But I was surprised when I saw a beautiful house there. There were so many different kind of flowers around it. Nasa pinakadulong bahagi iyon ng lugar.
"Kailan pa nagkaroon ng bahay dito?" gulat na tanong ko.
"Lolo Max and I have decided to build that rest house here. Last year pa naitayo 'yan."
Hindi mawala ang pagkamangha ko. Lumapit ako sa railings at dumungaw sa ibaba kung saan ay halos hamog ang nakikita ko kaya di matanaw ang mga bahay sa ilalim.
"Isn't it dangerous here?"
"No, never na nagka-land slide dito, because all the people here love to plant trees and flowers. Look..." Nilibot niya ang tingin sa paligid, kung saan ay napakaraming puno at halaman.
Napangiti ako at pinagmasdan ang langit. It was dark but I liked the view. Biglang pumasok sa isip ko si Kirby. Ano kayang ginagawa niya ngayon? Does he see me down here? Does he still remember me? I thought.
Lumapit si Storm sa akin at niyakap ako mula sa likuran.
"May I ask you?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"About what?"
"Is there any biblical information about the second life? Except what you told me before," I asked.
"Like what?"
"Does Kirby still remember me?"
"Of course." Tila nabuhayan ako sa sinabi niya.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Does it mean our memories here on earth are forever?"
"Yeah! That means there's forever."
Naningkit ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. "Then why the wedding vow ends with 'Till death do us part?' " I confusedly asked.
"That's right, but we'll see each other again in the other life," natatawang sabi niya. "So don't be sad about Kirby's death. You'll see him again... someday."
"Then it must be 'not even death can do us part,' right?" naguguluhang tanong ko.
"No. 'Till death do us part' is correct, dahil ang tinutukoy doon ay ang tipan bilang mag-asawa."
"It's complicated."
"Basically, you are my wife and I am your husband in this world, but in life after death you're no longer my wife and I am no longer your husband, we'll be brothers and sisters. That's what Matthew 22:30 says, 'For when the dead rise to life, they will be like the angels in heaven and will not marry.'"
"That's weird."
"Weird? It's not." He let out a chuckle.
"What if you still see your husband as your husband and not as your brother?"
Umiling siya. "Our purpose in heaven is to be with God. No other else. Besides, we will have a new body there, so what you feel for me right now will no longer be the same when that time comes. People's purpose here on earth is not just to have a successful career, to find true love, to get married, to have many children... Maybe those are parts of our lives but we should know that it's just for temporary. People's purpose here on earth is to ready themselves for eternity."
Natahimik ako. Wala akong masabi sa kaibahan ng pang-unawa niya sa buhay. I can't believe that a guy like this exists, I thought.
Humarap ako sa kanya at niyakap siya. "You said, we're no longer married in heaven, so it means... 'we' have no forever."
Narinig ko ang pagbuntong hininga niya. "Yes, you're right. A relationship that has forever is the brothers and sisters relationship."
Napangiti ako at nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya. "You're my bro soon, huh?" I joked.
He let out a chuckle and then stared at me. "Right now, stop thinking about that. I'm gonna love you as my wife as long as you are my wife," nakangiting sabi niya.
"Me too."
He pulled me closer to him and then kissed me. I closed my eyes, feeling his lips against mine, but it was just for a mean time because the rain drops began to fall so our kiss broke.
"It's raining!" I exclaimed.
Tumawa siya ngunit hinila niya ang kamay ko at tumuloy kami sa rest house na naroon dahil lumakas ang ulan.
"Is it open?" I asked him.
"Yes it is." Pagpihit niya ng doorknob, bumukas nga iyon. Bumungad sa amin ang napakagandang loob ng bahay. Napakasimple lang ngunit presko ang dating.
Hinawakan ako sa kamay ni Storm at hinila ako papasok doon. He locked the door. I felt my heart pounding a little bit fast. I think, this gonna be a real honeymoon, I thought.
Storm pulled me closer to him for the second time. He gently touched my face with his warm hands. I felt electricity when he did that. He stared at me before gaving me a kiss on the forehead. Napapikit ako dahil doon.
"Are you ready?" He huskily whispered.
His lips touched my nose this time. I opened my eyes and stared at his eyes; they were dark because the lights were dim, but they were beautiful as his heart and soul.
I didn't answer but I initiated the kiss.
***
Hindi ko alam ba't natatawa ako sa huling scene ng chapter na to. Pasensya na po. Hindi ko po maibibigay ang honeymoon na gusto niyo hahaha!