Hanggang ngayon nagmistulang isang malaking palaisipan pa rin sa akin ang biglaang pagkawala ng mga kaedaran kong babae dito sa aming baryo. Kahapon lamang ay bumisita ako kina Aling Sonia upang manghiram sana ng pera ngunit wala na sila roon. Ang kababata kong si Michelle ay wala man lang pasabi sa akin kung saan sila pupunta. Madami-dami na din ang umaalis dito sa lugar namin at ang dahilan sa likod ng lahat ng yon ay lubhang napakalabo pa din sa akin.
"Maraming salamat po, Aling Maring." tugon ko sa isang magalang na pamamaraan. "Pasensya ka na, Ivory. Yung pinangako mo sa aking pera na sinabi mong ibibigay mo sa makalawa ay hindi naman nangyari. Baon na baon na rin kami sa pagkakautang." malungkot kong tinahak ang daan pabalik sa ospital matapos mabigo mula sa pag-iikot at panghihiram ng pera. Sandali akong napahinto at napatitig sa sarado naming shop na pinagkukunan namin ng ikinabubuhay kahit noon pa man.
Na-dignosed si mama mula sa sakit na breast cancer. Naubos lahat ng ipon naming dalawa para makabayad sa mga gamot at hospital bills hanggang sa umabot sa puntong pati ang pagmamay-ari naming flower shop ay nagawa naming ibenta.
Pinangako ko kay mama na gagawan ko ng paraan upang muli naming mabili yon hanggang sa nakatanggap ako ng isang offer mula sa mag-asawang tsino. Noong una ay hindi ako pumayag dahil taliwas yon sa kung ano ang pinaniniwalaan ko.
Marriage is a sacred thing. There's no way that I'll let myself be married to a total stranger who already passed away.
"Why did you reject the offer? It's your chance, Ivory. Alam mo ba kung bakit maraming umaalis sa baryo natin? It's because they are given the largest offer. Like me! Because of that ghost wedding, nakaahon kami sa hirap. Kapag tinanggap mo yung alok nila, mapapaoperahan mo na yung nanay mo. Gawin mo na lang kapalit ng isang malaking halaga." wika ng kaibigan kong si Aieah na ngayon lang nagparamdam matapos ang halos dalawang buwang pagkawala.
Buong gabi kong pinag-isipan ang alok ng mag-asawang Siu at ang payo ni Aeiah sa akin hanggang sa humantong ako sa isang desisyon.
"Sign the contract and we'll deposit 1 million in your account." wika ni Mrs. Siu gamit ang kanyang chinese accent. Tama nga si Aeiah, sobrang laking pera nito para sa amin ni mama kaya't kahit na labag man sa loob ko, ginawa ko pa rin.
Mrs. Siu introduced me to her son. He was Chen, a 24 years old guy who died from a car accident. Nasunog daw ang katawan nito sa sobrang lala ng aksidente. Umakyat naman ang matinding takot at kaba sa dibdib ko. Isinasagawa nila ang isang ghost wedding sa paniniwalang kapag ang isang tao ay namatay ng hindi man lang naikakasal ay hindi matatahimik ang kaluluwa nito.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay nakatingin pa rin ako sa litrato ni Chen. Dumating na yung araw kung saan isasagawa na ang seremonya. Nakasuot ako ngayon ng isang chinese wedding gown.
But the wedding didn't happened. Hindi ko kayang ituloy kaya't umalis ako. Natatakot ako. Sa kalagitnaan ng pagsasagawa ng seremonya ay parang naririnig ko ang bulong sa akin ni papa na nagsasabing,
Isang sagradong seremonya ang kasal. Isinasagawa lang ang pagdiriwang na ito sa pagitan ng dalawang taong nagmamahalan.
My father keeps on saying that to me ever since before and I'll never let money ruined our belief. Hindi ako magpapakasal kay Chen. Hindi ako magpapakasal sa isang taong namatay na.
The day after, I was surprised after knowing that someone already paid our hospital bills. Hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin akong ideya kung sino ang misteryosong taong yon. After rejecting the offer of being a bride in a ghost wedding, akala ko magiging maayos na ang lahat. My mother is a cancer survivor. Nabawi na rin namin yung flower shop na matagal ng naipundar ng papa ko. But I know, my life is in danger. Kahit na nagpakalayo-layo na kami, hindi malabong pinapahanap ako ng mag-asawang tsino na tinakbuhan ko.
Until one night, napasigaw na lang ako sa nakita ko. It was Chen. My supposed to be groom in a ghost wedding. "Anak, sigurado ka bang ayos ka lang?" tanong ni mama na tinanguan ko na lang kahit ilang gabi na akong walang maayos na tulog.
I don't know if it's just a kind of hallucination but I'm seeing Chen not just in my dreams. I'm really afraid of ghosts and I know my life will not be normal after letting myself involved in that freakin' ghost wedding months ago. Hindi naman natuloy ang kasal namin ni Chen kaya't hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi nya ako tinatantanan.
Lumipas ang dalawang taon.
I just found myself crying while wearing my chinese wedding gown for the second time. I never thought that I'll reach this far. Mr. and Mrs. Siu smiled together with my mom. The ceremony started but this time, I'll stay and never escape the wedding.
"Are you sure about this?" Mrs. Siu asked. After witnessing those, memories from the past started to flashback in my mind.
Four years ago, my mom is in between life and death when a chinese couple offered me to be the bride in a ghost wedding but I chose to hide and escape. I thought my life will be in peace but I was definitely wrong. I always saw Chen. I am really afraid seeing him and there's only one thing that I want. I want to live normally with my mom not until I was able to discover the truth. Chen didn't really died in a car accident. The guy who's riding in his car is just a stranger who they mistakenly accused as him. Chen is alive and I'm seeing him not a ghost but a real human being.
Nagkaroon kami ng time para makapag-usap. He apologized during those times na inaakala kong multo sya. The truth is, binabantayan nya daw ako. I was able to know also that he's the guy who paid my mother's hospital bills but why did he do that?
"It's because I'm secretly admiring you, Ivory." he confessed. He told me that we already encountered each other for so many times. Naalala ko na may isang regular chinese customer nga pala ako noon sa flower shop namin. I can't believe that it was him. I mean, he's more good looking now. "I often buy flowers in your shop and that's the time I got interested at you." he added. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa din mag-sink in sa utak ko lahat ng nangyayari.
Weeks and months had passed, Chen never stopped pursuing me. He was there for me for all the times most especially when I needed someone's shoulder to lean on. He's not easy to love because of the fact that he was very gentle, caring, genuine and approachable.
Until I told him what happened 6 months ago. I confessed that I fooled his parents by escaping during a ghost wedding. He told me that until now, naghahanap pa din sila ng bride sa pag-aakalang namatay na yung anak nila. "Why don't you tell them that you're still alive?" I asked because I can't anymore hold my curiosity. "It's been a year since I'm living independently. I want to experience living all by myself and maybe it's a good thing that they thought I'm already dead." he replied.
"They're really worried about you." I answered as the pain in Mrs. Sui's face started to flashback in my mind.
"Maybe I'll tell them the truth once that I already got your heart, Ivory."
He's very persistent to win my heart. Botong boto din sa kanya si mama at palagi nitong pinapaalala sa akin kung gaano kabuting tao si Chen. Mas lalong lumago yung shop namin and it was all because of his help. Hanggang sa dumating sa punto na inamin ko sa kanya yung totoong nararamdaman ko. I can't explain how happy the both of us that time. Until he finally decided to show up and meet his parents once again.
"Pwede pa nating ihinto, iho. May pagkakataon ka pa." matapos kong marinig ang boses ni mama doon lang ako tuluyang napabalik sa realidad. I saw tears trying to escape at Chen's eyes. "Are you sure about this?" Mrs. Siu asked once again and I saw him nodded. "I love her even if she left me. Even if she didn't survive. " he answered and upon hearing those makes me the happiest. Then I remember that I died because of Leukemia and I'm not able to fulfill my promise to him that we'll build our own family. The ceremony ended. I am Chen's ghost bride in this wedding. Until now, the sudden turn of events were still unexpected.