This is it. Big day for Ben.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMDeO8L05W
I couldn't say everything went smoothly. When he first told Mama what was troubling him, the woman literally broke down. I've lost count of the times her dreaded slipper left marks on his body except for the eyes. What I only remembered were the number of days she deemed him non-existent and the times that her treatment tortured him.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv23SnvxEbt
But gladly, he made it out in one piece. After five days of silent treatment and a heart-to-heart talk, Mama finally gave him her blessing and all the manna our family could afford.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9qPtqNuCM
Which is why on the day of his wedding, the other Opiana boys prepared the food for the feast, while I took the responsibility of making sure that the hair, makeup, and gown of the lucky bride, Naya, looked presentable.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZnKMzwPji
Before the makeup, I gathered her black, wavy hair in an updo and adorned it with a do-it-yourself headpiece made of fresh jasmine flowers before proceeding to the makeup. It took me late nights to study the looks of Yamada Yu, Song Hye-kyo, and the Squid Game hottie, to see what would perfectly match her skin tone. After fifteen minutes, I achieved the desired look and smiled in satisfaction. I double-checked the details of her wedding dress and nodded to myself, seeing that nothing went wrong.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nKjbllL2y
"Alright. You're all set," I said, watching the bride admire herself in the mirror. "Ben's eyes will never leave you now."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdRKbxGQwz
She faced me with an undeniable gleam in her eyes.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI424rrhQ9b
"Thank you so much, Judy," she said, taking my hands. "You saved our lives, you and your family."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4O5b94UkF
I smiled at her remark and replaced my hands with a bouquet of white calla lilies. But something popped into my mind that I couldn't bask in the glory for a long time.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5jsvUpuDV
"Um, Naya, is it okay for me to leave? I have something important to do," I said.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNq836M6h5
"Sure."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuj4FPNZVDp
I rushed to the room where Ben was grooming up to check how he was doing. The door was left ajar, so I could see his twin Dan fixing his suit, and in a way, trying to keep him from getting cold feet. I smiled. Despite looking literally different, these boys stuck together like glue from the day they were born.
Knowing that Ben didn't need my presence anymore, I found myself ambling toward a wide, makeshift hall where the rest of the boys were preparing food. Most of them were naked from the waist up, wearing only knee-length shorts or worn-out denim pants. My eyes widened in amazement as their broad shoulders bore a large, bound hog, as their strong hands stuffed a bamboo stick inside the beast's mouth, and as their muscled fingers drew out its blood without breaking a sweat.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuwD4wn4I8
My lips pursed, picturing how it felt to be one of them. But mama strictly confined me to the fabrics of this knee-length Sunday dress. The itch crept quickly throughout my body that I wanted to wriggle out of the stupid clothing at the soonest time possible.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFZzAKJoQp
I snapped out of the thought when Lev, one of my elder brothers, called out.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDfdPtekEk
"Are you lost, baby girl?" he asked. "You're supposed to be with the bride, right?"355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnS7xVli1b6
I controlled the urge to attack him at his downright insult.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4j4GJgo2I
"I am done," I replied. "I'm here if you need help."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRPXQvgcrA
He scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. "What do you know about roasting a pig? You're not needed here. Go back to Naya, where your service is more useful."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3Oacje5he
A chorus of mocking laughter echoed along the seven pillars of the mess hall. My chest pounded with a fit of anger I could not get rid of. Who on earth would want to be in my position right now?355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdT4gt82imG
The only one who did not join the "fun" was Joe, whose words stopped the boys from barking. His fingers curled like an eagle's claws on Lev's shoulder, causing the latter to tremble like a rat.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2R44sXT9X
"Even small ants can carry a big worm," Joe told the younger man. "Let him help."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGf072tuJl
"S-sure, man," Lev stammered and quickly returned to his task.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cc0V99Ztv
Joe walked over to me and handed me a wallet thick with bills.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLOaTPF7KA
"We're out of liver spread," he told me. "Hurry up and buy some."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFw6hSgaKWS
I nodded. "Okay... How many?"355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1pWamYK7V
"As many as it can cover," he answered. Then he added swiftly, "Ram."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwDySpvtRg
Oh. Brand-specific.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxazpsYceUy
"Eh... What if there's no Ram?"355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAODG2ra8V
His brow arched.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWoaziajOni
"No Ram, no caldereta. Now go."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8UFgKKwF0c
I shivered. "Ah... Yes, sir!"355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgtuOs27lm
That and I hurried to the market to look for a liver spread named Ram before he thinks of slamming my face on the scorching cauldron of boiled rice.
Luckily, we have finished the food preparation early, so we were able to attend our second brother's wedding. The monoblock chairs in the church have been filled with relatives from both sides, so the need to accommodate all the guests made us boys and 'girl' stand before the windows like a firing squad. Mama who was sitting beside Dan dried her tears from time to time with her handkerchief. So did the mother of Naya who sought comfort in the arm of her husband.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEft14bPpK
"Do you, Benjamin Opiana, take Naomi Dela Cruz as your lawfully wedded wife, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" The pastor asked monotonously.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmajjgJJe34
"I do," my brother answered, his eyes beaming, and a genuine smile plastered in his face.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMI1yo6wJSv
The pastor turned to our new sister-in-law.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MosDPLA8O
"Do you, Naomi Dela Cruz, take Benjamin Opiana as your lawfully wedded husband, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFjP1qdBCl
Naya wiped the tears from her cheeks. Good thing I applied a waterproof sprayer on her face. If not, I'd be in danger of facing mama's dreaded slipper for creating a bridezilla.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74T7ynKDT6
"I do," she answered.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLbAWFDgj7
When the pastor signaled the couple to seal the deal, Ben's hands raised the white veil and caught his wife's mouth in a passionate kiss. A huge round of applause drowned the silence of the small church.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nEaPn9lSS
I looked at Joe, who was clapping without a word beside me. His eyes glued at the direction of Ben's bride.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4ATPxSOIQ
"Kuya," I called. "You kept looking at ate Naya. Don’t tell me she caught your attention too."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXxEJ1yUKe
His brows furrowed. "No, but her headpiece did."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3qL5rSo7a
I turned my eyes upon Naya's direction to see what he was talking about, and to my horror, the headpiece was not properly arranged! I wished I could dash to the altar and fix her hair without making a complete fool of myself. Hopefully, mama did not notice.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWD5o1b8XY9
For a man nearing his prime, Joe surprisingly had a pair of sharp eyes. I tried changing the subject to hide my cringe.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6q19ngdUJ7
"What about you, Joe, when will you set the long table?" I asked.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAjKi8vtLz
Without moving his head, he shot me a deadly glare, and in an emotionless face, he replied, "If it happens."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAH4an98ki
His eyes went back to the happily married couple swarmed by relatives who were dying to take a picture.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3mSJOLHbc
My arms crossed. "Come on, man. In four years, you'll be growing gray hair. Besides, should've you been the first one to settle down?"355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvTnHwH6lQ
A part of his upper lip arched in what looked like disgust, and his hands rested on his waist.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6YPgxeOa9
"If I did, who will provide for you? Mama?" His head shook disbelievingly. "Shame."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50uVwmfGK2
Here we go again. Why did he have to hit a nerve at every conversation? I stopped answering, knowing I would never stand a chance against his cold, calculated words. But he wouldn't let me off that easily.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJnBh0nVdq
"I saw you eyeing one of the bridesmaids earlier," he said.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwNgXrFXUB
Fine. But what can I do? I'm a hot-blooded young man coming of age, and that young lady at the line of the bridesmaids happened to drop my jaw in her simple attire and no-makeup look. But...355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghxq2Cin4L
"No, I didn't." I denied, shaking my head like a dog out of water.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznlm5pb4mV
"You did, you liar," he insisted.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Imp1BDhao
One of my eyebrows rose, mimicking him. “So?”355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2vn29yIkn
"Why don't you ask her out?” he asked. “Looks like you’re the one itching to marry anyway."355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeF33asDDV
My hands went down to my sides, fingers curling into fists in controlled annoyance. If only we were not in a church, I swear to God, one of these fists would fly straight to his jaw.355Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgytbj40Tmn
