This is it. Big day for Ben.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9yuTsxMzh
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49JfGc8HyA
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYIdJoUVil
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalWkjTAjXg
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJKgArB8UQ
"Alright. You're all set," I said, watching the bride admire herself in the mirror. "Ben's eyes will never leave you now."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIeFDAjEiq
She faced me with an undeniable gleam in her eyes.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZRVaFIxA3
"Thank you so much, Judy," she said, taking my hands. "You saved our lives, you and your family."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCixliRSqb
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKynO8bN7o
"Um, Naya, is it okay for me to leave? I have something important to do," I said.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGlLpTLl7x
"Sure."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJLOt2dH4X
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXuTrdADWu
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtsRcbLUQT
I snapped out of the thought when Lev, one of my elder brothers, called out.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVYLPOIptf
"Are you lost, baby girl?" he asked. "You're supposed to be with the bride, right?"350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsky4KKXul
I controlled the urge to attack him at his downright insult.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPKAdDWAqa
"I am done," I replied. "I'm here if you need help."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IbXhVfLBr
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."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FJnXf8sgY
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?350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLy5CZrJls
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfD6ItGZNZi
"Even small ants can carry a big worm," Joe told the younger man. "Let him help."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTm2b0ZYYD
"S-sure, man," Lev stammered and quickly returned to his task.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGncD7PC3Z
Joe walked over to me and handed me a wallet thick with bills.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwb1CZNwkk
"We're out of liver spread," he told me. "Hurry up and buy some."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1VLLLwueW
I nodded. "Okay... How many?"350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHCU9Qazt5
"As many as it can cover," he answered. Then he added swiftly, "Ram."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLHog4bQii
Oh. Brand-specific.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IgJS7t8xe
"Eh... What if there's no Ram?"350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQ0M6J6J9n
His brow arched.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFNs6nrMXi
"No Ram, no caldereta. Now go."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzm3A9hOmhZ
I shivered. "Ah... Yes, sir!"350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Q7wEriDcR
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvTWUGhMGk
"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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMG43gAXPNb
"I do," my brother answered, his eyes beaming, and a genuine smile plastered in his face.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrFSvLfte6
The pastor turned to our new sister-in-law.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FOX3vpyyb
"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?"350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfk4CbLnXTk
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6VkQu0mKg
"I do," she answered.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHvewNMHfQ
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AScQRL0Kq
I looked at Joe, who was clapping without a word beside me. His eyes glued at the direction of Ben's bride.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDpVdoA2lb
"Kuya," I called. "You kept looking at ate Naya. Don’t tell me she caught your attention too."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTR6CM9p1pr
His brows furrowed. "No, but her headpiece did."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObIUGuPjZs
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYD8SizvtvQ
For a man nearing his prime, Joe surprisingly had a pair of sharp eyes. I tried changing the subject to hide my cringe.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4N2xgYQQW
"What about you, Joe, when will you set the long table?" I asked.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywfi5grXmM
Without moving his head, he shot me a deadly glare, and in an emotionless face, he replied, "If it happens."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGSwUKkMeF
His eyes went back to the happily married couple swarmed by relatives who were dying to take a picture.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5HxnNI9EK
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?"350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8BO2llLHW
A part of his upper lip arched in what looked like disgust, and his hands rested on his waist.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSb8zZJ47U
"If I did, who will provide for you? Mama?" His head shook disbelievingly. "Shame."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedU8tJtWDs
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqo4axEilyK
"I saw you eyeing one of the bridesmaids earlier," he said.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYAHqK8s2i
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...350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSxTwMa9ZA
"No, I didn't." I denied, shaking my head like a dog out of water.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4j2jFkweJS
"You did, you liar," he insisted.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7H9nrqiNTA
One of my eyebrows rose, mimicking him. “So?”350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGY9Bhuco0
"Why don't you ask her out?” he asked. “Looks like you’re the one itching to marry anyway."350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETyTjVgMGl
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.350Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0i5xrnOaKk
