This is it. Big day for Ben.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXhDdPLcTF
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YUb3ihZag
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdazKl4Swig
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4gmc2jus1
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6OfkqCYZc
"Alright. You're all set," I said, watching the bride admire herself in the mirror. "Ben's eyes will never leave you now."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7qcPjvkN2
She faced me with an undeniable gleam in her eyes.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8DoE6WRuh
"Thank you so much, Judy," she said, taking my hands. "You saved our lives, you and your family."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsUMicJ3uQ
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeu9LPxZ2g
"Um, Naya, is it okay for me to leave? I have something important to do," I said.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDiai4MoC2
"Sure."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnSxGugyeb
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweVNqEDkY8
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgaupEqxjz
I snapped out of the thought when Lev, one of my elder brothers, called out.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7a15vfbBsz
"Are you lost, baby girl?" he asked. "You're supposed to be with the bride, right?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPYM1t8vpH
I controlled the urge to attack him at his downright insult.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5Fh8GJFas
"I am done," I replied. "I'm here if you need help."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyywSl9ZTTE
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."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk54DKQoIWn
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?448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FqhtUpH2e
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1fWE47nFT
"Even small ants can carry a big worm," Joe told the younger man. "Let him help."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6WTuHTzDM
"S-sure, man," Lev stammered and quickly returned to his task.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYgUcoAYcN
Joe walked over to me and handed me a wallet thick with bills.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEV5GOTeuy
"We're out of liver spread," he told me. "Hurry up and buy some."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYY2VZZKS2L
I nodded. "Okay... How many?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEk640wbsn
"As many as it can cover," he answered. Then he added swiftly, "Ram."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLlbbfJQsi
Oh. Brand-specific.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtNFlXWkxa
"Eh... What if there's no Ram?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGmnr3u8Wz
His brow arched.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLbfb6rgpi
"No Ram, no caldereta. Now go."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9IB1b10Ak
I shivered. "Ah... Yes, sir!"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCI38XpRbzZ
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQkBahgXNV
"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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujvy1sTPMN
"I do," my brother answered, his eyes beaming, and a genuine smile plastered in his face.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifzBnMWICy
The pastor turned to our new sister-in-law.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCas8nF2Rrq
"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?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtbZpm3q3F
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25QPP1PJwB
"I do," she answered.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzhqAtlh9t
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQRdjORpdh
I looked at Joe, who was clapping without a word beside me. His eyes glued at the direction of Ben's bride.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJqTbm58HA
"Kuya," I called. "You kept looking at ate Naya. Don’t tell me she caught your attention too."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysyQvafHwA
His brows furrowed. "No, but her headpiece did."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAlkWPqE31
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgKoHByyyf
For a man nearing his prime, Joe surprisingly had a pair of sharp eyes. I tried changing the subject to hide my cringe.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxb7WQ314U
"What about you, Joe, when will you set the long table?" I asked.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG78UJPRF68
Without moving his head, he shot me a deadly glare, and in an emotionless face, he replied, "If it happens."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpuRiYdqUP
His eyes went back to the happily married couple swarmed by relatives who were dying to take a picture.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODRv2oX0ng
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?"448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKls2LSHjM
A part of his upper lip arched in what looked like disgust, and his hands rested on his waist.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgKNQy19l7
"If I did, who will provide for you? Mama?" His head shook disbelievingly. "Shame."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9WpN4hhoR
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQO5XDOjer
"I saw you eyeing one of the bridesmaids earlier," he said.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEvoSnqR2O
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...448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1XpO2sAoU
"No, I didn't." I denied, shaking my head like a dog out of water.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMBEE2R4td
"You did, you liar," he insisted.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYsh7wQDWe
One of my eyebrows rose, mimicking him. “So?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4w6PNaFJA
"Why don't you ask her out?” he asked. “Looks like you’re the one itching to marry anyway."448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuEIfFxqsr
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.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdIk3vJbck
