This is it. Big day for Ben.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhj18QysyK
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqyrcYWJH4
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Q3y1No80A
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZMEssFqUL
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTpYJ6I0EJ
"Alright. You're all set," I said, watching the bride admire herself in the mirror. "Ben's eyes will never leave you now."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7CMjwYYuN
She faced me with an undeniable gleam in her eyes.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR26rEBw9m1
"Thank you so much, Judy," she said, taking my hands. "You saved our lives, you and your family."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4mKXgxPaI
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUhdzx327N
"Um, Naya, is it okay for me to leave? I have something important to do," I said.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7fIcPQYhP
"Sure."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0rDtgUD4Z
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVeq3T83L2
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsfjtefxtn
I snapped out of the thought when Lev, one of my elder brothers, called out.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpBEPxrrft
"Are you lost, baby girl?" he asked. "You're supposed to be with the bride, right?"528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIy6LR5GB0C
I controlled the urge to attack him at his downright insult.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeO0nKD5ID
"I am done," I replied. "I'm here if you need help."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDZ1I9Ucqd
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."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqJEauOSrx
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?528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWW37jMZMNl
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnhBLt4dJm
"Even small ants can carry a big worm," Joe told the younger man. "Let him help."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAx7P5aaH3f
"S-sure, man," Lev stammered and quickly returned to his task.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fE3KDYAys
Joe walked over to me and handed me a wallet thick with bills.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5KUpofKj8
"We're out of liver spread," he told me. "Hurry up and buy some."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZtmUeNMuO
I nodded. "Okay... How many?"528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEp91PNKNf
"As many as it can cover," he answered. Then he added swiftly, "Ram."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHSG7v0B2i
Oh. Brand-specific.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VAKqgtWOC
"Eh... What if there's no Ram?"528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gmiaKO241
His brow arched.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5v384zqYO
"No Ram, no caldereta. Now go."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyFlmSMKHL
I shivered. "Ah... Yes, sir!"528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSwpJ5gEZs
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZD41xyL0j
"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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsADlo9axOg
"I do," my brother answered, his eyes beaming, and a genuine smile plastered in his face.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tKfXNn6mP
The pastor turned to our new sister-in-law.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zadR79bb7
"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?"528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ409R3DB6b2
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN0EkAePxp
"I do," she answered.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlDMQyqS5Q
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqu9P5GIRV
I looked at Joe, who was clapping without a word beside me. His eyes glued at the direction of Ben's bride.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8EYuC7pTg
"Kuya," I called. "You kept looking at ate Naya. Don’t tell me she caught your attention too."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53BaH8mT6p
His brows furrowed. "No, but her headpiece did."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGar6URoILB
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJH957gSEw
For a man nearing his prime, Joe surprisingly had a pair of sharp eyes. I tried changing the subject to hide my cringe.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhB87GNYng
"What about you, Joe, when will you set the long table?" I asked.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFtUZaq0nu
Without moving his head, he shot me a deadly glare, and in an emotionless face, he replied, "If it happens."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YKYtCwuD4
His eyes went back to the happily married couple swarmed by relatives who were dying to take a picture.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAWGlJHqv1
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?"528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35Csml5OB1
A part of his upper lip arched in what looked like disgust, and his hands rested on his waist.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv26In1LTLw
"If I did, who will provide for you? Mama?" His head shook disbelievingly. "Shame."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayEyOUD4xV
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUzGsfs2q6
"I saw you eyeing one of the bridesmaids earlier," he said.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7n5WOqCB6a
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...528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblhqYx7u5G
"No, I didn't." I denied, shaking my head like a dog out of water.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUuNXCJzs8
"You did, you liar," he insisted.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wS52IoJ1g
One of my eyebrows rose, mimicking him. “So?”528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyLngaznMI
"Why don't you ask her out?” he asked. “Looks like you’re the one itching to marry anyway."528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdA61XLTVyS
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.528Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqW16v33FWT
然後按「加至主畫面」