This is it. Big day for Ben.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvIc7N1uxk
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiSEEjXway
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VlTtQn0aG
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyUdEYfYJw
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1o5DJKfJHk
"Alright. You're all set," I said, watching the bride admire herself in the mirror. "Ben's eyes will never leave you now."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9i3vlia2uK
She faced me with an undeniable gleam in her eyes.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohSVaZxJHd
"Thank you so much, Judy," she said, taking my hands. "You saved our lives, you and your family."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj384wdQiPq
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wpE8LjYX5
"Um, Naya, is it okay for me to leave? I have something important to do," I said.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD62Y4kQ3cC
"Sure."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOt0O6Wg9AR
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhaW6MY3Rb
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9SXj0PXh6
I snapped out of the thought when Lev, one of my elder brothers, called out.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmPJ2pxm5G
"Are you lost, baby girl?" he asked. "You're supposed to be with the bride, right?"707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHocnuC4ac4
I controlled the urge to attack him at his downright insult.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXW97vlT6yn
"I am done," I replied. "I'm here if you need help."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCmVnbmyR3
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."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZAPHuV1hX
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?707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36pq2WxQJe
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgGFr2uUTg
"Even small ants can carry a big worm," Joe told the younger man. "Let him help."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMh3jB7Ms7a
"S-sure, man," Lev stammered and quickly returned to his task.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6kL9cJceH
Joe walked over to me and handed me a wallet thick with bills.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtPvJIL7sv
"We're out of liver spread," he told me. "Hurry up and buy some."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zDC8ANJGW
I nodded. "Okay... How many?"707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJuCZQA3vu
"As many as it can cover," he answered. Then he added swiftly, "Ram."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0I7OjhhNlZ
Oh. Brand-specific.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsmfxBJuaF
"Eh... What if there's no Ram?"707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3fIue73DR
His brow arched.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVe5rGT6L0f
"No Ram, no caldereta. Now go."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpkktw0hcX
I shivered. "Ah... Yes, sir!"707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZsIyhtI1C
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGpr2EPAhL
"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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mTgbCnhGQ
"I do," my brother answered, his eyes beaming, and a genuine smile plastered in his face.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2P2VVPARB
The pastor turned to our new sister-in-law.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yiVXMQ89D
"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?"707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlki4gxDAn
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qSBLkcqdU
"I do," she answered.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDmqqlag8n
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28sfICKaKy
I looked at Joe, who was clapping without a word beside me. His eyes glued at the direction of Ben's bride.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWsMKyP7Pn
"Kuya," I called. "You kept looking at ate Naya. Don’t tell me she caught your attention too."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisUIG3fzME
His brows furrowed. "No, but her headpiece did."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzCGSe93t1
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDLweJK808
For a man nearing his prime, Joe surprisingly had a pair of sharp eyes. I tried changing the subject to hide my cringe.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1Sqlx4Tw4
"What about you, Joe, when will you set the long table?" I asked.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFl0m7THiB
Without moving his head, he shot me a deadly glare, and in an emotionless face, he replied, "If it happens."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDbWXivTAm
His eyes went back to the happily married couple swarmed by relatives who were dying to take a picture.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlqBE9g7yc
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?"707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbK1DKtZ4m6
A part of his upper lip arched in what looked like disgust, and his hands rested on his waist.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhn4YUI1XD
"If I did, who will provide for you? Mama?" His head shook disbelievingly. "Shame."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGFf9SGr3c
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCiCbMuIzY
"I saw you eyeing one of the bridesmaids earlier," he said.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXaYdwyMvJ
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...707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpymLTaXHcB
"No, I didn't." I denied, shaking my head like a dog out of water.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6rybSNqWX
"You did, you liar," he insisted.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6K36XOq4W
One of my eyebrows rose, mimicking him. “So?”707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41FO4IPxJm
"Why don't you ask her out?” he asked. “Looks like you’re the one itching to marry anyway."707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6aM1jIAO4
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.707Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4Okr3So7r
and then Add to home screen.