This is it. Big day for Ben.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKFj5Ka1kd
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qc5MJa6aI
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QnkNsAz9R
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsq7VkXshJb
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrU9mwuODD
"Alright. You're all set," I said, watching the bride admire herself in the mirror. "Ben's eyes will never leave you now."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gTD1iyDWw
She faced me with an undeniable gleam in her eyes.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwExym8t0G
"Thank you so much, Judy," she said, taking my hands. "You saved our lives, you and your family."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl572g4OpUx
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTTj4VEXez
"Um, Naya, is it okay for me to leave? I have something important to do," I said.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95sqiCk1gU
"Sure."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAwU5sLWCa
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0UV8ro3vb
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIchm3OOUU1
I snapped out of the thought when Lev, one of my elder brothers, called out.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpfTTgP82M
"Are you lost, baby girl?" he asked. "You're supposed to be with the bride, right?"464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerDqWPAQlt
I controlled the urge to attack him at his downright insult.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyFYDw4eoE
"I am done," I replied. "I'm here if you need help."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSz3XaYgsbu
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."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UCSRLolN6
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?464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJu6XnqYPzc
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLH6h6nITZ
"Even small ants can carry a big worm," Joe told the younger man. "Let him help."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Wtom7TzJy
"S-sure, man," Lev stammered and quickly returned to his task.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJfFwTaLeh
Joe walked over to me and handed me a wallet thick with bills.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSOql6Cf8X
"We're out of liver spread," he told me. "Hurry up and buy some."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcDicmGfCA
I nodded. "Okay... How many?"464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghCD3XUddC
"As many as it can cover," he answered. Then he added swiftly, "Ram."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZHiXuuhxw
Oh. Brand-specific.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrU35XNsqa
"Eh... What if there's no Ram?"464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeavQpeIxR3
His brow arched.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7a1E1NbmQy
"No Ram, no caldereta. Now go."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2skAqyyEa
I shivered. "Ah... Yes, sir!"464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCE4HufJgQ
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZf5wStryY
"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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSd9KEdL4Aj
"I do," my brother answered, his eyes beaming, and a genuine smile plastered in his face.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwk5vNfJSHw
The pastor turned to our new sister-in-law.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMpb9rNHnv
"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?"464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHI6hpXNnDO
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9G6L8i6Ep
"I do," she answered.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2hMGWQk7v
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlksMvMrGr6
I looked at Joe, who was clapping without a word beside me. His eyes glued at the direction of Ben's bride.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmCBc2swsd
"Kuya," I called. "You kept looking at ate Naya. Don’t tell me she caught your attention too."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAAvbFDRq9
His brows furrowed. "No, but her headpiece did."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYjdCQuj3T
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuCjhMCpdF
For a man nearing his prime, Joe surprisingly had a pair of sharp eyes. I tried changing the subject to hide my cringe.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKit3RwdcQ
"What about you, Joe, when will you set the long table?" I asked.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRa6cTmwUKk
Without moving his head, he shot me a deadly glare, and in an emotionless face, he replied, "If it happens."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrzNMuWjXY
His eyes went back to the happily married couple swarmed by relatives who were dying to take a picture.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66GdeDeq0s
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?"464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnqpZUjI6o
A part of his upper lip arched in what looked like disgust, and his hands rested on his waist.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpIfAUCJ2r
"If I did, who will provide for you? Mama?" His head shook disbelievingly. "Shame."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9r1KxT9Xhb
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaOqe9HadC
"I saw you eyeing one of the bridesmaids earlier," he said.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzprsksvCeA
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...464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSMZttOIB0
"No, I didn't." I denied, shaking my head like a dog out of water.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mkpZ3GFLJ
"You did, you liar," he insisted.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtpLTQGJur
One of my eyebrows rose, mimicking him. “So?”464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNNEj0HGqL
"Why don't you ask her out?” he asked. “Looks like you’re the one itching to marry anyway."464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RoX2Cr4kA
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.464Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPJyVUwsiX
