This is it. Big day for Ben.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknikdLvTnb
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8n0umBHEmK
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Zyj9CnXNS
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEf6kmnZ3p
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Yu107j7sr
"Alright. You're all set," I said, watching the bride admire herself in the mirror. "Ben's eyes will never leave you now."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmF7LV6rsD5
She faced me with an undeniable gleam in her eyes.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡec458VZN8Q
"Thank you so much, Judy," she said, taking my hands. "You saved our lives, you and your family."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZ5owzjrSh
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsgIOIp65s
"Um, Naya, is it okay for me to leave? I have something important to do," I said.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFh8jCfTYYD
"Sure."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Qjv1ZdHIj
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReUESp03nR
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77iftP6pxq
I snapped out of the thought when Lev, one of my elder brothers, called out.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm009UJyCIw
"Are you lost, baby girl?" he asked. "You're supposed to be with the bride, right?"404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKfVllcnde
I controlled the urge to attack him at his downright insult.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNs32HiGkf
"I am done," I replied. "I'm here if you need help."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHIEaPlLmv
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."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiywHzVYFbG
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?404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1dA9cnJED
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZceCmQND5h
"Even small ants can carry a big worm," Joe told the younger man. "Let him help."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqNgjWIaaS
"S-sure, man," Lev stammered and quickly returned to his task.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yrpfO1PMx
Joe walked over to me and handed me a wallet thick with bills.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatnlRYSIpV
"We're out of liver spread," he told me. "Hurry up and buy some."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNscorNeVY
I nodded. "Okay... How many?"404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGvErRu7aR
"As many as it can cover," he answered. Then he added swiftly, "Ram."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkV2kh7VH8Q
Oh. Brand-specific.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsOMKRBXUP
"Eh... What if there's no Ram?"404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzSbK3wM7G
His brow arched.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WlpIS7YeD
"No Ram, no caldereta. Now go."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfED3rDGXSW
I shivered. "Ah... Yes, sir!"404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWB37Ofgnw8
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBqwpnkCEB
"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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78pGc9dClE
"I do," my brother answered, his eyes beaming, and a genuine smile plastered in his face.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WIyoEHKgJ
The pastor turned to our new sister-in-law.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4s8vgkLnHr
"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?"404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtaPPOYxbI
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthikVKodet
"I do," she answered.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrY1BADx1sa
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFUyClffKG
I looked at Joe, who was clapping without a word beside me. His eyes glued at the direction of Ben's bride.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJ6xgfIo7J
"Kuya," I called. "You kept looking at ate Naya. Don’t tell me she caught your attention too."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oBapNrlCl
His brows furrowed. "No, but her headpiece did."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRqO4HBcrx
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxH775giZz9
For a man nearing his prime, Joe surprisingly had a pair of sharp eyes. I tried changing the subject to hide my cringe.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6w0IB1vsYf
"What about you, Joe, when will you set the long table?" I asked.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEXHl9tHWi
Without moving his head, he shot me a deadly glare, and in an emotionless face, he replied, "If it happens."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9jlw91p2h
His eyes went back to the happily married couple swarmed by relatives who were dying to take a picture.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5P0yHxPHbq
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?"404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHh3nbtM5T
A part of his upper lip arched in what looked like disgust, and his hands rested on his waist.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzU0VlLRe9a
"If I did, who will provide for you? Mama?" His head shook disbelievingly. "Shame."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJ0Qmlfjt6
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQB2HYbvhgo
"I saw you eyeing one of the bridesmaids earlier," he said.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoenOv4laS
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...404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoS7VDYoAK
"No, I didn't." I denied, shaking my head like a dog out of water.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq37Z1BmFL0
"You did, you liar," he insisted.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxljuiruYlc
One of my eyebrows rose, mimicking him. “So?”404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1RHtJoG7g
"Why don't you ask her out?” he asked. “Looks like you’re the one itching to marry anyway."404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7za4mcs9B
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.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cQaMZhf5D
