This is it. Big day for Ben.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kElSwtGaK
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOpt07XP8P
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwA6az6EZj
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZHGufHAdL
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHJCledjwi
"Alright. You're all set," I said, watching the bride admire herself in the mirror. "Ben's eyes will never leave you now."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9e8gL6wjSS
She faced me with an undeniable gleam in her eyes.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9srvE0yqnH
"Thank you so much, Judy," she said, taking my hands. "You saved our lives, you and your family."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdip2DbYWNE
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWUqBJFxG5
"Um, Naya, is it okay for me to leave? I have something important to do," I said.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzTTo9COrb
"Sure."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7dEE2kDw8
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUib9HOZkq8
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZB5pT0gXK
I snapped out of the thought when Lev, one of my elder brothers, called out.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxSjMnDESD
"Are you lost, baby girl?" he asked. "You're supposed to be with the bride, right?"424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOFVLhxXOj
I controlled the urge to attack him at his downright insult.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGdd4m8UWi
"I am done," I replied. "I'm here if you need help."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGluHAAKKD
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."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEQmRDui70
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?424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UIVXhhFIV
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWIa6y0dLg
"Even small ants can carry a big worm," Joe told the younger man. "Let him help."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuf2Y7zdVxn
"S-sure, man," Lev stammered and quickly returned to his task.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkuaiB6ccz
Joe walked over to me and handed me a wallet thick with bills.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QQChz8Tbv
"We're out of liver spread," he told me. "Hurry up and buy some."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7gyHkWfkA
I nodded. "Okay... How many?"424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SO0zh0M18
"As many as it can cover," he answered. Then he added swiftly, "Ram."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrbWVdhiIw
Oh. Brand-specific.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUz3pJUYsn
"Eh... What if there's no Ram?"424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMMTLtHcC4
His brow arched.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsMi10Fd0q
"No Ram, no caldereta. Now go."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25dF4SBJnU
I shivered. "Ah... Yes, sir!"424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOm6TqQDbfS
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oNU740JyI
"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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8Ks5ssFrJ
"I do," my brother answered, his eyes beaming, and a genuine smile plastered in his face.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7iu2LG3I2
The pastor turned to our new sister-in-law.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3DIGkm18a
"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?"424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD72gDhsC2h
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrxk6M2i9i
"I do," she answered.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqB5Ix86Pgw
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmurnH4YDD
I looked at Joe, who was clapping without a word beside me. His eyes glued at the direction of Ben's bride.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWSN932Sn1
"Kuya," I called. "You kept looking at ate Naya. Don’t tell me she caught your attention too."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjYAR4KVWV
His brows furrowed. "No, but her headpiece did."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtE7RKfAQX3
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpWHc2vxic
For a man nearing his prime, Joe surprisingly had a pair of sharp eyes. I tried changing the subject to hide my cringe.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvoTqsBzrZ
"What about you, Joe, when will you set the long table?" I asked.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ROWm39S8t
Without moving his head, he shot me a deadly glare, and in an emotionless face, he replied, "If it happens."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHvWlghR4b
His eyes went back to the happily married couple swarmed by relatives who were dying to take a picture.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbby2Kerl3y
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?"424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPgCqMNtj1
A part of his upper lip arched in what looked like disgust, and his hands rested on his waist.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNcUUFiDz8
"If I did, who will provide for you? Mama?" His head shook disbelievingly. "Shame."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlJEas71sC
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1utOI34JM
"I saw you eyeing one of the bridesmaids earlier," he said.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbRdDOVJpu
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...424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnlRUshYfo
"No, I didn't." I denied, shaking my head like a dog out of water.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQ54uRZ7QX
"You did, you liar," he insisted.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFcP2I6Vnk
One of my eyebrows rose, mimicking him. “So?”424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtpfEO8bxM
"Why don't you ask her out?” he asked. “Looks like you’re the one itching to marry anyway."424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3Y1ML5C7q
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.424Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4ICgYtuGs
