Chapter Three

Catherine’s Point of View

This is it. Eto a ang huling araw na hindi na lang sarili ko ang dapat iisipin ko. Me stepping on the world. The reality of the world.

Matagal na tagal na panahon din akong naka isolate sa mundo na kung saa mga walls at dalawang tao lang ang nakaka interact ko sa araw araw. 

But this day is a special one.. I think. The day of my wedding day. I am now here in front of the church waiting for my tiyang Amelia na sabihin sakin na pwede na kong bumaba ng sasakyan. 

A knock on my window napunta ang atensyon ko kasabay nito bumukas ang pinto. But instead of Tiyang Ameli’s voice ang bumungad saki . tatlong hindi kilala na boses ang narinig ko. 

Is she the one? 

Hindi naman maganda, talong talo ang kuya mo dito

Looks like the chika is true, she really is blind. Look at her not even meeting our eyes

Napayuko ako sa naririnig ko na sinasabi nila. Bigla akong nahiya na gusto lumubog sa kinuupuan ko ngayon. 

“ You three! What are you doing. Mag si alis nga kayo jan” Tiyang Amelia, napansin ko naman agad ang pag-alis ng tatlo.

“ Are you okay? Ano sinabi ng tatlo na mga babae na yon?” she ask. Umiling ako. 

“ Nothing. Lalabas na ba ko?” Pinipilit ko ibahin ang tono ng boses ko dahil any minute lang maiiyak na ko.

“ Yes, everything is ready inside the church. Are you ready?” she ask.. Tumango ako.

Tinulungan ako ni Tiyang Amelia bumaba ng sasakyan. Then She fixes my hair and my  dress.

“ This is it !? Smile and feel you wedding this is a girls dream. Getting married and having a happily ever after with their prince charming. Well this is reality there is no prince, pero tinitiyak ko sayo, your husband is a very handsome gentleman” She whispers. 

We started walking. Habang nagtatagal ang paglalakad namin, pahigpit ng pahigpit ang hawak ko sa braso niya.

“ It’s okay, namili ako ng mabuti ng taong pakakasalan  mo hinding hindi ako magkakamali sa pagpili ko na to” 

She’s right, maybe.. Just maybe matatanggap niya ko. Dahil gusto ko rin siyang makilala.

We stop walking, then a strong scent of perfume of men, approaches us. Base sa habang niya at bigat ng pag step ng paa niya he maybe a 6’7 tall men. 

He reaches for my hand, Tiyang Amelia give him a little message to take care of me or any other thing. Hindi ko na napakinggan pa.

Hawak hawak na niya ang kamay ko as he guides me pa akyat ng altar. I feel his hand are so big he can take cover of my both hand sa laki ng kamay niya. His hands are middle of soft or rough.

Then I notice, he has many kalyo? Is he a writer or such but, this kalyo is for playing a guitar. Right.

“Is my hand that interesting.. Wife” i can feel his breath on my right ear, as he whispers those words. 

“ Uhhh.. n.no i j.just”

“ just what, my dear wife?  Don’t worry, these hands is all yours once we finish this ceremony or rather i’ll be yours.. Forever” he then again whispers. 

Hindi ako akasagot sa kanya when the ceremony starts. 

Almost 40-45 minutes pass, the ceremony are almost finish..

“You may now…. Kiss the bride” 

 Kiss? Is he really going to kiss me right now?  We barely know each other halos wala pang isang oras ang nakakalipas ng magkita kami.

He put his hand on my cheeks, looks like wala akong palag na dito. He really is going to kiss me, in front of this people na hindi ko kilala.

Unti unti ko nararamdaman paglapit ng mukha niya when i can almost feel his breath sa mukha ko. He put his  thumb on my lips then pressed his lips on his finger. Making it look like we are literally kissing

“ Don’t worry wife, I’m not going to take you first kiss on our first meeting” he whispers on my ear. People clapping and congratulating us, pero hindi yon nanatili sa utak ko. 

Kundi, ang taong nasa harapan ko. Natuon ang atensyon ko. It feels like..he is… warm and…familiar