CHAPTER 3

Two months after he proposed, gaganapin na ang wedding namin. Sa loob ng dalawang buwan na iyon ay na ayos na ang lahat ng kailangang gawin. Mula sa mga invitation hanggang sa mga dekorasyon.

Pinaghandaan talaga ang kasalang ito. Ikakasal kami isang linggo pagkatapos ng graduation. Dahil gusto ko pa na apilyedo ng magulang ko ang dadalahin ko sa pag-akyat ng stage.

Two months was like a blink of eye. Heto na agad ako. Nakaupo sa sasakyan, sa labas ng simbahan habang nag-aantay ng hudyat para pumasok sa loob.

Nakakakaba.. Halo-halo na ang nararamdaman ko. Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang saya na nararamdaman ko. Masaya ako dahil sa wakas ikakasal na ako sa lalaking pinakamamahal ko.

Hindi ko inakalang darating ang panahon ng pag-iisang dibdib namin. Noon ay pinangarap ko lang na maging kasintahan siya, pero ngayon magiging asawa ko na.

Napalingon ako sa organiser na kumatok sa sinasakyan ko. Sumenyas pa ito na magsisimula na ang kasal. Agad akong lumabas ng sasakyan para pumila sa harap ng simbahan.

Nakangiting lumapit sa akin ang aking ama at inabot ang mga kamay ko. Batid ko na nagpipigil lang ito ng luha, gayun din ang aking ina.

"Be a good wife, my baby. Treat him with all respect. Always remember comunication is important. Kapag nag-away kayo, pag-usapan ninyo. Wag kayong mag-aaksaya ng oras para sa tampuhan. Mahalagang pag-usapan ang mga ganung bagay kesa ipagpaliban." makahulugang sambit ng aking ama sa akin. Ngumiti ako rito at tumango bilang tugon.

"I'm proud of you baby." masayang sambit naman ng aking ina.

Ilang minuto pa ang hinintay nang tuluyan ng bumukas ang pintuan ng simbahan. Kasabay nito ang pagtugtog ng pamilyar na kanta. Thousand years isa sa mga paborito kong kanta.

Dati pangarap ko lang na maging kanta ito sa kasal ko, pero ngayon ito na. Tinutugtog na siya ngayon sa sarili kong kasal.

Nagsimula ng maglakad ang mga abay. 'Yong kaba ko kanina ay nawala na lang bigla nang makita ko si Kurt sa harap ng altar. Nagsimula nang magtubig ang mga mata ko habang naglalakad papalapit sa kanya. Hindi ko akalaing aabot kami sa ganito.

Pangarap ko lang siya dati, ngayon abot kamay ko na. Isang panaginip na tila ba'y nagkatotoo.

"I treated her like a princess, please treat her as a queen. I love my daughter very much Kurt. And now I'm letting her to be with you. Wala na akong mahihiling pa kundi ang ikakasaya nyo. Treat her right, she means world to me." Madamdaming sambit ng ama ko sa kanya.

"Dad," tanging naiusal ko.

"I will treat her right. I will treat her as my world. You don't have to worry dad, I love your daughter so much." nakangiting sagot naman ni Kurt bago kuhain ang kamay ko.

“I require and charge you both, as you stand in the presence of God, before whom secrets of all hearts are disclosed, that, having duly considered the holy covenant you are about to make, you do now declare before this company your pledge of faith, each to the other. Be well assured that if these solemn vows are kept inviolate, as God’s word demands, and if steadfastly you endeavor to do the will of your heavenly Father and earthly Mother, God will bless your marriage, will grant you fulfillment in it, and will establish your home in peace. Will you please both stand.” Sabi ni father sa aming dalawa na agad naman naming sinunod.

“Kurt Maze, do you take this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together in the holy bonds of matrimony? To love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her so long as ye both shall live?”

"I do."

“Colline Rodriguez, do you take this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together in the holy bonds of matrimony? To love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him so long as ye both live?”

"I do." 

“Repeat after me.” Sabi ni Father sa Kurt. May sinabi si father na inulit naman nito. Hawak-hawak niya pa rin ang mga kamay ko.

“I, Kurt Maze, take thee, Colline Rodriguez, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith.”

“Now you, young lady, repeat after me.” Sambit ni Father sa akin.

“I, say your name.” Sabi ni Father.

“I, Colline Rodriguez, take thee, Kurt Maze , to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith."

“You may now say your own vows for each other.” Sambit ni Father sa amin. Inabot nya sa kay Kurt ang mikroponong hawak nya.

"I don't know what to say. I'm not ready for this. But I'm thankful, I'm thankful na ibinigay ka ni God sa akin. I fell in love with you since the first time I saw you. Enrolment day yun, I saw you seating on the field. I want to approach you pero nahihiya ako. Hindi ko alam kung kilala mo ako, natatakot ako baka mapahiya ako sayo. Lagi kitang pinagmamastan mula sa malayo. Until that day come, nakasama kita sa presentationg. Maybe that was the sign para kausapin kita. We became friend until turn to lovers. I don't even know why I'm saying this. Hindi lang talaga ako makapaniwala g asawa na kita. I love you Colline. I will love you till the end of my life." Matapos niyang sambihin yun ay nag-uunahan ng tumulo ang luha niya na agad niya namang pinahid.

Hindi ako makapaniwala sa sinabi nito. Hindi ko akalaing simula pa pala noong una ay gusto na niya ako.

Nakangiti sa kanya habang patuloy na lumuluha. "Kurt, at first akala ko nagloloko ka lang. Hindi ko sineryoso yung sinabi mo na liligawan mo ako. Akala ko pinaglalaruan mo lang ako. But you prove me that I'm wrong. Na totoo ang lahat ng mga pinapakita mo sa akin hanggang hindi ko na namalayan na I fell for you. I'm happy to be your wife. I'll promise to be a good wife to you. Give you everything. I'll promise to love you until the day I die."

“The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to all, the uniting of this man and this woman in this holy matrimony” Iniabot ng pari sa amin ang dalawang singsing.

"Repeat after me." Sabi nung pari. Nauna munang akong nagdalita, habang hawak-hawak ko ang kamay nya.

“Colline, I have for you a golden ring with diamonds. The most precious metal and gem symbolizes that your love is the most precious element in my life. The ring has no beginning and no ending, which symbolizes that the love between us will never cease. I place it on your finger as a visible sign of the vows which have made us husband and wife.” Pagkasabi nya noon ay isinuot nya sakin yung singsing na hawak nya. “I love you Colline.”

“Kurt, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day.” Isinuot ko din sa kanya ang singsing na hawak ko.

Habang magkahawak ang kamay ay humarap kami sa pari.

"For as much as, Kurt Andrei and Colline Nicole have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have pledged their faith each to the other, and have declared the same by joining hands and by giving and receiving rings; I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." The Priest announced.

Today is April 12, I'm now officially his wife.