Gabi Ariola worked in an old cinema that seen bygone years. The queerest thing about this cinema was a display of a wedding gown. It was encased in glass for all to see. The town people and visitors alike often wondered the story behind the wedding gown. The owner of the cinema, Julian Mariano is a queer old man who has an eccentricity that few people understand except for his only beloved nephew Rafa Mariano. The odd owner constantly visited the cinema to watch reruns of “An affair to Remember” every third of July. Gabi soon learns the truth about the wedding gown when she accidentally snoops around and fitted the dress. She realized that it will bring her to the past when the bride disappears. In 1891, she was rescued by Rafael Marquez. She realized that her only ticket back to the present was to find the owner of the Wedding Gown. She also learns that love was timeless and she was bound to choose between the past or the present.
View More"Saya memang miskin, tapi bukan berarti Mbak bisa merendahkan saya dengan cara seperti ini."
"Saya tidak bermaksud merendahkan. Saya hanya berpikir apa yang saya berikan nanti, cukup sepadan dengan kesediaan Abang. Bukannya begitu?""Tapi maaf. Saya memilih tetap konsisten pada keputusan awal, dan saya harap Mbak bisa menghargai itu."Dewa masih berusaha menahan diri menghadapi Tika—perempuan keras kepala yang sebenarnya sudah cukup membuatnya muak. Bagaimana tidak, belum genap dua jam bersama, Dewa merasa otot-otot lengannya menegang kaku lantaran harus mempertahan bersikap tenang. Kendati sebenarnya gemuruh di dalam sana sudah siap diledakkan, bahkan sejak Tika mengutarakan keinginannya.Selain itu, Dewa juga menyesali keputusannya telah mendatangi Tika, tanpa pernah memperhitungkan hal tersebut bisa saja terjadi. "Katakan. Apa yang bisa membuat Abang berubah pikiran?"Desahan kasar kembali lolos dari mulut Dewa. Tika terlalu sembrono dengan menanyakan sesuatu yang bisa sangat membahayakan dirinya sendiri.Tidakkah Tika sadar seberapa besar resiko atas pertanyaan tersebut? Rasanya cukup mustahil, perempuan cerdas seperti Tika tidak bisa memperhitungkan sebab akibat dari tindakan yang sudah dilakukan. Tapi melihat seberapa keras Tika memaksakan kehendak, Dewa semakin waspada. Sudah pasti ada alasan yang mendasari Tika melakukan semua itu.Namun, apapun masalah Tika, Dewa tidak ingin tahu, apalagi peduli. Perempuan itu sangat merepotkan dengan keinginannya yang dirasa, konyol."Saya akan menyiapkannya sekarang juga. Katakan. Berapa yang Abang inginkan?" lanjut Tika yang seketika menyentak punggung Dewa. Sikap congkak Tika benar-benar melukai harga diri Dewa yang setinggi langit. Apa perempuan itu pikir harta yang dia miliki bisa membeli segalanya? Hingga ia rela merendahkan diri untuk bisa mendapatkan sejumlah uang? "Tidak heran jika orang sepertimu menganggap segalanya bisa dibeli dengan harta. Tapi maaf. Seberapa banyak Mbak menawarkannya kepada saya, itu tidak akan merubah apapun."Sayangnya alih-alih responsif, Tika justru semakin menjadi. "Yakin dengan jumlah yang mencapai ratusan juta tidak bisa membuat Abang berpaling? Seratus juta, dua ratus juta, atau lima ratus juga? Jangan sungkan untuk memberitahu saya. Katakan saja, hm."Semakin jengah, Dewa seketika terjingkat berdiri ingin segera pergi. Tika sudah sangat keterlaluan, dan melampaui batas."Jika Abang berniat pergi selangkah pun dari sini, saya akan berteriak. Bisa dipastikan apa yang terjadi setelahnya.""Cih! Berani mengancam saya?" kata Dewa disertai senyum sinis. "Jangan melampaui batasanmu, saya bisa saja hilang kendali dan pastinya kau yang akan menyesal.""Perlu diingat lagi, Abang ada di tempat saya. Tentunya saya yang lebih memegang kendali." Berdecak kesal, Dewa tengah matian-matian menahan amarah yang semakin membumbung tinggi. Sikap Tika tidak bisa ditolerir lagi. Bukan hanya terlalu keras kepala, tetapi Tika juga sudah sangat berani bertindak dan mengambil keputusan. Perempuan ceroboh yang sebenarnya telah mengabaikan keselamatan sendiri demi memuaskan hasrat pada satu tujuan lain, dan Dewa menyebutnya konyol.Jika saja Tika laki-laki, maka akan lain cerita. Dewa tidak perlu menahan diri untuk langsung memberinya pelajaran. Tidak seperti sekarang yang sedang ia lakukan. "Ternyata benar, sesuatu yang terlihat indah di luar, belum tentu sama dengan apa yang ada di dalam," lirih Dewa penuh penekanan. Ia sudah sangat muak menghadapi kegilaan Tika."Terkadang seseorang bisa menghalalkan segala cara demi suatu tujuan. Memilih egois dengan mengorbankan orang lain. Bukankah sudah seperti hukum alam? Jika ada yang dirugikan, tentunya ada pihak lain yang diuntungkan. Benar begitu?" Jawaban Tika tak urung membuat Dewa bertambah kesal. Ditatapnya nyalang perempuan itu yang sedang berjalan pelan memutari meja bundar, penghalang mereka. "Begitu juga dengan saya," lanjut Tika disertai senyum licik.Dewa segera memalingkan wajah, bukan hanya tidak ingin melihat wajah menyebalkan Tika. Tetapi juga keberanian perempuan itu yang mengambil jarak begitu dekat dengannya, mampu memunculkan sengatan-sengatan kecil yang membuatnya berubah gelisah.Meski dengan tinggi tubuhnya hanya sebatas bahu Dewa, tidak ada keraguan sedikitpun di wajah Tika untuk balas menatap dingin lelaki itu. Tindakan sembrono yang sebenarnya tidak ia sadari telah mengusik kelelakian Dewa. "Apapun itu bukan urusan saya, dan sekali lagi saya tegaskan! Saya tidak mau terlibat dalam masalah Mbak yang sama sekali tidak saya inginkan." Bisa melihat wajah cantik Tika, serta semua keindahan yang perempuan itu miliki dengan jarak sedekat itu, iblis dalam diri Dewa semakin meronta. Sesuatu yang tidak Tika ketahui, bahwasanya lelaki muda yang bersamanya itu bukanlah pemuda polos yang hanya cukup memandangi dirinya tanpa menuntut sesuatu yang lebih."Tapi saya bisa melihat raguan di wajah Abang. Benarkah Abang masih tetap teguh sekarang?"Sialan. Dewa hanya bisa menegang kaku saat Tika terus merapatkan diri padanya. Bisa berakibat fatal jika ia tidak segera menghindar."Tidak sepantasnya perempuan bermartabat seperti Mbak melakukan ini pada laki-laki asing."Glek! Seakan tamparan keras menyadarkan Tika yang langsung berpaling dan menjauh."Saya tahu Mbak tidak seperti itu. Jangan merendahkan diri lebih dari ini." Tika hanya mampu tertunduk malu. Kalimat pamungkas Dewa benar-benar telah menghujam tepat ke ulu hati. "Silahkan cari laki-laki lain yang mau menerima tawaran itu, permisi." Dewa bergegas pergi. Ia butuh pengalihan atas apa yang sudah mempengaruhi benaknya. Namun, baru beberapa langkah menjauh, kalimat Tika seketika menghentikannya."Karena saya tahu Abang orang baik. Abang tidak seperti mereka yang menganggap uang segalanya. Untuk itu saya berani bertindak sejauh ini."Naasnya bukan hanya suara bergetar Tika yang mampu menggelitik telinga, tapi juga pernyataan perempuan itu yang terlalu dini menyimpulkan dirinya orang baik. Tak urung membuat Dewa mendenguskan senyum geli."Terlalu naif menilai saya baik bahkan di pertemuan pertama yang singkat ini. Saya yakin Mbak akan menyesali keputusan hari ini di lain waktu.""Tidak akan. Terserah bagaimana tanggapan Abang tentang penilaian saya. Tapi saya yakin. Abang memiliki hati yang baik."Semakin geli dengan pujian yang Tika lontarkan, Dewa menggaruk satu alis yang tiba-tiba gatal seraya membalik badan. Sebenarnya ia merasa kesal telah dipermainkan, tetapi pujian demi pujian Tika tak urung membuat kesalahan itu sedikit teralihkan."Maaf atas sikap saya yang sudah menyinggung Abang tadi. Sungguh, saya tidak bermaksud merendahkan ataupun melukai harga diri Abang. Saya hanya berpikir setiap tindakan tetap harus mendapat imbalan yang sepadan, itu saja. Sekali lagi saya minta maaf," ungkap Tika tulus disertai gurat penyesalan. Ia telah salah menduga dengan menganggap Dewa seperti laki-laki lain yang rela melakukan segalanya hanya demi harta. Penolakan Dewa seakan membuka matanya, jika penampilan berandal lelaki itu bukanlah cerminan yang sebenarnya. Karena itulah Tika merasa bersyukur, Inez telah mencarikan dirinya seseorang yang tepat. "Jadi semua itu hanya—""---maaf. Saya tahu sudah keterlaluan," sela Tika."Lantas, bagaimana dengan permintaan Mbak tadi?"Berhasil menguasai diri, sekarang Dewa merasa gemas dengan Tika yang lebih banyak menunduk. Dimana keberanian yang beberapa saat lalu ia lihat."Sebenarnya itu—"Brak! Brak Tiba-tiba suara gedoran pintu yang disertai teriakan seseorang mengejutkan keduanya. Dewa mengerutkan alis saat melihat kepanikan di wajah Tika."Siapa itu yang datang?""Emm… itu, anu, dia..""Tika buka pintunya!! Aku tau kau ada di dalam!! Keluar Tika atau aku akan masuk dengan caraku!!"CHAPTER 12 The pirates have become a part of Gabi’s life. She could not imagine her life without these men who worship the sea. They treated her like their own and some professed undying support for her. Even Arik, who seldom smiles, suddenly becomes her bodyguard and he followed her everywhere. She caught him smiling when she tried to joke around. The pirates were too nice and they laugh at her joke and antics even though she felt like it was only to appease her and make her happy. Juan doted on her like a father and Juanito, the young son who kidnapped her treated her like she was family.When dinner time came, she was always treated like a VIP that even her future husband cannot help but comment to Juan.“How did you ever come to have meat, tonight in the middle of the sea?”, Theo said amusedly.Juan blushed, “We slaughtered my chicken.”“Your chicken, the one, I been asking you to disposed have at last meet his demise. Who would have know
CHAPTER 11 Gabi felt she was in a washing machine. The turmoil of her sudden engagement affected the whole pirate crew. True to Theo’s words, she was treated like a queen. They seem to look at her like manna from heaven to the point that when one pirate requested an additional ration of bread she end up, asking Theo about it. When he allowed an additional bread for the whole crew, she become a star overnight. Five days ago when she accepted his proposal, he have become more caring about her needs and she realized the Captain have a heart of gold. He deeply cared for his people and treat them like family. He was the first one to risk his life for them. No wonder, the pirates followed him blindly like he was God himself. The faith and trust they give him were not lost with Gabi. She also started to feel the same as the pirates. Never once, did he take advantage of her. He treated her with much special care, that she missed those kisses he stole from her. Theo was also avoiding
CHAPTER 10 Before she could even fathom what was her next action, she threw a punch at the man who she hated with all her being right now. It landed on one of his cheeks. He touched it gently, but his eyes glittered fire. The men below who saw everything stop what they are doing. Some even make a sign of the cross. Deafening silence descended on the pirates as they saw him being punched by a woman. They waited for his move. The bird squawked from above as if sending a warning to her.Without a word, Theo’s arms snaked out on her and fold her to his hardened body and before she could even react, he kissed her. The kiss took her by surprise. Gabi could not even think, the only thought she had was how the kiss was so good she wanted more. Her lips melted with his and her arms pulled him closer to her. All her being felt alive.They scream and the laughter of the pirates full back her to reality. Gabi pushed him, as the full force of her action
CHAPTER 9 Gabi woke up feeling seasick due to the movement of the boat. She can hear the creaking of the woods and the laughter and banter of the pirates outside the captain's room. She groaned and lay down on her tummy to press the nauseating feeling she felt. It seems everything was moving, including her mood. She closed her eyes to shut off the moving space as the boat rocked from massive waves. "Oh God, I'm going to be sick." She groaned. She felt like vomiting, but the idea of doing the unthinkable with Theo's cabin could blow his fuse. After hijacking his bed and making him sleep on a hammock, Gabi was stretching his graciousness. She remembered very clearly what happened last night. She was laughing so hard while crying at the same time. Theo watched her calmly until she subsided from momentary madness."Are you okay now?" Theo asked gently. "I feel I'm in a beater. The stress of being in this situation was too much for m
Chapter 8 Gabi stayed still inside the jute sack. She was already awake when the two kidnappers hauled her on the horse. Gabi tried to wiggle her way out, but her hands and feet were tied too tight. This incident must be a horror movie, she thought hysterically. Losing her life before she could go home paralyzed her with fear. Goodness, she would die not being kissed! "Hauled her up, gently!" she heard an elderly voice command the younger man, but its warning was too late; he dropped her like a sack of potato to the floor. Gabi bit the cloth tied to her mouth to stop herself from gagging on her saliva."Dios Mio! Can't you be more careful?""I'm sorry, Senor." He heard the apologetic voice of the young man. "Is she still alive?" A hand tried to feel her heartbeat. Gabi squirmed to avoid the hand he put on her breast. The man laughed, "Well, it looks like she is still breathing."Footsteps were coming. The two men fell silent a
CHAPTER 7 Oscar was dumbfounded at Gabi's story. They were seated under a mango tree away from the noisy merriment of the fiesta. When she told her about her story, he almost walk-out on her. "Do you think I would believe such lies, Senorita?" He gulped the wine. She looked at him calmly. She understands his first reaction when she tells him about his misfortune—especially coming from someone in his future. "I wished it is a lie, Senor. But it is the truth. You're going to give up all your wealth by gambling. After your foolish decision, your family will suffer, not until with my father. He managed to rise above from the total despair of our family." "For your information, senorita, your s
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