16 April is supposed to be the day I would have celebrated my 18th birthday. But not today. It has become my elder sister's wedding day.
I don't mind it actually since I have never celebrated my birthday this past 9 years. Not after that unspeakable incident.
Ever since she came back from overseas last week and drop the bomb by announcing to the family that she wants to get married immediately, my elder sister Sis Gie started acting weirdly.
I mean she was already weird enough in my eyes, but now its weird kind of weird. Even I know at this moment that I'm not making much sense talking gibberish to the reader. For instance, she, normally, I'm emphasizing here, NORMALLY, always stay calm in any situation. There's nothing that can ruffle her feathers.
But now, one moment she is staring out into space while holding her stomach, while in the next, she is excitedly planning the wedding, and sometimes she looks at the big calendar in the living room with her eyes wearing a murderous glint. When she picks up the phone, she looks around anxiously as if she is afraid that somebody is trying to eavesdrop her conversation. Is this what they call marriage blues? I don't have any clue.
Today, before the ceremony, Sis Gie went missing and my father went ballistic. I didn't notice when my sister went missing since I was busy in the kitchen helping the others prepare the food for the wedding. So when my friend, Siti, came and told me that father was asking for me, I had a fearful apprehension.
"Mah, did you see your sister?"
"No, I didn't. What wrong father? "
"She's not here. Your sister is gone."
Father sound very agitated and I'm very concerned about his heart problem.
"Don't worry father, I will help you find her"
I try to sound very confident so that he feels assured when, in my heart, I'm only 10 percent sure that I'll manage to find her in the short amount of time.
To avoid chaos, I ask my friend, Siti to look inside the house without raising any suspicion while I try to look for Sis Gie outside.
"Siti, do your best to cover up while searching and call me if there are any updates"
"Don't worry, and you too. Do the same and be careful, okay?" I nodded before slipping out of the house.
I took my bicycle and searched around any place Sis Gie might have gone to. I even went to the beach, which is her favorite spot when she needs to clear her mind and think.
Negative result. She wasn't there. What am I supposed to do now?
My bag vibrates. I pull out my phone. Ten missed calls? Seven from Siti, two from father and the other one is from an unknown number.
"Siti? Tell me the good news."
"Sorry, I haven't found her yet. But you must come home now. Your father.."
Then comes annoying sound. My phone blanks out.
Sh*t. I forgot to charge my phone last night.
Father? What happened to my father? Please, God, I hope this is not about a heart attack. I prayed non-stop on the way home.
Siti was already waiting for me outside and rushes forward to me when she sees me coming. One of her hand grabs the handle of my bicycle and the other hand grabs my shoulder, trying to stabilize my standing.
With panting breath, I try to asses the current situation.
Even with my incoherent words, she can still guess what I'm trying to say.
"Calm down first. Take a deep breath. "
I nod and take a few deep breaths.
"Sorry, your sister is still missing. And nothing bad happened to your father."
My knees gave way. I didn't notice when she moved. If she didn't grab my waist at that precise moment, I would definitely have ended up kissing the ground.
Taking a few more deep breath, I started to calm down.
"Go ahead meet your father. He wants to talk to you. I will help you park the bicycle."
"Thanks".
With my wobbling legs, I start to turn around. With the speed at which I was cycling, it's a wonder that I can still walk.
I had only walked two steps from her when Siti suddenly blurted out.
"The groom family has already arrived".
OMG. My jaw dropped.
Siti! Why didn't say that earlier?!!!
I hold myself not to run, the guests might notice that something is wrong.
Wearing a calm mask with a strained smile, I force my overused weak legs to walk gracefully.
Father was upstair, anxiously walking back and forth. When he sees me approaching, he gives me a hand gesture, signaling me to follow him to my sister's room. The bridal room.
And like the obedient daughter that I am, I follow the order.
Out of blue, I get goosebumps. I feel like somebody is staring intensely at me, behind my back.
I turn around and my jaw drops for the second time.
Where did these three models from magazine covers come from? The middle one outshines the other two. At least there are only three of them. If it becomes four, will those guys become F4 and this story become a parody of Boys Over Flower?
I touch the area of my upper lips below my nose with my right hand, in case I'm having a nosebleed. Thank God, it's dry.
All the three guys keep watching me but not as intensely as the man in the middle. He is wearing the clothes of a groom. Is he my new brother-in-law?
Heck, how am I supposed to know? I only know one fact about this new family member of mine. That is, he is a man. Duh. That's how clueless I am about my sister marriage.
"Mah"!
My father raised his voice since I'm still standing outside the bridal room.
Crap, I totally forgot about the crisis that we are having now!