I smiled as I looked on my design for my bestfriend's wedding gown. Kaunting linggo na lang at matatapos ko rin ito. Sa katapusan na kasi ang kasalan nito at ng unggoy nyang fiancé.
"I wonder when will I be seeing you in that kind of dress." Sabi ni Randy, manager dito sa bridal boutique kung saan ako nagtatrabaho.
I go here on a weekly basis. I just love the feeling of being here in Kleinfeld in Manhattan.
I smiled at him and chuckled a bit. "I wonder when will I be seeing you in one of these."
Tumawa ako habang ipinapakita ang sketchpad ko na may iba't ibang designs.
Nang biglang lumabas ang mga crew ng isang reality TV show kung saan ifini-feature ang gowns dito sa boutique at ang mga kwento ng iba't ibang brides.
"Can we ask you some questions, Ms. Imperial? Just a short interview." Sabi noong director nilang babae na si Kelly.
"Sure. No problem." Sabi ko at iginiya nila ako sa isang upuan na puti at Victorian ang disenyo.
Kleinfeld is the best boutique in New York, and if not, the whole America din siguro. Sabi nga nila, if you can't find your dress here in Kleinfeld, you won't find it anywhere else. Maraming mga dumadayo pa talaga para lang dito hanapin ang dream wedding gowns nila.
"How does it feel to be one of the most in-demand wedding designers? Here in Kleinfeld and perhaps, in America?" Napangiti ako sa direktor.
"Well, it's overwhelming and... Uhm, I also feel so much pressure at the same time." I smiled. "But you know when you love what you're doing, there's no way you can't do well on your job. It's an honor, really, to be requested by people to design their gown, make them or even if they just chose my work. It's satisfying to know that, I made them happy and that, their dreams are coming true. It's always a pleasure to give them their dream dresses."
"Hmm. You sound inspired." Kelly chuckled a bit. "Are you married? Or dating anybody? You speak like you're in love. We're just curious."
Natawa ako doon. "I'm actually... single." sabi ko habang tumatango-tango. Sila naman ay nagulat. "Although yes, I am in love... In love with my job and my works."
"Interesting. For a woman as beautiful as you to be single. Our last question..." I leaned and listened carefully. "If you would be married, which I hope to happen soon," Kelly laughed, "would you want to buy from someone else's works or would you prefer it to be a custom-made by your fellow designers? Or you would design it for yourself?"
Ngumuso ako at sinagot sya. "Thank you for that wonderful question," biro ko at tumawa naman sila. Feeling beauty queen ko na naman. "My passion is my happiness. And my passion this." I gestured for the whole boutique. "It's designing and making wedding gowns. I make people happy by doing it for them. And all my life I have been independent. So if I would buy something or ask someone to make it for me, it would be like, I am surrendering them the power to make myself happy and that my happiness depends on them. The thing is, I can do it myself. And I won't want my happiness to depend on someone else. So more or less, I'll do it myself. Because in fact my wedding dress is a bit ambitious." I chuckled.
I mean, I want leather for my gown. That's a whole new level of weird, if you ask me. Tumango-tango sila.
"Just a follow-up, because we got curious again. What is your ideal or dream wedding?"
I bit her lip, to stop myself from smiling. "It's simple. I want it somewhere in, uhm, autumn? With all the flaming colors." Tumango-tango ako.
It remindede so much of my fairytale-like past. "And it would be like a chic forest themed kind of wedding and the groom would be wearing leather and so as my gown, it would have those kind of things. I'm actually a big fan of ball gowns so I'd make one for myself. And then we'll be somewhere in the woods and not many people will be invited because..." He's a very private person. At napaka-arte rin. Sya na ata ang pinakamaarteng lalaking nabubuhay.
Wait.
This isn't about him anyway!?!
I don't care about that freak.
"You want a little privacy." Tumango na lang ako.
Natapos ang interview at nagligpit na rin ako ng mga gamit. Samantalang patuloy pa rin si Randy sa pagkukwento kung paano nagtaray at nag-inarte ang isang customer kanina.
Ganoon kasi dito minsan, o madalas. Sadyang may mga demanding at pa-VIP na mga customers. Na akala mo dahil may pera sila ay madadalian na sila sa paghahanap ng perpektong gown na naaayon sa kagustuhan at sa pinapangarap nilang kasal. It's easier said than done, to be honest. Being here is very soothing for me. It gives off that kind of feeling that not everything in this world is bad.
All you can see when you look around are happy faces. Their dreams coming to life with this very moment and they're one step in achieving real happiness. And you're part of that.
Natapos lang ata magdaldal si Randy nang may nakitang kung ano. "Speaking of love!"
Nilingon ko agad sya.
I became a provate person after leaving Manila. Few friends visit me.
I can't risk the chance of him finding me.
Sabay kong narinig ang tawag ng dalawang lalaki sa buhay ko.
"Mama!"
"Cash!"
Napangiti ako sa kanilang dalawa na magkaterno pa ang mga damit.
"Come on, ZekeZac. Show Mama what we got for her!" Sabi ni Oliver sa bata.
Ibinigay nya sa akin ang isang korteng rose pero cotton candy ang laman.
Halos masuka ako sa alaalang meron ako sa cotton candy.
"Kakakain lang natin a? Gutom ka na naman?" asar nya.
I pouted. "Gaano tayo katagal sa nail salon tapos nagsayaw pa tayo dun," itinuro ko ang banda, "syempre nagutom na ako."
Tumawa sya at inakbayan ako. "Fine. Kuya, 'yung kulay blue po---"
"I want pink!" protesta ko.
Inirapan nya ako. "Blue ang gusto ko e. Ako naman ang bibili."
Nagpacute ako sa kanya pero ayaw nyang patalo. "Mabuti pa, ma'am, sir. Hahatiin ko na lang." sabi ni manong cotton candy. I literally squealed.
Bumalik lang ang kaluluwa ko sa katawan ko nang narinig ang tili ni Randy. Napatingin muli ako sa kung saan sya nakatingin.
Ngumiti ako.
Niyakap ko agad si Garreth na nakauniporme pa rin hanggang ngayon. "You din't tell me you're coming home."
Ngumisi sya. "I wanted to surprise you."
"You do know that I don't like surprises, right?"
Lalo na kung ang surpresa mo ay isang engagement sa kapwa mo intsik pagkatapos mo akong iwan.
"Hmm. I'm not going to be here long. It was just a short stop. But I realized something earlier." He brushed my hair with his fingers sweetly. "I don't want this anymore. I want us. I can change. I can fly private flights for important people if that's what it takes to be with you."
Nagulat ako sa desisyon nya. Alam kong mahal nya ang trabaho nya at hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko.
"Give me a chance and I'll make it work. We'll make it work." Hinalikan nya ang noo ko.
Ngumiti ako.
Maybe this is for the best.
Siguro, hindi talaga ganoon ang pag-ibig. Hindi pwedeng ibigay mo ang lahat. Dapat may ititira ka para sa sarili mo.
He's been there when I needed him the most.
Baka sakaling pwede na.
Nginitian ko sya. "Are you sure about this? It's your work we're talking about here."
He chuckled. "Cashie, I own that airline. Being a pilot is just the cherry on top. As long as I can fly, I'm okay with it."
Mas lalong lumaki ang ngiti ko.
"What I'm not okay with, is leaving you and ZekeZac here with no one. You're my family. I won't leave for another flight until you say yes." Inirapan ko sya. "At least 800 people will be mad at you for delaying their flight."
Narinig ko ang ubo ni Oliver at ang sinabi niyang "blackmailing" sa ilalim nito. Inirapan ko rin sya.
"Okay. We'll give us a chance." Nanlaki ng mata nya at binuhat na ako at inikot-ikot na akala mo sinagot ko ang marriage proposal nya.
Hinalikan nya ako sa labi.
It was sweet.
Sweet but different.
I guess that's just how things are now.
"I'll come home to you soon, Cashie."
Hinalikan nya ang noo ko at ang noo ni Zeke.
"Take care, okay."
He smiled and left.
"GCash. Alam niyo ba na ang GCash ang isa sa mga features ng Globe? Ang GCash ay medyo matagal na pero baka ngayon niyo lang nadiscover. Sa GCash lang may forever."
Hinarap ko ang isa pa sa mga kaibigan ko. Si Ayi. "Oliver paki patahimikin 'yang asawa mo o ipadedeport ko sya sa China."
Nanlaki ang mata ni Ayi. It's fake shock, obviously. "I am deeply offended! Taiwanese ako! Not from mainland China!"
"Same difference! Basta intsik ka, tapos!"
Ngumisi sya. "Yeah. Parang si Zeke."
Kung nakamamatay ang titig, kanina panpatay si Beatrice Yao-Finn.
Just sayin'.