The Flavier Sisters got off of the Volkswagen T-cross owned by the eldest among them: Dana Rose. Sinalubong sila ng tatlong katulong para tulungan sa mga pinamili nilang damit at sapatos. It's their kind of bonding anyway: shopping. Tumuloy sila sa sala kung saan nadatnan nila ang kanilang ama at ina na nanunuod. They went to their parents.
"Hi mom! Hi dad!" bati nilang lima saka humalik sa pisngi ng mga-asawa.
Nginitian sila ng kanilang mga magulang.
"How's your bonding ladies?" tanong ni Lorenzo, ang papa nila.
"The typical, dad. We went to the spa, we watched a movie, we shopped for new dresses and shoes, and we ate." Belle remarked. Si Belle ang bunso sa kanilang lima.
"You didn't enjoy then?" Eleanor asked.
"We did, mom. What Belle means is that, we should have done something new, since we can't do this often anymore when Dana's already married." Marjorie explained.
"Come on, that's still too far to happen. I'm just turning 25 on November." Dana laughed.
"But by that time, you should be a married woman already para makuha mo ang mana mo." Wika ng papa nila.
Napatingin sila rito.
"You're kidding dad." Dana said laughing. He shook his head.
"No." simpleng sagot nito.
"That's ridiculous dad! I'm too young to get married!" protesta niya.
Natahamik nalang ang apat. They didn't know this rule, not until now. Saan naman nakuha ng papa nila ang rule na iyon?
"You're right. It's ridiculous, but I'm serious." He shrugged his shoulders.
"No way. It's unfair. Mom, say something!" baling niya sa mama nila.
"There's nothing you can do. I just got my heirloom when I'm 25 and already married. It's unlucky to manage business especially companies when you're not married, they say."
"And who came up with that preposterous idea? Because apparently that's just hearsay! That's a bluff." Galit na sabi niya.
"Don't raise your voice, dear. We're decent here. Besides, it's been a practice in the family long before I was born so that's that." Kalmadong saad ng papa nila.
No, it can't be. Pero paano nga kung hindi ibigay ang mana niya pagsapit ng 25th birthday niya? She won't accept that that's just it. Surely she can do something. But once their dad has given his word, they can't change his mind. Nag walk-out siya. Sumunod ang apat sa kanya. Nagkatinginan nalang ang mag-asawa. Narinig nilang sumara ang pinto.
Sa loob ng kwarto ni Dana Rose…
"No way! It's unfair!" saad ni Dana Rose habang nakadapa sa sariling kama at kuyom ang dalawang palad.
Naramdaman niyang lumubog ang kabilang parte ng kama. Umayos siya at naupo. Nakaupo sa kama niya sina Marjorie, Sharmaine, at Belle, habang nakaupo naman sa harap ng vanity mirror si Judy Anne. She sighed.
"What should I do?" tanong niya sa mga kapatid niya.
"Wala namang masama kung susundin mo yung tradition nila dad, right? Besides, you should really be out there mingling with guys!" Sharmaine exclaimed.
"Wala ngang masama, pero sa tingin mo, ganoon lang kadali ang humanap ng taong mapapangasawa? It's not a 2-day seminar that you go the first day and leave the day after! Marriage is not like that. It's a lifetime commitment for Pete's sake! Tsaka saan naman ako yayakag ng mapapangasawa eh ni wala nga akong boyfriend!" inis na sabi niya at sinapo ang noo.
"Walang problema doon. Meron ka pa namang 3 months para maghanap." Sabat ni Marjorie.
"Bakit mo pa hihintayin ang tatlong buwan when you can hire a man na pwedeng magpanggap to be your husband? There are a lot of sites to hire on." Judy Anne suggested.
They looked at her in disbelief.
"Did I just seriously hear that from you, Anne?" maang na tanong ni Dana.
"Why? Am I wrong?" Judy Anne asked innocently.
'No, you're absolutely right. I just didn't expect that to come from you. And if ever, IF EVER, I resorted to that scenario, matitino ba ang mga lalaki doon? I mean you meet a lot of normal men every single day and only a few of them are good guys… so how much percentage would I need to risk if I don't really have a choice?" tanong niya.
"Oo nga naman ate Anne. Alam mong hindi lahat ng lalaki ay mapagkakatiwalaan. Iilan na nga lang ang natitira sa kanila, nagpa-pari pa. Yung iba namang talagang mababait, nakipag-eyeball na kay God." Belle stated.
"Belle, watch your terminologies. Don't use street words around the house." Marjorie reminded Belle.
"Oops… sorry." Belle apologized.
"God? Yes! God, please give me a sign, please, I'm begging you." Dana said and closed her eyes. 'Lord, whoever be the first guy to call me this day, except for my relatives, please make him the answer to my problem,' she said and opened her eyes. She was startled to see her sisters staring at her. "Oh, bakit kayo nakatitig? Baka malusaw ako niyan, ah!" natatawang saad niya.
"Kanina pa kami titig sayo, eh di sana lusaw kana ngayon." Saad ni Marjorie.
"Ano namang sign ang hiningi mo kay God?" usisa ni Sharmaine.
"That's a secret between me and him! So don't ask."
"Come on! We're going to find it out anyway!" Judy ann remarked.
"How so?" she asked.
"We have our ways, sis." Belle smirked.
"Whatever. Magsipalit na nga muna kayo." Utos niya sa mga kapatid niya.
"Yes ma'am." Sabay-sabay na sabi ng mga ito saka sunud-sunod na lumabas ng kwarto niya.
Nang maisara ni Belle ang pinto ay napaigtad siya ng biglang mag-ring ang cellphone niya. Tinignan niya kung sino ang tumatawag: it's Janver Montervo, the handsome, god-like bachelor na shareholder sa kanilang Real Estate Company. Nagtaka man ay sinagot niya ang tawag.
"Dana Rose, Hi! Did I disturb you?" he asked on the other line.
"No, not really. You called, do you need anything?" she asked.
"Actually, yes… that is if you don't mind."
"Depends on what you are going to ask."
"I'll be straight to the point then. I need you to help me pull out my family's share on your company."
Natigilan siya. Bakit nito ipu-pull out ang shares nila sa company? As far as she's concerned, their company's not on a verge of bankruptcy. She cleared her throat.
"I was startled, sorry. But, may I know why you want to pull out your shares? Because I am fully aware that the company is not on the verge of bankruptcy. May problema ba?"
"Wala naman. It's just that my family wants to start a new line of business. But please don't tell your parents. It might cause a misunderstanding between our families. We wouldn't like that to happen, that's why I am asking you… privately."
"I think it will never be a problem. It's still better if there's a transparency between us, right?"
"Please, don't tell them." he sighed. "Anyway, kung ayaw mo akong tulungan, it's fine. You can just refuse. Hindi naman kita pinipilit." He said and ended the call.
Dana Rose was left thinking. How could he help him? If she's going to help him, she should get something in return. But what could she get from him? She was in that state when someone knocked on her door.
"Come in."
Judy Anne and Belle entered the room.
"Hey! Bakit hindi ka pa nakabihis ng damit?" kunwari'y galit na tanong ni Anne.
"Sa ayokong magpalit. May magagawa ka?" tanong niya rito. Nagulat siya ng bigla siya nitong paluin sa braso. "Aray ha? Hindi masakit." Irap niya sa kapatid.
"Hindi naman talaga." Anito at naupo sa kama niya. Si Belle naman ay nahiga.
"So, bakit nga ab kayo nandito?" tanong niya.
"To tell you frankly, meron kaming nagugustuhan ni Ate Anne para sa iyo." Si Belle ang sumagot sa tanong niya.
"At sino naman iyon?" taas-kilay na tanong niya.
"Si Architect Janver Isaac Montervo." Saad nito.
"Okay, hear us out. We did a background check on him and it seems that he has a good family background. His family lives in Batangas, they do have properties, and they have 5 successful businesses. Mind you, those are all chain companies in different fields: food, printing press, book stores, clothing, and an architecture firm, which is kasosyo natin sa company ngayon. At sa mga times na nakasabayan ko siyang mag-lunch sa company, I could say he is really a gentleman." Paliwanag ni Anne.
Napatangu-tango siya. They really did a research and he has indeed a good background. Napangiwi siya.
"Inirereto mo siya sa akin, eh ikaw naman ata ang gusto niyan and vice versa." Komento niya.
"Hindi ah! Let's just say he is a handsome gentleman, but, he's not my type. Besides mabait lang siya sa akin kasi nag-meet kami sa isang conference a year ago."
"Tsaka don't worry ate Dana, si kuya Jayrick naman ang gusto ni Ate Anne!" sabat ni Belle.
She smiled mischievously at Anne. Pinanlakihan naman ng mata ni Anne and bunso nilang kapatid.
"Really, Belle? You're really doing that now? May I remind you, we are talking about Janver here, not Jayrick!?!" inis na saad nito.
"Okay girls, let's just calm down okay?" awat niya.
Nag-irapan ang dalawa niyang kapatid. She scratched her head.
"Bakit mo ba nasabing gusto ni kuya Janver si ate Anne and vice versa, ate Dana?" belle asked curiously.
"Kasi sila, nagla-lunch talaga. Some sort of date. While Janver and I, limang beses pa lang yata kaming nagsama, tuwing board meetings pa."
"So that's just it? Eh ako nga lagi ko siyang kasama pag nasa company ako." Saad ni Belle.
"Well, not you, 'cause he thinks of you as his little sister. While Anne, Anne's mature enough to be with guys like him." Paliwanag niya. Napatangu-tango ito.
"Hey, it's not like that. But do I really looked mature? But that doesn't mean I looked older than my age, right?" tanong ni Anne sabay hawak sa mukha.
She laughed. Sometimes, Anne's really naïve.
"I don't mean physically, sis. I mean how you think and how you act. And sometimes, you act more mature than me. But anyway, let's go back to the problem."
"Right, so you only have 3 months to find a husband and we already have a prospect. What you need to do now is to make a deal with him and your goal is to make him agree to marry you." Anne said.
"Bakit kaya hindi mo nalang siya akitin. I mean it's easier." Belle suggested.
"Uh-huh… you know I can't do that." She said.
"Yeah, right." Belle scratched her head.
"Then do the simplest way. Just asked him. Don't force yourself to something you know you can't do, sis." Anne smiled. She smiled back.
"Thanks for the help sis. At least now I have something to ponder on. Maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I could come up with a good decision."
Tumango ang dalawa at tumayo mula sa kama niya.
'We'll leave now, sis. Pag-isipan mo ate Dana. He's the best prospect for this." Belle said before closing the door. She nodded.
'He's also the first sign.' She said to herself. 'Maybe he's the real answer. Pangalawang sign na iyon. Isang sign na lang. Kapag siya ang una kong nakita ko bukas, it's the last sign.'
Tumayo siya upang magbihis ng pambahay. Nang makapagbihis siya ay tinapos na niya ang paperworks na ini-uwi niya. Dinalhan na lang siya ng panggabihan ni Manang Fe.