Chapter 20

After a year of waiting, the time has come she will walk down the aisle to be with me forever—and be a de Amos.

Reliving all the moments before, I only cared about myself and how my future would be. Synestine was never part of my dreams, but only a fantasy of mine. Sinong mag-iisip na 'yong taong fantasy ko lamang no'n ay nagng parte ng pangarap ko—ng future ko?

"This is Cho! Kayang-kaya mo 'to," pagpapalakas ng loob sa akin ni Tomas.

"Thank you, Tom. Mabuti na lang talaga ay nakahabol ka ng uwi kung hindi ay wala akong best man ngayon." 

Napangisi naman ito. "Pwede ko bang palampasin 'tong importanteng araw na 'to para sa 'yo? Mabuti na lang ay naka-book ako ng mas earliest flight kung hindi ay nasa airport pa rin ako ng Dubai ngayon. Nakakainis na kinancel nila nang biglaan, but here I am now. That's what matters."

"Right! You know I wouldn't forgive you if didn't come to my wedding."

"Kaya nga nandito na ako, bro, 'di ba?" pag-uulit pa niya saka minassage ang balikat ko para pagaanin ang pakiramdam ko. "Alam mo, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala. . . From talking about her to marrying her. Akalain mo 'yon, 'no? Ang lakas din pala talaga ng appeal mo, pre. Nabihag mo ang puso ng isang Synestine St. Clair. . ."

Napangiti ako. "Kahit ako man, hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala. Ang daming nangyari. Ang daming pinagdaanan. Ang daming mga problemang dumating, pero walang hindi kinakayang lagpasan. Alam mo, medyo madrama na tayo ngayon."

Natawa naman siya. "Wala pa nga 'to sa kalahati, pre. Basta, masaya ako para sa yo."

"I know, at salamat, pre! Sa lahat. . ."

"Walang anuman."

Tinapik ni Tomas ang balikat ko. "It's time to marry the girl of your dreams!"

Humugot ako nang malalim na hininga. Sa ilang sandali ay mangyayari na ang oras na pinakahihintay ko. Matagal naming pinagplanuhan 'to. Maraming hindi pagkakaintindihan at tampuhan ang nangyari, pero sa huli ay naitawid namin at mararanasana namin ang espesyal na araw na ito.

Later on, I heard a few knocks on the door and I knew at that moment, it was time for me to get out of this room and man up. Tumuloy ako sa pinto at pinagbuksan ko naman ito. Bumungad sa akin ang mga magulang ko at labis naman ang tuwang bumabalot sa mukha nila nang makita ako.

Sa yakap pa lamang nila ay ramdam ko kung anong gusto nilang ipaalam sa akin. Even though they don't utter any words, I know how happy they were for me and Synestine. Nang ipinalaam namin ni Synestine ang petsa ng aming kasal, mas excited pa sila kaysa sa amin. Gano'n din naman ang reaksyon ng magulang ni Sy. Kami na napupuno ng kaba sa dibdib habang sila ay excited kung anong susuotin sa araw ng kasal namin.

Before all that happen, ang kinatatakutan ko noon ay kunin ang permiso ng magulang ni Synestine para sa gagawin kong proposal. I already set in mind na sasabihin nilang masyado pang magaa para gawin 'yon at marami pang pagkakataon. isang taong pa lamang ang relasyon namin kaya wala pang kasiguraduhan na magtatagal nga kaming dalawa. Takot na takot ako no'n dahil paano na lang kung hindi pala talaga nila ako gusto para sa anak nila? Na wala ako sa level ni Cameron no'n?

I was flooded with so much thought and anxiety at that time, and I was holding on to a belief that if we were meant to be together, we would be.

And I felt so much relief when they said they let me marry their daughter. Sa super saya ko no'ng mga araw na 'yon ay hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at niyakap ko sila nang mahigpit. They knew at that moment I was ready to make a future with their daughter, and now that the time has come for our journey to begin as husband and wife, it would be so much different.

"We're so happy for you, anak," ani mama at hindi mapigilan ang pag-iyak. She has been like that since we got here. "Alam kong deserve na deserve mo 'to. Be happy, enjoy your day, and love your wife forever."

"I'm so proud of you, son," ani papa. "I'm so happy for Synestine. I wish all the best for you and the family you will build in the future. Kung kailangan mo ng tulong o kung ano man, 'wag kang mahihiyang lumapit sa amin."

"Thank you, ma. . . pa. . . sa lahat! This is it. . . I'm ready to make Synestine my wife!"

Sinamahan nila akong lumabas ng hotel room at saka sumakay ng sasakyan patungo sa venue namin. Hindi naman kalayuan ang venue at halos sampung minuto lang din naman ang layo ng Butterfly Meadows. Napagkasunduan namin ni Synestine na ganapin ang wedding namin sa lugar kung saan naging totoo ang pakiramdam namin sa isa't isa.

Noong unang beses na pumunta kami ay pareho kaming walang ideya sa daratnan namin. I was driving both of us to a destination where it was unknown for me and she was directing us to a place she has never been into. Nang mapag-usapan namin ang venue ay hindi na kami nagdalawang isip pa ni Synestine. Kahit na malayo ito sa Chester Town ay ito ang pinili naming venue dahil bukod sa memorable ang lugar na 'to para sa amin, gusto rin namin i-share sa mga taong malalapit sa buhay namin kung saan ako tuluyang nabighani ng kagandahan ni Synestine.

It might sound cheesy, but I fell harder on her during that time. That summer was hella memorable for me.

As soon as we reached the venue, which was closed for half of the day because of our wedding, we were met by our wedding organizer who informed us again about the flow of the ceremony.

I was scared and my limbs were shaking, but that shouldn't be a worry. 

I walked down the aisle with my parents and the guests watched us reach my position. Tomas who was standing next to me showed his excitement. I was feeling the same thing, but there was too much nerve climbing up on my spine. 

I looked around and seeing all these people living in my then dream was surreal. The magic of Butterfly Meadows and how it all brought us together in this moment was a memory I wouldn't forget in this lifetime. Kung may pagkakataon man na mabuhay ako sa ibang buhay, I would always choose Synestine. I just had a feeling that we would always be meant to find each other's way.

At any minute now, the wedding will start, but I felt like something had come up.

Napansin din iyon ni Tomas kaya naman umalis ito sa tabi ko para i-check kung anong nangyayari ro'n ngayon. Mas napuno ng kaba ang dibdib ko dahil matagal kong hinintay ang pagkakataong mangyari ito at ang kinatatakutan ko na baka hindi tumuloy si Synestine ay isang malaking kawalan para sa akin. 

I couldn't keep my legs steady and they were shaking so badly, I felt like I would drop at any moment. 

A few moments later, I saw Tomas rushing back to his place with a wide smile on his face. Nakita ko palang siya nang may ngiti sa labi ay alam kong wala dapat akong ipagalala. I kenw I picked the bestest best man for my wedding.

"Everything is all set, man," bulong pa nito. "There was just a little problem, but no need to worry about it. . ."

"Alright. . . Thanks, Tom. You're the best."

"Of course, all for the best boy today!"

As soon as the music played, it gave me chills all over my body. There was something inside my stomach I couldn't even understand. When the doctor opened, my eyes teared up but cleared enough to see that my to-be wife was there. 

I waved at her and even though she was wearing a veil underneath it was a smile that could make my whole life complete. At that moment, everything was so slow, but quickly realized that in any few moments, I would be making her my wife. Even though this was really happening, I still couldn't believe it. Everything still felt like a dream for me.

When she finally reached the end and met me down the aisle, I looked straight into her eyes, and underneath the veil, she was crying. 

I arched my arm and she wrapped her hand hand on it as we stood in front of the pastor who would lead the ceremony of our wedding. Whatever the pastor was saying, I couldn't process it all on my end. Alam kong ramdam ni Sy ang kabang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Mas matindi pa 'to sa pagsasalita no'ng graduation ko.

It was only then that we had to say our vows to each other, and I've prepared this like I was preparing for my speech back on my graduation day—but more romantically.

"I—I wanna start by saying you looked so beautiful today," I began and that made her giggle. "My life was very predictable, one day I was on top and the next day, I was down at my lowest. Paulit-ulit. But ever since I saw you, I felt so high like I was on drugs and made everything unpredictable."

Everyone laughed at my remarks, but it was true.

"I never thought in my life I would get to spend my life with you. I almost didn't believe it could happen. Life was hard back then, but seeing you from afar made it easy for me. When you came into my life, I knew I would only have one chance to make that dream a reality for me, and those dreams are happening now. . . Your smiles, your laughs, the way you say my name and kiss me that I couldn't even remember how many times you would do it in a day, but those shook me to the core and you're the reason why I have a bright future.  Everything still felt like a dream, but with those dreams, I'm ready to be the man who will protect, save, and love you at any cost. You're the love of my life and the person I would love to take this journey with forevermore, 'til I day, it will always be you. . ."

Everything went fast, the next thing I knew, we were saying I do's and putting rings on our fingers. 

"Congratulations, Mr. and Ms. de Amos. . . Mr. de Amos, you may now kiss your wife. . ."

At that moment, we sealed, and our future together. There were no words left to say, but somehow, I got scared of the future, but what's to be scared of when everything I want right now is I've got it? Maybe because the future is uncertain, but I won't back off. It might scary as it seems, but if someone I loved would join me on the path, nothing would come our way.