Manila Cathedral…
James and his parents arrived 10 minutes earlier than the said schedule. He’s really excited na makita ang bride niya at syempre, excited siyang makasal sa babaeng minamahal for 10 years. Dumating na rin ang mga kaibigan nila, kasali na sina Ann, Tricia at Patrick.
Patrick: Dude! Congratulations pala. (sabay abot ng kamay)
James: Thanks dude. (inabot rin ang kamay)
Ann: At last, ikakasal na kayo. Congrats. (smiled)
Tricia: Oo nga, after keeping your feelings for her for 5 long years! Grabeh, bonggang-bonggang congratulations talaga! (smiled)
James: Thank you so much. Akala ko hindi niyo na ako pakakawalan eh. Haha.
Ann: Kung hindi ko lang nalaman na si Devon, siguro hanggang ngayon didikit pa rin ako sayo. I realized kasi na ang layo ko kay Devon, she’s way more beautiful, talented, mabait and responsible.
James: Maganda ka rin naman eh, and you’re nice in your own special way.
Tricia: Huwag kang magsalita nang ganyan, baka tumayo mamaya si Ann kapag tinanong ng pari kung sinong tutol sa kasal. Haha.
Ann: Haha. Oo nga, sige ka!
James: I know you won’t do it.
Bret: Dude!
All: Congratulations James!
James: Thank you. (sabay ngiti ng pagkatamis-tamis)
Sam: Tuloy ba yung gimik mo mamaya?
James: Syempre tuloy. I’m counting on you dude.
“Ayan na ang bride!”, sigaw ng wedding planner.
James: This is it! Whew! (pinagpapawisan na siya)
Fretzie: Hey, calm down. Papangit ka nyan sige ka! Haha.
Nagsimula na ang ceremony, isa-isa nang pumapasok sa simbahan at naglakad sa aisle ang mga kabilang sa entourage. Pumwesto na rin si Sam sa piano na tutugtog na naman ng kanta na hiniling ni James. Nakapwesto na si James at may hawak na rin siyang microphone.
Malapit nang pumasok si Devon sa simbahan nang may tumawag sa kanya.
Babae: Devon!
Devon: Tita Carmie! Oh my God! (sabay yakap sa bagong dating)
Tita: Kung napatawad na sila ng mama mo, dapat patawarin ko na rin sila. (sabay ngiti)
Devon: Thank you so much Tita!
Tita: At syempre, hindi ko naman matitiis na walang maghahatid sayo sa dambana. Oh siya, halika na at naghihintay na ang groom mo.
Nasa bukana na sila ng simbahan nang marinig niyang kumanta ang groom niya.
Devon’s Bridal Gown
Whenever I'm weary
From the battles that raged in my head
You made sense of madness
When my sanity hangs by a thread
I lose my way, but still you
Seem to understand
Now & Forever,
I will be your man
Sometimes I just hold you
Too caught up in me to see
I'm holding a fortune
That Heaven has given to me
I'll try to show you
Each and every way I can
Now & Forever,
I will be your man
Now I can rest my worries
And always be sure
That I won't be alone, anymore
If I'd only known you were there
All the time,
All this time.
Until the day the ocean
Doesn't touch the sand
Now & Forever
I will be your man
Now & Forever,
I will be your man
James: Thank you Tita.
Tita Carmie: *smiled
James: Hi bride, long time no see. (smiled and offered his arm)
Devon: Hi groom, yeah, long time no see. (hinawakan ang braso ng lalaki)
James: I missed you, not to mention that you’re so beautiful today.
Devon: Of course, isang beses lang yata akong ikakasal.
Tumungo na sila patungong altar. Nagsimula na ang seremonya. Nang tanungin ng pari kung sino ang tutol, tiningnan muna ni James si Ann at napangiti nang aktong tatayo ito. Nag- “I do” na rin sila sa isa’t-isa. And now, it’s time to say their vows to each other.
Habang sinusuot ni James ang singsing kay Devon, sinabi niya sa babae ang vow niya.
James: From this day on, I James Burgoyne, choose you, my beloved Devon Milano, to be my wife. To live with you and laugh with you; to stand by your side, and sleep in your arms; to be joy to your heart, and food for your soul; to bring out the best in you always, and, for you, to be the most that I can. I promise to laugh with you in good times, to struggle with you in bad; to solace you when you are downhearted; to wipe your tears with my hands; to comfort you with my body; to mirror you with my soul; to share with you all my riches and honors; to play with you as much as I can until we grow old; and, still loving each other sweetly and gladly, our lives shall come to an end.
Devon: I Devon Milano, choose you James Burgoyne as my best friend, my love for life. I promise you my deepest love, my fullest devotion, my tenderest care, through the pressures of the present and the uncertainties of the future, I promise to be faithful to you. I promise to love you, to commit to you, and support you. I pledge to respect your unique talents and abilities, to lend you strength for all of your dreams. You have shown me what love feels like and for that I thank you. You are everything I need and at this moment, I know all of my prayers have been answered and that all of my dreams have come true. I praise God for you, for all of your love and constant friendship. I know that our love is heaven sent and I promise to be here for ever and always. From this day forward, you shall not walk alone. My heart will be your shelter and my arms will be your home. As I have given you my hand to hold, I give you my life to keep.
******
Iniharap ni James si Devon at tinanggal ang veil niya. Unti-unting nilapit ni James ang mukha sa asawa niya.
James: Now we’re official, hindi ka na makakatakas sakin. (smiled)
Devon: *smiled
Inilapat niya ang nananabik na labi sa asawa. Nagpalakpakan naman ang mga taong naroroon. Naging matagal ang halikan nila, dahilan para sawayin sila ng mga kaibigan.
Sam: Dude! Save that for honeymoon! (sigaw niya)
Na-realize naman ng dalawa ang ginagawa at pinutol na ni James ang paghalik sa asawa.
James: I’m sorry, 3 weeks din siyang nawala noh. (smiled)
Nag-picture-taking pa sila habang ang ilan sa mga bisita ay pina-una na nila sa reception. First picture is with the newly-weds and their parents and Tita Carmie. Next picture is the newly-weds with the Burgoyne Family. Next is the newly-weds and Tita Carmie. At ang huli, syempre the newly-weds at ang barkada. Pagkatapos ng picture-taking ay nagtungo na silang lahat sa reception at nagsaya buong araw.
Epilogue
Seven years later…
James and Devon already have two kids. One girl and one boy. Sina Mikaela Mariole at Daniel Denver. Tawag nila sa mga ito ay MM at DD. MM is seven years old and DD is 4. Si James nalang din ang nagtatrabaho sa kanila para maasikaso ni Devon ang mga anak. Binibisita din sila ng mga kamag-anak ni James at minsan ay umuuwi si Tita Carmie galing States para dalawin ang mga apo. James is running their company very well. Isa na ito sa mga pinakamayaman na kompanya sa buong Pilipinas atsa Australia. Pero kahit ganun, hindi nila ini-spoil ang mga anak.
Sam and Yen got married few months after James and Devon. Matagal na pala nitong planong magpakasal pero indi nito sinabi sa mga kaibigan. May anak rin sila, si Princess Daniella, 5 years old. Hindi pa nila ito sinusundan dahil gusto kasi ni Princess na siya lang ang anak kaya hindi makabwelo ang dalawa. Isa rin ang kompanya ni Sam sa mga umaarangkada sa industriya na kinabibilangan nila.
Bret and Fretzie have two kids too. Sina Arabella, 8 years old at Kirsten, 6 years old. Kuntento na daw sila sa dalawang anak kaya wala nang plano si Fretzie na manganak uli. Nakapagtayo rin sila ng sariling business.
Kinasal din sina Patrick at Tricia, sila pa rin pala sa huli. They are 3 years married. May isang anak na rin sila, si Lloyd Calix, 2 years old.
Si Ann naman, nakapangasawa ng Taiwanese, kasosyo ng papa niya sa negosyo nila, 5 years na itong kasal. May anak na rin ito, si Li Yi Shuan, 3 years old. Matagal na nila itong hindi nakikita dahil nag-migrate na ito sa Taiwan.
Nagkikita-kita pa rin ang pamilya Burgoyne, Johnson at Concepcion. Especially kung holidays like Christmas and New Year. Present din ang lahat kapag may nag-birthday sa mga anak nila. And they’re also glad na magkakaibi-kaibigan din ang mga anak nila. At pumapasok din ito sa iisang Montessori.
And that ends the story of love, friendship and family.
******
WM: Ayan po, tapos na talaga ang ff ko. Sana po nagustuhan niyo and thank you sa lahat ng nag-follow at nag-comment, it’s really appreciated. Sana po mag-comment kayo dito for the last time. Hehe. Baka po maisipan ko pang gumawa ng iba. Again, thank you po sa lahat! Love you my fellow Gems! =)
