When the Mountains Held the Sky

Chapter 4- Planning the Wedding

Gabriel was ecstatic. He planned the wedding but as a secret from Nella. He wanted a sprightly white wedding gown for her to match the water from the falls. Nella didn’t know what to do and so practiced her drawing skills for the time when she would be given a drawing chore and design jewelry herself. She did not resent being in on the wedding. She trusted Gabriel and she loved him so much for it.

Everyday, Gabriel met with his people to plan the wedding. It took a month to do this. After this month there was another month to breathe before his showmanship would be put to test as a wedding ritual. He invited the most delectable guests and finally proclaim to the world him as the one responsible for all the beautiful jewelry crafts famous yet hidden from the world until now, when he presents to the world his wife wearing the necklace of the finest diamond about her long neck.

One day, Nella happened to pass by Likay drawing a spider from a cobweb at the corner of the ceiling of a workshop. He looked so serene and attuned to the spider that is moved as though touched by an invisible hand.

“Hello, Likay.”

Likay looked towards the door where Nella stood watching him. She approached him and looked at his drawing which to her were exquisite rendering of a spider. It was not just that it was a spider, but that it seemed to elicit an electric energy she could not help but experience herself. She greeted him but insisted he keep on with his drawing but Likay could not because she was there. Again, he blushed whenever she was around. Nella soon noticed this and could not understand why or what it was. She dared not pursue this line of thought. She would simply enjoy the company of a young man who was almost her age for sometimes Gabriel can be too busy with work that he would leave her to his brother and mom to keep her company and to introduce her to the things done in the shop.

“Is that a spider?” Likay nodded and smiled at her. She took the pad of his drawings and browsed more of his drawings. But then she stopped at a certain page. Likay wondered what caused her to stop. He peered to look and realized it was his rendering of her face and long stalk of her neck. He became embarrassed and flushed further on.

“Oh its me, isn’t it?” Nella smiled and laughed when he turned red.

“Oh sorry. I meant to draw something for your diamond necklace. I haven’t drawn the necklace yet.” Then he took the pad. It was untrue. He drew it because it pleased him and not for the necklace.

Nella smiled at him as though to tell him it was alright.

“Thank you. It’s beautiful.” She meant to thank him for his drawing of her. And for a moment she looked at him while his gaze veered away from her as though he could not stand her watching him.