The Moment
1951 Words
"Kim Fajardo and Maria Carmela Tunay, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?"
"Yes" Kim and Mela both smiled.
"Will you love, respect and honor her throughout your years together?"
Mela looked at Kim and the latter did too. "I will."
"Do you accept the children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?"
"I do" Kim hid her smirk.
"Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church."
"I Kim Fajardo pledge my undying love to you Maria Carmela Tunay as I invite you to share my life." She tried not to break into tears and sniffed.
"I promise to be kind, unselfish, respectful, and trustworthy so that together, our dreams of a beautiful future can come true. To this end I call upon all present to witness that I take you Maria Carmela Tunay to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as we both shall live" She said while placing the wedding ring on Mela's ring finger.
Mela ,on the other hand, kept on wiping her tears away because she cant hold her them anymore. Tears of happiness and joy.
Kim wiped Mela's tears and smiled at her soon to be wife. She nodded to Mela saying you can do it. Mela smiled in return.
"Kim Fajardo, with all my love, I take you to be my wife." She giggled softly. Everyone inside the sacred church giggled as well. She continued.
"I will love you through good and the bad, through joy and the sorrow. I will try to be understanding, and to trust in you completely. Together we will face all of life's experiences and share one another's dreams and goals. I promise I will be your equal partner in an loving, honest relationship, for as long as we both shall live." While placing the wedding ring on Kim's ring finger.
"With this, I now pronounce you Married. You may now kiss the bride" The priest finally said.
Cheers and yells were then heard. Kim placed her hand on Mela's cheek then pulled her for a sweet loving kiss. Their kiss is a promise of undying love for each other.
The wedding proceeded and everyone is busy posing and smiling for the photographers. It is Kim's friends turn to picture. Vic, Aly, Marge, Gretch, Kiefer, Railey and other friends of Kim were called.
"Congrats Kim!" Her friends yelled.
"Salamat!"
"Pano na yan kimmy, taling tali ka na tlga kay mela" Railey said while patting her shoulders.
"Oo nga. Wala ng pambabae!" Gretch said and raised her fist up.
"Wala na rin one night stand!" Vic then raised her fist too.
"Ayos lang. Basta wag lang mawala si Melabs!"
"Yun oh!" Kiefer yelled then everyone burst into laughter.
"Kim congrats tlga. I've never thought na sa atin lahat, ikaw pa ang unang naka settle down." Aly said while giggling.
She hit her friends shoulder. "Walangya ka baldo! At sino inaakala mong mauna?"
"Si Mika or Marge? Basta hindi lang ikaw kimmy." And everyone laughed.
"Pano nman ako? Sunod ba ako sa kanila?" Gretch while pointing to herself.
"Hmmm... Ngayun na kasal na si Kim, ikaw na papalit sa trono niya. Ikaw ang huling magpapakasal!" Aly blurted and everyone who heard it laughed also.
"Okay. Next!" The happy moment was cut by the photographer.
This time, it was Mela and her friends were called. Mika, Marge, Fille and Dennise was there too, of course.
"s**t girl may tumititig sayo" Fille whispered while smiling for the pictures.
Dennise feeling excited who it might be. "Sino?" Whispered back.
"Si Alyssa! Ayeeee!" Fille whisperedly shrieked.
The happy face Dennise was portraying was changed to pissed and anger. She creased her forehead and hissed at Fille.
"So what? Bayaan mo siya."
Fille leaned back in disbelief. "Ay. LQ?"
"LQ?!" She yelled and her voice echoed inside the church. "Sorry" she apologetically smiled to everyone.
"Ano ka ba Fille!" She hit her friend.
"Ouch!" Fille rubbed her shoulder.
"Hindi nga kami lovers eh!" Dennise whispered back.
"Really huh?" Fille not believing a single word Den said "The last time I checked, you kissed her and she followed you" She smirked.
Dennise face turned to tomato red. "Wha!!!- Shut up Fille!"
"So... what happened after? You never went back inside" Fille while wiggling her brow.
"Argh! Shut up! Just!-"
"Okay. Next!" The photographer yelled.
Dennise quickly left Fille's side and sat at the nearby bench. Fille didnt mind what Den just did and continued to mingle with the other guest and ofcourse, Gretchen.
Everyone is preparing for the tossing of the boquet. Mela positioned herself at the center and is ready to toss her boquet. Every lady inside the church excitedly gathered at Mela's back. While Dennise, still sitting at the bench until Fille pulled her in.
"Ano ba Fille?! I dont-"
Dennise was cut because she saw the most beautiful scene of Alyssa yet. Aly is playing with the kids outside the chapel. Running all around chasing for the kids not caring for her clothes and mud all over her shoes. She played with them like a kid herself.
Then, someone approached Aly and pointed at Dennise's direction. Aly turned to Dennise with her killer smile and waved. Dennise unconciously smiled back then their eyes were locked with each other. Sharing this little yet heart pounding moment. The boquet then fell on Dennise hands without knowing.
"Aaaaw" sad sighs came from the other ladies came.
Fille then noticed that Den was still not moving from her place and has that awfully happy smile plastered on her face. She was looking at something, someone rather. She traced at the direction in which Den's eyes were locked and saw an Alyssa Valdez locking gaze back at her.
Fille pushed herself to Dennise. "Hindi pala lovers ah" she teasingly whispered.
Den quickly turned to Fille and had this really big smile on her face.
"Hindi pa." She said then quickly walked away.
Fille, on the other hand, was left frozen on what Den just said. And a smile of happiness for her friend crept her face
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Dennise sat on the bench not too far away from the crowd. Then she saw Aly walking towards her direction. She then locked her eyes with her again. She missed those eyes. Those smiles. Those lips and everything of Aly's.
After her visit a week ago, they never had a chance to meet each other again. Aly left for singapore for a business meeting, without informing Den. Aly did not call. And if she did, Den would miss it. If Den calls, Aly would miss it. Den knew about her departure because of Ella, again.
Dennise knows that she doesnt have the right to demand anything from Aly but it just kills her not knowing anything. This made Den feel a little bit of huff. 48 yrs later, Aly was just one feet away from Dennise.
"Hey" Aly smiled showing her cat like dimples.
"Hey" Den smiled showing her teeth. Her true smile.
"Can I-" Aly was cut by Den's phone ringing but Dennise is not picking it up "Den you're phone"
"Yeah..." A smiling Den replied still not picking up the call. Not minding it, actually.
"Dennise, someone's calling you. Your phone is ringing" Aly's voice was now louder than it was before.
"Huh? Ah yeah. Yes. Excuse me" Dennise mentally slapped her face then seeked for her ringing phone inside her purse. Damn this caller!
When she finally found it, she read the name flashed.
Dad calling...
Her happy face earlier, changed. Turned to nervous, anxious, guilt, discomfort and fear. It was as if she saw the most horrifying horror movie ever.
Aly saw how Den's expression changed. She tried to take a glimpse of the latter's phone but Den accepted the call already.
She mouthed 'wait' to Aly and walked far away from her. Aly nodded in return and saw at the bench where Den was sitting awhile ago.
Marge and Railey approached Aly at the bench. The couple smiled to Aly as they got closer.
"Ly, what are you doing here?" Marge asked her friend.
"Babe, ano ka ba. Parang di mo kilala si Alyssa eh. Syempre nanghuhunting nnman yan!" He laughed then gained a hit from his girlfriend.
Aly stick her tongue out to tease Railey. And the latter did the same too.
"Ly kung ano man ang ginagawa mo tigulan mo na. May Dennise ka na diba?" She raised a brow.
"She's the reason why I'm here Marge." She pointed her mouth to Den's direction. "I'm waiting for her."
"Aaaaah." Both said in unison.
"Sige, after the call sunod na kayo samin okay? Pupunta na tayong reception. I'm starving!" Marge said while rubbing her tummy.
"Parati nman babe eh." Railey whispered yet his girlfriend still heard it, he recieved another hit. "Ouch!"
Marge glared at him shutting his mouth. She looked at Aly and nodded. She walked away leaving Railey behind.
"Ly, una na kami ah. Mukhang may susuyuin pa ako eh." He said and laughed while walking away.
Aly laughed as well. She turned to her left and saw Dennise was approaching her direction. She stood up let her killer smile escape.
"You finish?" Aly asked as Dennise came closer. Den nodded.
"Lets go? Reception na tayo. They're waiting for us." She held her hand in the air.
Dennise looked at Aly's hand and tears were trying to escape but she is trying her hardest to contain them. She looked at Aly's eyes and diverted them quickly. She cant stand those happy and loving eyes of Aly.
"Sorry. I cant come with you." She said softly.
"What? Why?" Aly asked in confusion.
"Uhm... an emergency came. I need to go." She said still not looking at Aly.
"O-kay, I'll bring you there then." Ahe smiled again.
Den quickly looked at the latter and shook her head in disagreement. "No Ly, wedding ng bestfriend mo. Hindi pwedeng wala ka dun."
"But the wedding is over. Kainan lang nman ang mamimiss ko." She reasoned.
"Wag na, attend the reception Ly." She sigh "Please."
Aly saw the pleading in Dennise's eyes. She cant understand why but she tried to. She smiled in return.
"Okay. But atleast let me assist you to your car?"
Dennise smiled in relief. "Okay."
Aly was holding Den's hand while approaching the church's parking lot. Aly cant help but smile on the thought that Dennise is now near her. So close to her. She missed her so much.
"Were here." Den said coldly and swat her hands away.
Aaaaaw. Aly thought. She held her hand again.
"What?" Den said in irrate.
"Your keys? Let me open the door for you."
Den handed her keys to Alyssa. Aly quickly unlocked the door and opened it. She guided Den to sit inside the driver's seat. Aly bent down to peek inside the car.
"Bye." Den again coldly said.
"Uh-ah!" Aly said and waved her pointing finger over Den. "No goodbye's remember?"
Dennise remembered what Aly said last week and again, her tears were trying to escape. She quickly diverted her gaze and started the car engine.
"Yeah. See you." She said and closed the door. She swiftly step on her gas leaving Aly behind.
Dennise took a glimpse at the side mirror and saw Aly waving goodbye to her. Her tears automatically fell continuosly. She's trapped in between.
I'm sorry.
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- Writer
