One Last Lie (SALS 1)

Chapter 19

He started walking down the aisle just right after the priest did. Kabado niyang tinahak ang daan papuntang altar kasunod ang best man niyang si Seth. Narating nila ang harap kahit pa nanginginig na ang mga tuhod ni Esaac.

"You're shaking," sabi ni Seth. He was smiling at him na para bang nakakalokong tignan.

"No, I'm not." Dumipensa naman agad si Esaac sa kapatid.

"Hindi ako nagtatanong. I am saying that you are shaking."

Natatawa si Esaac sa isip niya. He must be looking so ridiculous right now. Akalain mo, kinakabahan siya ngayon. Definitely a miracle, he was not like this whenever he is in a chapel or church. Kahit kailan hindi siya kakabahan.

This is a special day for him and for everyone. Piling-pili lang ang mga bisita nila sa kasal. Sunod-sunod na dumating ang mga abay nila. Ivan was with Anne Lavine kung saan matalim ang tingin ni Seth sa dalaga habang kapit na kapit sa kaibigan. Israel walked with Ally, who looked so disgusted with him. Gregory walked with his newly found girl named Celestine na naimbita lang dahil sa pamimilit ni Greg. She is the assistant events planner of BNG Events Planning whom have been their friend. Ethaniel, on the other hand, walked with Cessina, the maker of the attire of the entourage, because they are friends. Trevor was with Maddison, the crazy psychiatrist of the group.

Sumunod din sa paglalakad ang ama at lolo ni Esaac. They did not invite his grandmother because of some unfixed issues. Ayaw din naman nina Esaac at Charity ng gulo kaya hindi na lang nila pinilit ang gusto nila.

Her knees were shaking while she's inside the bridal car. Katabi niya ang event planner s***h maid of honor niya na si Eniessia. She was beautifully dressed pero mas maganda pa rin si Charity sa kaniyang simpleng gown na ipinagawa niya kay Cess.

"Okay ka lang ba? You're shaking," nag-aalalang tanong ni Eniessia sa kaibigan. "You want water?"

"Yeah, sige." Agad siya nitong inabutan ng bottled water. "Salamat. Medyo kabado lang ako kasi hindi ko alam kung anong mangyayari. I never felt this way before. I never experienced being special to everyone."

"Dapat masanay ka na. Palagi ka naming gagawing baby lalo na't asawa ka na ni Esaac at parte ka na ng magulo naming pamilya at pagkakaibigan." She chuckled. "I'm sure our family will get even crazier when you enter."

Niyakap niya ang kaibigan at nag-wika, "Salamat. Salamat sa lahat, Enie." Her heart was full of thankfulness. "Salamat kasi kahit biglaan, naging maayos ang set ng kasal namin. Thank you for being such a good friend to me. Salamat kasi hindi mo ako nagawang iwan simula pa lang noong magkakilala tayo. I may be insane and bad at times but you're always by my side."

She continues, "Naalala ko pa noong nalaman mong ako si Charity. Hindi nagbago ang tingin mo sa akin kahit pa alam mong sinaktan ko ang kaibigan mo. I also thank you for being such kind when you even protected my father from my evil stepmom. She might be there in our house but you always keep an eye on her. Kahit pa hindi mo ako masyadong kilala, you still find time to help me with that."

"You don't have to thank me about that. You're like a sister to me, Charity." Agad niyang niyakap si Eniessia at saka unti-unting pumatak ang mga luhang mula sa mga mata niya. "Don't cry, Ms. Locquias. Magiging Mrs. De Sevilla ka pa."

She stood in front of the church door. In her white gown, made with beautiful beadworks and crochet, she is definitely the most gorgeous bride today.

It was just a small Christian church wedding that BNG had planned. The set was decorated with gray crystals hanged from the ceiling that the bride requested. The guests were wearing gray and white attires from Cessina's collection.

"Ready?" Eniessia asked to confirm from the bride.

Agad siyang tumango. "Definitely yes." She smiled.

Bumukas ang church door at saka tumugtog ang wedding hymn. It was the future Attorney Marco Ivan Pimentel who plays the piano while Ally Almoena sings the song requested by Don Santiago, "if ever" his grandson gets married.

The bride walks down the aisle in the music of Thousand Years. Modern it may sound but Don Santiago knows it well. So hopeless romantic.

They may not know each other for a thousand years but they are willing to spend one with each other. Natamaan sila ni kupido ng pagkasama-samang pag-ibig na hinding-hindi na talaga nila matatakasan. Imagine the months that they have been together, maikli pero marami na silang napagsamahan. They have gone to trials and multiple yeses and nos. They even tried to change themselves for each other. They did a lot of adjustments for each other, ngayon pa ba sila susuko?

She had changed her beliefs for him. He had changed his plans for her. She had unlocked herself from her own built jail. He had removed his boundaries. She had trusted him, same as he did.

Her tears slowly rolled down her cheeks as she covers her way to the aisle. Dahan-dahan niya itong nilalakad, na may pag-asang darating ang kaniyang-

"Charity, anak." She was stunned after waking up from her daydream. "Can I walk you to the altar?" It was her father who asked that crazy but sweet question.

Humagulgol si Charity nang makita ang ama niya. Halos napaupo siya sa daanan sa biglaang pag-iyak. Nilapitan siya ng ama at saka hinaplos ang likod.

"I thought you'll let me walk alone." Patuloy siyang umiiyak habang yakap ang ama. "Thank you, Dad."

"Come on, stand up, honey. Naghihintay na yung mapapangasawa mo."

Agad na tumayo si Charity at tinignan si Eniessia. She mouted the words, 'Thank you'. Bilang ganti, Eniessia pouted at her, giving her a flying kiss. Nilingon niya naman ang future husband niya at ito ay taimtim na nakatingin at naghihintay sa kanya. He wiped his tears away and smiled at her.

"Anak, tanggap ko ang lahat ng naging desisyon mo, hane," her father whispered while they approach the altar. "Tanggap ko na umalis ka sa bahay natin at pinili mong maging masaya sa piling niya."

His words were sincerely said. Panatag na si Charity na magiging maayos ang lahat matapos nilang ikasal ni Esaac. Panatag na rin siya na magiging ligtas silang lahat lalo na't may AL na tutulong sa kanila.

"Nasaan po si Marina?" she asked.

"Iniwan ko na siya. Nalaman kong may affair siya sa ibang lalaking kasosyo natin sa business kaya wala na siya sa buhay at bahay natin." He chuckled. "Sorry nga pala anak dahil nawalan ako ng oras para sayo. I promise to fill every single missing puzzle in your life, anak."

Lalo siyang napanatag dahil sa sinabi ng ama. Finally, wala nang koneksyon sa kanila ang masama niyang inahing si Marina. Hopefully, she will not ruin their lives again, never ever again. Nangako na rin sa kaniya si Enie na tutulungan siya nito sa lahat.

"We came here to witness the tying of love between Jacob Esaac De Sevilla and Mia Charity Locquias. Whoever's not in favor of this may say his or her contest."

Of all the people in the church, nagtaas si Eniessia ng kamay. They were all shocked after she raised her hand.

"Uhm, pastor, can we make this immediate?" she asked. "Excited na kaming lahat."

The couple on the altar chuckled. "Baliw talaga yang kaibigan natin," she said.

"May pa-thrill palagi." He chuckled then kissed her forehead.

The pastor proceeded with the ceremony. Iilang minuto rin ang kinain ng mga sinabi niya and soon, the moment that everyone is waiting for their vows.

"Jacob Esaac De Sevilla, I cannot promise anything to you rather I must thank you. I was just an ordinary loner who does not have anyone. Everyone had left me alone and I was lonely," she sighed. "I may not say it but I was always insecure with everything. I never felt the satisfaction in me because I always tend to hide that I am lonely. Thank you. You were the one who made me moved. You made me feel that I am worth everything. Then again, you also made me feel that I was not that perfect. I have got to get hurt, really hurt, to realize everything. You left me."

Her tears rolled down her cheeks. He immediately wiped them away and kissed her forehead. He also mouthed 'I'm sorry.'

"Because of you, I've changed. Believe it or not, you are the reason why I've decided to undergo those therapies. Alam nila kung paano ko tiniis na baguhin ang sarili ko and I am thankful for that," she sobs. "Matapos ng lahat ng nangyari, I can't believe myself that I will keep on coming back to you. I-I a-actually sent you an email and I know that you haven't read it so I've got to tell you about this now."

She got the paper with something on it. It was purely hand written by Charity with simplicity and neatness.

"It was never easy to be a guy nor a girl. A guy must strive hard to show his right intention to the person he is in love with while the girl must hide her feelings from the guy that she wants. People complicates love. People loves the pain out of it, all the struggles and emotional instability."

"Ending up with the person you loved or learned to love is the best feeling that someone could ever feel. Everything started with attention, liking, and eventually, loving." She cleared her throat.

"Yes, I know Esaac, this is the stupidest thing that I would do as a girl but fu-" she was noticed by the people. "Ohh yah, that word was rude. I am sorry..." she bit her lower lip. "Yes, I know Esaac, this is the stupidest thing that I would do as a girl but damn all the shyness and traditions of submissiveness but I am really, really, really, into you. I do not know where and why it started but you got me. You melted my frozen unloving heart. To all of your sacrifices and martyrdoms that I saw, damn you guy, it makes me feel so high in love. I know everything, Ez. I knew how you tried to reach out. I knew how you kept your patience with you but damn, I love you..."

She breathed in and breathed out. "My words were rude, and I felt sorry Lord," she apologizes. He was shocked with what she had said. She just smiled. "And now, I am in front of you, of everyone, confessing my love to you and all the people here, taking you Jacob Esaac De Sevilla as my loving husband."

She puts the ring on his finger with a tear escaped. She smiled. It was the most genuine smile that she had ever shown the people.

He cleared his throat and freed a loud sigh. Kinalma niya muna ang sarili bago pa man magsalita.

"The time that I saw you, back in your 18th birthday, I told myself, kapag lumingon ka akin ka. And yes, I really worked hard for you to be mine. At first, I thought it was just some sort of admiration but it wasn't." He held her hand and looked at her eyes. "Charity, mahal na mahal kita."

He started to sob. "You are the best woman that I've ever loved," he looked at Eniessia who seemed to be disagreeing with him. "The romantic type of love, may I correct," he chuckled.

"I've loved you from the very start until now and I promise to love you more every day." He got the ring and started holding her hand even tighter. "Now, offering this sign of my love, everlasting, never-ending, affection and adoration to my la mia amor, Ms. Mia Charity Locquias, my Mrs. De Sevilla."

Some people in the crowd cries. They all know how much this couple had gone through. They knew how much they love each other for the short time of getting to know each other that they had.

He puts on the ring of his promise to his wife.

The pastor granted him the privilege to kiss his bride. The crowd gave them a loud applause and their ever-supportive friend, Eniessia, started to stand. The rest of the crowd did the same as the couple took their way out of the church.

It was a great twist in his story. He thought that she will be his great storm. He thought that she will remain as the great devastation of his life.

He once believed that his life will just turn around with men dominance on their lives not until he met her.

She was his thunder. Her voice became his everyday soundtrack. She took him to places that he never thought he would go. He admitted it. Her eyes will always be the most beautiful of all the colors of nature. He loves his thunder, his storm and he wants her more.