Makie looked at them confusedly. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa kamay nila at tumaas ang kilay nang mapansin niyang kinakabahan si Rebekah.
Magtatanong sana siya kung ano ang ibig sabihin pero naunahan na agad siya ni Marlon.
"We made a mistake. I'm sorry. It was my fault. I am the man. I should be the one in control... I-it just happened. Don't worry, pananagutan ko siya if that's what you want. Or... we can just forget about it and–"
"What the hell are you talking about?!" malakas ang boses na tanong ni Makie.
Naiintindihan ni Makie ang sinasabi ni Marlon pero huwag naman sanang ang iniisip niya ay ang ibig nitong sabihin. Dahil hindi niya alam kung ano ang magagawa niya.
Pumitlag si Rebekah dahil sa malakas na boses ng kapatid. Matagal na panahon na rin ang nakalipas mula nang marinig niya itong magmura at ito ang pangalawang beses na ginawa nito yon. Nakaramdam siya ng matinding takot dahil alam niyang galit na galit na ito.
Mas lalong hinigpitan ni Matthew ang paghawak sa kamay ng dalaga nang maramdaman niya ang pagpitlag nito.
"Are you saying na may nangyari sa inyo?! At sa kap– Rebekah, is it true?"
"Makie..." Sambit ni Rebekah sa pangalan ng kapatid nang wala siyang mahagilap na sasabihin. Yumuko siya nang magsimula nang tumulo ang mga luha sa kanyang mga mata.
Naikuyom ni Makie ang mga kamao pagkakita sa kapatid. It's one of his weaknesses—seeing his little sister cry.
Hindi niya ito magawang pagtaasan ng boses ulit dahil alam niyang mahihimatay ito kapag nasobraan ito sa takot o nerbiyos. Because it already happened when he brought her in a horror chamber when she was young and passed out there. Pero galit siya at wala siyang ibang paglabasan ng galit kundi si Marlon.
He punched him hard that made him fell on the ground. And he punched him again when he started to stand up.
Matthew stood again and wiped the blood on his lips. He admit he was wrong. At tatanggapin niya ang mga suntok nito. He deserved it. Kakasabi pa lang niya kagabi na ayaw niyang masaktan si Makie pero heto siya ngayon.
Susuntukin sana ulit ni Makie si Marlon pero agad siyang niyakap ni Rebekah. Nagmamakaawa itong tigilan na niya. Wala siyang magawa kundi pakinggan ang nakababatang kapatid at parang walang lakas na napaupo sa lupa.
"Rebekah, bakit? Ha? Bakit mo nagawa sa akin to?" tanong ni Makie sa kapatid pero hindi ito sumagot at mas lalo pang napaiyak.
Mahigpit niya itong pinagbibilinan na huwag na huwag makikipagrelasyon kay Marlon para sa kaligtasan nito.
Kinulong niya ang mukha ni Rebekah at pinunasan ang mga luha sa mga mata nito. Wala na siyang magagawa dahil nangyari na ang nangyari. Niyakap na lang niya ang nakababatang kapatid at hinaplos ang ulo nito.
"Wala na tayong magagawa dahil nangyari na to. Matagal kitang pin-rotekhan pero ikaw mismo ang lumalapit sa tukso." Pabulong na sabi niya sa kapatid.
Lumayo siya sa kapatid at tiningnan ito sa mga mata.
"Tahan na. Susuportahan kita kung saan ka masaya pero sa pangyayaring to... Hindi ko pwedeng ipagwalang-bahala to." Mahinahon niyang sabi kay Rebekah at galit na tiningnan si Marlon.
"Kailangan mo siyang panagutan. You made it happened so you should act like a real man."
***
"Do you take Rebekah Carmela de Leon as your lawful 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, to love and cherish until death do you part?"
It tooked long for Matthew to answer Ì do' habang pinagmamasdan ang dalaga na umiiyak.
-------
"When you walked into my life, love also walked in and jealousy built inside me. You pulled out my lonely heart from the darkness. Watching you from afar is like a medicine for my tiredness. I vow to love you, through all our hardships and pain."
Hindi mapigilan ni Marlon na pagmasdan ang kapatid na nakaupo sa bandang unahan pagkatapos ng kanyang vow. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang mangyayari pagkatapos ng kasalang ito. Alam niyang mas lalong masasaktan ang kapatid niya lalo pa't titira sila sa mansion kung saan din ito nanunuluyan.
Yes, sa mansion sila titira dahil masyado ring paranoid ang mga magulang niya lalong-lalo na ang kanyang ina. He's just the only son of his mom kaya ayaw nitong humiwalay sila ng bahay. At isa pa matagal na ring pinangarap ng ina niya na magka-apo simula noong sila pa lang ni Roxanne. Kaya siguro ayaw nitong mahiwalay din ang dalaga nang malaman nitong buntis ito. Everyone is excited and so as he.
"If God would give me a chance to go inside a time machine, I would still pick the time when we were together. In other words, I would still choose you."
Matthew can't help but grit his teeth.
'Sinungaling! How could she said those words looking at me without hesitations? I didn't know that she can also act this really good in front of many people.' Ani Marlon sa sarili.
Two months passed by and now here they are in front of the altar exchanging their fake vows. If only God punishes by striking a lightning to the one who talked fake vows in front of the alter then Marlon knew that it would be Rebekah because he knew to himself that was only speaking the truth and only the truth.
"I pronounced you husband and wife. You may now kissed the bride."
Marlon lifted her veil and kissed her in front of many people. He smiled at her and wiped her tears with his thumbs.
He's happy that she is finally his but looking at her with tears in her eyes even though she's smiling sweetly at him makes his heart aches.