Habang nasa byahe panay ang kwentuhan nila james, jester at ethan, minsan nakikisali sila angel at jane. Samantalang ako heto, Shock pa rin sa nangyari kanina, hindi naman siya dapat big deal pero kasi yung puso ko parang ayaw makisama. Naka earphones lang ako dito sa loob ng van, tahimik na nakatingin sa bintana, pumikit na rin ako para sana magpahinga pero hindi pa ko hinihila ng antok ay naramdaman kong tumigil na ang van. Tumingin ako sa paligid at nang mapansin kong hindi ako pamilyar sa lugar ay tinangggal ko ang earphones ko.
"where are we?" tanong ko.
"Ay! di ba namin nasabi sayo?" tanong na pabalik ni James.
"magtatanong ba ko kung oo?" masungit na sagot ko sa kanya na ikinatawa nila.
"ang sungit mo naman, gutom ka na siguro, di bale kakain naman na tayo eh" nakangiting sagot sakin ni ethan.
I just looked at him. Gulat, dahil bigla siyang nakisagot sa aming magpinsan.
"Andito tayo sa restaurant nila ethan ate Chandra. Aunt told us na dito na dumiretso right after namin na sunduin kayo." paliwanag ni angel. Nginitian ko lang siya. Tanda nang pagpapasalamat sa pagsagot ng tanong ko.
Pagkabukas ni jester ng pinto ng van ay isa isa na kaming bumaba. Pagkapasok namin sa resto, the manage immediately assisted us. Iginiya niya kami papunta sa private room, dahil nandoon daw ang mga kasama namin. Pagkabukas ng pinto agad na bumungad sa amin ang mga tao sa loob, nakita ko agad ang parents ko, the soon to be wed couple, ethan's family, our grandparents and some relatives.
"Ano ba to reunion?" mahinang bulong ko kay jane na ikinatawa niya.
"bruha! edi sana wala yung family nila ethan, tsaka alam mo naman gaano kalaki family side nila mama, madami silang magkakapatid." sagot niya sakin, pagkatapos ay naglakad na para magmano sa mga nakatatanda. Sumunod na rin ako.
After ko mag mano sa family nila mama nakarating na ko sa family nila ethan. I immediately met his mom's gaze, she's smiling sweetly so I smile back, I'm about to get her right hand to bless, but I’m surprised when she suddenly hug me.
"Grabe! Chandra ang laki laki mo na, dalagang dalaga. Parang kailan lang noong sabay pa kayo nitong si ethan na hinahatid at sinusundo. Kinder pa lang kayo noon. Mga maliliit pa. Ngayon, tingnan mo nga naman, pareho ng professionals.” Natutuwang saad niya sa akin habang nakahawak sa mga mgakabilang braso ko.
“Ang bilis talaga ng panahon, baka mamaya nyan sa susunod na pagkikita natin ikaw naman yung ikakasal." Nakangiting dugtong niya.
“Naku! Sana nga mare, magdilang anghel ka sana.” Sagot naman ni mama.
“Sana muna tita may boyfriend yan.” Natatawang sabat naman ni jane.
“Ay bakit wala ba?” kunot noong tanong sa akin ni tita jam. Nahihiyang umiling naman ako sakanya.
“Naku! Busy masyado yan, kami nga minsan na lang kitain nyan eh. Sabi ko nga maghanap na at hindi na siya bata, ano!” sabat ulit ni mama, na para bang nagsusumbong kay tita jam.
“Pareho lang sila nitong si Ethan, mare. Kami nga hinihingan na siya ng apo, kaso paano? Sino namang makakatulong sa pag gawa? Buwan buwan naming kinukulit yan.” napuno naman ng tawanan ang kwarto dahil sa tinuran ni tita jam.
“Mama!” saway naman ni ethan. I took a quick glance at him. Nakangiti ngunit bakas ang hiya sa mukha niya dahil sa sinabi ng ina.
“Tama naman ang mama mo ethan. Aba’y ilang taon na ba kayo? Nasa tamang edad na kayo pareho, kaya hindi nyo rin kami masisisi na mga magulang nyo kung sabik na kaming makita ang apo sa inyo. Lalo pa’t parehong panganay.” Nakangiting saad ni mama. Tumango tango naman si ethan.
“Darating din naman yan ma.” Sagot ko kay mama.
“wala ba talaga chandra?” pangungulit ni tita jam.
“wala po, naku tita, kung meron, malamang isa kayo sa unang makakaalam.” Natatawang saad ko sa kanya.
Tumawa lang din siya at pinakawalan na ako, para makabati pa sa iba.
Noon pa man malapit na talaga ako kay tita Jam, She’s like my second parent na din, slash kabarkda, just like my mom and auntie nina, kasi sobrang cool lang nila kausap. Mga kalog.
Nakakatuwa nga, dahil kahit umalis na kami dito sa bicol, she still communicates not just with my mom but also with me. She always checks on me and sometimes, tell me stories about her children. Even Nikki, her daughter, ethan’s younger sister, never lost communication with me. Kay ethan lang naman talaga nawalan eh. Really chandra? Nawalan nga ba talaga or sinadyang walain?
"Ate Chandra! I miss you, finally in the flesh!" Nikki, excitedly approach me right after her mom and I small talk.
"Nikki!!" I excitedly greet her as well, we hug and have some little chitchats, before we got cut off and ask to settle down because lunch is already served.
I sit next to jane who’s on my right side while on my left is Nikki, in front of us are; James, jester, and Ethan.
I'm happily eating my lunch while having a conversation with Jane and Nikki when auntie Nina, the one who will get married suddenly calls my name.
"PO?" I asked
"Sabi ko, it's a good thing that you're already here, you can help me with the wedding preparation. May mga ilang bagay pa kasi na kailangang gawin, we can do it naman but I think hindi namin kakayanin ng kami lang, coz the schedule of the seminars that we are required to attend is overlapping. So I think I really need your help with this." aunt said.
"No problem aunt! I got you! para saan pa at ako ang maid of honor mo di ba?" I said jokingly, then wink at her. I heard some people in the room laugh because of what I did.
"Don't worry Chandra hindi ka naman mag isa, of course, the best man got you also, di ba Ethan? he can be your driver." Tito Donny, aunt Nina's fiance said then look at Ethan.
The latter smile first before he answered.
"Oo naman tito, ako pa ba? kami nang bahala ni chandra sa iba pang mga bagay, relax na lang kayo dyan. Just attend your seminar, coz we got this! Di ba? Chan?" he said happily and look at me as if he's asking for some support, so I smile and nod at him.
Nakita kong nakangiti, habang tumatango tango pa ang mga nakatatandang kasama namin. Hindi rin nakatakas sa mata ko ang mga mapang asar na tingin ng mga pinsan ko sa akin, lalo na si james na may pag ubo pa nung tinawag akong "chan" ni ethan.
He calls me "chan" again? He remembers it. Hindi ko alam bakit parang may konting kirot noong tinawag niya ako sa pangalan na yun. Maybe because that name has a special place in me.
When I was a kid my family's nickname for me is "andra", so most of the people around us, even my childhood friends call me "andra", or they just simply call me "Chandra". But Ethan, being an extra kid who loves to annoy me, when he found out that I hate being called "chan" because it sounds like a belly, he started calling me "chan". At first, I was really annoyed, but as time goes by, I get used to it and so is he. He even gets angry when someone's calling me by that name and always tell to people especially our friends that he's the only one who can call me "chan". From then on, no one dares to call me “chan” but for him.
After our lunch, we head home coz we are going to have a very busy week ahead, so we must settle down and get some rest. Aunt Nina also gave me the list and the schedule of the errands that I have to do with Ethan. I even ask her why I cannot go with my cousins. She answered with a laugh then said that she had already given them some things to do before I arrived. So, I am really stuck with the best man. Great! Good luck to your heart Chandra Lucian.