Chapter 24
“Hello, Megan? Nasaan ka na?”
“Deity! I’m sorry. Nasa byahe pa ko. I was stuck in a traffic jam. Nand’yan ka na ba?”
“Oo. Pero kadarating ko lang din.”
“Could you wait for a couple of minutes more? Please? I’m sorry,” she said in an apologetic tone.
“Sure.”
“Sige. Thanks, Deity. Malapit na rin naman ako.”
Kasalukuyan akong nandito sa isang coffee shop. Dito ang napag-usapan naming meeting place ni Megan together with the bride and the groom. Ang usapan namin, magkikita-kita kami rito and we will proceed to my house for the fitting.
Halu-halo ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Kinakabahan ako at hindi mapakali. I will seeing Phytos again, after God-knows-how-long. At napakasakit isipin na sa ganitong sitwasyon pa kami magkikita — susukatan ko siya para sa damit na gagawin ko para sa kanya. Uulitin ko — sa kasal niya — na hindi ako ang bride kundi ang dressmaker niya.
Ang sakit. The pain in my heart was too much to handle. Parang dati ako lang ‘to — ako ‘yung bride. Parang dati ako lang.
I let out a sigh of despair. Siguro sadyang ganito lang. Siguro pinapaalala lang sa akin ng mundo na ang lahat ng bagay ay nagbabago. Na past na ako at may iba na siyang present.
“Deity!”
Napalingon ako sa entrance ng café. I saw Megan entered, the welcoming bells at the door were ringing after her.
“I’m sorry, na-late ako,” she flashed an apologetic smile.
“Okay lang,” I tried to smile. “S-so, where’s the groom and the bride?” I fearlessly asked.
Naging alanganin ang ngiti na nasa mukha niya. “Unfortunately, they could not make it for today.”
“W-what?” If that’s the case, paano kami magpi-fit?
Nakita kong parang hindi siya mapakali. Nahihiya siyang tumingin sa akin. “Let’s put it this way. I was thinking na… uhh, alam mo naman ang size ni Phytos, ‘di ba? I hope you won’t mind but… could you base his size from what you know?” Ngumiti siya nang alanganin. “I mean, hindi naman siya tumaba. He’s just the same. Just like before.”
Pinilit kong tumango. “O-okay. How about his bride?”
“Busy din siya ngayon, eh,” she sighed in frustration. “God, how are we gonna to settle this?”
“Siguro we have to call the—”
“Okay, ganito na lang. You see, hindi naman siya katabaan. Hindi din siya kapayatan. I think…” Tumingin siya sa akin, clearly checking me out. “I think we can base her size on you.”
I tried my best not to drop my jaw. Seryoso ba siya? Mahirap ang ganitong walang accuracy. Lalo na kung hindi naman sigurado na magka-size kami. Ang damit lang ng bride ang maco-compromise.
“A-are you serious?”
She smiled. “Oo. Magkasing-katawan lang kayo.”
I shook my head at the thought of having a shotgun shot in the dark. “I’m sorry, Megan. This is impossible. I need the accurate size. What we’re talking about here is the bride’s gown. Paano kung magkamali ako?”
I knew for a fact that I’ll be the one to blame kapag isinuot ng bride ang gown niya at mali ang sukat. Either maluwag or masikip. Baka mamaya, magalit pa sa akin si Phytos at ang pamilya niya.
