Pledges Of Predilection

20

"You're so pretty." maiyak-iyak na sabi ni Abby sa'kin habang nakatingin sa'kin mula sa salamin.

"I can't imagine you like this." dagdag niya habang nakangiting nakatingin sa'kin.

"Can you stop that, naiiyak na rin ako sa mga sinasabi mo." pagsaway ko sa kanya.

"Don't cry, masisira ang make-up mo. Ang ganda-ganda mo pa naman ngayon. I'm just very emotional because you're getting married." pagsagot niya sa'kin.

"Madam, handa na po ang lahat. Let's go." bungad ng wedding planner pagpasok niya sa loob ng kwarto ko.

Dahan-dahan akong tumayo habang inaalalayan ako ni Abby. Sabay kaming lumabas at sumakay sa kotse.

"Are you nervous?" Pagbasag ni Abby sa katahimikan na bumabalot sa loob ng sasakyan.

"Of course." mahina kong sagot sa kanya.

Hindi naman kalayuan ang simbahan kaya mabilis din naming narating yun. Nakita ko mula sa bintana ang pagsenyas ng mga wedding planner hudyat na maghanda na sa paglalakad dahil nandito na ako.

Hinawakan ni Abby ang kamay ko dahilan para mapalingon ako sa kanya.

"This is it! Don't be so nervous, just enjoy this moment because this is your day. Congratulations my dear." naiiyak niyang sabi habang nakayakap sa'kin.

Nauna siyang bumaba at ngayon ay ako nalang mag isa dito sa loob ng sasakyan dahil bumaba na rin ang driver.

Ilang sandali pa akong natahimik ng bigla akong kinatok ng isang wedding planner at sinabing bumaba na daw ako.

Inalalayan niya ako hanggang sa maka-akyat ako sa harap ng malaking pintuan ng simbahan. Saglit pa akong naghintay para bumukas iyon at nang biglang magbukas ay bumungad sa akin ang mga magagandang bulaklak.

Nagsimula akong naglakad ng dahan-dahan papunta kila mommy at daddy at nang makarating ako sa harap nila ay mahigpit nila akong niyakap. Dahan-dahan kaming naglakad tatlo palapit kay Chase na tila ba pinipigilan ang pag-iyak niya.

Pagdating namin sa harap niya ay niyakap lang ako ng magulang niya at ganun din siya sa magulang ko. Sinimulan niya akong alalayan paakyat ng altar at ngayon ay nakatayo na kami sa harapan ng pari.

"Magandang araw sa ating lahat. Tayo ay naririto ngayon upang masaksihan ang pag-iisang dibdib ni Athena at Nicholas." panimulang sabi ng pari.

"Lahat ay tumayo at maghanda sa panalangin." dagdag na sabi ng pari.

Nagsimula ang panalangin. Matapos ito ay naupo na ang lahat at nakinig sa pagbabasa ng lector. Nagtagal iyon ng isang minuto at matapos iyon ay nagsimula muling magsalita ang pari para simulan ang kanyang homily.

Tumagal din ng ilang minuto iyon. Sandali pang natahimik ang loob ng simbahan at nabawi ang saglit na katahimikan ng bigla ulit nagsalita ang pari.

"Dearly beloved, you have come together into the house of the Church so that in the presence of the Church’s minister and the community your intention to enter into Marriage may be strengthened by the Lord with a sacred seal. If both parties are Christian: Christ abundantly blesses the love that binds you. Through a special Sacrament, he enriches and strengthens those he has already consecrated by Holy Baptism, that you may be enriched with his blessing you, so that you may have the strength to be faithful to each other forever and assume all the responsibilities of married life. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions."

"Nicholas and Athena, have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?"

"I have." sabay naming sagot ni Chase.

"Are you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live?"

"I am." sabay ulit naming sagot ni Chase.

"You can now deliver your vows." maikling sagot ng pari.

Maingat na inabot sa amin ang mikropono at nagsimulang nagsalita si Chase.

"I, Nicholas Chase, take you, Athena Isabelle, to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life. I promise to take care of you and no matter what happens I will stay by your side and I will love you forever until I die. I will do my best to be a better and perfect husband to you. I will do my best to give you a better life and I will do anything to make this relationship works better and I will forever be loyal to you. My love for you is infinity and no one can change that. I will stay by your side whenever you needs me, I will choose you everyday and I will do anything to make you happy and no matter what happens in the future I will be here to support you with no hesitation and I will love you forever.

"I, Athena Isabelle, take you, Nicholas Chase, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life. I will do anything to be a better and perfect wife to you. I will do my best to take care of you, to support you. I will be forever grateful to you. I'm here infront of you because I want to be with you until I die and I will do anything to make you feel comfort and to make you feel contented to the things I have and I know. I promise that I will forever be honest to you and no matter what happens I will never leave you and I will be always staying by your side until I die."

Mabilis kong binalik sa pari ang mikropono kaya tinawag na niya ang may hawak ng singsing para bigyan ito ng basbas. Matapos iyon ay binalik niya kay Chase ang mikropono at pinabasa ang vow na hawak ng isang sakristan.

"I, Nicholas Chase, take you, Athena Isabelle, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."

Dahan-dahan sinuot ni Chase sa akin ang singsing at binigay ulit sa akin ang mikropono.

"I, Athena Isabelle, take you, Nicholas Chase, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."

Dahan-dahan ko ring pagsuot ng singsing sa daliri niya.

Matapos iyon ay pinagpatuloy niya ang pagbasbas sa amin at mayroon pang iilang seremonya. Ilang oras pa ang lumipas at ngayon ay natapos na.

"May I pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride."

Pag anunsyo ng pari.

Dahan-dahan lumapit si Chase sa akin at maingat na inangat ang belo sa ulo ko at binigyan ako ng isang matamis na halik sa labi.

"I present to you, Mr and Mrs. Nicholas Chase Dela Vega,"

Matapos iyon ay narinig namin ang palakpakan ng lahat ng tao. Nakatingin lang ako sa paligid at bigla akong natigilan ng bigla siyang bumulong sa'kin.

"Welcome to my life, Mrs. Dela Vega."

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