After Kelvin had proposed, we went to tell the people closest to our hearts the big news.
I first sent a text message to my sister and my best friends. Being the closest to my heart, I wanted to make sure that they were the first to know. Ate Ye immediately called me andcongratulated Kelvin and me. She was very happy for me and asked for details of the proposal over the phone. My best friends replied to my text and were also very happy and excited for me.
Hon and I first went to Tita Corgie's house to surprise them. It turned out that Kelvin's original proposal plan was to propose to me in Jo's house. But he was afraid that I had figured his plan out and decided to propose to me at my house. Boy, did that surprise work! :)
It was very early in the morning and Hon dragged Jo out of bed. Tita Corgie, Tito Emil, Jo and Inah congratulated us and we all had breakfast in their home.We also asked Tita Corgie to be our Ninang in our wedding. I've got to say that I'm very blessed to have Jo, Tita Corgie, and their family in our lives; we consider the Santoses as our second family.
After breakfast, Hon drove me to Glorietta where I bought a couple of gifts for my nephews. After which, we traveled back to Kelvin's house and broke the news of our engagement to his family. After a few minutes, we were on the road again; this time to Batangas to bring the good news to my Mom and Dad. Hon and I agreed that we were to tell my parents in person before we tell all our other friends. I wanted to make sure that my Mom and Dad hear it from us before they hear it from my aunts or our friends on Facebook.
We arrived in Batangas at half past three in the afternoon. Dad was busy trimming the grass when Hon and I got out of the tricycle. Dad greeted us with a big smile, but a puzzled look in his face. We went inside the house and were blessed by my parents. Hon and I agreed that he will tell my Dad then we'll tell my mom together. Mama and I were talking inside the house when Kelvin was trying to tell Daddy about our engagement.
Kelvin started loosening Daddy up with small talk. After a few minutes, Hon slowly broke the news to him.
According to Daddy, Hon started talking and patting his head (He does this when he's stressed or nervous about something, heehee!)
"Ah, Tito, ah, may sasabihin po, ah, sana ako, ah... May sasabihin po sana ako sa inyo e." was his stammered opening. He was gesturing to his ring finger and struggling to tell Daddy the news.
Dad, seeing how nervous Hon was, tried to appease him, "Oh, ano ba yon?" I guess Daddy didn't realize he was holding his big ass grass cutter in his hand and there was no way in hell Kelvin was about to relax.
But Hon pressed on, "Ah, ano po kasi e... Ah, ano po..."
At this point he was stuttering and gesturing to his ring finger. "Kami po ni Leng... Ah... Ano po kasi, Tito. Si Leng ano po... Ah... Engaged na po kami ni Leng." I'm guessing at this moment he was mentally preparing for a blow or a swipe from Daddy. None of that happened, of course!
Dady, bless his amazing heart, said in return, "Ah ganon ba? Ah okay... Gano na ba kayo katagal?"
"Seven years na din po, Tito." was his quick reply.
Daddy answered, "Ah, e matagal na naman na kayo e. Okay na. Yun lang, si Mama nya ang sabihan nyo pa." - Please note I'm not very certain if these were Daddy's exact words.
After a few minutes, I stepped out onto garden and Hon confirmed to me that he had already told Daddy. Seeing him in one piece and blood-free, I looked at Daddy. He had a smile on his face and I discreetly showed him the ring that Hon gave me. His smile grew wider and he motioned towards Mama's direction.
Alright, Mission #1 had been accomplished, it was time to move on to Mission #2: Telling Mama
I started by asking Mama, "Ma, di ka ba nagtataka at kasama ko si Kel?"
Mama's reply was, "Oo nga, bakit mo nga pala kasama si Kelvin?"
"Ah, may sasabihin po kasi kami sa inyo...", was my hesitant answer.
Mama was startting to get this confused expression, "Ha? Ano yon?"
I showed Mama my ring and simply said, "Ito po."
After a stunned and confused second, Mom said, "Teka muna!"
It took Mama a few seconds to talk again. I could totally read my mom's facial expressions! It started with a stunned expression, then I could see her schooling her emotions and trying to look happy. "Ah, e... Ok na naman, nasa edad na kayo, matagal na naman kayo."
"Wag ka iiyak, Mama, ha!", I told her.
She answered, "Hindi ah!"
And then Mama couldn't keept her emotions in check anymore. Her voice cracking, "Alam ko namang mahal mo ang anak ko. At alam ko naman ding mahal na mahal ka nya, ikaw lang ang nakakapagpasaya sa kanya ng ganito."
And there I was, with tears in my eyes, I laughingly asked her, "E bakit ka umiiyak, Mama?!"
"Iba na pala pag totoo na, mahirap. Ikakasal ka na e." You see, my mom has been telling Kel and me that we shouldn't wait too long and that we should get married soon. She has been vocal about wanting us to get married because I have an ovarian condition that may affect my ability to get pregnant. I've always told her that Hon and I were not in a hurry to get married and that we were very happy as boyfriend and girlfriend. Thankfully, Mama has not put any pressure on me nor Kel. But I realized that even with her asking me to get married, deep inside her, she was afraid. I realized that she was dreading the day I will come to her and tell her that I am getting married.
And on the day that I did tell her, she wasn't sure what emotion was winning: the happiness or the fear.
I hugged Mama and said to her, "Mama, hindi naman ako mawawala, hindi naman ako aalis. Mag-aasawa lang ako; tsaka nag usap na kami ni Kelvin, uuwi pa din naman ako dito, pero kasama ko na sya."
Mama then turned to Hon and while crying, said, "Kelvin, alagaan mo ang anak namin, ha? Baby namin yan. Papauwiin mo pa rin sya dito sa amin ha?"
Hon was quick to calm Mama down, "Ay, oo naman po, Tita." He then said something else, but I can no loner remember what.
Daddy, quick to diffuse the tension, called out, "Hayaan nyo nang umiyak yan, para maubos na ang luha at di na makaiyak sa kasal!"
And that, ladies and gentlemen, was how Kelvin was able to tell my parents that he wants to marry their baby.
And yes, he came home to Manila in one piece. :)
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