chapter 24 (last chapter part 5 of 6)

"shit!" bigla nyang naalala si Devon
aabutan pa kaya nya ito?
masasabi pa kaya nya kila Devon at sa mapapangasawa nito ang nasabi nya kanina lang?
"congatulations"? napabuntong hininga si James
at dali daling sumakay sa kotse nya

lingon dito, lingon don
naghahanap sya ng simbahan
maya maya pa ay nahanap na nga nya

mas kinabahan si James kesa kanina,
pano kung tapos na ang kasal?
pano kung huli na nga sya?
dahan dahan syang pumasok sa simbahan

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"I do" sagot ng lalake
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nakita nya si Bret at iba pang mga kaibigan sa bandang unahan

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do you ms. Soriano take mr. dela Vega as your lawfully wedded husband
to have and to hold
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ngayon sigurado na syang kila Devon ang kasal na iyon

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to cherish and to love
in sickness and in health
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kinakabahan si James, para syang napipipi

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for richer or for poorer
till death do you part?
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natauhan sya bigla ng marinig ang mga huling salita galing sa pari

sasagot na ang babae sa altar
"I d--"
"WAIT!!!!!" walang anu anung sigaw ni James
"don't turn around!" utos ni James sa babaeng palingon na nasa altar
"just listen to me" dagdag pa nya
ayaw nya kasing makita ang mukha ni Devon, baka may magawa pa sya pag nakita nya lang ito
hindi na ito lumingon at nakinig na lamang
ang lalake naman ay nakaharap sa kanya na naguguluhan
napatayo sila Bret at Patrick ng marinig si James, maging sila Jenny, Ann at Fretzie ay akmang nakatayo na din habang si Ivan ay pilit nagtatago, ivinevideo nya kasi ang kasal at inaalalayan sya ni Ryan magtago
"kuya" nasabi ni Thea na kasama ni April
"don't worry, I'm not stopping this marriage" sabi ni James

"I won't stop this event, I just want to say a few things" umpisa ni James
tahimik lang si Devon na nakikinig habang nakaharap sa altar, naiiyak na sya, umpisa pa lang ng pagsasalita ni James

"this is my last chance to say how much I love you Devon. this is the last time to tell you what I really feel about you. when we were in college, 1st year to be exact, I already liked you, my friends knew that. 2nd year comes, I found myself falling in love with you, who wouldn't fall for you? you're beautiful, sweet, kind .. and then the play comes along, the reason why I've fallen even more. everyday, I wake up simply because I want to see you, I thank God He gave me the chances to do so." nasa bandang gitna si James ng aisle

"summer vacation, the best vacation of my entire life, because you were with me for two weeks. I get to spend two amazing weeks with you in the place I want to live with the girl I truly love. again I thank God because He made it happen, after that, I asked Him, why? why did You have to separate us? then it hit me, right in the face" umiiyak na si James

napapahagulgol na din si Devon

"maybe, we weren't really for each other. seven years I long for you, seven years I've suffered the pain in my heart. leaving you was the most crushing moment of my life. now seeing you getting married before my eyes, is the most death defying scene I could ever see" umiiyak na din ang mga tao sa simbahan, ramdam nilang lahat ang sinasabi ni James

"I bought a ring three days ago, it reminded me of you. it's simple, yet so beautiful. I said to myself that time, that if I could just erase the seven years that happened, I might be that guy in front of the altar, putting this ring on your finger, but now I can't, how can I? when you are about to get a different ring, from a different guy" parang pinipitik ang dibdib ni James sa sinasabi nya

"I love you Devon, I always did, and I always will.. just be happy, and I too will be happy. bye Devon, congratulations" huling sabi ni James at tumalikod

"I do" boses ng babae galing sa altar
narinig yon ni James bago sya tuluyang makalabas ng simbahan
boses ni Devon ang narinig ni James kaya lalo syang nanghina, nanlambot ang katawan nya
"now what? no happy ending for me?" tanong nya sa sarili
"no 'and they lived happily ever after'?" dagdag pa nya

"James!" tawag ni Devon
parang kinuryente si James sa narinig nyang tawag
"last time to hear my name from her" sabi ni James
hindi kaya ni James humarap, kaya nakatalikod lang sya at nakinig sa sasabihin nito
"that was the most beautiful speech I've ever heard .. James look at me" sabi nito
ipinikit ni James ang mata nya at humarap sa altar
natawaang mga tao
"buksan mo mata mo" utos kay James
dahang dahang binuksan ni James ang mata nya

pagbukas nya ng mga mata nya ..
"as you can see, I'm not Devon .. she is" sabi ni Dimple sabay turo sa likod ni James

kumabog ang dibdib ni James
dahang dahan  nyang tinignan ang likod nya
isang babae ang nakatayo, nakangiti, namumugto ang mga mata
"James" tawag ni Devon sa kanya
walang salita ang lumabas sa bibig ni James
niyakap na agad nya si Devon

naiyak si James, hindi pa pala huli ang lahat
may Devon pa pala syang pwedeng suutan ng singsing
may Devon pa pala syang mapapasagot ng "I do"

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