CHAPTER TWO

“WHAT happened? Are you alright?”

Nari woke up from the light tapping on her cheek. She was still lying on the floor. She scratched her eyes and saw the anxious faces of her cousins. Nari got up. She looked at her shoulder and realized she was wrapped in a coat. It smelled familiar.

“You’re taking so long, so we got worried. We thought something happened to you. And then we found you here,” Yvonne said in a concerned tone.

“Why are you lying on the floor? Did you pass out? Are you hurt? Did you hit your head somewhere?” Jonie asked.

Nari examined herself. Aside from the dull ache on her butt, she could not feel anything wrong with the other parts of her body.

“No. I fell asleep, though,” she replied, shaking her head. “Where’s this coat from?” she asked. She looked around, still a little sleepy. “Where’s the future father of my children?”

“Huh?”

Her cousins stared at each other, looking puzzled.

“Nari’s just fine. What do you think, Jonie?”

“You’re right,” Jonie agreed. “You bitch. How could three bottles of beer take you down?”

“I am not drunk. I just saw a handsome guy,” she snapped. Nari groaned and scratched her eyes again.

“And you thought he was the future father of your children?” Yvonne asked. “Are you sure you did not hit your head somewhere?”

Nari tried to remember everything. When the man dropped her, and she fell on the floor, she did not dare stand up and just lay on the floor because she was so ashamed.

Nari frowned. “What did I do? Gosh.”

“It’s okay,” her cousins said.

They helped her stand up.

“It’s not okay!” she cried. “I scared him!”

“Get some sleep, Nari. Let’s go,” Yvonne told her.

“I scared the future father of my children!”

“Now you tell me you’re not drunk,” Jonie hissed.

*

“DO YOU remember everything now, Nari?” Jonie asked. They were in the living room. Jonie and Yvonne came to check on Nari the next day.

Nari stared at the coat in her hands, the one which the man gave her last night. Even in her sleep, she used it as a blanket. Nari grimaced. How could she do such a thing?

“What? Did you finally realize that you got drunk?” Yvonne asked.

Nari blinked and stared into the ceiling. She had a high tolerance for alcohol. But was she drunk? If so, how could she still remember the man’s face? That face she would want her future children to take after.

“I could even remember his scent,” she uttered nonchalantly. Nari brought the coat to her nose. That's why.

Her cousins giggled.

“Well, we hope you’d meet him again!” Yvonne said.

“Ask his name by then,” Jonie added.

She frowned at them.

“Do you think he’s still single?” Nari retorted. “That was the most embarrassing birthday ever. I don’t think I could ever forget it. I swear I’m never drinking again.” Nari brought her palms to her forehead and groaned.

She was thankful for that man’s concern, but she wouldn’t wish to cross paths with him again. She was sure he felt likewise. Last night was a disaster.

Could she ever find a man to marry?

*

“HOW’S the preparation, Mike?” Jai asked the moment he got inside his office. “Is everything set? I want to make sure that everything will go according to plan when we arrived in Bacolod. The opening is three weeks away.”

“I talked to the organizer and the city officials yesterday, Sir, just as you asked,” his executive assistant replied.

He sat in front of his table, and Mike set the folders in front of him.

“And here’s the report you requested.”

The report contained Merryland’s performance for the third quarter of the year. And they will be opening a new branch of Merryland in Bacolod in three weeks, the biggest in Visayas to date.

“Thanks, Mike.”

“You forgot something, Sir.”

Jai stared at his assistant. “And what is that?”

“My leave starts next week, so I’m not accompanying you to Bacolod.”

Jai stopped for a moment. Oh, yes. He forgot. Mike is getting married in two weeks. He had known about it since last month, and he agreed to Mike’s two-week leave. And he’s supposed to be finding a replacement for Mike at this point.

“Have you found a temporary replacement for you?”

“I have already asked HR for help, Sir.”

“Don’t just choose anyone. I want someone as efficient as you. I have no patience to teach him or her on what to do.”

“You have nothing to worry, Sir.”

“Can’t we just reschedule your wedding, Mike?”

“Sir, come on,” Mike said, scratching his head.

*

“WOW, what’s up with this food on the table?” Yvonne asked as she sat in front of the table.

“Yñigo and Laurice prepared all of these?” Jonie asked.

There were fried chicken, beef steak, fruit salad, and a chocolate cake on the table. They were just supposed to have dinner, but Nari had this feeling that they are celebrating something tonight. She was not aware that the two were up to something in the kitchen a while ago. She was busy lying all day and enjoying her ‘beauty rest.’

“But my birthday’s over,” she said.

“Laurice and I have an announcement to make,” Yñigo said as he wrapped his arm around Laurice’s shoulder.

The two looked at each other. Laurice looked a little nervous.

“Are you pregnant, Laurice?” she asked anxiously.

“No, it’s not like that, Sister!” Laurice replied quickly.

“But we’re getting married,” Yñigo confirmed.

Her cousins gasped while Nari could only stare for a moment. That was even more surprising than Laurice being pregnant.

“My gosh! Congratulations!” Yvonne and Jonie said happily.

“G-getting married?” she said, stuttering. “Aren’t you, guys, too young to… I mean, you’re just twenty-five... and now you want to get married?”

Her cousins were silent. They did not anticipate her reaction.

The couple looked at each other again.

“Sister, it’s not like we’re in a hurry to get married,” Yñigo explained. “It’ll be two years from now. We’re just telling you this because we already started planning for our future.”

“We’ll help each other,” Laurice said. “Since we’re both still helping our family. Maybe two years are already enough to save. It will be a simple wedding since we want to be practical.”

“`You hear that, Nari?” Jonie said. “These two have been together for five years already. We know that they are going to end up with each other anyway. It’s just right for them to plan for their future together.”

“It came to Nari as a surprise, but she is happy for the two of you,” Yvonne said.

Nari looked at Yvonne when she tapped her back lightly. Her cousin winked at her.

She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. She did not want to be emotional right now. She was happy for her brother and Laurice.

“Yvonne’s right.” She stood up from her seat and approached them. “I’m sorry for my reaction. I was just shocked, but I am happy for the two of you. Congratulations!” She hugged Yñigo first. “You know I’ve always wanted you to end up together.”

“Thank you, Sister. If you only knew how nervous Laurice and I was.” Yñigo was already smiling in relief.

“Thank you, Sister.” Laurice hugged her tightly.

“We have decided that Laurice will move here after the wedding. We are not leaving you alone here.”

“How sure are you that Ate Nari will remain single until our wedding?” Laurice asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nari chuckled. It’s not a mystery that she wanted no other woman but only Laurice for her brother.

“Well, you’re right about that,” Yñigo agreed, chuckling.

“Why don’t we start the celebration?” she said. “This dinner looked delicious.”

Yvonne and Jonie clapped their hands and cheered.

“Congratulations, guys!”

*