"HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIAN!" I greeted the youngest boy of the family who was celebrating his 11th birthday. He looked at the door and greeted me with a tight hug around the waist. I wasn't informed that it was the chubby baby boy's birthday. He was wearing a black sailor hat matched with a white marine uniform similar to Marc's Ship Captain outfit. He also wants to follow in his older brother's footsteps. Unconsciously, I smiled when our first meeting on the ship after three years hit me again. Marc was strongly appealing at that time then I erased those thoughts before anyone could notice that I remembered something good. I quickly kneel so that Gian and I will be on the same level. Wearing my sweetest smile, I fixed his slightly slanted sailor hat and hugged him.
"Your wish is granted young master, so don't tease me anymore. You have a crush on Ate Jess." Marc teased Gian which made his ears turn red and his cheeks flushed a red tint after I separated from our hug. I eyed Marc menacingly to behave but he responded with that silly grin of his then looked away after removing his shoes and left them on the rack near the main door.
"I will give you your gift next week because your brother didn't tell me that it's your birthday." I flashed a warm smile at Gian and he happily nodded then dragged my wrist right away heading to the dining room.
In the dining room, my eyes directly captured Nika who was wearing an adorable light orange polka-dotted dress that made her look like a doll. I just noticed that all of them are wearing shades of orange except for me who's wearing white pants and a rainbow stripe tee. That explains why Marc was wearing a light orange shirt when he fetched me, they have this theme for this celebration and now I feel out of place. He didn't even inform me that it was Gian's birthday and especially the theme. I nodded when I saw Tita Rene and Tito Vic putting the buko salad and lechon manok on the table one by one. Their looks were meaningful when they saw me and I also noticed that there was no other guest but me. Didn't they invite neighbors or even their relatives? Like seriously, it's just me?
"Hello Ate! You are beautiful, you and Kuya Marc are a perfect match." I was fluttered by Nika who giggled in her seat that was adjacent to me and stole a picture of me smiling candidly at his older brother who was sitting beside me. Are we really a match? Now, I'm wondering why I didn't think about jowain him before.
Uncle Vic led Gian's birthday prayer at the dinner table and then we sang 'Happy Birthday' to him. Gian's smile was wide especially when I voluntarily brought his cake while we all sang and record a video of him.
"Make a wish." I smiled at the lovely boy, and he seriously closed his eyes to make a wish. After that, he blew out the eleven candles, and everyone clapped. Surprisingly, Gian hugged me again after placing the cake back at the center and Marc grinned at him again teasing him that much.
"Oh, here's your gift." Gian separated from me and couldn't get rid of his wide smile when he received a gift from his Big Brother. He immediately opened the paperbag and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw a new cellphone from inside.
"Wow Kuya! Thank you Kuya, I love you. You are the best!” He hugged his brother very tightly and then shyly kissed his cheek when he snorted at him.
"Kuya, it's my birthday next month, I want the same gift as Gian," Nika added still holding the camera and constantly taking many photos of all of us.
"As long as you maintain good grades in school okay," Kuya answered and the two nodded to him with a smile on their faces. After opening the gift, I took a picture of them as a family, then Marc and I took a picture, with his siblings also. The table was full of various foods that I think were all cooked by Tita Rene. The happiest party with the Dela Vega family began.
"Ate, try the spicy chicken wings that Kuya cooked." Nika mockingly smiled at her Big Brother who threatened her with her eyes and then glared at her not giving up. I first tasted the chicken wings and I immediately drank the water because it was so spicy, did he put a glass of chili in it? It disappeared immediately because I remedied the spiciness of the other food on the table. I tasted everything served except the rice and I was impressed by Tita Rene's cooking skills. I hope I will be as good as her in the future because I'm not talented in the kitchen yet. If Mom was still alive then she will spend a lot of time teaching me how to cook her homemade recipes.
"Kuya, how to download games?" We're in their living room now where Marc is busy teaching Gian how to use the new phone. While Tita Rene was busy tidying up the kitchen after we ate, Nika was next to me on the sofa holding a Davis guitar. She gave it to me with sparkles in her eyes that I noticed how similar it is to Marc, "Kuya said you are good at playing the guitar." My eyes widened because I can really brag my piano skills and I only know the basics of the guitar.
Now I remember the good old days when we were practicing for my second recital, I was playing the piano at that time, but my eyes were not focusing on the keys but on him who was plucking the guitar strings like combing a woman's hair affectionately. I was scolded by our musical director at that time because my eyes were elsewhere and I'm not reading my piano sheets messing up my whole solo piece.
"Your Kuya is exceptional at the guitar Nika, I don't play the guitar very well. Mianhae.” I smiled apologetically and when I saw her pouting, a light bulb popped out above my head and I suggested, "How about Kuya Marc will play the guitar and I'll sing, and you choose the song?" Her face brightened up in enthusiasm and in no time clutched the guitar from my hand and gave it to her older brother. She whispered something in her brother's ears, and I wonder what she said that made Marc's forehead frown while looking at me.
In the end, he nodded submissively then Nika returned to her seat beside me without taking her delightful smile away from her lips and Gian dragged Marc closer to us while adjusting the tuning pegs of the guitar.
"Have you chosen a song, Nika?" I fixed her small white bow that almost fell out of her wavy hair, and she nodded happily. Gian sat beside her which made them look like twins because of their height while Marc pulled a bright yellow stool and sat adjacent to me.
"Panalangin Ate." I was amazed when Nika answered and clasped her fingers making her look like a cute doll. I didn't expect that this girl knew that old song by Apo Hiking Society.
"Kuya, you sing too." Gian mocked his brother wearing the same silly grin that Marc wore earlier. You see, they are really brothers. I know Marc is shy when it comes to singing but I heard him sing alone his composed songs and they're good. He also has a good voice but he's not just into singing that much.
"Let's give it to Gian. After all, it's his birthday." I pat Marc's shoulder persuading him and then he started plucking those strings, his eyes were not looking below but locked at me. Somehow, his deep gazes mesmerized me and when he came to a stop and palm-muted the strings, a heavenly melody came out from me filling the ambiance of the home sweeter. The young ones are listening as we blended our voices weaving a romantic harmony and wavering the sincere atmosphere that is incomparable to any duet in history.
Silence filled the night air here in the front yard sitting beside him under the shade of a big mahogany tree. After that duet and small talk with his younger siblings, the two decided to go to bed because they have classes tomorrow early at 8 am. The night was peaceful, the stars glowing above, fireflies gleaming around the leaves of the tree, everything was wonderful and calm. I was about to say something when he interlaced our hands, so I lay my head back down watching at our hands, my tongue-tied in knots again when he spoke first. I can feel his profound stares at me, my heart almost exploding out of my ribcage, can't he tell that I cannot breathe when he does that? I bit my lips when he brought my chin up and met his handsome eyes that were as warm as the summer sun. His kiss became my moonlight memory that could last forever.
"If only I could change what happened 4 years ago... If I just stood up and courted you like a man then maybe I'm no longer keeping this secret from you. No one should hide the truth from you, but I can't, no one can." His cool breath kissed my face and his eyes trying to pull back all the tears that are about to fall. In a heartbeat, he locked me in his arms comforting me then continued, "All I can do is to protect you. I will protect you no matter what happens. I will protect you in the best way I know how because I love you.” He tightened his embrace squeezing all the pain and struggles of keeping things from me and now I understand that sometimes not knowing the truth is the best way to protect you from hurting, to keep you away from breaking your heart once again.
The rest of the days that I spent in the mansion, I was playing all my best pieces on the piano. Nostalgic. Very nostalgic that after playing inside the piano room, I sat on the floor looking at my mini album during my piano days in high school. My best friends were there supporting me in my recital and the next picture was Jacob giving me a bouquet of roses as a token. I touched the picture and smiled like a kid while reminiscing about that overwhelming feeling. I flipped another page of the mini-album, and it was a stolen photo of me and Marc in the studio taken by Honey who was a newbie clarinet player at that time. I was laughing at my mistake while rehearsing 'Back to December' for my third recital and he was smiling beside me perfectly with admiration.
“BEST!” I dropped the mini album in shock when I heard the shrill voice of the best gay friend ever. He's back after a 3-day stay in Iligan City and I bet he will talk a lot about a new boy, "My gosh, I'm super giddy!" That's new. But what is he screaming about again?! My face was left dumbfounded by all the sudden noise he was up to and when he opened the door of the piano room, he barged in like a mad woman and showed on my face the video of me and Marc having a duet of Panalangin during the birthday of Gian. I adjusted my face away from the screen because he showed it to me that close.
"You guys are trending right now, don't you know?!" Marz asked me in disbelief that I didn't even know that Nika and I had taken a video of us. I shook my head and pouted like a baby then he pulled me up and we left the piano room.
"Anyway, it's time for your make-over now."
I was almost dragged down the hallway in my own house to the gay man's room for reasons I don't know. What happened today and why do I seem to have forgotten something? He made me sit in front of my vanity mirror then opened the makeup cabinet and pulled out all the makeup he needed like it was just clothes from my closet. He first took wipes to clean my face but before he could wipe it on my face, I caught his hand. He frowned when I stopped him and raised his left eyebrow at me.
"Did I forget something today?" I clenched my teeth bracing his sermon because honestly, I really forgot something important today.
"OMO! Today is the wedding of Marc's ex besh!" And just like what I expected, he lectured me long enough that almost broke my eardrums. I covered my mouth when I realized that I forgot that this is the day that we were all waiting to officially end this operation and finally begin a new chapter. A chapter with no more pretenses but only sincerity, happiness, and love.
This is the Falling into our Sweetest Wiles last mission.