Callea was trying to get the feel of their visitor while cooking in the kitchen. They were with Deive at the living room. According to Deive, he has been friends with those men since they were kids. They were also Deive's business partners. They didn't say much but she knew that they don't like her for Deive. Even when she changed her church dress to one one the nice dresses that Deive bought for her, the tension was still there. They were still uncomfortable with her.
She was not the Callea they were expecting. She was not the normal beautiful woman that her grandfather was selling.
"I think that is done, señorita," Marina said then tapped her arm. She was cooking chicken abodo with coconut milk. (Adobo is a popular Filipino dish where fish, pork, beef, chicken or vegetable would be cooked with soy sauce and vinegar, and other spices. Callea's recipe was special because it has coconut milk in it.)
She was zoning out. She didn't notice that Marina was back at the kitchen after she fixed the table at the dining area for dinner. She didn't want Marina to see the guests a while ago. She was protective of her because of her past experiences with strangers. But Deive insisted that Marina must meet his friends, too.
"They are kind and handsome, too." Marina was grinning from ear-to-ear. "Sir Averill even asked me if I am that hunchback in the story that you created. The one where people thought that she was a jinx but became the hero in the end." It was a particular favorite of Callea because she showed that not all beautiful creatures are kind and some who were considered ugly could have a good heart and even save a lot of people.
"Averill know about that? He reads my novels?" she asked in awe. Averill was a businessman. She never thought he had it in him to read graphic novels. And how did he know about her identity as an artist? Her works were popular, sure. But aside from her publisher, nobody knew the real identity of the artist behind her works. She hated attending book signings and meet and greetings because she valued her privacy so much.
"Yes. Even the grumpy one is a fan of yours." Marina stopped for a bit to think. "Ah! That's Sir Lucian. Señorito Deive is so proud of you. He boasted you to his friends. You are not just a great artist but you are good in history as well. Now they are interested to visit the underground cemetery with you as their guide."
"Hmmm... Deive is now the ambassador of tourism."
"I also want to thank you."
"Why?" Callea asked and took the Pyrex container where she would put the adobo.
"Because some people looked at me differently now. I used to be treated as a jinx like I couldn't do anything good in this world. "This is the first time that some strangers treated me like a heroine because of the story you created. That I am not some devil's minion or a person with a communicable disease."
She put the Pyrex down and held her hand. "Marina, you are a good person. In God's eyes, we are all the same. We are all beautiful. It is only humans who put standards on things. Even those who are beautiful experience human cruelty." And she felt sad when she remembered who had to pay for her beauty.
"Go to the visitors now. I will put the food on the table," said Marina and shooed her away.
Callea removed her apron and left the kitchen. In the living room, Keiran was playing the piano. Deive and his friends were laughing at Sydney's antics about her graphic novel that he read. It was happy jazz music and was fit for a jovial mood.
They stopped talking when Lucian saw her. "Your bride is here," he said to Deive.
Sydney stopped talking and moving entirely and his jaw was slack. He looked like he was afraid to move. He was still afraid of her. He apologized for screaming a while ago when she took off her veil. She couldn't laugh much afterward because he looked like he was about to have a heart attack. Deive had to give him his water canister and made her drink water to calm him down. She promised not to scare him anymore. Well, not that much.
She forced a smile. "Dinner will be ready in a bit."
"I could smell the abodo and ginataan. It makes me hungrier," said Lucian and stood up.
While Averill walked towards her. She noticed that he was holding a copy of her graphic novel and a pentel pen. "Could you please sign an autograph for me?"
She stepped back and shook her head. "I don't sign autographs. I mean, not in person." She didn't even want to face her fans. It was weird that someone asked her to personally sign her book.
Lucian crossed his arms over his chest. Drat! The man looked intimidating when his attention was focused on her. "As Deive's future, you can't refuse us. In return, we will guard Deive so he won't stray to other women."
"Don't be like that, man," Deive complained. "I am a good boy. I am faithful." Then Deive smiled at her. "Please sign it for my friends."
He couldn't say no to Deive at that point. His friends would find it more weirder if she would refuse them furthermore. She took the pentel pen from Averill. She was a bit shaking as she signed her book that had just been released at the market last month. She smiled when she got a hang of it. It also felt great to sign her own book. "Just make sure that my identity will be anonymous to others. I just gave in because you would make sure that Deive won't go back to his womanizing ways."
Deive scratched his own head. "I am a good boy," he insisted.
"Can I make a request?" asked Sydney and raise his hand. "Deive said you like cosplaying the characters you created. Can you cosplay the red vampire Zapira for me? I got a crush on her."
"What?!" exclaimed Deive and hooked his arm on Sidney's neck and tried to choke him.
The rest of them laughed. It was crazy. They were so adorable. And she realized that she hadn't laughed for a long time in the company of strangers. Before it comes easily. That was the old her. She never thought she would experience it again. It was liberating. Deive made him laugh again. With that laugh, Deive also opened the door to her heart. And she would let him inside her heart even if he won't ask for it.