Right after that week-long honeymoon in Baguio, Ken decided to talk to Iya. He needs to patch things up with his sister. Nami-miss na rin niya ito. Dadalawa na nga lang sila tapos hindi pa sila mag-iimikan.

Siblings should not drift apart like that. Gusto niyang magkaayos na sila, para na rin kay Ahn at sa mommy niya. But to get to Iya, he will need Hans's help. Matigas ang ulo ng kapatid niya. Ayaw nitong makipag-usap over the phone. Ayaw rin nitong makipagkita. She's avoiding him like plague.

Kailangan niya itong makausap within the week dahil next week ay lilipad na siya papuntang Canada for his quarterly business trip. Na-delay na nga siya ng ilang linggo dahil sa honeymoon.

Hans was more than willing to help. Tatawag na nga raw dapat ito sa kanya noong tumawag siya rito.

"Do you think she will talk to me?" nag-aalangan niyang tanong. They're standing outside Iya's office.

Tinapik siya nito sa balikat. "I don't know, but you should take your chance."

Tumango siya. Kumatok naman si Hans sa pinto at saka pumasok. Sumunod siya. The smile on Iya's face upon seeing Hans quickly faded when she saw him.

"What's he doing here?"

"You two need to talk," Hans said. The two of them exchanged looks bago ito lumabas ng opisina ni Iya. Naiwan siya na nakatayo, unsure of what to do next. Iya's scowling.

"I have nothing to say to you."

He groaned. "Come on, Iya, aren't we a little too old for this?"

Inirapan siya nito.

Lumapit siya at naupo sa edge ng lamesa. Kinuhit niya ang kapatid. Ito naman ay nanghahaba na ang leeg sa pag-iwas sa kanya.

Nang kuhitin niya itong muli ay tinapik nito ang kamay niya. Ewan ba niya kung bakit siya natawa bigla.

"Stop being a brat and talk to me," he said in a light tone.

Pinanlisikan siya nito ng mata. "Umalis ka na, Ken. I don't want to talk to you!"

He sighed. Hinawakan niya ang tigkabilang hawakan ng upuan nito para hindi ito makaiwas. "Iya, I know that what I did to Aubrey was wrong. I wasn't thinking clearly when I asked Ahn to marry me. But I didn't care for anything else back then." His face softened. "I love her so much. I just don't want to let her get away again."

"Kahit na. Mali pa rin yung ginawa mo. To think na kayo pa rin ni Aubrey at that time. You didn't even have the decency to break up with her first!" she said indignantly.

"Alam ko. Maling-mali talaga yung ginawa ko. There's nothing to justify my act. But I really wasn't thinking clearly. All I cared about was Ahn."

He didn't tell her na naging plano niya ang maghiganti. It will just make things more complicated. Ang bottomline naman ng lahat ay si Ahn. That's all that matters.

Iya's face softened. Mukhang naging concerned ito.

"Why do you love her so much? After everything she did to you, Ken, why?"

"You're in love. You know how it is," he said to her.

Her lips formed a grim line. "She does not deserve you."

"It doesn't matter who deserves who. She loves me and I love her. Why can't that be enough?"

"Dahil sa kanya kaya nasasaktan si Aubrey ngayon. It's because of her that we are fighting. She wrecks everything in her way, Ken."

Bumuntong-hininga siya at saka umiling. "Not everything. She fixed me."

--

Pagkauwi nila galing Baguio ay tinawagan kaagad niya ang mga magulang para iparating sa mga ito ang balita. Her mom was beyond happy. But it was her dad's reaction that overwhelmed her. Umiyak ito habang magkausap sila sa phone.

Gustong-gusto kasi nitong matupad ang pangarap niyang makasal sa simbahan.

When Monday came, nagsimula nang mag-asikaso si Ken ng mga dadalhin nito papuntang Canada for his business trip. He will be gone for two weeks. May usapan kasi ito at ang kumpanyang pinapasukan na lilipad ito sa Canada every quarter in exchange for letting him work in the Philippines.

His trip was delayed because of the honeymoon.

Maaga raw itong uuwi para maghanda ng dinner. Pupunta kinagabihan ang parents niya at ang parents nito sa bahay para pag-usapan ang second wedding nila. Plano sana nila na by December ikasal. But she's still not sure. Sabi ni Ken ay kauusapin muna nito si Iya.

Gusto niyang maging maid of honor si Iya. Kahit siguro hindi sila nagkatuluyan ni Ken ay ito pa rin ang gagawin niyang maid of honor. She's just a huge part of her life.

Iyon namang tungkol kay Paris bilang best man, hindi niya sigurado. It's still up to Ken. Asking him to make Paris their best man might be a long stretch.

Pinagkaguluhan siya sa office when she came back. Agaw-atensyon ang singsing sa kamay niya. It was as if the stone was begging for attention. Mahal na mahal daw siya ng asawa niya dahil sa laki ng bato sa engagement ring niya.

She couldn't stop smiling.

--

Iya's resolve is faltering under Ken's empathetic stare. He's a lovesick fool, that's for sure. But he's still her brother. And yes, he's right. Love cannot justify his stupid mistakes. Hindi lang naman kasi ito ang nasaktan dahil sa ginawa nito.

She just wishes that he took other people's feelings into consideration. Sana nakipag-break man lang ito kay Aubrey ng maayos. Kahit ano pa ang idahilan nito, mali pa rin iyong aayain na lamang nito basta-basta si Ahn na magpakasal habang girlfriend pa nito si Aubrey.

But then again, it's Ahn. Noon pa man ay baliw na baliw na ang kapatid niya rito. He's more than eager to move mountains just to be with her. Hindi na siya nagtaka nang agad na mawala ang ilang taon nitong galit kay Ahn sa loob lamang ng ilang linggo na pagsasama ng dalawa.

Maybe Ahn's his one great love. Maybe they're meant to spend their forever together. If only Aubrey wasn't dragged into the picture. Kung sana ay hindi na ito isinama ni Ken sa gulo, wala sana siyang problema ngayon.

Sure, she's angry with Ahn for what she did, pero kung ito talaga ang gusto ng kapatid niya, tatanggapin niya iyon. So why can't she forgive? Bakit si Hans na mas close kay Aubrey, nagawa nang magpatawad?

"Iya, Ahn wants you to be her maid of honor. Sana naman pumayag ka."

"Why can't she ask me herself?"

Ken sighed. She could see the resignation on his face. "I told her that I will make things right. Ako naman ang nagsimula ng gulo, kaya ako rin dapat ang umayos nito."

"Ken, stop making excuses for her. It is her fault. If she did not reject you back then—"

"I've already forgiven her."

She rolled her eyes. "You're unbelievably stupid!"

"Parehas lang naman kaming mahihirapan kung hindi ko sya patatawarin," dahilan nito.

"I still don't want to be her maid of honor!"

He groaned. "Ano ba naman, Iya? Ano pa ba'ng dapat gawin ko para mapatawad mo si Ahn, ha? It would really mean a lot to her kung ikaw ang maid of honor. Please..." pagsusumamo nito. "I'll do anything."

She looked into his eyes. They were desperate, begging for her forgiveness.

"Fine!" she spat. "If Aubrey forgives you, then I'll forgive Ahn!"

--

Due to the insistence of practically everyone around her, Iya had no choice but to come to dinner. Ayaw sana niyang makita sina Ken at Ahn. Alam niyang mabibwisit lamang siya. Pero mommy na niya ang nakiusap.

Dumiretso na sila kina Ken pagkatapos ng trabaho. Hans brought wine.

Alanganin silang sinalubong ni Ahn, who she ignored completely. Nasa loob na ang parents nila nang dumating sila. Her ninong and ninang arrived a few minutes later.

Nang mag-alas syete y media ay nag-aya nang kumain sina Ken. Kung hindi lamang siya buntis, hindi sana siya kakain. Siya lamang ang bukod tanging tahimik habang nagkikwentuhan naman ang ibang nasa hapag.

Sinubukan ni Hans na isali siya sa usapan, but the conversation dies with her. Simpleng tango at iling lamang ang sagot niya.

"Gusto mo pa ng adobo, ate?" tanong sa kanya ni Ahn nang ubusin niya ang laman ng bowl.

She turned to Hans and handed him the empty bowl. "Can you get me some more, please?" ngiti niyang hiling sa asawa.

Tinanguan na lamang ni Hans si Ahn bago ito tumayo.

To fill the awkward silence, her mom started talking about the impending wedding. Ngali-ngali niyang lumayo para lamang hindi marinig ang pinag-uusapan, but then she thought of a better idea.

Nang bumalik si Hans ay binulungan nya ito. "I'm going to tell them."

Hans frowned. "What, now?"

She smiled coyly and nodded.

"Wrong timing naman yata?"

Just as she was about to speak, her father called her out.

"Ano ba'ng pinag-uusapan nyong dalawa dyan?" tanong nito.

Nang makuha niya ang atensyon ng lahat ay agad siyang ngumiti.

"I have an announcement to make." She felt Hans's hand on her elbow, as if telling her to not do it. But she did it anyway. "Hans and I are having a baby."

They were slack-jawed at first, then came the happy tears and congratulatories. Maging si Ahn ay natuwa rin sa balita niya.

She felt a tinge of guilt somehow. Imbes na mainis sa pang-aagaw niya ng eksena, natuwa pa ito dahil buntis siya. Some people are just so stupidly kind.