Like a mother, Miel nurtured me back to health from Saturday to Monday. He cooked delicious foods for me, did the laundry for me, pressed my clothes, cleaned the apartment and massaged me to sleep.
“Sakitin ka,” he said. Yes, I notice that my health is not that good this year. I always suffer from upper respiratory infecton and urinary tract infection. It must be my preference to eating sweet foods.
I’ve never been taken cared of by a lover in my whole life. I love you, Miel….. and thank you!
I was still at the middle of a meeting at 6PM yesterday when Miel informed me through a text message that he was at the market to buy something to cook for dinner. Going to the wet market is one of the things that I hate doing. Of course, if it’s a supermarket, I wouldn’t mind but the nearest supermarket is not that near. (I wonder if I could still shop at the supermarket after the wedding when our priority is to save as much for our future baby. If you’re keen on the budget, the wet market is still the best place to buy fresh yet less costly foods.)
When I arrived at my apartment, I fixed my bed. When I’m in a hurry, I usually leave my bed the way I slept on it. Miel arrived after a few minutes. He asked if I know how to cook sinigang. I said that I have an idea. Truth is, I was trying to have a recollection of how my mother cooks it. Miel took charge of cooking the rice; it’s something that I have yet to learn. We cook rice on the stove since a rice cooker is not practical to use considering that we’re only cooking a little rice just enough for the two of us. Besides, the cost of electricity is horrible!
To cut the story short, Miel appreciated the sinigang na hipon that I cooked for him. It was one of the best meals I ever had. We even had some seaweeds as side dish. We both love sea foods and it’s something that he has yet to know about me.
🙂
Miel wants us to share a plate while eating. I feel so uncomfortable at the start. I am not used to sharing my plate with someone.
I know it’s symbolic and the reason why he wants us to practice it is to create a stronger bond as partners or perhaps, as future husband and wife.
🙂
Meet the four of us:
Shellah as the high school heartthrob who used to be in pursuit of her true love.
Cherry as the brainy doctor who was unsure of her feelings towards her boyfriend.
Cora as the witty journalist who proved that love at first sight do really exists.
And of course, Iris as the frustrated writer who stopped believing in true love after her long time boyfriend called off their wedding plans.
Their favorite hang out is The Beanery, a famous coffee shop in their province. Among the four, Iris considered herself as the most unfortunate when it comes to having a lovelife. Early in 2007, PV called it quits and she was in total denial. Her friends could sense that something was not right in her relationship with PV but she pretended that everything was fine.
Iris could not just ruin the dreams of the hopeful Cora that true love does still exists. She kept her opinion to herself. When Allan and Cora were re-introduced in Beanery, the two instantly assumed that they were meant for each other. Allan was just in the country for a brief vacation while Cora was mending a broken heart. Immediately, Allan proposed. They are tying to knot in California this coming September 2008.
Shellah’s ups and downs in life were also reflected in her relationship with the men who promised to stay with her through thick and thins. Her biggest blow was when she broke up with Walid, a Qatari national who she met while working as a nurse in Qatar. It was one of the saddest events in the history of the four friends’ friendship. They are and will always be there for each other no matter what. Little that she knew that her childhood friend, Jay is the one that is destined to be with her through life’s most bitter trials. Her friends wish that Jay would be the last man and the one who would love Shellah until the end.
Cherry’s life is not as melodramatic as Iris’s or Shellah’s. She was a princess all her life; a pampered child. Being headstrong and at times idealistic, she could not fit in with her boyfriend’s lifestyle. She tried to assess her feelings and realized that life without Randy is not complete. They are getting married next year.
Iris has always been known as the sweet clown with a temper of a tigress when provoked. Her only dream in life was to have a happy family of her own. Her relationship with Miel was just a joke at the start until they both realized that they really love each other. Just like Cherry, she is getting married next year!
Cora and Cherry will settle in the US soon. Shellah intends to try her luck in Malaysia. Iris and Miel talk about settling abroad, too. Four friends, four lives. Wish them luck that distance and time zones won’t be the reasons to end their friendship.
Apat ang pangunahing bida sa pelikulang ito: sila Maui Taylor at Baron Geisler na gumanap bilang mag-asawa at sila Precious Adona at Yul Servo bilang mag-asawa din.
Umikot ang pelikula sa temang pangangaliwa. Sa umpisa pa lang, makikita ang pagiging liberal sa sekswalidad ng apat na bida. Halimbawa’y ang pagpayag ni Rita (Precious Adona) na halikan ng kanyang asawa (Yul Servo) si Marie (Maui Taylor) dahil sa nalaglag ang barahang pinapasa nito sa larong pass-the-card. May eksena ring habang sinasamahan nya si Marie sa banyo upang sumuka ay tinanong nya kung masarap bang humalik ang asawa nya. Hindi pala nya nararanasang halikan ng asawa at makikita sa pelikulang may emotional gap sila ni Yul. May pagkakataon ding pinakitang workaholic si Yul at naapektuhan ang sex life nilang mag-asawa.
Kaibigan ng mag-asawa sila Marie at Baron. Sa umpisang bahagi ng pelikula, niyayaya ni Baron si Marie na mag-quickie at ihinto ang pagmamaneho. Sarkastiko si Maui sa kahilingan ng asawa. Maging sa pag-uwi sa bahay, mas buhos pa ang atensyon nito sa mga alagang aso. Isang beterinarya si Maui samantalang si Baron ay ni walang amor sa mga hayup. Nagtataka si Baron sa panlalamig ng asawa. Para na syang baliw kakasunod kay Marie lalo na nang magsabi itong gusto nya nang makipaghiwalay. May kutob syang may kalaguyo ang asawa, ang pet trainer nito.
Isang banidoso si Baron at may malaking pagpapahalaga sa self-image. Naglihim sya ng pangangaliwa kay Marie na di naman sinasadyang natuklasan ng huli. Doon na nagrebelde si Marie ngunit ang pagkakamali nya lang, hindi man lang nya kinumprunta ang asawa hinggil sa natuklasang babae nito. Ang babaeng naanakan ngunit nagpalaglag ay miyembro ng isang Christian fellowship. Masasabi kayang “The spirit is willing but the body is weak?” Sa huli, malalamang nagrebelde nga si Marie at nakipagrelasyon sa kanyang pet trainer. Sa isang eksena kung saan humihingi ng despensa si Marie sa pet trainer dahil sa abalang nagawa nya sa pakikipagrelasyon, nauwi sila sa pagtatalik na syang nahuli ni Baron. Caught in the act, napatay ni Baron ang asawa.
Nakulong si Baron at nahati ang opinyon ng mag-asawang Rita at Yul. Kampi si Rita kay Marie samantalang si Yul, kay Baron. Lalo pang tumindi ang emotional gap ng mag-asawa dahil dito. Sa biglaang pagkakataon, nagkaroon ng ibang dibersyon ang bored housewife na si Marie sa pamamagitan ng pagsama sa Christian fellowship. Doon nya nakita muli ang mataderong pinapantasya ngunit ito pala’y may asawang imbalido. Nagkaroon ng relasyon ang dalawa at nagtaka si Yul sa biglang pagiging sobrang “relihiyosa” ng asawa.
Sa huli, malalamang may relasyon nga si Rita at ang matadero. Hiniram ni Yul ang baril ng nakalayang kaibigan na si Baron at tinangkang patayin ang asawa kung mahuhuli sa akto. Sa batas, makakasuhan lamang sya ng destierro kung mapatunayang napatay nya lang ang asawa dala ng matinding galit kung nahuli sa aktong pakikipagtalik sa iba.
Nahuli nga nya ang asawa ngunit wala naman syang lakas ng loob na patayin. Ang bayaw ng matadero ang nakakita sa ginawang pagtatalik ng dalawa sa bahay habang nagdaraos sila ng Christian fellowship. Nakulong si Rita sa salang adultery at hindi mapatawad ang sarili sa ginawang malaking kahihiyan sa asawa at pamilya.
Tama nga na isa itong trahedya. Para sa akin, kung nagkaroon ng tamang komunikasyon sa pagitan ng mag-asawa, hindi hahantong sa pagkamatay ni Marie o pagkakakulong ni Rita ang istorya. Una, walang magagawa ang paninisi at galit ni Marie kay Baron kung nakabuntis man ito. Inisip lang ni Baron na si Marie ang unang nagtaksil. Maaaring malikot sa babae si Baron at kahit kumprontahin sya ni Marie ay balewala lang. Pero makikita sa istoryang mahal na mahal ni Baron si Marie kaya kahit na gawin nya ang pagkumpronta, makikinig at aamin si Baron sa ginawang pangangaliwa.
Kung nasabi rin ni Rita ang hinaing nya sa asawang workaholic, malamang hindi sya nahumaling sa matadero. Ginawa pa nyang palusot ang fellowship na talaga namang nangyayari din sa totoong buhay dahil may mga taong gagamitin pati simbahan makagawa lang ng kasalanan. Malinaw na wala silang intimacy ni Yul.
Pinakita din ang bonding ng dalawang magkaibigan: sila Marie at Rita at sila Baron at Yul. Normal sa kulturang Pinoy ang dumaraing sa kaibigan kahit sa pinaka-personal pang problema. May mali din ang pagdaing sa kaibigan dahil hindi naman alam ng kaibigan natin ang nangyayari sa buhay natin at hindi naman sila kasama sa 24 oras. May mga problemang naihihinga sa kaibigan pero magandang piliin lamang ang dapat sabihin dahil may mga opinyon silang makaaapekto sa ating pag-iisip
Sa kabuuan, maganda ang pelikula at magagaling ang apat na bida.
I cleaned my closet last night. I got rid of PV’s things, mostly underwears. Memories of our happy days reminded me. For some strange reasons, I missed him so much.
I know I have to get rid of his memories. But the love is deeply engrained in my heart; it just can’t fade away. Maybe if it was not a one-way street, I would have been the happiest person on this planet. He said that he loved me, that he was serious on me; but he never did the loving things that is expected from a lover.
Miel, my present boyfriend and fiance’, and I went to the chapel early this morning. It was my 2nd time to wake up that early and go to the chapel with a lover. The 1st time was with Changki’s dad way back in 1998.
I feel so secured when I’m with Miel. Sometimes, I can feel that I still love PV but I can also feel that I’m falling for Miel each day.
I. Pre-Pamamanhikan
Miel prepared well for the pamamanhikan. We started our Sunday by going to the chapel to hear the minister’s text. He seemed so relaxed at the chapel. We met Zaldy, a convert like me. He converted his faith to INC because of his girlfriend. I told him that I had a somewhat similar experience but I decided to be converted not because of Miel but because of my own freewill. After our worship, Miel and I had some doughnuts and coffee at Mr. Donut. It was the best doughnut I ever had because I was with the man that I would soon marry.
We went home to my apartment and prepared the things that we needed for our travel. We took some pictures while inside the bus. We reached home at 12:10 PM. I introduced my fiance’ to my mother, brother and daughter. There was no tension. Everyone was calm. My father was not yet around when we arrived.
Miel and I ate the delicious kare-kare prepared by my mother. It was so yummy; I forgot that I was on a diet. After eating, we went to the living room to join my mother and daughter watching “House of Wax.”
Everyone was consumed on his/her watching; we temporarily forgot what we’re there for. My father arrived and I introduced Miel to him. Miel kissed his hand as a sign of respect. I did not notice if he did the same to my mother earlier.
3:00 PM, we went to the mall to find an internet shop. I could have sent my e-mail on my laptop but the wireless was not functioning well. I introduced Miel to Larry, a neighbor and a childhood acquaintance. Larry runs the internet shop.
We went to have a light snack at Jollibee afterwards. He was amazed at the big number of customers there. After there, we went to buy cake at Goldilocks and ice cream at a grocery store.
At home, he had a chance to bond with Changki. They seemed to get along well. My daughter has been looking for a father figure. She knows that her grandfather is not her father and her real father is not fatherly to her.
II. Pamamanhikan
I could have by-passed my parents in the decision-making for my wedding preparation but being a dutiful daughter and a good Filipino, I followed the tradition. Miel good friend, Ate Jenny, suggested to bring a minister for the pamamanhikan since his father is in Cebu. I told him that we don’t need a minister because my family is Catholic.
After dinner, I asked my then irritable father to sit down with Miel and I for a conversation. (Earlier, Miel was praying very hard for God’s guidance.) My father was mad at the start; my mother was just playing it cool.
Miel said his intention, that is, to formally ask for my hand. My father was unreasonably sarcastic. He was intimidating Miel with his .45 calibre gun. Miel was relaxed. He didn’t show signs of fear or disrespect. My father did not agree to the February wedding. He said that it was too soon. I told him that I no longer believe in long-term engagement after two failed long-term relationships.
There were three tactics that Miel and I tried to do to persuade my parents:
1. Paawa (Pity-Me Effect) Effect- “My mother is long dead so she won’t disagree to my wedding. My father has his own life, too.” ~ Miel to my father.
2. Taray  Effect -“Pa, you think I’ll buy that long-term engagement thing? I’ve been through two failed long-term relationships but did it work?” ~ me to my father.
3. Pa-guilty Effect- “I have fears of being infertile. What if I couldn’t give him a child? So I need to get married on February!” ~me to my parents.
All those three tactics didn’t work. Their reply?
“What’s the difference between getting married in February and getting married in December?” they both asked.
Me and Miel whispering to each other “We just can’t wait!”
III. The agreement
So my parents did not like a February wedding. They suggested a December wedding. Miel had other plans—a June wedding.
“Honey, December is too long. Let’s make it June,” said Miel to me.
“Okay, we’ll make it June,” I said. I winked at him and proceeded talking with my parents.
IV. Realizations
I learned that Miel loves me very much. As the great Francisco Balagtas said, “O, pag-ibig nasok sa puso ninoman. Hahamakin ang lahat masunod ka lamang!” Miel loves me very much. He would cheat death just to be with me.
I learned that Miel could love his in-laws and my daughter.
I learned that Miel dreams to build his future with me, Changki and our future kid/s.
Most importantly, I learned that I have fallen in love so much with my husband-to-be. 🙂
The World of Second Chances 