Ang ganda ganda ng ayos ng hardin.May mga lamp post na nakapaligid sa dadaanan ni Shelly at Jake.May mga petals ng white and red roses na nakasabog sa pathway.Ang mga lamesa which are covered with gold table cloth ay may mga center pieces na may red and white roses din.May mga candles na lumulutang sa vast pool.Tapos ang gazebo kung saan sila tatayo mamaya ay may mga scented candles and napapaligiran ng red and white na rosas ang buong gazebo.Sabay silang lalabas ni Jake after iannounce ni Thomas ang engagement nila.
Lumabas sila Shelly and Kim from the latter's bedroom and saw Jake pacing back and forth sa sala na malapit sa lanai.Doon sila manggagaling na mag-nobyo going to the garden.
"Jake!" tawag ni Kim.
Tumigil sa paglakad ito and just stood there. Kim's lips twitched upwards when she saw her brother-in-law’s reaction. Hndi niya alam kung ninenerbiyos ito o galit na ewan. He has a funny expression which is so unlike Jake.
Tumingin ang binata kay Shelly whose face is expressionless. Kim made her drink almost half of the bottle of champagne bago sila lumabas.Pampa-kalma lang. And sa tingin naman niya,it's working.Shelly looks cool and composed while her fiancé looks worried and a little pissed.
Naningkit ang mata ni Jake as he looks at Shelly's cleavage.Parang mas bumaba yata ang neckline ng damit nito.
"PUTANGNA! Bakit halos lumuwa na yang dibdib mo? You are not going out like that!" he said in a thunderous voice.
"What's wrong Jake? Mas grabe naman diyan ang kay Trish." Kim said sarcastically.
Kumunot ang noo ni Jake."What the fuck?! At bakit napasok si Trish sa usapan?"
Kim just ignored him.
"It's your fault!" sabi ni Shelly.
Lumapit si Jake sa nobya."Ano ba ang sinasabi mo babe?" he sounds annoyed.
"You sort of pulled my dress down kanina.Hayan tuloy na-disporma." Shelly said looking at her cleavage. "Tsaka Kim's right.Your past women wore more revealing clothes than this!”
"Basta! Hindi ka lalabas ng ganyan ang suot mo!" he said angrily.
"JAKE! You are so narrow-minded! Can't you see? She's just so damned sexy pero hindi bastusin unlike your ex girlfriends."
Nahilamos ni Jake ang mukha niya with his right hand.
"Why do you two keep on bringing them?! Tapos na yun! And wala akong pakialam sa kanila.Ang sinasabi ko is hindi ako papayag that my fiancée will come out looking like that!" galit na galit na sabi nito.
"Jake,Shelly!"sumulpot si William from the lanai. "Thomas's going to call you guys in 5 to 7 minutes." Sabi nito. Bago ito umalis, biglang sinabi na, "WOW! Shelly! You look soo hot!" while he ran his eyes over her.
"SHUT UP WILL!!" sigaw ni Jake,sabay tinapunan ng nakakamatay na tingin ang kapatid.
"Hey! I was just complimenting my future-sis-in-law bro." sabay kindat kay Shelly bago ito umalis ulit.
"PUNYETA!!" he cursed sabay hablot sa braso ni Shelly.
"Aray! Babe ano ba?" reklamo ng dalaga.
"Subukan mong lumabas ng ganyan ang suot mo!!" banta nito.
Kim who is now on Jake's left side signaled to Shelly through eye contact.
"Let go!" galit na sabi ni Shelly.Sabay kinalas niya ang braso from Jake's grip.
"Sige hindi ako lalabas para hindi na din matuloy ang engagement party na to! Sobrang kitid mo naman babe! Pag ikaw enjoy na enjoy kang makita ang ibang babae na halos hubad na tapos pag ibang lalake ang tumitingin sa akin galit na galit ka! Modelo ako,I have worn sexier clothes than this!"
"DON'T FUCKING REMIND ME!" Jake rasped.
"I will leave you guys.I will ask Thomas to go on with the announcement.Once narinig niyong nagpalakpakan ang mga tao, labas na kayo.Pag hindi kayo lumabas,we'll just announce that the engagement has been called off." Sabi ni Kim before going .
Natigilan si Jake.
"Ano babe? Itutuloy pa ba natin to? Kung ayaw mo talaga akong lumabas dahil diyan sa kakitiran mo,then fine!" Shelly pretended to take off her ring. "Heto na ang singsing mo!"
"PUTANGNA! Isuot mo yan! Matutuloy ang engagement party natin kahit kaladkarin pa kita sa labas!" gigil na gigil na sabi ni Jake.
"Then stop acting like that !Kung gusto mong ituloy ito then get a grip on yourself .Damit lang to nagkakaganyan ka na! Ikaw nga nakipag-laplapan sa ex mo dahil sa kalasingan mo!"
Then they heard people clapping outside.That's their cue.
Jake took her arm. "If I ever see you talking to any man out there...."
"As I've said pag nagkagulo dahil sayo and napahiya ang pamilya mo, isaksak mo na sa baga mo ang singsing mo!"
Lahat ng mata ng mga bisita nakapako sa lumabas na couple. Jake Herrera has asked Shelly Marie Fernandez to marry him.They look so good together.The perfect couple.Ang guwapo guwapo ng binata and his fiancée looks exquisite.Ang pamilya lang ni Jake ang naka-pansin that his smile seems not to be reaching his eyes.Mukhang galit ito about something.One reason probably is because he doesn't like the men in the party looking and admiring his very lovely fiancée. When they got inside the gazebo,the couple's family joined them for some picture taking.
Tuwang-tuwa ang mama at papa ni Jake.
"Welcome to the family iha." Sabi ng mama nito na humalik sa kanya. Hinalikan din siya sa pisngi ng papa ni Jake.
"Salamat po." Nahihiyang sabi ni Shelly.
Nasa likod niya ang kamay ni Jake.He seems not to want to leave her side.
"Shelly magiging totoong sister-in-law na kita niyan." nakangiting sabi ni William. "Pwede bang humalik din? Halik kapatid lang naman." paalam nito sa kanya pero kay Jake nakatingin.
"No!" Jake said through clenched teeth. Nailing na lang ang mama ng mga ito and their father rolled his eyes. Napakamot na lang ng ulo si William.
"Nasaan si Sandra anak?" biglang tanong ng mama nila.
"Susunod daw maya-maya ma." William answered.
After Jake's family and Shelly's family congratulated them sunod naman ang mga bisita.Parang bodyguard si Jake na hindi umalis sa tabi niya.
Ng mabati na sila ng lahat, Shelly whispered to Jake, "Babe,samahan ko lang sila lola.And I think Thomas wants to talk to you."
Jake was hesitant to let let go but then they saw Kim moving towards them.May dala itong bote ng champagne and two wine glasses.
"Jake,Mr.Gallardo wants to have a word with you daw." Sabi nito.
Masama ang tingin ni Jake sa dala ni Kim. "Kanino yan?"
"Sa amin nila Shelly and Pat.Of course we need to celebrate." Kim said with a grin.
"Hindi pwedeng uminom si Shelly." He said coldly.
"Grabe ka naman! Minsan lang naman ito! Sige na look,Thomas is waving at you."
Mukhang nagdadalawang isip pa ito na iwanan sila so Shelly spoke. "Babe,go.Hindi naman ako iinom ng madami.Sige na.Nakakahiya sa kliyente niyo." She touched his arm.
"I am watching you babe." pagbabanta nito bago umalis.
Pagkaalis nito ,nagsalin si Kim ng champagne sa wine glass.Halos puno ito hanggang rim.
"Hold this,"sabi nito kay Shelly..Nagsalin din ito for herself.Pareho ng dami.
"Bottoms up!" Kim said and the two woman gulped down the alcohol.
"Sige mingle muna with your family and Pat .Pero here,drink this again.Sabay lagay ulit ng alak sa baso niya.I think effective ang pag-inom mo.Lalo kang nagiging palaban kay Jake.Later after dinner,magsisimula na tayo." she winked.
Ramdam ni Shelly that Jake's eyes are never leaving her.Maybe she needs to drink more.Parang may kaba pa din siyang nararamdaman pag naiisip niya yung plano nila ni Kim later.
"Bestie ang sarap naman ng mga pagkain.Grabe! Pang tatlong plato ko na ata to."Pat said.
Natawa na lang ang lola at mga tito at tita ni Shelly.
"Natutuwa ako para sayo apo." sabi ng lola niya."Mukhang mahal na mahal ka ni Jake."
"Oo nga Shelly," segunda ng tita niya."Halos hindi inaalis ang tingin sayo."
"Hay naku lola at tita Esther,saksakan pa ng yummy ni papa Jake!" kinikilig na sabi ni Pat.
"Ikaw na bata ka,ginawa mo pang pagkain si Jake.Anong yummy na yan?" nakakunot ang noong tanong ng lola niya.
"Lola,yummy as in masarap..."
"PAT!!" saway ni Shelly,sabay pinandilatan ng mata ang kaibigan.
"..masarap mag-mahal lola!" pagtatapos ni Pat sa gustong sabihin. "Ikaw naman bestie,ano ba akala mong sasabihin ko?" sabay irap nito sa kaibigan.
Nagsalin na naman ng champange si Shelly.
"Apo,baka naman malasing ka na niyan." puna ng lola niya.
"Hindi naman po lola.Hindi naman po matapang ito." sabi niya sa lola niya.Although she's starting to feel a little light-headed.
Kanina pa napapansin ni Jake na panay ang inom ng champagne ni Shelly.
"Kindly excuse me for a moment." sabi ng binata sa kapatid at sa mga kausap.
"Naku bestie si papa Jake palapit dito." bulong ni Pat.
"Hayaan mo siya." Shelly made a face.
Naramdaman ni niya ang kamay ni Jake sa balikat niya and he kissed the top of her head.
"Nag-eenjoy naman po ba kayo?" tanong nito sa mga tita,tito at lola niya.
"Ay oo naman iho,salamat.Congratulations ulit sa inyo." sagot ng lola niya.
"Salamat ho." Jake politely replied. "Pat pasado ba ang pagkain?" he asked Pat.
"Ay grabe papa Jake,sobrang sarap!" nakangiting sagot ng kaibigan.
"Hihiramin ko lang po sandali si Shelly ha?" paalam nito.
He then took hold of her hand,"Babe,let's go."
Pagkatayo niya she asked, “Saan tayo pupunta?”
"I think you had too much to drink already." he said.He wrapped his arm around her waist habang naglakad sila going to the house.
"Where are you going?" tanong ni William, galing ito sa loob ng bahay.
"Inside."Jake said.
"Bakit tayo papasok sa bahay? The party is here." Shelly stopped walking.
"Tama na ang pag-inom mo.Pahinga ka na." Jake said impatiently.
"Ano ka ba babe?Hindi naman ako lasing! I don't want to go inside!" she protested.
"Jake!" tawag ni Kim.
"SHIT!" he cursed. He is really getting pissed. He just wants to be alone with his fiancée kaya niya ito inaaya sa loob pero mukhang mapupurnada pa yata.
"Pinapatawag ka ni papa. Dumating si Mr.Clemente." sabi ni Kim who crossed her arms on her chest, "And where do you think you're going? Party niyo to tapos tatakas kayo?Really, Jake!" his sister-in-law sounds irritated.
He cursed and brush his hair with his hand. "Huwag mo ng painumin si Shelly!" galit na sabi niya ng makitang may dala na naman si Kim na alak.
"Don’t worry! Akin naman ito.And Jake, hindi naman kasing-lakas mong uminom si Shelly so huwag kang mag-alala.Besides she won't do anything you won't like." she said habang nakangiti.
Before leaving he whispered to Shelly's ear,"My eyes are on you,babe!" madiin na sabi nito.
Galit na iniwan sila nito.He knows hindi talaga siya mananalo sa hipag niya.
Ng malayo-layo na si Jake,Kim whispered," The show will about to start.Handa ka na?" she asked Shelly,sabay kindat.
Dahil na din siguro sa medyo madami-dami na siyang nainom,Shelly just nodded.Wala na siyang pakialam sa galit ni Jake.Importante kahit kalahati lang ng naramdaman niya ng maglasing ito and had petting with his ex,ma-feel din nito ngayon.Besides,saksakan din naman ng guwapo ang ka-eksena niya.Artista mode ulit muna siya.
"This is going to be fun." She said to Kim,habang may pilyang ngiti sa labi.Then kinuha ang glass of champagne na iniinom nito to drink its contents.