Kim stood up and moved his chair beside me. He reached for my hands under the table and held them tight.
"I'm here. You don't have to be afraid," he said, staring into my eyes to force me to look at him.
I wondered if my reactions were so transparent or if I had a history with this Josh Herra. But my reaction told me I had been into some conflict with him. Addressing me as Jakara further added to my suspicion that I was indeed Jakara. Because If I had an identical twin, I wouldn't have been bothered like this.
"Who is he, Kim? Why does he address me as Jakara?" I asked; my lips were already quivering. I was glad the lights were dim because the people around us would have seen my reaction.
"Don't trouble your mind for now. You're pregnant, and it isn't good for you to worry much."
He released my hands from squeezing, but just when I thought he would already pull them out, he began interlacing his fingers with mine. I no longer realized the romantic part of it; all I wanted was to know who I was.
If I'm indeed Jakara, why don't I remember anything? What happened to me six years ago? Why do my parents and relatives say nothing about this?
"Kim, can you please tell me more about Jakara? Does she look like me? Is she my twin sister?" I dared ask him since my emotion had already welled up inside.
Kim forced a smile and said, "It's a common thing that people would misconstrue you as someone else."
I knew he was just avoiding the issue. But, whether or not he was afraid of stressing me out because I was pregnant, I couldn't care less anymore.
"Look, Kim. Almost everybody here thinks I am Jakara. Even if others keep their opinions to themselves, I can still feel the depths of their gaze."
"Don't stress yourself. Just consider these people as paranoids."
If only we weren't in the middle of a party, I would have argued with him. Since I have started to crack the glass, I might as well smash it into pieces. But Cris stood up and walked towards the center, putting off the fire of courage within me in facing the truth.
He then called everyone's attention and asked us to lend our eyes and ears. The chatters from every table hushed as everyone turned to listen to him.
"I have invited all of you tonight because I want you to be the witnesses of the special event I have arranged for Trish. As you all know, she has become the most special person in my life. Perhaps, you can never imagine how I would allow myself to get hooked by a woman. But as people say that "love comes in unexpected ways," she indeed has got me."
Almost all of the women there squealed and stood up as they gave their rounds of applause. My anger and anxiety also dissipated as my focus shifted to them, allowing my emotion to ride with the current tide.
I looked at Trish, and our eyes met. Even in dim lighting, I could see how she turned pale in one moment and blushed in the next. I wanted to go to her to give her support, but when I tried to stand up, Kim placed an arm around my waist, stopping me.
"Stay here. Cris has other plans for her."
Before I could answer, a piece of romantic music flowed into the air. I then saw Cris taking off a microphone from its stand. And after a short prelude, Cris's beautiful voice filled the air as he sang one of Martin Nievera's wedding collections titled, "You're My Everything."
When my eyes fell subconsciously on the surroundings, I noticed some people arriving and occupying the empty tables outside our space. And because everyone's attention was on Cris, no one else saw their silent arrival. Drawn towards the current momentum, I ignored these people and focused on the couple.
When Cris sang the last chorus, he walked towards Trish and took her hand. Trish's tears were already trickling down her cheeks as Cris led her to the center. Being onion-skinned as I was, my eyes immediately got wet as I watched her smiling with tears streaming down her face.
When Cris finally ended his song, the crowd was still in a daze. No one seemed to notice it as everyone was still mesmerized by the current momentum. He chuckled and placed a finger on her face, wiping the tears away. Trish laughed awkwardly, but her eyes shed more tears than before.
"Trish, I'm sorry that this is a bit hurried," Cris said over the microphone, "but this is because I must complete the project I have started in the UK this year. And I don't want to leave you wondering if I am indeed sincere or not. I don't want this petty thing to ruin our relationship, so that's why I have decided on this."
Expecting to hear another round of squeals, I got surprised when there was none. Instead, everybody gave them their full attention, perhaps too excited to know what's brewing on Cris' mind.
"Trish, I don't want to take more time, so let me ask you this question, "Will you marry me?"
Trish's mouth hung open as more drops of tears rolled into her face, coupled with a round of applause from the crowd. She seemed to have gone blind and deaf to her surroundings since she didn't even glance at us. Even then, she still stood as beautiful as ever, like an overwhelmed beauty queen on her coronation night.
She then threw her arms around Cris's neck then laughed, and cried.
"Of course. Who would ever want to refuse an offer for a lifetime of happiness?"
"Will you marry me then?'" Cris was already laughing, apparently happy at her answer. She could have said yes right away.
"Of course, I'll marry you."
I didn't see their reactions anymore because Kim tugged my arm, drawing my attention from the couple.
"Please go and bring Trish over to that white marquee tent."
I followed the direction of his finger and indeed saw a closed-type marquee tent not far from us. White, lacy curtains adorned its door and windows, making me think it was a bridal chamber.
Before I stood up, a voice floated from the background saying, "The next highlight of our event today will be a short piano concert by a renowned pianist of the country…"
I was still halfway towards the couple when Cris walked her towards me.
"Please, take care of her, Miss Yen."
I nodded, but my mind was wandering over what was going on. Would there be more than Cris's proposal?
A beautiful lady met us at the entrance of the marquee tent. She then guided us inside and had us seated on couches.
"Miss Trish, Miss Yen, I'm Kath, an event coordinator. I'll give you five minutes to change. This one is yours, Miss Trish," she pointed to a cream, silk dress on a mannequin, "and this one's for you, Miss Yen."
I stared at the old-rose colored dress on another mannequin, and I felt that sometime in the past, I had loved this color. Whoever chose this one made my night.
"Miss, what's going on? Why are we dressing up?" Trish and I asked simultaneously, and we broke into
soft laughter as soon as our eyes met.
"I'll explain later, but as for now, we have no time yet."
"Okay." Trish's voice cracked, and I could tell how nervous she was.
"Maybe, Cris and I would have a dance number. But, yen, I'm never good at it."
I stopped and stared at Trish before enclosing her in a tight hug. "Congratulations, Trish! Cris really loves you."
Trish started to sniff and said, "I'm stunned! Do you know that?"
I hugged her back, and before we turned emotional again, Kath's voice interrupted us.
"Your time is almost up, ladies. Mr. Williams has arrived already."
I then remembered Vic saying that Mr. Williams was Jakara's adoptive father.