Chapter 23: A lost ball in the high weeds.

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Quote
Translations:

Chu le shen me shi? = What’s wrong?
Er zi = Son
Ni fa shen me shou a? = What are you so anxious about?
Ni bu ming bai = You don’t understand
San yan liang yu jie shi bu qing = It’s not possible to explain in a few words
Bu shi = No


“Chu le shen me shi, er zi?” Mom asked when I said I needed to talk to her in private ― which meant in the kitchen, where guests wouldn’t normally stay unless necessary.


“Mom,” I sighed, trying to keep myself and my voice steady, and leaned against the granite counter top. “You should’ve informed me first before you invited her.”


“Who’s her are we talking about here exactly?” she asked, staring at me in utter confusion.


I groaned and scratched the back of my head in frustration. “Pamela, Ma,” I said and heaved another exasperated sigh. “I can’t believe you’d do that without telling me.”


“Ni fa shen me shou a? You’re the one who’s always insisting on inviting her to every gathering at our home. Besides, your father and I have known her family for a long time.”


“Ni bu ming bai. Things have changed between Pamela and me now that she’s engaged. San yan liang yu jie shi bu qing.”


Her forehead creased while she eyed me suspiciously. “You two had an argument, didn’t you?”


“Bu shi,” my voice croaked, which I know gave me away.


My mom just nodded and pretended not to notice my attempt to lie. “If you say so, honey.” She paused to glance over my shoulder and motioned a hand gesture as if saying wait to someone behind me. She turned to me again and smiled. “Your Papa is calling me so I need to get back there. But, Ardie, you should realize that she needs you now more than ever. Getting married is not exactly as easy as it looks like.”


I felt an irrational yearning to reply, Yeah, especially when she doesn’t even have feelings for the guy, but I collected myself and merely smiled in return.


Mom went back to Dad and their friends while I headed outside. Wendy was still sitting on the daybed. I was suddenly reminded of the look on her face when Ralph and Pamela walked in.


Her hands were frozen in midair, her fingers as if encircling an invisible goblet, her face was completely drained of color… and between her foot and mine were shattered pieces of a broken champagne glass.




“I’m sorry, Wendy,” Gerard said as he sat next to me. His eyes were apologetic, tired. What a great way to start the New Year. Chinese New Year, that is.


“It’s not your fault,” I smiled feebly. “Who would’ve thought that my ex-boyfriend is marrying your best friend, right?” I shrugged my shoulders and sighed as if in rout.


“I didn’t know they would be here. I―” He stopped in mid-sentence when we saw Pamela heading to our direction. My eyes immediately darted to Ralph, who was trailing behind her like a loyal pet, looking very much on edge on welcoming what was coming next. Hello awkwardness.


“Hey, Ardie,” Pam greeted, smiling meekly.


Ardie? Is that his nickname?


“Hey,” he replied with a faint interest and stood up.


She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. She then turned to me, her hand extending. “Hi, I’m Pamela,” she said modestly.


“Oh, I’m sorry,” Gerard immediately apologized when he realized his mistake on etiquette. “Wendy, please meet Pamela Alonzo. Pam, this is Wendy Mañalac.”


“Nice to meet you,” I said as I shook her hand.


“You know, I see you in the glossy pages all the time but I have to say you’re way prettier in person. I’m star struck, really.”


I won’t deny that she’s nice; maybe if she wasn’t Ralph’s fiancée in the first place, I’d probably like her. Though it breaks my heart to admit it, I’m glad Ralph has found a lovely wife-to-be through her.


“Er… thanks,” I muttered and smiled timidly. I stole a quick glance from Ralph, who was peculiarly eyeing Gerard the whole time.




“I think this is the first time that you’ve seen my fiancé in person,” she chuckled as she pulled Ralph closer to her. “Ardie, I’d like you to meet Ralph delos Reyes, my fiancé. Ralph, please meet Gerard Sanciongco, my one and only best friend.”


I’m delighted that Pamela values me that much but it feels like my heart is being struck by a venomous arrow every time she uses the word fiancé. I still love her, that’s for sure, but I wasn’t about to steal her from Ralph. But I still clearly don’t see why she needs to get married to him when he’s just after their wealth.


“Glad to meet you,” Ralph said while he extended his hand.


I shook it lackadaisically and muttered, “Same here.”


As awkward as it could possibly get, Pamela and I didn’t made a move on introducing Ralph and Wendy, which won’t be necessary in the first place. But we sure are starting to feel the uneasiness creeping in.


I cleared my throat uncomfortably. “Well…” I faltered.


“So… uhm…”


It was obvious that the two of us were just filling in the appalling silence in between in an attempt to cook off any topic, any topic at all. Until Pamela crossed the line and threw in one of the dreaded questions of the night.


“So… is she… your girlfriend?” she trailed off in hesitation. Her voice didn’t reflect any tone of sarcasm or accusation, just plain inquiry. But I was already expecting that question, it was just a matter of when and how long can she put off from asking me. Though I was kind of expecting she would do it ever so subtly, and just between the two of us.


“Y—”


“No,” Wendy immediately interjected before I could even add the next vowel to my reply.


I saw Pam gave me a questioning look like she knew that I was about to utter the word ‘Yes’, so I decided to repeat Wendy’s answer. “No,” I affirmed but rather unenthusiastically. 


I wasn’t sure myself why I wanted to say yes in the first place since Wendy and I haven’t really come to an agreement about our ‘relationship’ public-wise. Still, I felt a bit offended when she responded no. It was as if I was just turned down before I was even able to make a move on.


From the corner of my eyes, I could’ve sworn Ralph stifling a smile. Maybe he also noticed the sudden mixed up of the Yes-No answer, and if Pamela and Wendy weren’t here, perhaps he’ll mock it straight to my face.


I only met him five minutes ago and he was already up in my nerves. So much for first impressions. Damn, I still can’t believe Pamela is about to tie the knot with this jerk.


“Oh, I see,” Pam nodded. But knowing her, I’m sure she’s still trying to comprehend with the whole situation. Well, it’s not everyday that my best friend’s fiancé happens to be my date’s ex-boyfriend.


“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I think I need a refill,” he informed us, pointing to his almost-empty glass of whiskey. “Anyone needs it as well?”


A barrel of Tylenol or Advil would be very much appreciated. I think my head is about to burst any minute because of paramount repugnance from this guy. He’s mere presence is already grating my every cell.


Much to my surprise, it was Wendy who spoke, “A glass of Evian would be great.” I think this is the first time she has talked directly to Ralph since his unannounced arrival with Pam.


I guess I’m not the only shocked one when Ralph answered, his words tripping over his tongue, “O-okay, s-sure. No p-problem.” I could only ogle at Wendy in daze after Ralph excused himself ineptly.


I didn’t realize that until Pam gave me a discreet nudge on the side to get my attention. “Stop staring,” she mouthed.


I immediately recuperated from my state of confusion. Everything is getting weirder by each passing every second. It seems that I need something stronger than Tylenol, like Morphine or Valium.


All of a sudden, my sister appeared out of nowhere and punched my deltoid. “What the heck was that for?!” I reacted from her ambush.


She shrugged her shoulders, “Because you’re my brother.” I didn’t find it entertaining but the three girls were giggling in amusement.


“What do you want, Max?” I prodded, hoping to finally hear her purpose of coming over.


“Oh, right,” she nodded. “Ate Wends, Ate Carrie’s looking for you. She needs to take off early.”


“Well, that’s new,” she chuckled. “Excuse me for a minute,” she turned to Pam. I was about to tag on when she paused. “It’s all right. I’ll see her off. Just stay here with Pamela.”


“You sure?”


“I’m sure,” she smiled. “I’ll catch up with you guys later.”


As she and Maxine walked away, I could sense Pam’s piercing intent look from my peripheral view. “Do you want to go for a walk?” she blurted out, sensing that I needed a breather.


“Have I ever,” I exclaimed in relief.




I held her by her elbow to help her down the small set of steps that leads to the almost-hidden verdant courtyard. She grabbed a fistful of cloth of her lavender evening dress with her free hand to keep it from coming in contact with the lawn.


“I missed this place,” she uttered as we sat on the auburn mahogany settee surrounded by perfectly trimmed hedge plants. I glanced at the cloudless, but almost-starless, night sky. Yeah, I missed this, too… Her above all.


Even though we haven’t talked to each for a while, and our last encounter didn’t quite ended pleasantly, I was glad that Pamela never holds grudges against me or to anyone at all.


I know I should mad at her right now for coming in partly-uninvited, for my part mostly, and bringing her fiancé along. And I should be empathizing with Wendy and how awful she must have felt when we saw the two of them walked in. But I can’t. I couldn’t. I may cast bouts of sulkiness at her once in a while, but that’s just it. I can’t stay incensed at Pamela. Much to my surprise, I was actually glad that she’s here.


Jeez, I’m such an a*sh*le-of-an-escort.


“Aren’t you going to remove your shoes?” she asked while starting to untie the straps of her own footwear. I remember Maxine telling me that those are called stilettos. Well, no wonder. By the looks of its pointed heels, any girl could definitely use it to stab somebody just like the original stiletto dagger.


I could feel the corners of my mouth curling up into a smile as I slipped my feet off my black loafers and removed my socks. Not because of the thought about stilettos, but because she still remembered our little habit of walking barefoot in our ostensible secret garden.


She lightly tapped the wooden arm of the bench and beamed. “Well, this thing is really robust, eh?”


It’s the oldest furniture in our household ― roughly my age because it was given a few months before I was born ― specially made by the loving hands of my late great-grandfather as a gift to my parents because their first heir in line, then-would be, is a boy, which was a huge thing to be festive about among the Chinese. He even had this blessed in a Buddhist temple in Guangdong.


“Sige, ipaalala mo pa na this bench and I are of the same age,” I pretended to scowl, but a few chuckles have managed to escape my throat when she started laughing.


“So how are you, Ardie?” she went on and smiled. “What’s new about you that I still haven’t read on papers yet?”


“I didn’t realize that you’re reading broadsheets now. I thought your source of information was solely based on gossip columns, magazines, and the Web,” I kidded. We both stood up and leisurely walked across the lawn wearing nothing on our feet.


“Perez Hilton is still my number one stool pigeon but that doesn’t mean I don’t have to consult on the local papers,” she justified.


“How can you be a successful news anchor in the future if you don’t have any credible sources? Perez is no Larry King, Pam.”


“I’m not planning to work in BBC or CNN, Ards. I’m made for ET and Access Hollywood.” She even rolled her eyes for effect. She always wanted to be the next Mary Hart, so it wasn’t much of a revelation when she took up Broadcast Communications.


“Then you should be a tyro for Boy Abunda.”


She suddenly stopped walking and placed her hands on her hips and clicked her tongue. “You’re dodging from the original question.”


“Well, what was the original question?”


“What’s the real score between you and Wendy?”


I snickered, “You heard her. Nothing. We’re not together.”


“Really now?” she challenged, crossing her arms over her chest.


“Yes, really,” I lied. I didn’t have the guts to spill the beans that my heart stung a bit when Wendy had said the word ‘No’. It was like she’d rejected me even before we could even get to the next phase or start something.


Unlike my mom, I think I’ve managed to convince her with my answer. She decided to move on to the next question in line. “So what do you think about Ralph?”


“Do I really have to answer that?” I groaned.


“You’re my best friend. Of course I need your honest opinion.” She sighed and put her hands together as if in prayer. “Please? Please? Pretty please?” she begged.


I chortled at her keen interest on finding out the truth, but I know I’ll pay for it later if I don’t answer her now. “I still don’t like him, if that’s what you need to hear. But, hey, I’m not the one who’s to marry him,” I shrugged my shoulders.


“He’s a great guy, Ardie,” she tried to assure me. “You’ll like him, eventually, if you just get to know him better.”


Not if he’s marrying you, I said to myself. “You know how it works for me, Pam. First impressions last,” I told her instead.


“You’re so unfair. Maid of honors, or should I say honor attendants, should try to get along with the bride’s husband-to-be.”


I almost fought the urge to gag when she said that. “Why can’t I just be an ordinary guest to your wedding? Or better yet, why can’t you just not invite me?”


She pouted, and I realized I had struck the wrong cord. “You’d rather not attend my wedding because of that? Now you’re really hurting my feelings, Gerard Tyrone,” she answered grumpily.


“Okay, I’m sorry, that was a horrible thing to say. But you have to understand, Pam, I just don’t like the guy. Plain and simple,” I explained as I led her back to the settee.


“Just give him another chance. I promise you’ll learn to like him when you see that he’s a really good guy,” she reasoned out while we sat down.


“I still haven’t agreed on the honor attendant part,” I reminded her.


“It’s not like you have a choice, best bud,” she grinned.


I paused for a moment and sighed. “I just can’t watch you walk down the aisle with the man you don’t even love,” I finally admitted.


She leaned her head on my shoulder. I put my right arm around her and rested my cheek against her hair.“There are more things beyond love, Ardie,” she whispered.


“Friendship?”


“Maybe, you never know.” I heard her drew in a gulp of air. “How many hours till the New Year strikes?”


I looked at my watch on my left hand then tilted it a bit to show it to her. “45 minutes.”


“Do you think we’ll be lucky this year, Xian Jie Rong?” I could imagine her smiling as she utter my Chinese name. She’d still managed to pronounce it perfectly just like how I taught her.


“I’m not sure, but I do hope so,” I mumbled. I wanted so much to link my hand with hers; but as much as it pained me, I have to get used to the idea that she already belongs to someone else.


to be continued…


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