Reina breathed in deeply, closed her eyes, relishing the sound of her name on her friend’s lips, and said in a low voice, “God! Say that again! I miss hearing that!”
“Yang!!!!” Chrissie screamed it louder this time, shaking her head at the absurd request of her friend and then grinned.
“Yan!!” Reina ran to her friend and hugged her.
The ladies cried, laughed, and started talking at the same time. It was a wonder how they could understand each other.
Kayley, with her right thumb in her mouth, watched her mom and the other lady. She hugged her teddy bear more tightly with the other hand; her eyes filled with curiosity at the strange sight before her.
A few minutes passed when she realized the grown-ups were ignoring her! She didn’t like the idea one bit!
Oh, no, no, no!
She had to do something! Crying would not be a good idea. She is no cry-baby!
Thus, she walked over to her mom’s side and tugged at her mom’s dress. Maybe she didn’t pull too hard because her mom didn’t even look at her. She stomped her little feet and with a look of determination, she tugged at her mom’s dress, again, but this time, a little harder causing her mom to almost fall down!
Chrissie looked down to see who did that and to her amazement, she saw her little girl with her mischievous but captivating smile.
“Oh I’m sorry honey!” Chrissie exclaimed and picked Kayley up.
She winked and whispered an explanation to Reina, “She doesn’t want to be left out. She always wants to be the center of attention.”
Reina nodded in full understanding, grinned and said, “Just like her mom!”
“Yup!” Chrissie replied with a smile and kissed her daughter’s cheek.
Then she said, “Kayley, baby, this is your Marmie Reina.”
Kayley flashed Reina her bright smile and exclaimed, “You’re so pretty! But mommy’s prettier than you!”
Reina shot an eyebrow up, amused at her niece’s impetuousness, “I see she takes after you, Yan.”
The best friends laughed in agreement.
Seeing that the attention was not on her again, Kayley complained, “Mom, when are we gonna eat? I’m hungry!” and pouted her small lips.
“Oh my god! Where are my manners?” Chrissie exclaimed.
“Have you had breakfast yet?” Chrissie babbled, obviously mortified at her absentmindedness.
“Manners?” Reina sniggered as they walked towards the manor. “Since when did you acquire manners, Yan?”
“I’m a mother now, remember? I must set an example,” Chrissie explained.
She leaned over and whispered to Reina, “Although, I have to admit that the little miss here is turning out to be more than the brat that I was.”
“Was?!” Reina teased and they laughed again.
“By the way, what’s with all the secrecy?” Reina’s face suddenly became serious. “Why don’t your parents know that you’re here?”
Chrissie stopped, put Kayley down, and told her daughter to run ahead of them before she answered.
She sighed, “A long story. I’ll tell you after you had breakfast or else you’d lose your appetite or worse…faint!”
“That bad, huh?” A frown marred Reina’s forehead.
“Well…Not exactly…but it will surely be quite a shock,” Chrissie replied and bit her lower lip.
“Okay, I’ll take your word for it, Yan. Besides, I’m hungry!” Reina smiled.
========================================================
“So what’s the big secret?” Reina asked, putting down her cappuccino.
They had just finished their breakfast in the garden.
She looked Chrissie straight in the eye, and prodded when she didn’t answer right away.
“Oh, c’mon! It can’t be that bad, right?” Reina’s eyebrow shot up, but started to become somehow doubtful at her own words.
Chrissie was avoiding her gaze.
“Uhmm…” she paused uneasily. “I think we’d better go inside and grab a stronger drink than what you’re having”
“Okay so this can’t be good,” Reina concluded, her heart suddenly thumped harder.
“Yan!” she yelled, knocking the chair as she stood up.
“I’ll tell you. I promise,” Chrissie replied and added, “After you had something stronger.”
She went ahead but looked back when Reina didn’t follow.
“Well?” She put her hands on her hips.
“Okay…whatever makes you spill,” Reina rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air.
They went inside and headed to the mini-bar.
Chrissie took her time preparing their drink.
“Well, Yan? Spill!” Reina asked sharply. She was crossing her hands now and tapping her shoe. She had an irritated look on her face and her right eyebrow was raised.
Chrissie ignored her look and handed her a brandy. “Drink this first.”
Reina rolled her eyes, exasperated but indulged her friend, and drank anyway.
“I’m getting married,” Chrissie blurted out.
Reina choked on her drink
“You’re what?!” She screamed.
“You heard me. No need to scream,” Chrissie said calmly. “I hope you brought something appropriate to wear with you…”
“Yan!!!” Reina looked like she was about to explode. She couldn’t believe that she heard her friend right.
Chrissie ignored her friend’s mounting fury and continued, “The wedding’s this afternoon. Nothing grand…”
“You finally got into a serious relationship and did not tell me about it?!” Reina said carefully, almost too slowly, stressing out every word.
She started pacing back and forth, in an effort to calm herself down but to no avail.
Then, she suddenly stopped and faced her friend, “Unless… Omigod! Chrissie, are you sure?”
Reina had a horrified expression on her face, “It’s not just one of your flings or something…”
Chrissie tried hard not to laugh at her friend’s exaggerated and unfounded anxiety.
Reina, seeing Chrissie’s mirth, grabbed her friend’s shoulders and shook her lightly. “Chrissie!!! This is marriage for crying out loud!!!”
“Of course I thought about it, silly!” Chrissie said with a smile and gently took Reina’s hands from her shoulders and led her crazed friend to a chair.
“I’m in love!” Chrissie said as soon as she took her place opposite her friend.
“I finally have fallen in love with the most wonderful man on earth!” she announced excitedly.
“Heaven help me!” Reina prayed as she saw the idiotic sparkle in her best friend’s eyes. She placed her palm on her forehead and suddenly felt faint.
“Damn! Yan, if this was actually the real thing your parents would have supported you all the way, knowing Uncle and Auntie,” Reina reasoned, fervently hoping that this was just a joke.
“It’s a long story,” Chrissie had a smile on her face, undaunted by her friend’s lack of support.
“I have all the time in the world!” Reina pressed on.
Chrissie’s eyes brightened and looked at Reina in the eyes, “He’s a wonderful guy, Rain. He knows everything about me…soiled goods and all. He accepts me and he loves me!”
“He adores Kayley and Kayley is smitten with him!” She added with a dreamy smile.
“He understands all my atrocities. He’s my perfect match… That’s why I’m marrying him.” Chrissie ended her argument with another dreamy smile and an exaggerated sigh.
“Chrissie Yan!!!” Reina’s face was indescribable. It was a mixture of disbelief, irritation, surprise, and horror.
But Chrissie, unmindful of her friend’s reservation, continued smiling, almost daydreaming, like a lovesick adolescent kid. “Yup! Chrissie Yan soon to be Mrs. Christine Margaret Yan…”
A masculine voice completed for her, “Li… Mrs. Christine Margaret Yan-Li.”
Reina’s eyes widened as she saw the newcomer.
“It can’t be!” Reina’s voice came out as a whisper. This is turning out to be a nightmare.
“Oh, God! Please wake me up. Please,” she silently prayed.
Chrissie turned to the direction of the voice and said, “Honey! You’re here!!!”
Chrissie stood up to greet the smiling Matthew. She locked her arms around his neck and kissed him hungrily.
Matt, pulled her closer to him, and she moaned.
They pulled away from each other, a contented smile on their faces.
Matt turned his attention to his fiance’s guest, “Hi, Reina! You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” He grinned, his eyes disappearing.
Reina stood up with her mouth still agape.
She turned to Chrissie whose arms were still on Matt’s waist and was leaning on his chest.
“You’re marrying Matthew Li?!” Reina looked at her friend, then at Matt, and then back again at Chrissie.
“Yan, if this is a practical joke! It is not funny!” Reina seriously said and kept shaking her head.
“It’s not a joke… I’m really marrying him!” Chrissie hugged Matt tighter, hoping it will convince Reina.
“Omigod! As in HIM!” Reina felt suffocated. She put one hand on her chest and the other on the armrest.
“The Matthew Li!!!” She slowly sat down and put her hands on her face, still breathing heavily.
“Uhm…I think you’ve said my name too many times already,” Matt spoke.
“Yes, Reina, may I call you Reina?” he said, quite unsure if he’s allowed to be on first-name basi…