The Friendly Wedding Chapter 12.1

TN: Happy Friendly Thursday. Enjoy reading.

…

Like a child, Sapphire screamed out of happiness at the sight of sand and peaceful sea.

When was the last time she had been at the beach? It seemed so long ago which made her too excited when she saw it again.

She raised her hands and closed her eyes. She let herself be engrossed in feeling of the fresh air. She listened to the waves. Ah! No matter what people say, it's really fun to be away from the city's noises and pollution.

"Psst! Wife, appreciate the nature later. Help me first carry our luggage down."

She glanced over her shoulder to see Johann who looked so tired as he carried his baggage and pulled her big travelling bag. She made face. "You know, Husband, you can leave those things to the helpers here. We don't need to do that. Remember, we're at my grandparents beach house which means many people will attend to us."

He immediately released hold of the stuff. "You didn't tell me earlier. I actually made things difficult to myself when I carried all of this."

"Who told you to carry all our things?" She once again faced the sea and inhaled the fresh air. Good thing that she managed to convince Johann to celebrate her birthday at the Monteverde's beach house.

The beach house at Batangas was really a vacation place. However, only they, cousins, have the privilege to use it. The facilities here are complete and the one built here was not only a house but a real mansion. Although no one has been staying in the beach house, it was always maintained by the maids.

"Senyorita! Welcome back po!" Manang Berta, the beach house's female head servant since she was a child, greeted them while panting.

"Hi, Manang Berta! You look great! How's the whole property?"

"It's good po. Maintenance is always properly observed. Especially now that the inheritance left by Donya Mercelina is more than enough to maintain the place's beauty," the woman replied and then glanced at Johann who was enjoying and appreciating the nature.

"Senyorita, is he the one you married?"

She rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately," she whispered as an answer before pulling Johann to her side. "He's Johann Anderson, Manang."

"Anderson? The same surname as Senyorito Reeve's wife?"

"Yes, Manang," she replied. "She's Agatha's brother."

"Hi, Manang! How are you po?" Johann greeted with a smile and then shook hands with the old lady.

"You're such a good-looking man, hijo. As to what Senyorita had told me before, you actually -"

Sapphire swiftly covered Manang Berta's mouth. "Have you prepared our rooms, Manang?"

"Ah, yes, Senyorita. Everything has been cleaned and your belongings can now be placed there. Senyorito Johann, I'm pleased to meet you."

Johann laughed. "Senyorito sounds so high-fas.h.i.+oned. Just call me 'Johann' po. I don't look like a senyorito, though, I can understand that my face looks rich. Handsome problems."

She forcefully twisted his ears.

"Ouch!" he complained and then rubbed the hurt ear.

"Manang, please bring our stuffs upstairs. I think, we still have things left inside the car. I'll leave those things to you." She asked Johann for the car key and then handed it to Manang Berta.

"I'll follow your wishes, Senyorita. By the way, the food has been prepared. You and your husband can eat anytime you want."

She smiled. "Thanks, Manang. But we will have to wait for Lavender and the rest. They're on their way."

After Manang Berta left, the maids and houseboys on standby immediately brought over their bags. Sapphire and Johann stayed on the sh.o.r.e.

"What time will your cousins be here?" she asked Johann.

"Later in the afternoon. Didn't you say it's better for your cousins to arrive first so they won't be able to turn back?"

She nodded. The couple's plan to help their cousins have closure is on the run. It's all for the sake of, once and for all, having her female cousins to move on.

Sapphire took off the scarf around her neck. She laid it on the sand and then sat on it. Johann took the spot next to her. They both watched the sea.

Sapphire could stare at the sea the whole day and she would never get tired. "Do you know why I want to celebrate my birthday here?"

"Ahm… because you're obviously a senyorita here? With one flip of your hand, everything will be in front of you?"

"Aside from that, I really like the beach house. Whenever it was holiday, Grandma would always bring me here since she also loved the sea. This is the perfect beach getaway for me. There's many happy memories."

"You actually have a happy childhood. Why did you grow up being bitter?"

She smirked. "As we grow up, the world steals our innocence away," she said meaningfully.

"If you let it be robbed, the world will really take it away from you." Johann lied down on the sand and made his arms his pillow. "Why me? I woke up earlier than everyone else about the world's way. However, I did not become angry to the world or to anything else. I'm the poor one here, but I grew up happy. How about you? You have everything, but why are you still unhappy?"

"And that's the irony of life." From its ponytail, she brought her long hair down and let it danced with the wind. "Since it's gonna be my birthday tomorrow, I'm gonna share something to you."

"Hey, I like that. What is it?"

She played the sand beneath her feet. "Promise me, you won't tell anyone."

"Okidoki."

She stared back at him and met his eyes. "I'm not really a man-hater," she admitted.

…

TN:

Batangas – a province in the Philippines, famous for its beaches

po – signifies that the person was speaking politely

Manang – honorific for middle-aged woman

Senyorita – (archaic) The daughter of the master or mistress of a household,  (pejorative) A young girl or lady who doesn’t do or doesn’t know how to do household ch.o.r.es, can also be the wife of the Senyorito

Senyorito – Senyorita’s counterpart, can also be the husband of the Senyorita

Donya – A madam or lady

Hijo – Spanish for son

Okidoki – okay

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