I hear children running around screaming, dogs barking, roosters crowing and adults going about chores in preparation for the after-wedding feast. I laid in bed for awhile, trying to kill more time. I have no idea what time it is and if it wasn’t for my screaming bladder, I would’ve tried to sleep some more. I get up, smiling nervously at all the people who pause in what they are doing to watch or smile at me. I go to the neighbors house, which is the only place I remember there being an indoor bathroom. When I come out, Allan is waiting for me. He asks if I want coffee. It was too hot for that, but I hadn’t had anything sweet in a day and a half (which is a record for me). We go into the main house and he makes me a cup of coffee as I wash my face at a basin. When I am done, I found a loaf of yellow bread on the table. I grab a slice and my coffee, then follow Allan to the adjoining room to watch TV. He turns it onto cartoons and we watch for a little bit. I’m smiling because I just can’t get over the fact that the Transformers know tagalog so well. The mouths were even redone to match up with what the characters were saying, it seems.

In walks in another relative. Allan introduces us (there was no need for him to tell the other person who I was) and I meet Kuya Jhim, Kuya Boy’s brother. For like the fifth time, I was told that I look just like Ida, my mother’s first daughter. Ida was hit and killed by a jeepney at the tender age of 5, before my mother ever met my dad. My sister was there when it happened, but too young to have known Ida all that well. I knew very little of Ida except for how she died, but we have one picture of her, so I know what she looked like. My sister liked to tell me when we were growing up that Ida was a better sister than I could ever be. I always hated that (duh) so it was a little uncomfortable to hear that I looked “just like her.”

Again I spent quite a bit of time answering questions about America and hearing all the things I should do, but can’t since we are not there for a decent amount of time. We talked for about a half hour then I noticed a clock that said it was almost 11 am. I thought that I was in the clear about having to be in the wedding. Boy, was I wrong. Allan and I meander over to the LitterBox house at noon and then I am ushered out the door quickly with Ate Josie, her daughter Jen and Allan. We go to the market and find the dressmakers shop. I started to panic because most of the dresses are the strappy kind that have low bodices. The ones I found that had a high back were too small. I was still told to try them on. But whenever my Ate Josie tried to help me zip my back, I shrunk away from her touch. She kept getting exasperated, exclaiming that I had nothing to be ashamed of, she was my Ate. Allan kept saying I could trust her, but I argued that Ate Josie has more loyalty to my mother, not me. I started to look at matronly dresses (the looks on everyone’s face was priceless at this) until a big arguement broke out (the dress girl even got involved with this one) until I relented and let Allan tell them of my tattoos.

From then on everyone, especially my Ate Josie, became my biggest ally in hiding my tattoos. It was all rather endearing, really. We eventually found this beautiful cream colored gown that fit. The only adjustments that were made were to help hide the tattoo on my back. The rest of the dress arrangements went quickly and we left to have lunch at Chung King. By the time we made it back to our part of the village it was 2 pm and the wedding started at 3:30pm. I was rushed into a shower (yes I actually had a shower which was more like a kitchen sink faucet converter…i need to find a spot in this story to describe the bathrooms i had to deal with) and then to the house where the reception was going to be, my hair still wet and no make-up.

My Ate Vickie, who was the one getting married wanted me to sit next to her in the minivan that was going to take us to the church. She looked a little nervous and I did what i could to alleviate any nerves and she just held on to me. We drove to a village that was a little smaller than Apalit. In the center was a beautiful church and pretty much everyone who was going to be at the wedding was already there. Not that many people would be in the audience because so much help was needed to prepare the reception. There was still some time before the wedding, so Ate VIcki’s daughter found me a place to put on make-up. We went through the church and it was what some may consider a church on a tropical island to be. The walls could be opened by unfolding large panel doorways to let what breeze may come in to keep the place cool. This brought in a lot of light, so all that was needed were candles for ambience. Even still, the amount of lit candles was kept to a minimum to keep their heat down. Birds flew in and out, sitting on altars or pews, filling the church with their chirping.

I was led out back to a garden that was slightly growing over. It still seemed magical. There was a porcelin sink and mirror in an alcove and I quickly put some makeup on while answering all the questions Ate Vicki’s daughter asked me in french. I finished, but dawdled a bit to enjoy the serenity before we made our way out front again. Allan was waiting for me with coke in a long baggie that had a straw sticking out of it. I didn’t care if the baggie had a hole in it and leaked onto my dress or that it was soda (which i hardly drink), I drank it all down i was so parched.

While we waited outside, the photographer took pictures of the bridal party, so I was asked to pose once in awhile. Finally people started entering the church to take their seats. The wedding party assembled in the back of the church and soon we were making our way down the aisle. I tried to keep my hand lightly on Allan’s arm, but he would lean into me which made me grip harder for balance or he would cover my hand with his and press down. When we got to our row of pews, we separated to our respective sides and sat down. Wedding ceremonies in the Philippines have two people performing. It was almost like dueling banjos. There was a melody to the harmony of the main priest. Little birds flew in, out and about the church singing.

Soon after it started, I saw Jhon-Jhon come out onto the left side of the “stage” holding the video camera. He weaved in and out of the videographer’s way, around the couple, beside the priest. I thought he was rather brave. I would have been too scared at having a preist yell at me to be so bold. With the camera still on the couple, he turned his head and scanned the audience. As soon as he saw me, he headed straight for me with a chesire grin on his face. I tried to be very proper when I saw the camera light turn on while Jhon had it pointed at me. But after an excessive amount of time, I gave him an admonishing look and tried to mouth out the words “get away”. At this he started giggling and so I pointed at the altar to remind him of why we were all there. He quickly panned through the rest of the wedding party and then filmed the bride and groom. Soon it was time for the lighting of the candle, the placement of the veil, the placement of the cord and then, my part, taking the veil off of the bride and groom. As soon as I sat back down. Jhon was in my face with that blasted camera again. I waved and mouthed “hi” but that didn’t make him leave. Sure, he panned the rest of the people in my pew, but the camera inevitably landed and lingered on me afterward.

After the priest announced the couple man and wife, I was ecstatic. Weddings always make me bawl like a baby or clap until my hands threaten to bleed. Ate Vicki kept looking at me while they faced the audience, almost as if she needed my exuberance to keep her up. We then had to take more pictures at the altar. Ate Vicki held onto my hand whenever I was needed in a picture. People started walking out of the church. I held back and took my time. It was Jhon, Ate Ester and me enjoying the stillness and quiet that came upon us…until Jhon tripped over some velvet ropes and tried to gracefully recover. Then I enjoyed the howling laughter that came out of me. : )

Back outside, the camera was in my face again. This time I didn’t care if it would ruin a wedding tape, I stuck my tongue and grimaced at Jhon. In fact, I ended up doing that quite a bit just to get him to keep the camera off of me. Of course this became the funniest thing in history and he couldn’t get enough of me on tape after that. Hi, my name is michelle and i _will_ ruin your wedding video if it pleases me.

We made it back to the house where the reception was going to be at. I found my seat at the wedding party’s table and sat down. It was right next to the band that was hired and of course, I was gawked at and whispered about. So I just ate. There was really no chance for conversation, which was fine by me. That gave me the opportunity to look around and take in as much as I could. I was looking around when I saw that Jhon had sat himself in the corner of the yard straight ahead of me and to my right. Allan was sitting directly across from me, but the table was shaped as a large “u” so that the servers could get to each of us and serve. If I looked just to the right of Allan, it was just to the left of Jhon. They both were making googly eyes at me and trying to get my attention, so i decided to look right in the middle. This drove them crazy as each thought I was looking at the other. This made me laugh to myself, however, so it always looked like the other person was making me laugh. I thought these two brothers were going to start fighting with the looks they were giving each other.

Everyone started to get up and leave the tables, so I did, too. I wanted to find my extra set of clothes that I thought would be there for me to change into, but no one knew where it was. As I was walking back to the main area, I went through this little walkway and went by the cake right at the moment the photographer was taking a photo of it. He started to give me a hard time about ruining the shot. I nearly gave him a sassy piece of my fairy princess mind, but then he pulled me toward the tables and motioned for me to sit. I saw him walk over to where the bride’s bouquet was and try to fix the arrangement. Then he handed it to me and started focusing his camera lenses on me.

“What are you doing?” I nearly screeched.

“Just sit there,” he reassured me.

So I did. What the hell, right? I posed for a few pictures then went over to where I thought I could hide in a corner. Nope. Allan, another nephew, my mom’s brother and Kuya Jhim encircled me. This was starting to get annoying because I always felt the need to converse out of politeness, but just wanted some quiet time to take in all I could.

Ate Josie came up to me and said that in honor of my being there, she will have her first San Miguel. I laughed and said she had to be sure to toast me.

I can’t remember why I got up, but I was back over in the chair where the photographer was taking my picture. Allan walks up with a glass of wine for me. i started to drink it, but he stopped me.

“Wait! Wait!” Then he encircled his arm around mine and drank from his glass. I didn’t. I waited for him to finish and pulled my arm away from him. Ate Vicki and Kuya Aland were dancing, so Jhon pulled me onto the dancefloor with him. It was a slow song and he and I sang along, the photographer taking our picture all the while. Afterward, I started to sit back down, but Allan wanted a dance with me, too. I did’t know the words to this song, so I asked Allan if he would take me to the Litterbox house so I could change into other clothes.

“Yeah, yeah. Later.” he said.

“No, now. Later we’ll be having too much fun and we won’t want to leave. Besides, i am hot now.” I know I sounded whiney, but I was the only one left in wedding clothes and it was HOT.

“Later, later.” he said and brushed me off.

Oh reeeeeeeeallllly? I thought to myself. Right then and there I decided to take drastic measures. I walked straight over to Jhon and asked him to take me to the Litterbox house. Of course he was very excited that I asked him to escort me and we left then and there (with Ate Shirley and any of the little kids who wanted to follow along).

I was getting used to all the questions asked about me to my neices and nephews by the people on the street. Even in the dark night, I was noticed and stared at. I even developed a blase face when needed. On the way back, guys on the street who got my name from the little kids began calling me.I ignored them and noticed how Jhon and Ate Shirley looked a little smug at all the attention.

As soon as we got back to the reception, Allan was on me like (ahem) white on rice.

“Where were you?”

“Well, YOU wouldn’t take me to change my clothes, so I asked Jhon-Jhon. He was very sweet.” I felt Jhon standing right behind me, Allan wouldn’t look at him.

“I said I would take you,” he said rather accusatorily.

“But I wanted to change my clothes when I asked you, not later.”

“Well, okay. I’m going to play the drums for you okay?” Then he ran off toward the band.

It turns out all my relatives took over the instruments so that the band could eat. I sat in the corner where Jhon sat during the meal and was immediately surrounded by at least ten different relatives. Jhon brought me a beer and stood next to me. I looked over toward where instruments had been commandeered and Allan gave me a signal that this was the song he was going to play for me.

“Wait right here, okay?” Jhon asked me.

“Yes, okay.”

It took all i had to not laugh at what happened next. Jhon stood right in between my line of vision and blocked Allan and I from seeing each other. Maybe I wouldn’t think it was on purpose if it wasn’t for the fact that he did nothing but stood there and Allan was glaring at him afterward. More music started to play and I noticed the band boys pushing this guy in a white tshirt over toward my corner. He started walking toward me, but Kuya Bong made it to me first and held out his hand. With a laugh, I took it and heard laughing and ribbing from the band boys as the guy in the white shirt walked back to his friends. I danced with Kuya Bong for quite awhile and was stolen by other people during an entire Neil Sedaka montage (of which every word I sang along to). After the montage, there was a little break and I went over to where my beer was (Ate Vicki noticed it was warm and a cold one was brought to me right away). Allan started to walk toward me purposefully but the guy in the white shirt made it to me first. He bowed half way as he offered his hand. I took it with another laugh and all of the band boys started cheering. Allan stormed off somewhere. Mr. Man was trying to do all these sexy dances, but with all my relaives around (most of them being guys) I kept my dancing rather chaste. There was a lot of dancing for awhile and a lot of beer. Then we started winding down and just sitting in groups laughing and joking. Ate Josie was plastered to my side, plastered herself. Her first San Miguel turned into her first seven. She wasn’t feeling well either because she had gotten a piece of cake with a lot of frosting and it didn’t sit well with the beer.

After I ate a tiny bit of rice, Allan and I walked Ate Josie to her house. I wanted to sleep there, but we had to go to the Litterbox house and tell them first. However Allan and I sat there for so long, Jhon bursts into the room and starts yelling at me that six of my kuyas were all out looking for me. They thought that Allan and I snuck to a discotheque. We hurried back to the Litterbox house, Jhon repeating all of his worries and anger. i felt like poop. As soon as I walked in, everyone who was awake (not my mother, apparently she wasn’t worried) circled me and I had to get yelled at all over again. At one point someone said that everyone had to stop because I was looking like i was going to cry. Jhon felt so horrible that he hugged me, making Allan scowl. He told them that Ate Josie wanted me to stay at her place so that she and i could spend time together so they let us leave. I was saying good night to Jhon last when Allan grabbed my hand and pulled me out of there. I was so done with all of this. As soon as we got settled at Ate Josie’s, Allan wanted to talk. I said,”Too tired” rather cheerily and went to bed.