Chapter 73 Chapter 37 (i)
FAE
Our Sunday plans with my friends went through as expected. My friends arrived as early as nine, picked up by Jigo’s driver. After a quick snack, we started showing Joanna, Pam, and Kacey around the property.
Thanks to our nightclubbing before, the three were no longer awkward around Jigo. The conversation was lively and loud. They teased us about the pictures from last night’s party going viral on social media, even more so than our clubbing photos, because the press was there. We hadn't checked our social media, but Jigo spoke to the family publicist on the phone earlier so we knew that Lola Leah already heard about it. She saw a video of our moments on the dance floor because many guests recorded it on their personal phones. Jigo needed to schedule a visit to his grandmother before she got impatient for news about her grandson!
But we knew we had one more day of impasse before we could proceed with our plan to tell Lola Leah the truth about our relationship. We talked earlier about how it was better to tell her now, while she was still very happy, so she wouldn’t be too upset with us. We had one more day of silence. So we turned off our phones to all calls and news, but not before Jigo gave instructions to his publicist and Maria to field the calls. Maria would handle the family members wanting to know the real score between us because she was the first to know everything and knew what to say and what to keep secret.
“Wow. Is it really like that? Do people go crazy when you get a girlfriend?” Joanna asked, fascinated. Jigo explained that when their relatives confirmed to the matriarch—Lola Leah—that we were a couple and we asked for privacy, Lola Leah instructed everyone not to disturb us because they’d be in trouble if I broke up with her grandson because they annoyed me. Maria laughed while recounting this to Jigo in the last call before we turned off our cell phones.
It was overwhelming. I was lost in thought until Kacey playfully pinched my side and asked why I was so clueless. Apparently, Jigo really liked me, and Lola Leah loved me for her grandson. Why was I so unaware for so long?
“I told her, but she didn’t believe me. Lola Leah loves her to pieces,” Jigo said before planting a kiss on my head. “Do you believe it now?” he asked me.
“You can’t avoid her tomorrow. What will you do?” I asked him instead.
He frowned a little but let it go. “I’ll concede to whatever she wants. I’m happy she’s supportive of us so I’ll be very obedient. If she says we should give her a great-grandbaby right away, I’m ‘Yes, lola!’”
He kissed me in response to my playful smack to his chest.
“You’re making us jealous again, huh?” Pam pouted.
“No wonder you waited so long to be together; you’re making the most of it!” Kacey teased.
“Yeah, it’s annoying. You act like you’re on a honeymoon. Why don’t you just get married?” Pam added. “It looks like that’s where your lola and relatives are pushing you to do, Jigo!”
I glanced at Jigo, who nodded. I took a deep breath.
“Actually, we already did,” I said before I lost my nerve. It was the perfect opportunity, so I grabbed it without hesitation.
Pam continued to complain, but Kacey was the first to catch what I said. Next was Joanna. Pam reaction was delayed. She stopped mid-sentence, then stared at me.
“What? What did you say?”
I sighed. They knew me well enough to tell if I was joking or serious from my tone. But of course, this was shocking and unbelievable news. I lifted my hand and showed them the two rings I was wearing on my fingers now instead of hiding them as pendants on my necklace. And they hadn’t noticed them since they arrived earlier.
Three pairs of eyes focused on my wedding band and engagement ring. Then they shifted to Jigo’s left hand as he lifted his own.
Then they screamed like banshees, then burst into laughter like hyenas. I saw a few birds flying away from nearby trees by the Koi pond, startled by the sudden noise.
“You’re married?!” Kacey screeched.
“When? Where?! Why weren’t we there?!” Joanna cried.
“Oh my god, you’re married? To Jigo? Of course, you’ve been all over each other since earlier, right? Who else could be married but you two, since there’s no other guy here, unless it’s me? To the frog?” Pam, having a meltdown. A frog had jumped at her earlier by the banana grove and had scared her.
Then they jumped, hugged, and bombarded me with questions. Even Jigo got hugged. And squeezed and patted. I had to promise that there would be a church wedding and they definitely would take active roles, and I watched them plan ahead.