BLESSINGS AND BUBBLES
The morning sun was bright but the two people on the couch were moving very slowly. Because the sofa was so small, Kei and Fay had woken up tangled together like a knot.
"Ow, ow, ow…"
Kei groaned, trying to straighten her back. She moved like a rusty robot.
"I think my spine is shaped like a 'C' now."
Fay sat up, rubbing her neck.
"I told you, Kei. The bed is more comfortable."
"The sofa is more soft!" Kei said
Though she was limping toward the kitchen like a penguin. After a warm breakfast of porridge to soothe Kei's stomach, they packed their bags. Unlike the luckless travelers in another life, their car started with a healthy roar.
As they began the drive back toward the city, Fay looked at the road signs.
"Kei, we're passing through Batangas. Why don't we stop at the Taal Basilica?."
"Okay"
.
.
.
When they arrived, the massive stone facade of the Minor Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours loomed over them, magnificent and ancient. Outside, the atmosphere was buzzing. They spotted a group of bridesmaids in elegant, flowing dresses adjusting their veils and holding bouquets.
"Someone's getting married," Fay whispered, her eyes bright with excitement.
They stepped into the cool, incense-scented air of the church. The high ceilings and ornate gold altars were breathtaking. They found a quiet pew and knelt to pray.
For a few minutes, it was peaceful until...
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Kei's eyes widened. She leaned toward Fay.
"Wait for me here… I have to… go. Now."
Kei stood up and began a frantic, awkward trek toward the parish toilets. As she walked, a series of tiny, rhythmic sounds followed her.
Toot… toot-toot.
She tried to squeeze her muscles tight, but her stomach had other plans. Every step was a gamble.
When she reached the restroom, she realized she was out of luck.
No soap.
Panicked, she spotted a Surf laundry powder sitting by the sink. She grabbed a handful of the grainy detergent just as her turn came.
The situation inside was a nightmare.
The stall door had no lock. Kei had to perform a feat of Olympic athleticism. Sitting on the toilet while extending one arm fully to hold the door shut against the crowd of women outside.
To make matters worse, she was terrified of the acoustics. Every time she felt a "rumble" coming, she would slow down, making a pained, concentrated face, trying to let it out as silently as a ghost. Her expression was a mask of pure, comedic agony.
"Why are this things happening to me?"
Tooooooooot
"Just please make this pain go away"
Tooooooooot
"I cannot anymore "
Tooooooooot
"I swear...to be nice if this pain go away"
Tooooooooot
Finally finished.
She scrubbed herself and the toilet with the floral-scented laundry powder and the bidet, rinsing everything until it sparkled. She washed her hands with the Surf powder at the sink thankfully alone now and rushed back into the church, smelling faintly of "Rose Fresh" laundry.
"Ha.... Finally finished"
"where is fay?"
As kei was searching for fay.
...
Kei found Fay standing near a pillar in the corner. Fay wasn't looking at her, she was staring toward the center aisle.
A bride was walking down the aisle now.
The light from the high windows caught the white lace of her dress, making her glow. Fay's expression was soft, wistful and full of a quiet, dreaming wonder as she watched the ceremony.
Kei stopped in her tracks. Seeing Fay like that triggered a massive wave of deja vu.
"_"
Suddenly, she wasn't in a Basilica in 2026. She was back in their high school gym during the school fair. She remembered the "Marriage Booth" where students played at being wed. Back then, Fay had looked at the couples with that exact same look a mix of admiration and a hidden wish.
And back then, just like now, Kei was standing off to the side, looking only at Fay.
The world seemed to slip into slow motion. The sound of the wedding choir faded into a dull hum, replaced by the thundering, rhythmic beat of Kei's own heart.
Badump
Badump
Badump
Her gaze was heavy with yearning, her eyes screaming the words her lips couldn't yet form. The warmth in her chest was so intense it felt like it might melt the stone floor beneath her.
In that moment, amidst the scent of incense and laundry soap, Kei realized that some things never changed. She was still the girl following Fay and she was still hopelessly, completely in love.