Page 87 of The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos

It’s been six months of meticulous planning, full of seemingly endless dress fittings, cake tastings, and DJ audition tapes. It felt like they were in an endless wedding prep purgatory and then all at once it was over. Claire and Nicole are finally married, and Dalisay almost wishes they could do the whole thing over again. Almost.

A couple weeks after Dalisay and Evan got back together, Claire proposed to Nicole. After their shift at the hospital, she got down on one knee right in front of the entrance and askedfor Nicole’s hand. Her sister came home sobbing, and Dalisay almost thought something terrible had happened until Nicole threw out her hand for Dalisay to see the ring on her finger.

Dalisay was the maid of honor, and half of Kaiser Permanente were in attendance. JM and Pinky came too. As the coin bearer, Little Luis carriedlas arras, a box of thirteen coins presented to the couple; however, he thought he was the “coin bear” and growled at people as he went, much to everyone’s amusement.

Lola walked Nicole down the aisle. Before taking her seat, she kissed both of Nicole’s cheeks and said, “Your papa is very proud of you. He loves you so much. Can you feel it?” There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Their mother, already asking pointedly about grandchildren, couldn’t stop crying during their vows. Daniel was the designated tissue dispenser.

The day was a total blur, but Dalisay is glad for the party to get started. It means she can finally relax.

The reception hall is decked out in a Winter Wonderland theme, turning the interior of the hall into a frosted landscape straight out of Narnia. White birch trees line the hall twinkling with thousands of lights, crystal icicles and white roses cascade from the ceiling, and sheer white curtains drape across the walls like billowing snow. Their mother oversaw the decorations and by the way she threw herself into the job, leaving no detail to chance, Dalisay knows that she has given her blessing to the couple.

Dalisay makes her way from the head table and takes an open seat next to Evan as the rest of the guests flood the dance floor.

“Good job,” Evan says. “You’re a natural public speaker.”

Dalisay smiles and gives him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. You look very handsome, Mr. Saatchi.”

Evan tugs at his collar with a raised eyebrow and his eyes sparkle. “Thank you, Ms. Ramos. This wedding is going off without a hitch.”

Almost as if on cue, Little Luis tears across the hall, screaming and laughing as Melinda chases after him. As he’s grown these past few months, his powers of chaos have only increased. He dodges and weaves around tables and crawls under them, no doubt thinking this is the greatest game of tag ever. But he screams and kicks when JM scoops him up and hands him over to Melinda just before he can knock over the swan ice sculpture.

Pinky sidles up behind Dalisay and rests her forearms on Dalisay’s shoulders. Her cheeks are pink from the champagne already. “Get up, lazies! Let’s dance!”

“I think I’ve had enough dancing in public for one lifetime,” Evan says, taking another sip of his champagne. Something is up with him, Dalisay doesn’t quite know what. He keeps patting the pocket of his jacket and biting his full bottom lip. His leg is bouncing like crazy under the table.

“You go on without us,” Dalisay says to Pinky. Pinky’s too tipsy to protest and she moonwalks to the dance floor.

Dalisay turns back to Evan. “Are you okay? You look a little pale.”

Evan laughs. “I’m fine! Really. Just a big day.”

“You can say that again,” Dalisay says with a relieved sigh. “I’m ready to fall asleep under the table.”

Evan glances at her, and smiles, and then clears his throat. “I’m going to get some cake. Do you want any?”

“Yes, please! And some more champagne, please!”

Evan nods and snakes his way through the crowd toward the dessert table.

As the music kicks up, Dalisay slides her heels off and leaves them under the table. Her feet ache from being in them all day, and now it feels like her toes can finally breathe. Everyone seems to be having a good time as the DJ blasts the latest Blackpink single, and she is more than happy to sit back and watch everyone else dance.

Dalisay feels Nicole slide into Evan’s empty chair. She kicks her bare foot up onto another empty chair, looking as if she’s lounging at home even in her beaded wedding gown. “Is Evan having a nice time?” she asks.

“I think so.” She watches him as he smiles and chats with her extended family, balancing desserts in one hand and holding a bottle of champagne in the other. She looks at Nicole again, seeing a small smile on her face as she looks at Evan too.

“Hey,” Dalisay says, making Nicole look at her. “I’m really happy for you. I love you a lot.”

Nicole wraps her arm around Dalisay’s shoulders and brings her in to a hug. They hold each other for a long moment before Nicole pulls back. “I love you more. And I know you’re gonna be really happy too.”

Dalisay laughs and is about to ask her why but one of their cousins whisks Nicole away to join them on the dance floor just as Evan returns to his chair. He sets the cake slices down, sliding a plate of cookies and sliced fruit in front of her too, and she smiles. He knew she would want some, even though she didn’t ask.

But, out of nowhere, Little Luis escapes containment and comes careening into Evan, wielding a fake icicle like a sword. “Whoa, buddy!” he says, laughing, and grabs Little Luis under the armpits. Little Luis screams, foiled once again, and Daniel swoops in.

“You are grounded, mister!” Daniel says, snatching the decoration out of his hands and throwing Little Luis over his shoulder like a sack of struggling potatoes. “Sorry, man,” he says to Evan as Little Luis giggles and snorts and Daniel carries him away.

“No worries!”

Dalisay shakes her head, laughing, but her eyes land on something on the floor. It must have fallen out of Evan’s pocket when Little Luis bumped into him. She picks up a small velvet box and she freezes when she realizes what it is.

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