The room was cold but little kernels of sweat were sprinting on his face as he reached for the right pocket of his denims. Then he went down on his knee and, with his gaze locked with hers, popped the magic question: “I love you. Will you marry me?”
She looked dazed as she began to melt in his arms. She heard him but nothing seemed to sink in. She looked around. Her hands became clammy and cold as he put the diamond ring around her finger. She stared at him, speechless. She looked at the ring, still speechless. After about two minutes, she answered: “Yes! Of course!”
The moment was sealed with a kiss followed by a never-ending embrace. Oh, they were teary-eyed.
In a nutshell, the recounting above was how Jardine Gerodias proposed to my dear college friend Gen Enriquez two days before New Year’s Day. But, to say the least, the atmosphere I painted above was the “sanitized” version of the proposal. I didn’t say yet that the proposal scene was taking place in front of about 50 people who mattered to Gen and Jardine. It was also a surprised post-birthday party for Gen, who, in the past, used to complain that she never got to celebrate her birthday because it came just when everybody was already “holidazed” by the Christmas season. So, when we pulled a surprise birthday cum proposal party for her, we were just too happy and touched that we witnessed the moment.
Two weeks before the Big Day, Jardine called all the friends of Gen and connived with them for his grand plan. The date was set, the venue ready. Invited friends were requested to be at Jardine’s condominium unit in the heart of Makati before 10 p.m.
I was dilly-dallying whether or not to attend because I had a 66-year-old mother who was waiting for me in Laguna. She was nursing a broken heart after the death of my father early last year. The holiday season was not helping her in shielding herself from the pain.
The other side of me was stubborn because I also wanted to be there for a dear college friend who was also there for me many times when, in the prime of our youth in UP Los Baños, all we had were dreams. In the end, after some sweet bargaining — that included singing to my mother on the phone some kundiman songs and cracking jokes that somehow took her blues away — I was able to convince Nanay that I would come home late. She agreed with one condition that she would “lend” me her driver, a foolproof way that I was coming home safe and sound to Cabuyao shortly after midnight.
Back in the party, everybody was all agog with the arrival of Gen and Jardine. I only knew three people in the party — my long-lost college friends JJ Jimeno-Atienza, Joee Mendiola-Manalo and her husband Mike Manalo — yet the vibe was convivial enough for me to be at ease. Cocktail drinks were passed around. And while JJ, Joee and I were ogling at the extensive DVD collection of Jardine — both he and Gen are movie buffs — in one corner of his condo, all guests were hushed to be quiet because the sweethearts were already going up to the condo unit.
Shortly after 10 p.m., we kept quiet. Lights were turned off. The video of Kurt Cobain being played in one corner was silenced, too. I could only hear heartbeats running amuck. Someone cleared his throat and he was silenced right away by the majority in the room. The silence was inducing to me to cough but I refrained from doing so for fear that I might blow the cover.
Then we heard the sound of a key unlatching the door. The door gave way easily. Gen pushed it gently. With just one foot of Gen inside the unit, everybody shouted: “Surprise!”
And yes, judging from the instant fear or fright that registered on Gen’s face, she was, indeed, surprised! But soon enough she managed to give a faint smile and calmed down a bit when we started singing “Happy Birthday.” But even after the singing, she was still dazed, in disbelief. Then softly, lovingly, she hit Jardine with her bag, giggling like a little girl. Realization seeped in — it was a surprise party for her. She was all the more surprised when Jardine went down on his knee to propose. She “whacked” him again, this time with tears welling her eyes. She really got the biggest surprise of her life.
* * *
Gen met Jardine two years ago through his sister who, of all places, found Gen in Facebook.
“My sister Jen was going through a Facebook page of a friend, and saw Gen’s picture in there. She decided that I should be set up with her. Welcome to the 21st century setup,” Jardine, a customs broker who is also the COO of his family’s trucking and logistics company, told me how he met Gen, a lifestyle manager at Discovery Suites.
Gen said they clicked right away because of their many commonalities. “We have the same taste in music. We both appreciate the arts, pop culture. We both love reading books and watching movies. We’re both vain!” Gen shared with a laugh.
More than that, both knew they would click because they share the same brand of humor, an intrinsic part of any relationship. They love to laugh.
Gen further recalled: “After our first date, Jardine said, ‘Gen, I really, really like you. Di ako papayag na hindi kita maging girlfriend’!” After which he gave Gen his high school graduation picture with a dedication: “Tayo na kasi.” His persistence paid off as Gen was swept off her feet and finally allowed the love bug to hit them.
How did they know that they were meant for each other? Gen said she knew he was the one because “he makes me smile, laugh and guffaw randomly and he treats me like a princess.” She added, “We always end up texting or calling each other at the same time, and oftentimes say the same thing at the same time.”
For his part, Jardine simply said, “I really knew we were meant for each other when I couldn’t imagine a world not being able to be with her.”
Such love!
(For your new beginnings, please e-mail me at
bumbaki@yahoo.com or my.new.beginnings@gmail.com. Follow me, too, on Twitter@bum_tenorio. Have a blessed Sunday!)