You Have To Go First

The rest of the talk revolved around the set-up of the wedding. The pair of sponsors were to be from both sides. Fem would call her two childhood friends at the South City to be bridesmaids, her sister Trell was to be one, and Annie her only single classmate friend during college. The rest of her female friends were all married already. Fem requested Stanley to sing a special song. Not to mention, Stanley could sing better than their singing sweetheart classmates. He just didn't want to draw much attention to himself from those girls who are just infatuated to someone who has great voice but can't do any better in his studies.

"Sure, you can let him sing our wedding song as well." Mark said stroking Fem's small back. The groom's men would come from his side too. He had three friends since highschool.

"I'll tell him that." Fem smiled as she looked at Mark's face to check if he has some sour expression. His face was calm though.

It was already three o'clock in the afternoon when their talk and plans were all settled. Ivee and Mrs. Law were chatting in the kitchen while Dave and Greg went for a stroll on the meadow. When they came back, Mark was pleading his woman if he could just stay and accompany her. Fem thought it wasn't necessary and Mark needs to make the necessary arrangements himself.

"You have to go first and settle your matters. I'll come and meet you on the 29th. I'll call you when I arrive, okay?... Hey! What's on that face?" Fem scrunched her eyebrows as she smiled sweetly at him seeing her man frowning at her.

Mark fell silent. It was evident that he was displeased. Was he being too clingy?

"What else can I do? But sweetheart, you make me worry so much. Please promise to take care of yourself" Mark resigned helplessly.

"Yes mom!" Fem stepped back a little and gave a salute. Then she stepped forward and hugged her man. "You should take care too. You should be going now. Call me if you arrive okay?" Fem tightened her hug as she tiptoed to give him a kiss. Mark turned away his face evading her kiss that her lips landed on his ear instead. Fem smiled at the back of her mind. Was her man being petty again?

"Fine! I don't like you either!" Fem unclasped her hands from his waist. She didn't entertain his mood. She's certain that his mood was due to her turning his pleading down. She turned to check Mark's grandparents. She found them at the kitchen packing some stuff ready to leave. There was a bottle of rice wine, some purple rice and sweet potatoes neatly arranged on a native woven cloth bag.

Mark started to stride towards the chopper not looking back at her. He hopped on the chopper and within a minute, the chopper's blade started to spin. Fem bid goodbye to Mark's elders as the three of them sent them off.

When the helicopter was out of sight, Fem also arranged got ready to leave. She needed to hike back to the boarding house so that by tomorrow morning, she could catch the earliest trip to Provincial Capitol for her interview. She has forwarded her application in the Public Works and Highways Department thru her boss Ernest the moment she saw her name on the list of board passers. Another interview she needed to go was a small Architectural Firm which was founded just five years ago. She discussed this with her parents first before she hurriedly grabbed her back pack and trailed off.

The Laws were having dinner at seven o'clock when a gentle knock was heard from the door. It was already dark since December days were shorter than the rest of the months. If not for the bright moonlight, one would be groping in complete darkness outside at this time.

"Who's there? " Greg stopped chewing his food and turned his head towards the door.

"Just an old time friend. Can I come in?" The voice of a man was faintly heard but Greg knew of the people who do such. All his life, he has learned every style of visitors coming and going in and out of his house. Even their voices were distinct that he could tell if they are first timers in this village. This particular one sounded familiar though, but he never heard him for some three to four years.

"You're not a visitor anymore, come in and join us for dinner." Greg was straightforward.

The tall , rugged and middle aged man slowly emerged. Surprisingly, he was in a complete civilian attire. His high caliber arm that always hang on his shoulder, tge magazine of bullets strapped around his chest and waist, with his back pack of unknown content were not with him anymore . The younger kids looked terrified including Trell but Niel, Grace looked unaffected.

"Don't you have any companions? Greg inquired.

"Some are in the neighborhood, I'm the only one who came here." The man lied.

Greg didn't dare to ask any further question because he was not interested in anything about them anyway. Mrs. Law rose up to get a plate and spoon and pass it to the man who sat at the middle beside Neil.

The visitor looked around the table and noticed that the daughter she saw in his binoculars wasn't around. He didn't show his displeasure but he straight away asked, "I heard your daughter was around but why don't I see her now?" He said.

Greg widened his eyes as if to ask what business does he have with his daughter's whereabouts. "I have many daughters. Most of them are living their own lives far away. Which one are you talking about?" Greg said.

"If I remember right, you called her Fem before. I thought she was home." The man did not hide his intention.

"What do you look her for? Does she have business with you?" Greg also revealed his displeasure of his visitor's inquiry.

"Nothing. I was just trying to ask. Anyway, your neighbors saw her arrive this morning with a man, where did where are they?" The man sounded interrogating. Greg's blood shoot up and wanted to grab his visitor by the neck.

"She went back to the city for some job interview tomorrow. She just came to tell us that she's getting married soon." Mrs. Law answered the man when she saw that her husband breathed thru his nostrils. If smoke could come out from them, it could have filled the whole dining room with thick dark smoke.

"She's getting married. I see. With whom?" The man further asked ignoring his male host's dangerous aura. He was used to this aura anyway. That was nothing to him.

"He met him years ago in the city. They have been in a long distance relationship for three years." Mrs. Law said casually. She didn't want to reveal the identity if her son-in-law to be.

Greg finally managed to control his anger and spoke. " Don't ever come and try to recruit her again or plan anything about her. I allow you to enter my house as often as you need but don't ever think that you can take any of my children with you on the mountain. We don't share the same ideology. You understand? It's useless for you to force someone who doesn't believe what you believe!" Greg said sternly.

The man kept quiet and ate silently. He was in deep thought althrough out the dinner.

After dinner, he chatted with Niel then went outside to lie down on the bench under the moonlight. They thought he was just resting outside and would come in to sleep for the night. Niel peeped thru the window from his room and saw no one on the bench. He thought the poor man just went to relieve himself or strolled in the meadow but until the next morning, he didn't appear again.

In the bus, Fem was sitting two seats behind the driver. There was a tall man who got on the bus about a hundred meters away from where she boarded. He sat just right at the empty seat at at the other row a little behind her just enough for her to side glance him. The bus arrived at the stop where Fem had to alight. It was just about six kilometers from the outskirts of B City. She noticed the man came down as well. She side glanced at him and saw his stares were somewhat suspicious. She tried to rack her memory to recall where she saw this familiar posture and aura. She entered a fastfood chain to have breakfast first while waiting for time. The office will open at 8:00 o'clock and her interview was scheduled at 9:00. She has about more than an hour to go. She ate leisurely but her mind was wandering back from her past. She finally recalled. If she was not mistaken, that man was the commander of the rebel group who tried to recruit her before. She felt a bit uneasy of the thought that he might have been following her. She thought of texting Mark but she has no evidence to send him. It was just pure memory. She looked around to scan her sorroundings, the man was nowhere to be seen. Fem went to check herself in the toilet then hurriedly walked out of the fast food. She looked around one more time but did not see the man. He must have hidden himself somewhere nearby. Of course, these people are well trained!

Fem purposely walked along with the many people who were hurriedly heading to the direction she was headed. Maybe they are also hurrying to their job. Fem saw some policemen patrolling along the stalls and she walked close near them as a way of protecting herself.