I am your Fate, You are my Destiny Part II

Part I - http://arlineraijmakers.blogspot.nl/2014/01/my-500-words-31-day-writing-challenge_19.html

The proposal

He proposed to me sometime in May. He said it very clearly, he wrote it too but for some reason the email was not saved and I can't find it in our YM talks. 

He said " Arline, Will you marry me"? 

I was surprised but managed to say “ Are you sure you want to marry me? 

There were some discussions, Q & A, some issues I want to clarify, and the answers were enough.

The most important reason, we were in love. And to make the story short I answered Yes.

Excerpts from one of my emails....

Jun 6, 2007

 

Dearest Love,

Thank you for making me the happiest person in the world when you offered me marriage,,,, asking me "Arline will you marry me"? I thought I was fainting, you should have felt how i feel then.
Goosebumps all over... and overwhelming with happiness.........cried tears of joy..... hoping I can hug and kiss you at that moment ,,,,,,,,, and cry over your chest....... Thank you so much Sweetheart.

As far as I can see we are always meant to be ,,,, my DESTINY....
Baby you are my destiny ... you and I are meant to be... forever,

Thank you for coming into my life.

Your wife to be,

Arline

So instead of the original plan to go and see me in October, he booked a trip in August 2007.

Originally too, it was only to get to know each other better. But since we wanted to get married, we decided to process the papers needed for the wedding.

He only booked for 14 days and that wasn’t enough time to finish all that was needed for the wedding. So he sent all the necessary papers to me and I took care of everything

May 24, 2007

Darlin,

I just booked a flight to Manilla from Amsterdam

I will add the official data so you know when I come and when I must leave you again.

I love you and I can hardly believe this is going to happen.

Vertrek

Van	Amsterdam(Schiphol)	naar	Manilla(Manila)
Vluchtnummer	KL0803
Vertrek/Aankomst	14:10 Vr 3 Aug 07
Arrivaltime	08:45 Za 4 Aug 07
Klasse	Economy Class
Opmerkingen	Totale reistijd: 12 uren 35 minuten

  

Retour

Van	Manilla(Manila)	naar	Amsterdam(Schiphol)
Vluchtnummer	KL0804
Leaving	10:45 Za 18 Aug 07
Aankomsttijd	18:35 Za 18 Aug 07
Klasse	Economy Class

I love you my beautiful Arline

Yours forever, Ton

The sign

A very strange thing happened after all the papers were completed, signed and sealed. .

I came from the Dutch Embassy in Makati, Philippines with everything we needed for the wedding sealed in a brown envelop. I went to a mall in Greenbelt, bought some things and decided to go home.

I was thinking of riding a taxi but decided to ride a coded jeepney to get to the bus station that will take me to San Pablo City.

I was already sitting in the bus when I noticed I didn’t have the brown envelop with me.

I panicked and got a taxi, went back to the jeepney station hoping and praying that I find it again. I talked to someone in charge of the station and he told me to wait for the jeepney that I rode.

We searched every one of them whenever they stopped for their next trip but to no avail.

I called my friends telling them of what happened, they were giving me hope, they said to stop worrying. I didn’t want to call Ton, I don’t want him to get upset and worried. I just waited.

I was there for 2 -3 hours getting restless but uttering prayers too. Then, I had to go to the comfort room and when I came back to where the man was sitting, there he was with the brown envelop.

Can you imagine the relief I had? I cried and smiled. I was very happy. I thanked God.

Then I realized something. A thought came to me, "We are meant for each other" It was destined to happen otherwise the brown envelop with all the important papers we need for our wedding will not be found anymore.

And yes. you can say it was God’s will that we will be united as one. 

The meeting

Ton arrived in August 7, 2007 in Ninoy Aquino International Airport. He was wearing a black polo shirt and jeans. He didn’t see me at once, the security guard had to tell him about me.

So we started walking towards each other. He hugged me, we were both nervous. His hands were shaking, my heart was beating so fast.

From the airport  we took a taxi and went to the apartelle he booked before he even flew to the Philippines. It was a nice place, almost like a little condo or a bachelor’s pad.

In the taxi, we hold hands, at last we finally met in body and flesh. I was quiet, smiling, our hearts were beating so fast, we were still nervous but it was comforting.

Introduction to Family, Relatives, Friends and Colleagues 

The next day we travelled to San Pablo City. He wanted at once to meet my children and family. Isabel who was then 7 years old was at once at ease with him and Justin was very quiet and shy.

My father was happy to meet Ton, during the whole time, he was never without a smile on his face.

He met the rest of the family, my brothers and sisters. Unfortunately my mom wasn’t around anymore to meet the man I decided to spend the rest of my life with. 

But I took him to her grave and silently introduced him to her, with tears in my eyes. I knew she is happy. I imagined her with a beautiful approving smile.

I introduced him to my relatives too and simultaneously invited them to our wedding.

I took him to where I worked previously and where I was presently working (the Colegio) and while we were walking in the building hall of the nursing department, we were cheered by the students, more of teasing I guess.

  

It was like they saw a rock star passing by, that was how Ton felt, :)  probably because he is a singer and he sings mostly rock music.  

He was able to meet my previous employers, friends, and colleagues. My boss Dean Alita Conde even surprised me with a lunch invitation at a restaurant in Tagaytay, where Ton saw for the first time the Taal Volcano, one of the tourist spots in the Philippines. 

He met a very good friend of mine, I call her Tita Eugene, I asked her to be one of our godmothers and she invited us to a comedy bar where a band was playing, he was asked to play the guitar and I was asked to sing a song too.

I sang Runaway by the Corrs and tears ran down his face, the gay emcee said “wow, look at him he’s crying  he really loves you very much”. 

To be continued........... :) 

Part III - http://arlineraijmakers.blogspot.nl/2014/02/my-500-words-31-day-writing-challenge_18.html