"Aunt Guia! Aunt Guia!" I woke from a nap in the gazebo near my lodge when I heard someone calling me. After breakfast, I'd returned to the house, waiting for Emma's reply about the designs. I decided to relax in the gazebo, overlooking the ocean, and fell asleep without realizing it.
"Why did you sleep here when your room's just steps away?" Reese and Sian caught their breath, sitting down after seeing me rubbing my eyes.
"The air here made me fall asleep. Why do you guys always run and shout when calling someone, like the house is on fire?" I stretched and sat to face them.
"Because we were calling you everywhere, and you weren't answering," Reese said, catching his breath.
"You know you could have called my phone," I pointed out.
"Mmm, right… why didn't I think of that?" Reese realized dumbly.
"Anyway, someone wants to see you," Sian added.
"Who?" I asked, confused.
"Let's go to the main house, and you'll see. Come on," Sian pulled me up, and we rode the cart with him.
Reese drove the cart to the main house. Entering the living room, I saw some of the brothers with Bella and Mr. Min.
"Aunt Guia's here," Reese announced.
"Finally," a familiar voice said. A lady approached, and I recognized her.
"Miss Guia, this is Miss Emma. You met her via video call," Mr. Min introduced her.
"Miss Emma Chen?" I asked. "Hi," I offered a handshake, but she surprised me.
"Chen MingYun, but please call me Emma or jiějiě," she said, hugging me. "Anyway, let's get down to business," she said after a minute. "I don't know if you mistakenly added this," she showed me a familiar sketch on her tablet. "But I saw it in the designs you sent me."
"Did I send that too?" I asked, confused. "Sorry, it wasn't supposed to be there."
"That's what I thought," Emma nodded. "Let's sit down," she gestured to the sofa where the others were silently watching.
"Kuya Eric said you'd be back this weekend. It's still Wednesday," I said, sitting beside the nephews.
"I tried to finish my schedule as fast as possible. I wanted to talk to you about your designs. I love the idea and your revisions. At least the gowns already made won't be wasted. Like you said in your email, we can dye-color them and add more designs. I love your designs, too. But about the other designs you sent mistakenly, I think you have a plan for those. Yes?" I nodded. "I don't know exactly what you're thinking, but I think we can add them to the event, too."
"You want to add them? Aren't they out of place among the gowns and the new theme?" I asked, confused.
"Emma is best known for her wedding gowns and summer dresses. When she saw your designs, she had an idea that still relates to her initial plan," Eric answered. I knew Emma had probably shown him my designs.
"Let me ask you something. Are these designs inspired by your family in the Philippines?" Emma asked.
"No. My best friend's family is in the Philippines. My mom lives in Canada with her husband and my three half-siblings, but they have nothing to do with the designs."
"So, what inspired you to make family-matching formal outfits? One group is for a family of four."
"Yes. Parents, a son, and a daughter. Actually, I got the inspiration for the revised designs while chatting with Rhian."
"Our Rhian?" Aeden asked, surprised, looking at Bella.
"I told you, Rhian started drawing because she wanted to be like her Aunt Guia," Bella explained. "I'm grateful because I don't have to watch her at the playground anymore. Now we stay home, and she draws while I work."
"Reese mentioned that except for your wedding photos, you've never worn an actual gown. You're always in business attire, even at formal gatherings," I continued when they turned to me. "So, I tried designing a gown for Ate Bella and a matching tux for Kuya Aeden. I made matching tuxedos for the father and son and matching dresses for the mother and daughter as well."
"We're your inspiration?" Aeden asked in disbelief.
"Yes, but I just drew it for keeps and didn't mean to add it to the collection." I didn't know why I was inspired to design gowns and tuxedos for them that night.
"How about the other suits and dresses?" Eric asked. Emma had probably shown him those, too.
"They're for Kuya Brian and Sian."
"But there's also a dress." Yes, I added a dress for the mother, though I never imagined Xiàngyá wearing it.
"It's a bonus. Actually, the suit for Sian and his dad was supposed to be a secret between me and him."
"A secret with me?" Sian asked, pointing to himself.
"I saw your phone's wallpaper and thought you probably missed those times," I said meaningfully, making him silent. "I wanted to ask you to make them for the anniversary event," I said to Emma.
"That's a fantastic idea," Bella agreed.
"But wait… what does that have to do with Sian's phone, Aunt Guia?" Reese asked, confused.
I gestured to Sian, but he just opened his phone and placed it on the table, showing a picture of him as a child in a formal suit and bow tie, matching his father's suit.
"You want to recreate this picture?" Eric asked, confused. Bella and Emma sighed at his ignorance.
"I'm glad you sent it to me because it would be a shame to keep it as a drawing. It'll be a big help for the event, too. I asked Eric to make it the main creation for the fashion show. The original theme was wedding dresses, but your suggestion is excellent to surprise the public. Though, I want to add something related to the original theme. So, instead of twisting the wedding theme, why not make it look like a post-marriage theme—'family'," Emma explained. "That is, if you agree, because you're the main designer for this show."
"Are you serious?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yes. We already presented this to everyone this morning, and they agreed, but we needed your permission before proceeding with the preparations," Eric said.
"If you've already decided, why ask my opinion?"
"Everything's on hold because if you don't agree, they can remove it from the event," Aeden answered. "My Style Fashion can just have sales or raffles. We can cancel the fashion show. We don't want that to happen because we know how hard you tried to help, but it's still your decision."
"Well, if you think it's a good idea, go ahead. But about the additional designs, I want to be greedy and let my inspiration models to wear them. If they agree, it'll be great. It’s for them in the first place," I said.
"That was the plan. Bella-jiě and Aeden-gē will attend anyway, so they can be main models, together with their son and daughter. But I don't know about gēgē and Sian?" Emma asked, looking at Sian.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Guia, but no," Sian protested.
"Sian, Guia created it especially for you," Emma tried to convince him.
"I know, but I don't want to attend the event. I'm sorry," Sian protested again and left the room.
"You can just take us out of the event. Dage's family is there for the main creation anyway," Brian said.
"I don't think it'll be complete without him. I created your suits first because I wanted to see you both together," I pointed out.
"I agree with Guia. It's a collection for families because we'll change it to post-marriage. Not all families have two children," Emma agreed.
"Aunt Guia can try to convince Sian. I think he'll listen to her," Reese suggested.
"Me?" I asked, confused.
"You're good at negotiating too," Bella agreed.
"So, it's settled then? This will be our main creation. We'll go back to the company to start the preparations. We can't waste more time because the event is next week. I want to be hands-on in making the main creation dresses too. Eric, shall we?" Emma said, not letting me refuse.
"Sure," Eric said, standing up.
"I'll go with you," Aeden said, and they left.
They all went off to do their own thing, leaving me wondering if the meeting really happened. The drawings were just sketches when I was thinking about what to do with the designs. I just tried to create something, thinking an idea would pop up. I didn't expect I'd mistakenly send them to Emma, and now they'd be added to the collection for the company's fashion show.
"Do you want to join us for Jacuzzi therapy?" Bella asked, surprising me. "I invited some friends if you don't mind. It can help you relax."
"Your friends? I don't think I'll relax with your classy friends, ate. Plus, you probably invited Kuya Brian's girlfriend. I don't want to deal with her again," I said.
"Don't worry. She's not on my friends list," Bella assured me, making me chuckle. "Actually, you probably know them all. So, are you in?"
"Are you sure I won't be more stressed?" I asked, and she raised her hand in promise. "Okay. Sure," I agreed, and we prepared and went to the Jacuzzi room, which I didn't know existed in this place.
In a few minutes, Chaeyoung, Iliana, and Lindsay arrived. I thought I'd meet new people, but it was just them. I didn't even know Iliana was back. She said she returned last night and planned to surprise me, but Bella invited her for a girls' afternoon fun. I wasn't complaining, though. Lindsay was back for the upcoming event, too.
"Guia, how does it feel to have so many brothers?" Chaeyoung asked curiously, sipping her wine. We were all in the Jacuzzi, enjoying refreshments.
"Cool!" I answered sarcastically, making them laugh. "Well, honestly, I'm getting used to it. Or maybe I am already used to it. I'll just think their girlfriends will be my sisters sooner or later. Like Ate Bella. So, I'll have to wait for the other sisters-in-law."
"Well, you already have Iliana-unnie and Jacqui-unnie as your maybe-soon-to-be-sisters-in-law as well," Lindsay pointed out. "If I'm lucky, I'll be added, too. That is, if you think of us that way."
"That is, if you ladies really end up with them," I nodded, smiling.
"Are you not going to object if Heath proposes to Iliana?" Bella asked.
"Or Ilwoo to Jacqui?" Chaeyoung added.
"Honestly, if that happens, I'll throw a party for them. When I found out about their relationships, all I wished is for them to be together forever."
"That's because you don't want to be in the middle if we fight with them or break up with them. You hate being in the middle," Iliana said.
"You already know that but you still fell for Heath."
"It's not like I can stop my heart from loving someone. Your brother is such a gentleman, and he has everything I want in a man. You know that."
"Stop being cringe-y," I said, rolling my eyes.
"So, Guia, are you going to interfere with their love lives if you don't like their girlfriends? I mean, the other brother of yours?" Chaeyoung asked.
"Uhm… no?" I answered, unsure. "But even if I don't like their girlfriends or can't get along with them, I don't think I can interfere. Whatever and whoever they love, I'll try to accept them. I'm not the type to intervene, unless… unless I have to, like if I see their true colors that might ruin everyone's relationship. Most importantly is when they ask me to interfere. Those women are joining the family; they should know how to behave and not act arrogantly, right?"
"Are you referring to someone?" Bella asked, chuckling, but I shrugged.
"I love you guys, and you should know that now," I said.
"Even me?" Lindsay asked.
"No," I replied jokingly, laughing when she scorned.
"Well, whatever you want to do is okay. Your DNA is the same as your brothers'. You have the right to pry, especially when it comes to women involved with them. If you don't like the girlfriend and feel she's not good for them, you should tell them. I know you're a good judge of character," Bella said.
"Yeah, Guia is very observant," Iliana declared.
"Honestly, unnie, I'm curious on how you really feel about Iliana-unnie and Heath-oppa dating," Lindsay asked.
"Well, like I said, part of me is happy because I know who the girlfriend is. But the other part is against it because I'm afraid their relationship won't work out, and I'll be in a difficult place. I hate that kind of stuff. For me, family is family, and friends can be family, too. I don't want to complicate things, especially when it comes to love," I answered honestly.
"Don't worry, my dear. Heath and I promised that if that happens—knock on wood—we won't make you choose sides," Iliana said.
"That's good to know."
After the Jacuzzi, Chaeyoung took us to a nail and beauty salon. It was a full schedule for a girls' day, including shopping and an Italian restaurant for dinner. It was late when we returned home.