A TASTE OF HERS

ANIKA FELT LIKE A CREAKY, OLD LADY. Pakiwari niya'y magkakabitak-bitak ang gulugod niya kapag pinilit niyang ituwid ang kanyang likod. She had been bent for hours sewing an ornate Chantilly French Lace trimming and an intricate seed-pearl beadwork on a vast yardage of diaphanous tulle. The fabric was the very last piece of the wedding gown collection she had been putting together for nearly a year.

She let out an audible sigh of relief when she knotted the final thread before carefully snipping it with a pair of scissors. Her relief was short-lived when she finally straightened, and her back, spine and all, screamed in protest. Malakas ang daing na kumawala sa kanya, as she nearly doubled-over with the pain.

"Te encuentras bien, Senorita?" Nag-aala'ng lapit ng kanya'ng mananahi.

"Estoy bien, Roseta." Sagot niya at muling sinubukang ituwid ang katawan.

"Estas seguro?" Paniniguro ni Roseta na nakatingin sa nakangiwi niyang mukha.

Anika pounded her back with balled fists. "Me lastime la espalda," Aniyang ipinaliwanag na masakit ang likod niya. "Pero estera bien." Dagdag niya upang huwag itong mag-alala.

"Trabajos demasiado, Senorita."

"Y vos, Roseta." Anika said in answer to her seamstress' remark that she worked too much.

Isang ngiti ang itinugon sa kanya ni Roseta bago binalingan ang belo na ilang araw at gabi niya'ng pinagpaguran. "Y esta finalmente terminado." She said, touching a seed-pearl. Hindi mapagkit ang ngiti'ng muli ito'ng nagtaas ng tingin. "Gracia a Dios."

Lubos niya'ng nauunawaan ang magkahalong tuwa at ginhawa'ng naka-badya sa anyo nito, dahil iyon din ang nararamdaman niya ng mga sandali'ng iyon.

Hindi biro ang pinagdaan ng maliit nila'ng bridal shop sa mga nakalipas na buwan. Encanta was a hole in the wall in an unpopular street at the southern end of Paseo del Prado, in the historic city of Madrid. Her shop, which was barely two years old, offered custom-made bridal frocks at a modest price.

Sapat lang ang kinikita niyon upang tustusan ang mga pangangailangan ng shop at pasuweldo sa nag-iisa niya'ng tauhan. Minsan abunado pa siya sa mga tinatahing gowns, because she was too proud to skimp on her creations. That, plus the fact that she was too maudlin for would-be brides who dreamed but can barely afford her magical wedding.

Magkagayon man, masaya at ikinararangal ni Anika ang kanyang munting tindahan. It was all her own - ang katas ng mahigit lima'ng taon niyang kayod bilang costurera sa isang premyadong fashion house sa Madrid. Assistant din niya doon si Roseta, at nang magdesisyon siyang tuluyang bitiwan ang posisyon niya bilang Master Seamstress upang itayo ang maliit ngunit sarili niyang negosyo, sumama sa kanya ang biyuda'ng Espanyola. Ito, kasama ang dalawa'ng apprentice, ang tumulong sa kanyang itayo at itagayod ang Encanta.

Halos kalahati lang ng silid niya sa kanilang Spanish Colonial villa sa Sant Pol de Mar ang kabuuang laki niyon. The showroom fronting the street showcased her bridal creations-- flowy, frothy, glittering pieces displayed behind a laminated glass façade illuminated by golden spotlights. Inside, the tiny showroom was ablaze with warm white light from cove and pendant lightings, enhancing the shades of ivory, cream and gilt that colored the walls. Racks upon racks of ready-made gowns and bolts of silken, velveteen, and sheer fabrics lined all four sides and corners of the room. Beads and crystals glittered like gems from their holders. Walang napapadaan sa eskinita'ng iyon ang hindi napapalingon o napapatigil sa harap ng shop. In that dull and desolate alley, Encanta was like a warm, brilliant ray of sunshine.

Apart from the showroom, the shop was further divided into two, smaller partitions - ang fitting room para sa mga kliyente nila at ang workshop kung saan binubuo ang mga disenyo niya. It was here that they were holed up for the past weeks trying to beat the deadline for her bridal collection.

When they started, there were four of them working full-time on the individual frocks, each taking several hundreds of hours to make. Pero dahil sa laki ng ipinuhunan niya sa mga materyales at iba't-ibang uri ng tela na karamihan ay inangkat niya mula sa ibang bahagi ng Europa, her funds were eventually depleted. Ilang beses siyang naantala sa pagpapasweldo sa kanyang tauhan na kalauna'y napilitang maghanap ng ibang malilipatan.

Roseta, ever loyal, chose to remain with her, despite having other lucrative options. Mahigit tatlong taon na ito'ng biyuda, walang anak sa kadahilanang may edad na ito nang ikasal sa namayapang asawa. Wala na rin itong uuwia'ng kamag-anak sa malayong bayan ng Llastres, kaya minabuti nito'ng tulungan na lamang siya. Anika was on the verge of dropping the project, but because of Roseta's sacrifice, and the unending encouragement of the few who believed in her, nagawa niya ituloy ang nasimulan.

She exhausted the few hundred euros she managed to scrape up for her savings, took a bank loan, borrowed money where she could, and scoured the city for the cheapest grade-A materials. Given the choice, she never would've wanted to compromise the premium quality of her creations. But something's got to give. Iyon ay kung gusto niya'ng bigya'ng katuparan ang kanyang pangarap.

Now, as she and Roseta pulled the chapel-length, laced and beaded tulle veil over the last mannequin, Anika was now a step behind that dream.

"Es hermosa, Senorita!" Napasinghap na bulalas ni Roseta sa kanyang tabi habang pinagmamasdan nila ang lima'ng traje de boda'ng pambato ng Encanta sa tauna'ng Sonar con la Belleza ng Telva, isa sa pinaka-una at pinaka-malaking women's and fashion magazine ng Espanya.

"Yo no podria haberlo hecho sinti," Sinsero'ng saad niya kay Roseta. She could not have done it without her. Whatever measure of success awaited her at the fashion event tomorrow evening, kalahati niyon ay kay Roseta.

"Ah, pero estas son su obra de arte, Senorita." Ayaw paawat sa papuri nito. Katulad nang ayaw nitong paawat sa pagtawag sa kanya ng Senorita sa kabila nang paulit-ulit niya'ng hiling dito na tawagin siya'ng 'Anika'.

"Estoy muy agradecido de tenerte, Roseta." Taos-puso'ng pasasalamat niya dito.

Sa kabila ng pagod at nangangalumata nito'ng anyo, nakakasilaw ang ngiti'ng gumuhit sa mga labi ng babae. "Quieres cafe?" Tanong nito.

"Si, por favor."

Mumbling her excuse, Roseta left her in the company of her masterpieces. Lahat ng pagod, sakit ng katawan at kalooban na pinuhunan niya upang mabuo ang mga disenyo'ng iginuhit niya ay natunaw sa kaligayaha'ng nadarama niya habang isa-isang pinagmasdan ang kanyang mga obra.

Who would've thought that the rowdy, tomboy of her childhood could create something as enchanting as the exquisite frocks that stood before her? Years ago, she would've never believed it herself. It was not in her disposition or temperament to even imagine something so... delicately feminine.

Wala'ng bahid ng dati niya'ng pagkatao ang mga nilikha niya ngayon. She had been succesful in obliterating her rough, crude pubescent self in the last ten years. Pero may mga pagkakatao'ng nami-miss niya ang dati'ng siya. She had loved the free spirit of 'Nix' Laviste. Losing her felt like losing an old friend.

Ngunit kailangan niya ito'ng burahin dahil sa pag-aasam na hanggang ngayon nananahan sa kanyang puso. That longing was the reason behind everything she did - sa pagbabago niya, sa pagsusumikap niya, maging sa mga traje de boda'ng kanyang nilikha...

... because every single one of them carried Anika's dream of one day walking down the aisle towards the man who possessed her heart.