Three months passed and I’m back to a familiar place. I stood behind my dad telling him to ask one of the security guards if he’s able to go and fall in line already. There I was, once again, at the grounds of the US Embassy in Manila. This time though, it’s for my father’s tourist visa interview. When he was settled, I found my way across the street to order hot venti toffee nut and glazed donut. It was only 7:18 am when I decided to find my pen and write down these accounts on a piece of Starbucks tissue. My plate, at the moment, only has crumbs while my cup has marks of my MAC Red lipstick. I’m more nervous now for my dad than I was for my own interview. I’m still confused if it was the effect of the coffee or my own nerves swirling around my tummy. I tried to relax to the jazzy Christmas songs that were playing inside the coffee shop, looked outside the glass window to observe cars passing by and trying to imagine how my dad was doing inside the embassy.  “He’ll do just fine,” I thought to myself.

Last night, before I closed my eyes to sleep, I offered a prayer for my dad hoping for positive results for today’s interview. I also prayed to have a strong heart to accept if this might not be in God’s will. Unlike my older brother and sister, I won’t be married inside a colossal church in front of hundreds of guests. Dad won’t need to march down the aisle as the father of the bride nor will he be chatting and entertaining a huge crowd. I just want him to be there because my mom won’t be. As incomplete as I feel with that thought, I know my dad’s presence will make my wedding just as special.

I distracted myself even further away from all the mixed emotions I was feeling. I was finishing a word puzzle when my dad appeared from behind and said, “Say hi to Orlando for me.” And my eyes widened as I can see my teary-eyed dad sit in front of me. There was a big lump on my throat, could it be that he was denied? I asked him how the interview went but he repeated the exact same line he greeted me with. And I can’t help but to ask, “Can you please clarify what you mean?” He smiled and said, “It was approved and the consul asked me to say hi to Orlando for him!”

I cannot believe what I was hearing. It was only when he finished telling me about his interview that I realized that my dad was full of happiness having the permission to finally attend my wedding. I never really thought we wanted the same thing so badly. I never thought I’d see him that excited.

And at this point, we’re still sitting here finishing our drinks and having more talks about my wedding and my future married life.

Thank you Lord, you never cease to amaze me!

Labels: approved interview, visa interview