You Just Me (Just Between You and Me)

Chapter 22.3

I asked Mom to stay behind and check back on the situation at the wake. In as much as she was worried about Mace, she was worried about his mother too. After all, she is her best friend. I also asked her to look after Ben. Considering how small Maylene was, she could not hold her angered friend that long. That would make the trouble even worse. I assured Mom that Yuno, from how he introduced himself, and I can make our way through the hospital the quickest way possible.

Mace has been long unconscious and it made me worried sick. So I stepped on the gas and drove as fast as I could ignoring almost all the red lights that appeared along the way.

"Hindi sa nagrereklamo po ako pero mukhang tayong tatlo ang maoospital dahil sa pagmamaneho ninyo." He was seated at the rear with Mace lying on his lap.

I ignored Yuno's remark and dialed the first hospital that appeared on the results of my Google search. I told them we were on our way and that they need to get ready because with me was a person who badly needs immediate attention.

Soon enough we arrived at the hospital and three nurses immediately rushed on to Mace and transferred him on a stretcher to the emergency room. Only family was allowed to go in so I was left outside waiting. Yuno came out a few minutes later with one of the nurses ushering him to what I heard as "patient's attending physician". He handed over a credit card with a PIN and asked me to go to the cashier as I wait for him to be back.

He came back with a phone in his ear as soon as I settled the bill. I overheard him saying "tawagan mo si Papa at dalhin mo dito yung sinabi ko" then he dropped the call. His eyes were puffy red like he'd just been crying.

"Was the Papa you mentioned Mace's father?" I asked out of curiosity.

He nodded and said "Papa namin." From that I figured him and Mace were brothers. Of course, it got me surprised. "Nasa abroad siya ngayon nagtatrabaho kaya pinatatawagan ko sa isa pa naming kapatid."

"He never told me he had siblings." I stated. We went silent for a while.

"Hindi mo siya tinanong." From my peripheral, I saw that he faced me. "Hindi naman siguro kami itatanggi ng kuya ko. Dalawa kaming anak sa pangawalang asawa. Pero kahit ganoon, hindi kami pinalaking hindi kilala ang kuya ko. Hindi man sang-ayon ang Mama namin, ginagawan ng paraan ni Papa noon na mabisita namin siya o mabisita kami ni Kuya paminsan-minsan." He further explained.

"You're sharing too much kid. Hindi mo naman ako kilala." I snorted.

"Nakukwento ka ng Kuya ko. Ikaw si Lance. Kapatid mo si Malcolm yung figure skater diba?" That made me faced him. Well, who doesn't even know my brother at this point? Also, they're in the same school. "Napagkamalan nga siyang may nililigawan sa building naming mga seniors kasi halos araw-araw namin siyang nakikita noon."

"Who is he meeting there anyway?"

"Kung hindi ako, yung kapatid ko sa kabilang section naman ang kinukulit niya. Brother-in-law pa nga ang tawag sa amin." Natatawa niyang sabi. I shook my head in disbelief.

"And did he mind telling you why he calls you that?"

"Kasi nga boyfriend ka ng kuya ko. Sinakyan ko na lang ang sinabi niya. Pero mukhang hindi ng kapatid ko." I can't believe how proud my brother was telling that to Mace's siblings. It felt embarrassing to say the least. But it got Yuno smiling. Still, I had to apologize for Malcolm's behavior. A part of me also wanted to apologize for what I did to their brother. Kahit hindi sabihin ni Yuno, I know na may alam siya tungkol sa tunay na nangyari.