MJA : Time Is Not Enough

Brothers At War

When they were just kids, Theodore and Sebastian were the best of friends. They were always playing together. They would go fishing together. They would get into trouble together. They were mostly raised by their mother because they hardly ever saw their father. Especially after Lorenzo began doing business with Lord Roberts, money came pouring in like never before but their father was hardly around to watch them grow up. Soon, both brothers grew to realise that it was their mother who was the one who took care of them and that their father would only come home once a month due to business trips.

When the boys were old enough to understand and perceive the world differently than they used to think, Sebastian grew up to be the little boy who would always rebel and defy everything whereas Theodore was the one who would always try to help around the house and talk to their mother. He loved his brother still but they spent less and less time together because Sebastian refused to help with anything at all. When their father comes home, Sebastian would always find a reason to not be around. He would come home late at night and disappear before the sun comes up. Theodore tried talking to him but he would tell him to shut up and go away.

Just before the disappearance of their father, Lorenzo had put in a word to have them both recruited into the private school that Lorenzo's family had set up for his family and those he considers family. Theodore and Sebastian were both invited to join the school. Their mother waited at the dining table to tell them the good news. Theodore was more than happy to take the offer because it was something that both their father and mother wanted them to do. Sebastian however, did not return home till past midnight. 

He saw the letter on the table addressed to him and saw Lorenzo's family crest on it and threw it onto the floor.He didn't realize that his mother saw what he had done so she came out from the kitchen and confronted him. They argued and Sebastian insisted that he had better things to do with his life. He grabbed some things from his room and stormed right out the door. Theodore heard the noise and witnessed everything. He heard every word his brother said to his mother and it upset him so much. He tried to console his mother but she was just devastated. She kept blaming herself about what had become of Sebastian.

Theodore knew that his mother had always loved them both but she was always so forgiving towards Sebastian no matter what he says or does to her. He just could not forgive him for the things he said to their mother that night and he was very upset with the way he spoke to her as well. When they received news about the disappearance of their father and Lorenzo, Theodore had already began going to the private school. His brother refused to keep in touch with him even though Theodore kept sending letters home to his mother. He always kept Sebastian's name included in his letters to let him know that they were still brothers despite everything that had happened in hopes that Sebastian would return home one day and reads them.

On the day Theodore learned that his mother had passed away, he immediately informed the school and he was rushed home. When he got home, his mother was already buried and Sebastian was standing by the altar looking at her picture, crying. Theodore asked him why he did not wait for him before burying her and he said, "You were too late, brother......You always were......" and smiled. Theodore knew that Sebastian had done something. He grabbed his brother by the collar and started punching him. It was impossible for him to be too late because he received the news on that very same day he returned home.

Sebastian continued laughing as Theodore punched him over and over. He knew that he really got Theodore's attention now and that no matter what happened, his brother would never be able to forgive himself for not being able to see their mother in her last moment, alive. Theodore had always known that their mother was sick and that she was just trying to get by. He knew that Sebastian was at home but not to look after her. He was always busy. He also knew that Sebastian knew that if there was any emergency at all, he was supposed to inform Theodore and he would come straight home. That was the deal they agreed to upon him leaving for school. Sebastian broke that promise intentionally and now, Theodore cannot forgive him for taking the only chance he ever had to say his last goodbye to his mother.