Love Across Time

Chapter 7

***July 2015

Zeke and Marvin were enjoying a quiet evening at home, their laughter filling the air as they reminisced about their recent trip to Batanes. The warmth of their shared love enveloped them like a cozy blanket, casting aside any worries or doubts that may have lingered in the corners of their minds.

As they sat together on the couch, Zeke leaned into Marvin's embrace, his head resting against Marvin's chest as they watched their favorite movie play on the television. The soft glow of the screen illuminated their faces, casting shadows that danced across the room in time with the flickering images.

In that moment, there was nowhere else Zeke would rather be than in Marvin's arms, surrounded by the comfort and security of their love. He felt a sense of contentment wash over him, a feeling of belonging that he had never experienced with anyone else.

But just as they were lost in the blissful embrace of each other's company, a sudden knock at the door shattered the tranquility of the moment, jolting them back to reality.

Marvin furrowed his brow in confusion as he rose from the couch, making his way to the door. Zeke watched with a sense of unease gnawing at his insides, a feeling of foreboding settling over him like a dark cloud.

When Marvin opened the door to find Precilla standing on the doorstep. His jaw went slack as his eyes widened in shock at the sight of Precilla standing before him with a child in her arms. He struggled to find his voice, his mind racing to comprehend the implications of her unexpected arrival.

"Precilla, what... what are you doing here?" Marvin finally managed to stammer out, his voice laced with disbelief.

Precilla's gaze bore into Marvin's with an intensity that made him squirm uncomfortably. "I need to talk to you, Marvin. It's about him," she said, nodding toward the baby in her arms.

Zeke's heart clenched at the mention of the child, a flood of emotions washing over him as he tried to process the situation. "Who... who is he?" Zeke asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Precilla's expression softened slightly as she looked at Zeke, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and resolve. "His name is Ethan, and he's your son, Marvin," she replied, her voice trembling with emotion.

Marvin staggered backward as if struck by a physical blow, his mind reeling at the revelation. "My son?" he repeated, his voice barely audible.

Zeke's eyes widened in shock as he looked between Precilla and Marvin, his heart pounding in his chest. "Marvin, is this true?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Marvin struggled to find his words as he gazed down at the child in Precilla's arms, his mind racing with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. "I... I don't know, Zeke," he finally managed to choke out, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't remember anything like that happening."

Precilla's eyes narrowed as she fixed her gaze on Marvin, her expression a mix of anger and desperation. "Don't you dare deny it, Marvin! You know what happened that night," she spat, her voice dripping with accusation.

As tensions reached a boiling point, Zeke felt a wave of uncertainty wash over him. His mind reeled with questions, doubts, and fears, each one threatening to tear apart the fragile foundation of trust that he and Marvin had built together.

"Marvin, I need to know the truth," Zeke said, his voice trembling with emotion. "Did you... betray me?"

Marvin's heart shattered at the anguish in Zeke's eyes, the weight of his silence heavy upon him. "Zeke, I swear to you, I don't remember anything like that happening," he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation.

But despite Marvin's protests, doubts lingered in Zeke's mind, casting a shadow over their once bright future. As the weight of Precilla's accusation hung heavy in the air, Marvin felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. With a heavy heart, he knew he could no longer keep the truth buried within him.

"Zeke..." Marvin began, his voice trembling with the weight of his confession. "That night when I missed our dinner date... I... I got drunk and ended up running into Precilla."

Zeke's eyes widened in shock as he listened to Marvin's words, his heart aching with a mix of betrayal and disbelief. "Marvin...," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Marvin took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he knew would be a painful admission. "I... I don't remember much of what happened, but I know that I made a mistake," he continued, his voice filled with regret. "And now, seeing Ethan... I can't deny that he's my son."

Marvin's confession hung in the air, and the weight of his words settled over Zeke like a heavy fog. A mixture of shock, anger, and betrayal churned within him, threatening to consume him whole. He felt as though the ground had been ripped out from beneath him, leaving him adrift in a sea of uncertainty and pain.

"Marvin, how could you?" Zeke's voice cracked with emotion as he struggled to contain the turmoil raging inside him. "You... you got another woman pregnant while you were supposed to be with me?"

Marvin hung his head in shame, unable to meet Zeke's gaze as the weight of his actions bore down on him like a crushing weight. "I'm so sorry, Zeke. I never meant for any of this to happen," he murmured, his voice barely audible.

Zeke felt a surge of anger rise within him, his fists clenched at his sides as he struggled to process the magnitude of Marvin's betrayal. "Sorry isn't going to cut it, Marvin," he spat, his words laced with bitterness. "You broke my trust, you broke my heart..."

Tears welled up in Zeke's eyes as he turned away from Marvin, unable to bear the sight of the man he had loved and trusted more than anyone else in the world. He felt as though his entire world had been shattered into a million irreparable pieces, leaving behind nothing but pain and emptiness.

Marvin reached out to Zeke, his heart aching with regret and remorse. "Zeke, please... I know I messed up, but I love you. You have to believe me," he pleaded, his voice thick with emotion.

With tears welling in his eyes, Zeke felt a tumult of emotions surging within him. The betrayal cut deep, but beneath the hurt, he still held onto the love he felt for Marvin. He knew that forgiveness wouldn't come easily, but he also couldn't deny the longing in his heart to salvage what remained of their relationship.

"Marvin," Zeke began, his voice quivering with emotion, "I don't know how to make sense of all of this. But I need time... time to process everything."

Marvin nodded, his own eyes clouded with remorse. "I understand, Zeke. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right," he vowed, his voice filled with determination.

As the weight of their conversation settled over them, they both turned their attention to Precilla, who stood silently in the doorway, her expression a mix of sadness and resignation.

"Precilla, I'm sorry for everything," Marvin said, his voice heavy with guilt. "I want to be there for Ethan, to be the father he deserves."

Precilla's eyes softened as she looked at Marvin, a flicker of forgiveness shining in her gaze. "I know you will, Marvin," she replied softly. "Ethan deserves to know his father, and I won't stand in the way of that."

With a heavy heart, Zeke watched as Precilla and Marvin exchanged a silent understanding, their shared commitment to Ethan binding them together in ways he couldn't fully comprehend.

As they parted ways for the evening, Zeke felt a sense of uncertainty clouding his mind. The road ahead would be fraught with challenges, but he knew that if they faced them together with honesty and love, there was hope for a brighter future.