That Summer Night of August

Kabanata 36

Timothy Sebastian Yanez

I covered Kuya with a blanket after he fell asleep. He didn't look well; he looked devastated. This was a version of him I never wanted to see, the same as when he first moved into our house. Lost. Confused. Barely alive. His gray eyes could tell.

I feel helpless right now. I can't take away his pain. I can't remove the torment inside his mind.

I sighed heavily before deciding to leave the room. I couldn't bear seeing my brother in a hospital bed. I stepped into the hallway, and there I saw Kuya Gabriel. He was sitting on the floor, his back leaning into the wall.

He looked up as I approached, his eyes red and swollen from crying. He tried to compose himself but I could see the guilt and anguish written on his face.

"Timothy," he called, it was like a whisper and I could hear the tiredness on his voice. "How is he?"

I sighed as I sat next to him, "He's sleeping now. He's... he's not doing well, Kuya Gabriel. This whole thing has shattered him," I said, feeling the cold floor.

Kiya Gabriel's face crumpled and he buried his face in his hands. "I never wanted to hurt him, Tim. I thought I was protecting him by keeping the truth from him. I love him so much."

I tried to keep my own emotions in check. I'm angry right now. I'm angry because my brother didn't deserve this. "I know you love him, but hiding the truth wasn't the way to protect him. He needs honesty, even if it's painful. Keeping him in the dark only made things worse. Please don't hurt him like this, because I would be the one to stop you from seeing him. My brother has been through a lot."

Kuya Gabriel nodded but his eyes remained on the floor, "I know, Tim, and I'm really sorry. I was just so scared of losing him, of hurting him even more. But I see now that I only caused more pain."

I placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to offer some comfort. "You have to give him time, Kuya Gabriel. He's hurt and he feels betrayed. But if you truly love him, you'll fight to rebuild that trust. You have to be patient."

Kuya Gabriel looked up at me, his eyes were  filled with desperation. I quickly avoided my gaze because I saw myself on Kuya Gabriel, it was like me when I begged Lucas to stay.

"Do you think he'll ever forgive me, Tim? Do you think we can get past this?" He asked.

I took a deep breath tying to considering my words carefully. "I don't know, Kuya. It's up to him. But if you want any chance of rebuilding that trust, you have to be completely honest from now on. No more secrets, no more lies. He deserves that."

Kuya Gabriel nodded. "I'll do whatever it takes. I just want him to be okay. I want us to be okay."

"Then start by giving him the space he needs. Show him that you're willing to earn back his trust, step by step. It won't be easy, but if you love him, you'll find a way." I said.

We sat in silence for a few moments, the weight of the situation pressing down on me and Kuya Gabriel. The hospital hallway felt cold and sterile, a stark contrast to the emotional turmoil we were both feeling.

After a moment, Kuya Gabriel stood up, and offered his hand to me.

"Thank you, Timothy. For being there for Dee. He needs you more than ever."

I took his hand and stood up, giving him a firm nod. "I'm his family, Kuya Gabriel. We'll get through this together, no matter how hard it gets. I would do everything to protect my Kuya, even from you. But..." I paused as I looked at him in the eye. "Please don't give up on my Kuya."