My Heart Is Yours

Chapter 38

Maine found Richard's number in her phonebook under the name "My RJ". She couldn't help but smile at the name. She at first contemplated on changing it to just "RJ" but she decided to keep it. She was after all the only other person who was allowed to call him that.

That morning, Martin called and told her the good news. She gets to stay with his team for the duration of the rotation. She didn't ask about Tanya. But she wished that there was something she could do so that Tanya would stop what she was doing. It was unfair. But if rumors were right, it might get her into trouble and not Tanya if she said something. She was relatively new in the company. She didn't want to get into trouble.

Their next flight was in three days. So Maine opted to make the most out of those days. She called a friend of hers out to lunch. She also needed a different perspective on all that had happened to her last night. She was playing around with her phone, checking her phonebook when her friend, Reese, arrived.

"Hi Maine!" She greeted. "Did you wait long?"

"Hi Reese!" Maine replied. "No, I just got here actually. So where do you want to go for lunch?"

They decided on a small Italian restaurant inside the mall. After settling in their seats and waiting for their orders, Maine related to her what had happened in Paris and what occurred when they got back in Manila.

Reese was the only person she had opened up to when she started going to school. They became fast friends and Maine found a confidante of sorts. Reese was the only one who knew about her heart condition and the story behind her heart donor.

"So, Alden has a brother," said Reese as they started eating their lunch.

"I'm still a bit annoyed with my parents not telling me about him," Maine remarked. "I mean, how hard could it be to mention a twin somewhere in the world."

"Your parents do have a point, Maine," replied her friend. "It would have confused you. Alden was your best friend. The only other person aside from your family that you were close to. Meeting this Jason guy would confuse you. Don't tell me you don't see your best friend when you look at him."

"Of course I see my best friend," she retorted. "They look exactly alike."

"Careful, Maine," Reese replied softly. "They may look alike, they may even have the same personalities. But don't mistake Jason for Alden. Don't make assumptions about who he is. Make him let you see that."

Maine nodded as she contemplated on what her friend said. 'Easy enough to do,' she thought as they continued with their lunch. 'But would it really be easy?'

-oo-

Elsewhere, Richard was with Martin. True enough, Martin called him up first thing in the morning to remind him that they needed to talk. He met his head FA at the mall and they had breakfast at a coffee shop. There, Richard told him everything and what his connection was with Maine. Martin listened attentively, asking questions every so often for clarification but most of the time, he kept silent as Richard related to him what had happened.

"Now I know the reason why you only do casual dating," Martin said after Richard finished his tale. "And even then it was because we have to force you to go out on a date."

Richard just raised his eyebrow at Martin in question. He waited for him to go on.

"You've liked Maine all these years," he explained a matter-of-factly. "You never looked at anybody but her."

"My brother liked her too," Richard defended. "I bottled up my feelings for her because he was supposed to be with her. Not me."

Martin reached out and held Richard's hand. He looked at the younger man with a serious face as he remarked, "my dear boy. The way I see it. Your brother - God rest his soul - gave you the go signal to pursue the lovely Maine when he gave her his heart."