𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙉 𝙀𝙉𝙊𝙐𝙂𝙃

Chapter 5

I returned to Bicol and decided to continue my regular shift at the hotel, while Trev and Eli were cared for by our maternal grandmother so that we would no longer be a concern to Tito Paulo and we could still see each other quite often. I am no longer in a position to look for the missing, but rather to take on the responsibility of having to care for my brother and sister, whom our parents abandoned. I just mentally prepared myself, even though I was still frightened that I wouldn't be able to fulfill my role as a big brother to them and because it seemed like it would be a long time before Mama decided to return.

Without the people who care for us, perhaps we would be lost on the streets like mutts, thanking those who are willing to guide us when we are unsure of what to do. I began to work hard at my hotel job in the hopes that things will get back to normal. "Your Mama is still not going through an easy time — and maybe if Robert was still here, we know he would've been the answer to all the trauma Rose is dealing with right now," Tito said. The next time I thought to do some side hustle when Tyler introduced me to a friend who owned a car workshop and joined town tournaments for some basketball stints. A year had gone by, and because I had been working hard to make ends meet, I had barely spoken to Trev and Eli and had only paid them a single visit in the following few days. When the school's principal summoned Trev for some fight with a bully unexpectedly as I was there, I was unable to suppress my anger and castigated him, trying to tell him, "You're old enough to be better than those who criticize you; if possible, don't strike them! Avoid them if necessary, don't be such a burden to grandma."

While I was still having my argument, Trev gave me a disapproving hard stare and abruptly left the room. I think he finds himself in a situation that he is unable to escape, and I can't hold that against him, and neither will I to Eli. But Mama needs to be found first before they could do such things to me and continue to make issues about this manner of him. Since our Dad is no longer present, we can't avoid making things difficult for ourselves rather than asking some help from someone more qualified, like their grandparents back in Italy. This is, however, our choice but in a tough situation, and if we both refuse to consider the possibility of agreeing to behave, we will both lose faith that the new morning will also dawn on us.

Trevor seems to have lost his enthusiasm for life, but I do have confidence and trust that he will overcome it since Eli, who is everyone's cheerleader, is by his side. Because my brother is just fifteen, Grandma asked me to leave him alone. I've already been through that phase, but when I was fifteen, even if it seemed like I was having to carry it all, Mama was there, compared to today, and I was strong even still. I then ended up taking Tito Paulo's supervision to address the needs of my siblings on our grandmother's part. Trev's heart has never truly been close to mine, and I'm not sure how long it will stay that way or whether it will always remain the way we have been in each new setting and trying to find a way to fit in.

I'll soon accept the money that our father left me. The gift would most undoubtedly be a huge help towards moving things forward in life and allowing me to carry out my roles and responsibilities. Although it brings happiness to be working hard to provide for my siblings in regard to Mama's values, it will make our lives—including Grandma's —easier if I can acquire it pretty soon, — especially with the urgent investigation of Mama's whereabouts. Trev hasn't changed the way he started treating me even though our lives had already significantly altered. He has mastered the art of how to fake his emotions, and he talks arrogantly to almost everyone he encounters, which is absurdly difficult to accept. But somehow I thought, as he is going to graduate from high school and start college, I am enthusiastic for him that if he wants, I'll go with him, and we'll both join the basketball team at whichever college we want to go to. But knowing my brother, Trev would much rather draw and listen to music while playing the guitar Grandma got him, so sad that I can't expect him to play any sports. With this one, on this particular occasion, Trev and I have a great deal in common at some point in our lives, relatively about a similar girl that we saw and spoke to at the mall. The girl was so stunning that you'd think she shared characteristics with Wonder Woman and Darna, which Trev wants to learn more about. I noticed my teenage brother was unfortunately turned down because she has already been in a relationship. As we talked about what happened, Grandma and Eli could hear us laughing together like children "What's going on here? You boys seem to be enjoying the night, huh? - And Trevor, you should keep smiling always." It's the only time I've ever seen him look good like that. Grandma is right; it's a treat to see my brother smile.

However, everything changed suddenly. One evening as I was going home from work, I noticed a car outside Grandma's home. When I entered the house, a man stood arguing in front of Grandma, who was rather surprised by my presence. I had suspected at first that it might be Mama, who might be on her way to pick us up, but seems like it's never going to happen.

From what I've heard, my grandma is trying to oust him, but he protested and said that his sincere intent was to stay. "You can't just send me away until my son and I speak! — it's way too long for us to avoid the truth that I'm the child's father, and I'm still entitled to him!" Having spent a considerable amount of time seeking my biological father, I can attest that what this man is seeking is me. To put a stop to this chaos, I exposed myself and confronted the person in front of everyone directly since I believe him to be none other than my father.

Which son was he looking for? I wondered. Even though I was the only one that's aware that everyone in the room—possibly except for Trev—had been searching for a parent, I was just being foolish for a second. In response to the man's acknowledgment that he was indeed the father I had been searching for, I was at a loss for words and just broke down and cried. My hands were shaking, and my chest was pounding so vigorously that those around me couldn't even hear it. I felt like I was about to pass out now that I am very susceptible to this kind of situation. Is this considered a "leap of blood"? Why does it seem so apparent that this might be it, and why am I only feeling curiosity and not wonderment? Should I give him a warm hug? How should I begin? "I'm Miguel I'm your father, Mike; I sincerely apologize for taking so long to introduce myself to you; this has been just a misunderstanding between your Mama and me. Because grandma kept peeking at us and making my father uncomfortable, he didn't even get into details about everything, but I'm here to keep an open mind now.

That evening, we had a long-winded conversation. We were having a great time looking back on the past and what happened, enough that we didn't mind the flow of time. He told me that after my grandfather tried to sue him, Dad adopted me right away without having to consult him beforehand. He was certain that I was his child, but Mama said she refused to acknowledge him since he was already married. I was unsure of how he must have felt at the time and whether to complain, get upset with Mama, or listen attentively to what they had to say.

After that, my father then convinced me to go with him, and I wanted nothing more than to make that happen, but after all of the thinking, what about my siblings? We still haven't found Mama, and I am leaving again next week for something important. But I promised him that this will not be the last time we meet, because there will be many more opportunities for us to get to know each other. I don't know if my father understands me, because we are just getting to know each other and I don't even know what is going through his mind.

No matter how much I want to go and be with him until Mama is gone, I still can't ignore her feelings and listen to what she is going to say, though she never had done that to us before she left. After everything that happened that night, I noticed that Trev's eyes were avoiding me during our breakfast, he started to get cold toward me even though neither of us was prepared for this event.