𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙉 𝙀𝙉𝙊𝙐𝙂𝙃

Chapter 6

It will take some time for me to become brave enough to say goodbye to both of them and experience life with my biological father. I needed to meet Dad's legal counsel, who is in charge of drafting his last will, so I made the difficult decision to travel by myself to London. I shall claim the money he left within the next two days, and I kind of partitioned it among my siblings and for myself. A significant change in the café and the restoration of structure in our home surprised me when I briefly pondered going back to Wales.

I wasn't sure if Mama was the cause of it all, but she wasn't there when the lawyer showed up and read to me what I will accept in full: "On this day, on the twenty-first birthday of Michael Martinez Morgan, who is of legal age, the late Robert Patterson Morgan II bequeaths the two aforementioned: a check for five million pounds, already signed, and the ownership of an apartment house in central London."

I can't believe that I now hold the solution to our suffering. I feel that life is gradually getting easier for me, especially for Trev and Eli, and that I will finally go home with a smile and a good future for them.

Since I was mindful that some unwanted souls seemed to be purposefully altering their course just as we were struggling to go home every other time, I shortly left the house and café to come back to the Philippines, as I decided it was best to close them for good. I said my goodbyes in Dad's grave, which had been cleaned up since we hadn't had to go back for so long. Despite this, I still stand grateful for the current life he provided us, and don't want to say goodbye to him permanently.

I made my siblings a hearty dinner when I got back home, but the three of us stayed quiet in the middle of the dining table until Trev expressed his complaints about the earlier events: "You're learning to cook for us now, how about that? Before, you were self-conscious in the kitchen. What's up? — You got your share, so I presume you're leaving? You're going with him?" Considering how well he sang, I never learned to like the tone of Trev's voice. He often sounds bitter to us. We try to disregard it, but I don't understand why he's becoming so enraged toward me.

I couldn't take it any longer, and I said, "Watch your voice, Trevor! Why is it so critical to you that I recognize my real father? Or perhaps you think you can just speak to me that way so you'll have an excuse for me to consider leaving you and Eli?" It's becoming pretty clear that I should have addressed and imposed some good conduct on this youngster while he's still manageable. But simply put, it is somewhat challenging and stressful to do all the work without learning to understand things on their own.

It is also very difficult for me to do things. I only realized this after lying to Mama about the first thing I did, and to make matters worse, my loved ones and those who rely on me are the ones who suffer the most.

I gently reminded them that I would stay and that my shadow would accompany them wherever they might go. "You don't need to pressure me, brother—I won't ever leave; why would I? knowing that we still need to buy your favorite ice cream?" Every decision and choice Trev and Eli make in life need someone to always depend on, and I am aware of their strengths and weaknesses, so I don't think there's anything destiny can do to even separate us. And I'm positive Trev will find it easy with nothing but the three of us holding on to each other.

At the end of the day, Trev and I took Eli for a walk on the beach and remembered what we left behind in Wales, especially Dad. I said what had changed since my return, especially when I saw the new flowers placed on our father's grave, and I was not surprised when the reaction of their happy faces changed to "Do you think she will come back?" Mama? Or maybe she's returned and she just couldn't face us." I noticed that Trev was slowly opening up about what happened to Mama, and I liked the concern he was showing, so I didn't worry about what he was thinking anymore. And besides, we are not children any longer, and how many challenges have pulled us down? This is all we always think. This is all.

It's hard to answer the question as to whether what will hurt more than being left by your parents? And just accept that there is no valid reason or answer as to why she disappeared. And with so many things that have arisen, it looks like we need to move on, and the three of us consented to split up the money I got from Dad's bequest. It's just about the properties he left that I can't sell or equip because I don't have the time to do so.

Trev was not happy living in the Philippines because of all the trouble he was getting into at school, so I made the decision to call their grandmother in Italy and let them temporarily relocate there. My siblings have come to terms with the fact that we are in a difficult situation right now and that I need to concentrate on finding Mama above all else because I can't look after them at the same time. And now, there is my father keeping things up for me. "Kuya, if your other half-siblings are upset with you, just inform us; if you do, Eli and I will return, giving you support in this situation." I heartily put my arms around my siblings' necks after we saw the magnificent sunset and went straight home.

I gave them a tight embrace as they were about to leave for the last time while I could still be with them. When I was completely cut off from my siblings, I realized my shortcomings, and I was somewhat genuinely worried about Eli since she is our only princess and still needs reassuring guidance, especially with their grandparents. It would have been OK if we were all here with Mama's mother, but Grandma is getting on in years, and it is best if we didn't depend on her for everything, all the more so for educating the mischievous and introverted Trev. Their grandparents just tried to comfort me before they finally left; they were so kind to me and nevertheless regarded me as their grandchild. My siblings' grandmother gave me a pat on the back and encouraged me to follow them to Italy so that we wouldn't have to part ways. Unfortunately, I told her the whole story. But when my siblings were stripped away from my care, I directly committed to providing Grandma with a lovely home as well as some money for her medical expenses as I had promised them, and still hoped thinking they were here with us, too.

I believe that I have one more chance left to enroll in college. And finally, I chose to pursue my studies at the institution from which Mama graduated. Perhaps I'll have a job when I graduate from college. What's the point of that? It's absurd to think that although I didn't make much progress and kept changing my mind from the beginning, today everything seems to work out for us, especially for me since I occasionally got lost and couldn't find the right path to the solutions I was seeking.

I now have the freedom to explore new aspects of life, and maybe expectations, and am no longer shocked or perplexed by the depth of my emotions. Since I've started college once more, I feel like I've gone back to being a young child who was afraid or unsure about going to school and was lured by the ball swiveling around where I was settling. But rather than having to commit to the team they set up, I prompted myself to not give in to my enthusiasm for participating in the tryouts and completely steer clear of basketball. Maybe right then, when the game of my life has perfectly started to turn, my siblings and I have a future lying in wait for all of us.