𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙉 𝙀𝙉𝙊𝙐𝙂𝙃

Chapter 13

The police detained us and filed an affiliated complaint because of the embarrassment we caused in public. The man insisted on claiming ownership of the shop, which my lawyer confirmed was truly mine. Papa arrived together with Fred, who was sorry for my condition, but Papa, on the other hand, I had not expected to castigate me even though I was innocent of everything that was going on. "What on earth do you think you're doing, Mike? —Why are you acting this way? If you could only see yourself, you might not be able to earn your degree as a result of this! So unbelievable!" But when Grandma and Mama showed up, it wasn't over yet, neither Papa nor I had planned for her to come. I never imagined I would be so close to seeing her again.

It appears that Mama hasn't really stood the test of time yet at the age of 45, and she's just grown more fascinated with the moment. One such woman didn't look like the kind who would lament the loss of a loved one for a longer span of years. And when Grandma pinched me, I just heard her loud exhortations that simply stopped when everyone saw how my Mother slapped Papa.

"Are you not ashamed of my son, Migs? You used him and his money as tools for your gain, and after everything he did, he now finds himself in jail? —It should be YOU behind bars, not MY son! You haven't changed at all; you have been dreadfully inconsistent up until this point." Instead of addressing the facts regarding the incident, Papa argued in front of those who were engrossed in the righteousness of his truth. "Rose, not even "MY" son have I ever lied to! He is also my child —Why would you accuse me of such things? Coming from a woman who just wed a wealthy man and made the decision to abandon her children as if nothing had happened —What do you think of yourself?"

It differs significantly from how Mama regarded Dad when he was still around... different from the way she treats Papa when they encounter each other. After the police cleared me of their charge and did not file any further complaints, I decided to part ways with everyone and left wherever they were. Those who are the ones that can't get on very well. Even if there is a reason for Papa and me to get along once more this time, I don't even know it, or will everyone continue doing the same because of the conflict among them all, and I alone am the source of that issue.

My legal counsel has been provided everything that needs to be done, and whatever plausible explanation they find for what occurred during the sale of the shop and it all depends on the nature and scope of the punishment for those involved in the case.

I took the opportunity to wander for a while, I couldn't go or contact someone since I didn't know where to unwind and get shelter, and the problems that I encountered had already thrown my thinking for a loop. I found myself in the same local bar I used to go to when I had a lot of thoughts or a great deal of burden on my shoulders. I silently absorbed all of my frustrations while praying for it to drive away the horrible things that were looming in my life. But it seems like I wasn't drunk, neither did a few bottles of beer hit my body as I noticed Tito Paulo calling me, and all the other alleged "family members."

I just kept drinking till the liquor overpowered my delicate strong features, and at least that would have given me the confidence to cry, laugh, become furious, and can comprehend the things I would never understand for all of these miseries. Unexpectedly, Nikko and I ran into each other again, along with his basketball teammates. They seemed to be enjoying themselves in our small town; my idol amongst his friends would have been, regrettably, one of them, but it looks likely he went in the exact opposite direction.

I'm not sure why I got up from where I was lounging and walked over to their table to say hello to everyone. "I'm a fan," I exclaimed. And from his looks, Nikko must have lost how much I was just having fun messing around and being thrilled in his circle of basketball player "foes," not asserting that he could breathe in my drunkenness. "Yay! The MVPs."

It turns out that getting along with the "beer" men is fun. But what will we all be once we enter the basketball court? However, everyone enjoyed themselves; I offered them free drinks in return for a complimentary VIP ticket to their upcoming match at the Araneta Coliseum. An hour later, I felt the calmness of the environment and the buoyancy of my head; I was lying on the freshly-cleaned table when it occurred that they have already gone home. And the waitress was patiently awaiting for me to wake up; I simply grinned after I paid the enormous bill. I had the impression that if I hadn't just done anything to make Nikko wince, all of that must have genuinely enraged him.

Maybe I'm just trying to make him angry in front of people he considers to be his friends, so that I can make Nikko pay for what he did to me, to Papa, and my business. Now I know that he is convinced of it all, I can guarantee him that I won't back down from any conflicts he is certain to begin.

In the end, I just drove drunk, laughing constantly inside the car, and not caring about the oncoming tricycle on my way. Fortunately, I didn't run over by it and didn't have a mishap, even though the tricycle I met on the road was mutilated. It took a long time before I turned on the engine again, probably because of the trauma it gave me. "What a night," I thought to myself. And then I slowly drove back to the shop as I breathed out to redeem myself.

When I reached the shop's front, I saw Mama standing beside what seemed to be grandma's car and waiting in the entryway. It was nearly midnight, and I supposed Mama had been expecting me for some time. It caused me to feel anxious because no matter how pleased or angry a child may be with their parents, as they see such a difficult situation involving them, they will undoubtedly feel fear for their family. "Ma, you do not have to have waited for me; It's too unsafe out here. What if you experienced a bad incident?"

She didn't speak to me directly, but I had the impression that she would whimper if she did because she was aware that I wasn't ready and that I was afraid of the truth. "Mike, my son, I'm so sorry I've been missing from you for quite a while—six years, so long that life has not been simple for us, especially for you. However, the moment will come when you'll also know the truth." Why would she continue to keep it a secret when she can now tell me right away? But she remained silent other than to express her love for us.

"It's alright with me if you get upset, Trev or even Eli gets mad; that's their right—but always remember that I and your Daddy love you very much." Here she is at it again, and when it comes to Dad, Mama knows how fragile I am because of my love for the father who stood up for me. And now she's wondering if they don't have a place in my heart because I've met Papa, and I don't want Mama to think about such things because never once have I been discouraged and lost hope that maybe she did love us even though she left.

There was too much explaining to do, but I thought maybe now is not the right time, since Mama had already promised us that she would never leave us—Trev and Eli—again.

Mama and I were disagreeing, but it was almost over. I then dealt with the problem Papa had brought up at work and the potential rift it would cause between my father and me. Not that I despise my father honestly; it's just that, I don't want anyone to keep things from me, especially because I don't want my adoptive father's generosity to go to waste. And to be mindful that if Papa ever sold the business I trusted to him, discovering that I was only able to meet and be acknowledged as his son due to my financial means, would be the worst feeling in the world.

Everything else is just money. Money is the only problem. I shouldn't be battling for money in this situation, because I had a modest upbringing free of extravagance in material things. But although my wealth isn't as great as my dad's, more than that, the only wealth I am sure of that will do the same for my family and me three times over a daily is still the satisfaction with life, which I'm not certain where the fault is going to be. However, with the faith I had in my father, after this, it'll be very difficult for me to remain grateful for what he has done.

I pray I wouldn't let my suspicions get the better of me as the investigation went on because I'm unsure how I would feel if Papa may have been involved. What's more, Mama is now here, and after what happened, I decided to return to school. I lost track of the fact that the faculty still haven't discovered a quick fix for the matter I still have at the campus, but even if they do, my father remains affected by the pertinent investigation that's ongoing. Similarly, there's a chance that what awaits him may be worse than he anticipated, rather than this being the only concern he faces.