Betrothed

Part Four

The world stopped spinning for Finnegan and Brandon. Time seemed to have paused as the latter tried to gather his thoughts but momentarily, he was lost in Finn's eyes.

"Is another empty promise, P'Finn?" Bran finally spoke though his voice faltered.

"W-What---

"You made a promise to never leave me. But you did anyway." Brandon was losing his composure as he began to be emotional. "...for six years." Bran rasped weakly.

"Bran---

The eighteen year old pulled his hands away from Finnegan, his tears rolling down his cheeks. The other people inside the shelter were wondering what happened but stayed at a distance.

Bran turned on his heels and ran away. Finn was stunned to where he stood and for a moment, didn't realize the tear that broke from one eye.

***

Finnegan had Brandon's number but no matter how many times he tried, the latter wouldn't pick up his calls nor reply to his messages.

After he ran away, Bran couldn't be located. Finn drove his motorcycle around the block then widened his search in the area but didn't find the boy.

The dejected twenty four year old went back to the shelter and informed Zeanne he would continue searching for Bran and go to his house and see if he had gone home. After a few more circles in the area, Finn decided to head to Brandon's grandmother's house.

Finn was in a daze even as he was welcomed by Thalia James into her home. She told the young man Brandon hadn't come home yet. She offered Finn a glass of pineapple juice while he waited for Bran's return.

Thalia sighed as she sat down on the sofa across Finn in her living room. "He does that sometimes." She revealed.

"Run away?"

"Hide." The woman in her sixties said. Ever since Finn had asked her Bran's hand for marriage, she had grown to trust him. Again. Her hopes of bringing the smile back on Brandon grew seeing how Finn was sincere with his intentions. She certainly could only leave her only family to someone who will love and care for him unconditionally.

"He doesn't want me to worry when he is sad about something. Or if something is bothering him. But I know. So he goes somewhere to clear his mind and when he feels better, he comes home."

Thalia rose from her seat, pattedthe young man's shoulder and started off towards the kitchen of the bungalow. "I'll go make dinner for three."

Finn turned and smiled at Bran's grandmother. "That will be very nice, grandma."

"Still have the same favorite?" She asked, pausing to glance at the door when she heard the bell.

"Absolutely." Finn answered and hurried to get the door thinking it was Brandon. Thalia watched Finn with sympathetic eyes. She knew it wasn't her grandson at the door. Because he wouldn't ring the bell at his own house, would he?

Finn frowned slightly as two elderly ladies smiled and entered the house. "Not on par to your taste, boy." One of them said jokingly at Finn's grimace. The other looked at Finn up and down and followed the first lady to greet Thalia in the kitchen.

Meanwhile somewhere only Brandon knows, he sat under a tree and sobbed alone. The old tree is located near Finn's parents' old house not far from where Bran and his grandmother lives.

The mango tree that has now stopped bearing fruits for a couple of years now has become Bran's sanctuary. No one lives in the house anymore so Bran found it comforting to have a place he called his own.

"Take me home?" Bran muttered alone. "Who is he kidding?" And more tears rolled down his cheeks as he remembered the promises Finn spoke.

"When I grow up, I'll make sure to build you a big house we can both live in together." The then twelve year old told the boy six years his junior. Under the same tree they called their witness, Finn made another promise.

There was one about Finn promising to take care of him. There's one where he said he would never let anyone hurt him. And another where he took an oath to be forever Bran's P'Finn and no one else's.

When Finn turned fifteen, once again he promised Bran, under the same tree, that he will never leave him. That he would be there... forever.

"You're bad with promises, stupid P'Finn..." Bran murmured as the sun fully set. He slowly got off the grass, sighed and then inhaled the fresh evening air.

"I'll be fine..." With that usual conclusion to his occasional melancholies, he grabbed his bike by the tree and rode back home.

(To be continued...)