Against All Odds: MewGulf

Chapter 7

2020

Mew returned from Taiwan a year later. He couldn't wait. He had missed Gulf a lot. He was worried though. After leaving that night, he had not heard from Gulf again. He thought they had something special going on after that night. Maybe he had been wrong. He couldn't wait to know why Gulf had rejected his calls. Why his number didn't go through after a few days.

He called his hotel asking what happened to the guest in room 704. He had been told he checked out in the morning.

He was worried the whole year. Now that he was back, he was going to look for him.

It was a week after he settled when he went to Elevate 2 hotel to check on something.

He got the address of Gulf from their guest check in history. It was easy since he was the owner of the hotel. It was only a click away.

He went to the house and knocked at the door.

It opened and Gulf's mum smiled at the stranger.

"How may I help you?" she asked politely.

"I would like to see Nong Gulf please. I'm a friend."

"Oh sure. Let me get him." The mother disappeared inside the house shouting, "Gulf honey you have a visitor at the door."

"It didn't take long until Gulf was coming out holding a baby"

He looked at Mew stuck. He didn't know what to do.

"Give me second." He went back and came back out alone.

"Hi P'" he looked around suspiciously. "Let's get out of here first."

"Would you like to get brunch somewhere?" Mew asked pointing to his car.

"That would be nice. Let's go." He was in a hurry.

They left in Mew's car.

Mew was surprised by Gulf's calm attitude. He thought he was going to jump with joy that he is back. They were going to be official. He was having a hard time hiding his excitement. .

Gulf looked uncomfortable in the car. He was wringing his hands. He didn't say anything.

They got to a coffee shop and went inside. They ordered their coffees and sat waiting. Gulf didn't say anything at all during all this time.

"So how have you been in the past year?" Mew asked as he he brought his cup of coffee down after taking a sip.

"I've been good. What about you?"

"I'm doing quite well thanks."

They both went quiet.

"So you never called?" Mew said hesitantly playing with the handle of his cup.

"I lost your number" Gulf gave an excuse.

"You lost my number in your phone?"

"I lost my phone."

"Is there something I'm missing?"

"No there's nothing."

"You have changed a lot in one year than in the last 6 years. It's alarming." Mew chuckled nervously.

"It's called growing up I guess." Gulf said as he took a sip of his own tea. 

"I thought we were going to make things official. I thought you wanted it too"

"I did." Gulf replied looking away. 

"You did" Mew repeated. "But you no longer do. I get it."

Mew felt embarrassed.

"I saw it coming from the moment I saw you. It's ok, I guess I just waited for nothing."

He drank the rest of his coffee not wanting to be there anymore. He was really embarrassed.

"What changed though?

"Nothing. I just realized maybe it wasn't meant to be if we kept on postponing our meetings."

"I understand." Mew nodded his head with a shy smile on his face. He felt like a fool. He had waited the whole year. He had met...

He didn't want to think about it anymore.

"Would you like me to take you home." Mew offered.

"No, you don't have to p'. I'll grab a taxi."

"No, I'll take you home."

"Seriously you don't have to." Gulf was thinking of the awkwardness they went through in the car.

"I insist." Mew didn't mind the awkwardness.

They got to the car and Mew opened the door for Gulf who felt guilty for rejecting the man. He didn't have a choice.

When they got to the house Mew got out of the car against Gulf's wishes.

"I just want to say goodbye. It's probably the last time we see each other." Mew said standing in front of his car.

"Yeah goodbye." Gulf said nervously watching his surroundings.

Mew delayed getting in his car. He got in and started his car. It was when he was pulling away that he looked on his rear-view mirror. He braked hard and slammed his head on the steering wheel. He opened the passengers window and looked at the side mirrors. Closely.

The door had opened, and a lady came out holding a baby Gulf had come out with earlier.

She hugged and kissed Gulf on the lips. The baby between them.

Mew came out of the car and started walking back to the house.