Sidapa

Chapter 9: In her Absence

The sunset's kissing the crimson horizon over the gloomy waters of the bay. Dex was already in his twelfth bottle of beer, he was feeling the effects of the alcohol in his system yet his slow and clumsy reflexes have not deterred him from indulging another round. Another bottle empty, another bottle down and another bottle to spare. He clutched a bottle of beer before chugging it down in one go. The sun finally rested under the thick blanket of velvet darkness and soon the cold sea breeze gently blew and caressed his skin, he felt nothing. Not a shiver, not a sneezed not even a horripilation, there was no reaction in him everything felt like nothing now that she's gone. He took another bottle and realized that all of them were empty. He tried to get up but the liquor finally got to him and he fell flat on the table.

The morning after wasn't pleasant. The first ray of sun that hit his eyes felt painful and blinding. His head throbbed like his heart suddenly switched places with his brain. He tried to stand to put down the blinds but his world spun underneath his feet that it made him nauseous and accidentally hurled everything on the floor.

" You're a mess," said Tristan who was standing at the door of his room.

" A little bit," he replied.

Tristan scoffed in disbelief, " A lil bit?! A little bit! Bro, you got me to carry you from the Baybay Mercato right here to our house! I was supposed to have a party last night, it was supposed to be a launch party but I have to bail because Mama told me you were out cold in Babay Mercato!"

" You don't have to do that. You should've just ignored Mama," he replied.

"And what get an earful?!" Tristan scoffed as he paced beside Dex's bed. " Look Bro, she's gone! She ended her life. It happened! It's been 9 days already, move on!" he added.

Tristan's insensitive words pierced Dex's heart like knives stabbed in butter. To Dexter, Calista's memory has always been something he treasured the most. Every moment he spent with her had been the happiest of his days. The words Tristan said are nothing but speculations, he knows there was something more to what happened.

Dex quietly stood up and pounced on Tristan leaving his brother stunned and surprised laying on the floor. Dexter's anger was palpable. It's not anger, it was pent up rage. He punched his brother who was under him hard on the face.

"How. Dare. You!!!" putting up every word rhythmically in tune with every punch. " You selfish bastard! She died because of you!", his punches were heavily pounding his brother's face. The barrage was relentless that his bigger twin, Tristan called for their mother to intervene.

It took 4 helpers and Tristan's bodyguard to get Dex off of Tristan who suffered a broken nose and mangled face in the process. The enraged Dexter was almost unstoppable that his father had to punch him in an attempt to put him back to his senses. The punch worked and Dex was stumbled to the floor panting.

"What are you two doing?!" his Papa asked.

"I..I..was..tryiiingg..too...cooonsole him." stuttering and bloody Tristan replied.

"My boy! Look at what you've done to your brother!" his Mama spat at him while cursing vigorously.

"I was trying to help him, Mama. Agay!" Tristan winced in pain, "I can't breathe, Ma." Tristan was hyperventilating.

Seeing her son this way made her frantic. " Let's take him to the hospital, Pang!" , " Call an ambulance my son might die!!! Their mother wailed and screamed in desperation. In truth, Tristan was just shocked and scared witless at how Dex handled him like a rag doll.

Dex put his gaze in Tristan's direction and saw how his brother worked on his act looking as for sympathy from his parents. His pathetic brother the jock turned tail and whimpered in their mother's arms. Their father gave him another punch to the face before their hysterical mother ordered him once more to bring their good son to the hospital.