After Forever

Part 11

"Thanks for coming with me," Bright told Gulf as they knocked on his mom's hospital room.

Initially, he didn't want Gulf to accompany him to the hospital but Gulf had insisted that he should go with him. After dissing Gulf the previous day, Bright felt bad about leaving him alone again. He was too worried about his mom to worry about anything else so he just agreed.

Upon entering his mom's room however, his worries turned to shock when he saw Win sitting beside his mom's bed, holding her hand.

"Bright!" Victoria said after seeing his son arrive. She waited for him to walk closer so she could hug him. "Thanks for coming. Your father is on his way. I told Leah to call you, Fiat, and Win while we were on our way to the hospital. It's good that Win wasn't busy. Fiat and Chimon are also here but I told them to go and have dinner first."

Victoria paused when she realized Bright came with another guy.

"Oh you brought a friend. Hello!" she said to Gulf. She wasn't happy seeing a stranger in her room but having been a politician for most of her life, she had learned to fake her emotions.

"Hi Senator. Good evening. My name is Gulf Bautista and I'm honored to meet you," Gulf replied.

Victoria put on a big smile while shaking his hand. "Thank you for coming here," she commented although still not sure what Gulf was doing in her room.

Gulf just smiled back, too shy to say something else.

"Wait, I just noticed," Victoria said. "You and Win look like you're twins or something."

Gulf and Win looked at each other awkwardly.

Bright felt the awkwardness creeping between Win and Gulf so he spoke up.

"So ma, what happened to you?" Bright asked, trying to cut through the tension.

"Just ask Win, I'm too tired to explain it again. Anyway, it's time that you guys talk to each other again," Victoria said, winking at Bright. She wasn't happy about the fact that Bright brought another guy with him to her room.

"Ma.." Bright protested.

"What's wrong with it? Gulf you have to tell your friend here to stop wasting time. You see my son and Win have been boyfriends for-"

"Ma!" Bright interrupted.

"Wha-why are you shouting at me?" Victoria said, placing her hand on her chest.

"Bright, let it go," Win said. "Tita (a Filipino term to show respect for an older woman, roughly equivalent to "aunt/auntie"), try to rest for now. All that vomiting must have depleted your electrolytes. The IV fluids should kick in soon but for now, please rest, okay? I will talk to Bright outside."

"Aww," Victoria said, holding Win's hand. "Thank God you're here Win. Okay, I'll try to get some sleep but wake me up when Edward gets here okay? We have to find out who did this to me."

"All right Tita. Tito said he will call when he's on his way," Win said. Then grabbing some make-up removers from the side table, he started wiping off Victoria's face. "Let me wipe off your make-up before you sleep. Did you bring your cleanser and moisturizer?"

Bright and Gulf just watched as Win pretty much gave Victoria a facial treatment.

"There," Win said after he was done. "You may now take a nap while giving your face a good rest too."

Victoria smiled. "Thanks again, Win. I can't wait to have you as my son-in-law."

After saying that, Victoria watched as Gulf's face turned red and Bright looked like he just saw a ghost. That's right. It's better for both of you to know right now that I will only accept Win as son-in-law. No one else, she thought.