In Between

THIRD PERSON

"Bakit mo ba nagawa yon?" Richard asked.

There was a long silence after James said everything he wanna say. After all his sorry, and that was Richard can all say.

Gusto nya lang talagang malaman kung bakit. Kung bakit kailangan pang umabot ang lahat dito.

"I-i don't know." James muffle. "I guess I was too blinded with my love to Rachel? Sa inggit ko sayo? Sa frustration ko with work? Kasi I wanted to have everything that you have? Because I wanna be like you?" He added.

Richard look at him with confusion.

"But you are everyone's favorite, I should be the one that envy you." Richard said.

Umiling naman si James at ngumiti ng malungkot.

"Ayoko naman sa buhay na ganun. I wanted to be like you, you are very good at everything. Nagagawa mo ang lahat at your best kaya ang result is the best. Lahat nakukuha mo ng walang problema. You are a handsome and successful bachelor in town. Para kang 'What Richard want, Richard gets'. You are my life's idol. You get everything you want including Rachel's love, at yun ang hindi ko matanggap noong mga panahon na yon." He explained.

"D-do I have to say sorry?" Richard asked.

"No. Never. Don't have to say sorry, you have done nothing wrong. I was all because of me at sobrang nagsisisi ako sa lahat ng nagawa ko sa inyung dalawa ni Richard, I even killed your baby and that added the burden inside my chest. Everytime I would remember everything that happen its like a bullet straight to my heart, and it hurts like hell." James said.

There was a long silence after that. Hindi alam ni Richard kung ano bang dapat sabihin maging si James ay ganun din, nilalamon sya ng guilt at hiya.

-

Paakyat na sana si Rachel para puntahan ang anak nung mapansin sya ng mga magulang nila.

"Rachel, anak nasaan ang asawa mo? Si James?" Tanong ng mommy ni Richard ng may pangamba.

Lumapit naman si Rachel sa kanila at ngumiti.

"Sa garden mommy." She said and held his mom's hand. "They're talking, don't worry." She added smiling.

Nagkatinginan naman silang lahat at nabakas ang tuwa sa mga mukha nila lalo na sa mga mata at ngiti nito.

Agad naman silang nagtungo sa garden at doon nga ay nakita nila ang dalawa na seryosong nag uusap. Tumayo naman sila malapit sa pinto na di masyadong kita ng dalawa.

"Can you forgive me? For everything? Because like you I wanna start fresh. Gusto ko na din mawala tung napaka bigat na nakadagan dito sa dibdib ko, at alam kung nawawala lang to ng tuluyan kapag nakuha ko na ang kapatawaran mo." He said. "Can you forgive me, kuya?" James added.

Hindi naman nagsalita si Richard, his just looking at the ground. Silence hug them again. James was about to walk away to give his brother some time when Richard called him before giving him a tight embrace.

"Matagal na kitang napatawad James, its just that everytime I would see you there is this weird feeling inside me and it reminds me of everything kaya hindi ko pa kayang kausapin ka pero ngayon alam kung maayos na. Okay na ako, lahat ng mga sinabi mo kanina helps to fully heal the wounds inside my heart, maybe it will leave a big scar but it doesn't matter now. I always love you, James. Kahit ano pang nangyari at mangyari kapatid pa din kita at hindi ko naman yatang magalit ng habangbuhay sa kapatid ko." Richard said after he let go from the hug.

Halos hindi naman makapaniwala si James dahil sa sinabi ng kapatid nya hindi rin nya alam kung ano ba dapat na gawin nya o isagot man lang.

It makes him totally speechless.