CHAPTER TWENTY-MILAN
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
I seat in the dark living room waiting for mom to arrive. Though Real told me not to overreact, but I'm finding it really challenging to be cool after all that. I seat there waiting for her for like two hours until I hear light footsteps and she switches on the lights.
"Where were you?" I ask.
Mom gasps as she outs her hand to her chest. She's barefooted with her heels in her hand and the same shoulder bag she had carried and a shopping bag. The clothes are the same. She looks pretty frightened with her eyes wide.
"Milan, you scared me. we talked about this." She says as she leaves the shopping back on the kitchen counter.
"Goodnight." She says going up the stairs.
"Still haven't answered my question."
"What?" Mom says as she stops halfway through the stairs and turns.
"Where were you?" I ask.
"What do you mean where was I, of course I was at the boutique." She says.
"Why you lying?"
"Milan?"
"I saw you this afternoon." I say getting up.
"Don't tell me you've been stalking me."
"I wasn't I saw you by chance." I say going close to her.
"Who was he?"
"His name's Armando." She says.
"I don't think that's the answer I'm looking for and you know it."
"What answer do you want then?"
"Just give me the answer I'm looking for. You've been away long hours ever since dad left for his special case and do you even know Daryn has a fever?!"
"Jesus Christ, is she okay now?"
"She is, but you should've been there for her."
"I know I know, but then I had no choice." She says which just makes me even more mad and I just lose control of all my emotions.
"Of course you did, but instead she chose to be roaming around with some random guy when your man's not around. Do you even know how that made me feel ma?!" I yell.
"Milan-"
"I don't fuckin' care about the consequences, but I won't allow you to break this family apart!"
Mom still tries to defend herself, but I'm in no condition to listen, what I need right now is answers only. The rest can come later.
"I think you only care about yourself, that's it. You know what, you're selfish!" I tell her.
"Milan, you can say anything about me, but please don't call me selfish."
"Why not, does it hurt, then it should hurt even more. Then I should rip out the entire roof."
"Milan, Armando is my brother!" she yells with a raspy voice like she was about to just break down in tears. The room is now filled with silence and tension fills the room. Could this really be true, I mean, what if she's lying?
"What?"
"Yes, his full name is Armando Alvares."
"Then where was he all these years, I thought you said you don't have any relatives?" I ask curiously.
"That' also what I thought until I met him four days ago." She says.
I ask her how she could be so sure he's indeed her brother and she tells me they got a DNA test done; I ask her for it and she gives it to me. I look at it and it's positive. She tells me how she just couldn't stop there but wanted to find out more him; about her parents and how she ended up hear. She breaks down to tears as she explains, making me feel in some type of way; making me feel guilty for I caused this.
"How did he find you?" I ask.
"Connections. Through the help of the internet."
"Come here." I tell her as I wrap her into a hug. I'm still left with a lot of questions. I kind of feel silly for just assuming and putting all the blame on her. After all, to error is human.\
I tell her of how much I misunderstood the situation and she tells me she knows and that it's not my fault. The thought of my parents' separation just scared me. I wasn't ready to choose either of them because that would mean our relationship down the drain. I wouldn't want that.
"I-I'm sorry." I say.
"It's not your fault, I never introduced him." She says.
"Why though?"
"I was just scared. How many would believe that?"
I and mom discuss a while and I encourage her keep the relationship with her brother and she asks me to meet him on the next day and I agree. I tell her I'll only do that in the morning coz I'll be busy in the afternoon. I tell her not to keep something from me again coz I always lose it.
It's Saturday morning, so I wake up early to do some studies due to the upcoming exams. Afterwards, I take a shower and start scrolling on my phone. I find texts from Brittney and Nicky and oh boy did I miss the school dance yesterday. I wasn't regretting though, just that I completely forgot about it. I hear a knock on my door and set of to open it. I see Daryn in her white shirt and black jeans, she follows me inside.
"Morning." She says.
"What you want?"
"Umm…I was hopping that maybe, if possible; may you please drop me and Stephanie off at our dance lessons close to the apple store?"
I reject her on the basis that she hasn't yet fully recovered, but she insists that she's much better and that if she doesn't recover, she won't be able to attend the talent show at her school and will forever be sick. So I agree, not like I believe the last part, but because I love her. I tell her to go and get her stuff as I grab my keys. My phone starts ringing, the screen lights up and it's Real, so I answer it.
"Hope I didn't disturb your sleep." She says.
"No, I was already awake."
She asks me how the entire situation went and I tell her the whole story and she asks me how mom is and I tell her she's already left for the boutique. I then drop Daryn and Stephanie at their dance class and decide to visit Real.
I find Real in a sky-blue spaghetti crop top and jeans trouser and her hair tied into a messy ban. I find her folding her clothes and explain tell her how nervous I am to meet my new uncle and she encourages me saying I'll so just fine. My phone rings and it's mom.
"It's mom." I say as I answer it' she tells me to meet her at the same café I saw her yesterday and I tell Real and that I'll be back shortly.
"How can I be so sure you'll be back?" she says.
"Here." I say throwing the car keys to her and she catches them. Good hand eye coordination; I remark.
"I'll leave the car just so you know I'll be back." I tell her.
"But how-" Real starts, but I cut her by putting my index finger on her lips and she looks at me; eyes lock.
"I manage." I say and give her a gentle kiss.
"Take care." Real says and I just smile at her and leave for the café.
I get to the café and spot mom and Armando through the glass door. Mom sees me as I enter and beckons me. I go to their direction and as soon as I reach the table, mom stands up and puts her hand on my back.
"This is my son, Milan." She says.
"Hi." Armando says smiling.
Mom asks me to take a seat and I do just that and Armando gives a warm welcoming smile and looks so pleased to see me. he's in his grey suit.
"Seems I've seen you somewhere before." He says.
"I play basketball."
"That's where I must've seen you. work extra hard boy." He says.
"I already am." I say.
"I like the sound of that." he says taking a sip of his coffee.
"What do you do?" I ask.
"Well, I'm the CEO of Home Paradise construction company. We actually turn people's homes into their most desired paradises.
I think of it; oh damn, this man is rich. He asks me what team I play for and I tell him and he tells mom what a genius son she has.
"What will you have?" he asks.
"Water." I say.
"That's it?"
"Didn't add anything else." I say.
Armando laughs and presses the order. The waitress brings the sealed water bottle and I open kit and take a sip.
"Stay hydrated huh." He says.
"Yep, always stay hydrated." Mom adds.
"Here's my business card. Give me a call sometime or visit me. I live in Wedlock Street near hotel Paradise." He says as he gives me the card.
I ask him who else I'll find at his place and he tells me that he stays alone with the maids and guards. He says he's single and that he'll look for a partner later on and tell him it should be soon because time's running out and mom teasingly hits me. he tells me I'm free to ask anything. I ask him how he knew mom was the one he had been looking for and he tells me about the resemblance she has with their mother and of course the DNA test. I ask him of the story which separated them.
"It's a long story." He replies.
"I have time." I tell him.
"Too bad I don't really remember much about my past." Mom says.
"You were young then. You were about two years old then and I was four. We were coming back from a family vacation and the car crashed due to a storm and we lost both our parents on the spot. I lost my eyesight and was hospitalized because I was not in good condition. I was taken to the orphanage and regained my eyesight at ten, but could not see you." he says to mom.
"Where was I?" she asks.
"Rumor had it you had died, but I didn't believe it, lucky I got into foster care and got adopted and finding you Became my mission. The best thing was that my foster parents were very supportive and we went to the hospital to get answers." He says.
I just listen as he tells his emotional story.
"I then found out you're no longer in Italy, but America and after searching on the internet that's when I was sure that you are my long-lost sister." He explains.
After the story, excuse myself and tell them that I have something important and need to get going and I later go to Real's.
"You really came back." She says smiling.
"I always keep my word."
I explain to her the entire story and how I've become a nephew to someone so rich.
"I want to take you somewhere." I tell her.
"Where?"
"You'll find out when we're there."
"Okay."
"Firstly, can I have my keys back?" I ask.
"Sure." She hands them back to me.
She asks me if she needs to change and I tell her that she's fine; so she insists she takes a jersey. I and Real get into the car and drive off. I pull over at some place near San Francisco and I get out of the car. So does Real.
"What's this place?" Real asks looking around.
"Only one way to find out. Come on." I tell her.