If I Let You Go

Chapter 16.5 - I'm a bad mother

Taylor passed by Amante without saying anything and walked straight to his room.

Amante gazed at Natalia and looked at her as if considering whether to talk to her or not. He descended the stairs and stopped when he was at the same level as Natalia.

Amante faced Natalia and quietly said, "Tita, like Taylor, I also promised my father to do anything he asks of me. But while I promised to do that because I have to protect someone, Taylor's different. He's doing everything because he loves you. And speaking as someone who has lost Taylor's affection, I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

Amante then continued to descend the stairs without looking back.

***

Noah saw his sister at the bar as soon as he entered the club. This place seems very suited to the type of crowd his pretentious family likes to spend time with. But he's not here to judge his family. He's here because the only person he cares about in that family called him while crying. His Ate crying is not an issue in itself because being a member of his horrid family and being married to a husband who walks with the same group of people as his parents, present several hardships that requires one to have a determination as boundless as the outer space. It is however another thing if his Ate cries while obviously drunk and in a public place where anyone they know can recognize her.

As he sits beside his sister, he signaled for the bartender, "Mango Collins."

His sister whipped her face towards him as if surprised he's here after that phone call.

"Noah, I'm a bad mother!", his sister's face contorted before she slumped into Noah's chest and silently sobbed.

With that one sentence, he already understood the problem. However, understanding is a whole different matter from advising. He sipped his drink slowly and tried to borrow calmness from his cocktail. He never thought that a day will come when he will be the one giving his sister a talking to. And so, he tried his best to take a shot at her sister's weakness: Her love for Noah and Taylor.

"Ate, when our parents decided to turn their backs on me because I will not follow the template of what a perfect son should be in their eyes, you said that I should not worry. That I will forever have you and all I needed to do is just to be happy...You know that I love you more because of that. I was brave in my pursuit of happiness because I know you will always be there for me. That all I needed to be is just to be your brother, nothing else...Now, I would like to ask you a question...Why can't Taylor just be happy? Why can't Taylor just be your son?"

Natalia wept harder while from time-to-time repeatedly saying, 'I'm a bad mother.'