Only Yours (On-going)

Chapter 17

Gulf sat on the edge of his bed, staring out the window of his condo. He couldn't shake off the heaviness in his chest after the dinner with Mew's family. It was evident that Mew's mother didn't accept him as her son's boyfriend, and Gulf suspected it was because of their genders. The thought saddened him deeply.

In a world where acceptance of LGBTQ+ relationships was still a struggle, Gulf knew the challenges they faced. The disapproval of someone as important as Mew's mother was hard to ignore. He didn't want to be the source of conflict or discomfort for Mew, and he certainly didn't want to be the reason for any strain in their relationship.

Gulf was grateful for his own family, who had embraced him with open arms when he came out. Their love and acceptance had given him the strength to be himself, unapologetically. He wished Mew could experience the same unconditional support from his own family.

Later that night, when Mew arrived at his condo, Gulf could tell by the look on his face that he was also affected by his mother's attitude. Gulf pulled him into a tight hug, wordlessly offering comfort and understanding. Together, they sat on the couch, talking late into the night, finding solace in each other's company.

Gulf was in the pantry when Ella walked in and mentioned that a beautiful woman was looking for him.  

"Hey Gulfie, someone is looking for you." Gulf furrowed his brow, feeling a mix of curiosity and nervousness. 

"Hi, Ella. Who's looking for me?"

"she's beautiful like a goddess. Maybe you have an admirer." she laugh because he knows that Gulf is engaged to Mew.

"Really? Who is she? Do you know her?" Gulf laughs nervously.

"No, I don't. I'm new here. She just said she knows you and that what she has to say is important." He couldn't help but think that it might be Mew's mother, coming to talk to him about staying away from her

"Oh, I see. Alright, please tell her I'm here in the pantry. Thank you, Sandy."Gulf said nervously

"You're welcome." Ella smiles and leaves.

"Is this Mew's mother? I hope she's not angry with me." Gulf to himself with mixed of worried.

Gulf approached the elegant woman sitting in the lobby's waiting area, who was obviously waiting for someone. His nervousness subsided as he realized it wasn't Mew's mother he had seen. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that she might be a relative of Mew's, as she bore a striking resemblance to him.

"Hi, excuse me. Are you looking for me?" Gulf asked as the beautiful woman turned to look at him. She confirmed that she was Mew's sister. She stood up and hugged him tightly, surprising both Gulf and Ella, who was at the front desk.

"Ma'am... wait..." Gulf stammered, trying to process the unexpected embrace from Mew's sister.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't help it. I just couldn't help but be amused. By the way, I'm Mew's older sister, Adrielle. And it's nice to meet you, Gulf Ezikiel Cruz," Adrielle said as she shook hands with Gulf and then hugged him again. 

"Now I understand why my brother is so crazy about you. You're so pretty, for a man. If I didn't have a husband and kids, I would have stolen you from my brother. Hahaha, just kidding. So, are you free now? I mean, can we talk? And don't worry, Mew and even Thada know about this." Gulf could only agree. They went to the nearest cafe.

They sat down and placed their orders.

"So, how are you and Mew? I mean, I know how much Mew has been bothering you for years, and I want to talk to you about that. Please, don't give up on Mew. I assume you've met Mom?" Gulf nodded.

"I'm not beating around the bush, but my mom wants Mew to marry one of her friends' children, just for the money." Gulf was surprised to hear this. "Because I've been through that. And I'm here now to save Mew, and you. I don't want my brother to be suffocated or unhappy with whatever he has. You know, the problems of the wealthy, money, money, money. Their happiness is money rather than real joy. My dad is against her. And I'm telling you, like me, he wants you for my brother. But my mom is the evil here. I'd rather hide and get pregnant with my boyfriend than follow her. Life is short, so let's enjoy it. If I hadn't hidden, I probably wouldn't be experiencing the happiness I have now. That's why I'm here to warn you," Adrielle said frankly.

"Thank you for telling me this, thank you for Mew's having a sister like you. Actually, I'm worried about him because of what happened in the past. And don't worry, I won't give up on Mew," Gulf said.

"Mew means a lot to me, and I want to make sure he's happy with me," Gulf added.

And Adrielle nodded, understanding the depth of Gulf's commitment to her brother.

"I'm glad to hear that," Adrielle said, a smile playing on her lips. "Mew deserves someone who truly cares for him, someone like you."

Gulf smiled gratefully, feeling a sense of reassurance from Adrielle's words. They continued their conversation, discussing their plans to ensure Mew's happiness and well-being. Gulf was grateful for Adrielle's support and vowed to do everything in his power to protect and cherish Mew.

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Mew sat in front of his laptop, his serious expression evident to his whole group of friends. They could tell that Mew's mood had been off since the meeting earlier, where he had snapped at the marketing team reporting to them.

"Bro, are you okay? You know, you can always talk to us," Thada said softly. Mew took a deep breath.

"It's my mom. I know what's going to happen. She can't accept me. And also Gulf. We're still new, and I don't want us to break up just because of my mom. I know how much Gulf treasures family, and that's one of the reasons why I love him. I'm scared that when my mom talks to him, he'll leave me."

"Don't question my cousin's love. Just trust him. He's not the kind of person who can be dictated by anyone," Gun said as he entered the office, surprising everyone. "Just fix things with your mom and talk to her so Gulf won't be affected. We all know how much we treasures Gulf, especially Adrielle. she Talk to him right now."

"What?" they both exclaimed.

"Don't worry, your sister is voting for Gulf. She won't let your mom ruin your relationship. I'm not Gun for nothing, right Off?" Gun looked at his fiance.

"Yes, mommy," Off replied.

"Then get me a sour orange mango. If it's not orange, we're getting a divorce," Gun joked, making everyone laugh. "I'm not joking here," he said, looking at Mew. "Gulf is not Gulf for nothing. So, it's better to fix things with your mom, or do you want me to do it for you?" Mew felt a surge of emotions hearing his friends' support. He knew they were right—he couldn't let his mother's narrow-mindedness jeopardize his relationship with Gulf.

"Thanks, guys. I'll talk to my mom and make things right," Mew said, determination in his voice.