Losing Control

Labing Siyam

"Hello, Kuya?" Enzo nervously said as he called his brother from work.

"O, bro, napatawag ka?" Ashton said in surprise. He hadn't heard from Enzo ever since he dropped the bomb na girlfriend nya na si Gigi. It had been a tense relationship, to say the least. Kilala nya ang kapatid nya; he knew Enzo would not hold a grudge against him, pero he wasn't about to push his brother into accepting his new status with Gigi. Hindi nya kukulitin ang kanyang kapatid to accept things quickly because honestly, had the situations been in reverse, baka matatagalan din nyang matanggap ang mga pangyayari.

"Bad news.  I don't think you can hide out forever," Enzo said darkly.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"Kagabi during our family dinner sa bahay nila mommy, sabi ni Dad na babalik na daw ang 'fiancee' mo."

"Ano?!" napatayo si Ashton sa kinauupuan. He looked out the window where he had a clear view of Stephanie watering the plants on the side of the house. "Anong babalik na?"

"Di ba ang sabi nila mommy ay nagbakasyon sa Europe? Eh babalik na daw eh," Enzo continued. So wala pa rin palang alam si Kuya about Gigi.

"I don't care, Zo, kung bumalik pa sya o hindi. I'm happy where I am. I don't mean to keep throwing this in your face, but I am so in love with my girlfriend. Hinding hindi na talaga ako papayag sa gustong mangyari nila Dad. I will never trade Gigi for anyone in the world."

"Bro, alam mo namang hindi pwede yan."

"Kelan ba ang balik nya?"

"Next week daw. They already set up a dinner to meet formally."

"Bro, sabihin mo na hindi pwede...na hindi pa ko uuwi at hindi na ako uuwi."

"Kuya Dan naman, harapin mo na to. Why don't you meet with her and sabihin mo sa kanya na hindi mo sya gusto? Ikaw na mismo ang makipagusap sa kanya; siguro papayag naman yun dahil tinaguan ka rin naman nya hindi ba?"

"If she's a puppet of her parents, hinding hindi nya gagawing talikuran ang hiling ng mga ito. Bro, ikaw na lang ang makipagmeet sa kanila. Magpanggap ka na ikaw ako."

"Kuya, kasama sila mommy sa dinner na to. And obviously our parents know na hindi ako si Daniel Benitez. Imposible ang hinihiling mo."

"Sabihin mo sa babaeng yan na you, as Daniel Bentiez, will only agree to meet her kung kayong dalawa lang. Alam mo na ba ang pangalan nun?"

"No, Kuya," Enzo didn't want to tell his brother just yet. He wanted to push his brother to find things out on his own. Bakit hindi nagresearch ang kanyang kuya? If he searched for Asuncion Hotels, he would see Stephanie's name in at least one search result. Sure, hindi naman talaga active si Stephanie sa mga business dealings ng business nila and is not easily associated with her parents pero this is the internet age; anything and anyone is searchable. Masyado nang nabulag ang kapatid nya kay Gigi. If he would only stop being a coward and face the Asuncion daughter, he might be in for a happy surprise! "So you mean to tell me you never looked her up at all? Kuya, I told you from the very beginning, harapin mo na to, and you kept refusing and refusing. This isn't just going to go away, Kuya Dan."

"Enzo, I don't care. I don't care about what Dad will say. I don't care about the merger! Gumagawa na nga ako ng paraan dito para hindi na matuloy ang kasalan na yan. There has to be another way. Ito na lang, mukhang masyado kang affected eh, so why don't you marry this girl? Mukhang ikaw ang gustong gustong matuloy ito eh," Ashton said with much irritation at the situation, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Bro, be careful what you wish for," Enzo said wearily. Kung pwede ngang ako na lang, ginawa ko na, especially now na may hinala na ako na si Gigi at si Stephanie ay iisa lang.