The Bet (Just The Way You Are)

The Bet *Metanoia

We both turn to our mom in that instant. I'm so stupid for forgetting her presence. She has not uttered a single word ever since I told them what I knew.

Suddenly, I feel nervous. You know that gut wrenching feeling in your stomach? - The feeling that something bad will happen. I feel sick, my lunch wants to have reappearance but I force it back. I have to be strong for my mother and my sister. I can do this. We can restore our family again.

"Mom," I say.

She doesn't respond. She has a faraway gaze on her face.

Stretching my arm on the table, I get my mom's hand and give it a squeeze. "Mom," I repeat. I notice that my voice is somewhat rough and shaky.

My mom is scaring me with being a human statue. Driana starts to have this hysterical cry, starting to be panicked because my mom is not moving.

"Mom," I repeat, tugging her hand.

Still, there's no reaction. Even her eyes aren't blinking.

Getting mixed emotions, I let go of my mom's hand and then I slap my hand on the table as hard as I can. The tea cups clattered, but none of them shattered.

My mom jumps on her seat, looking startled. "W-what is g-going on?" she asks, glancing between me and Driana.

"Mom, father cheated on you."

Driana twists on her seat and glares at me. She's probably afraid my mom will be surprised again.

"Drake, I already know that," my mom says sadly.

My eyes almost popped out of their sockets. I just stare at her, not believing the words she uttered a second ago.

I don't know why I feel betrayed.

Driana is silently crying, probably wishing that this is all a nightmare. That she will wake up to find her family unscathed.

"What?" I ask when I finally find my voice.

My mom wipes her cheeks with the back of her hands. "Your dad admitted to me that he had an affair," she says."But I didn't know you knew." She puts her hand on my cheek, caressing my face.

That's when I realize I'm crying. When's the last time my tear fell down? I don't even remember it.

"Mom," I say, clearing my dry throat. "Why didn't you leave him? How could you stay with a man who hurt you?"

"Because he's my husband, and he's your father," she answers simply.

"That's all?" I ask incredulously.

"Of course not."

"What then?" I ask through gritted teeth, getting impatient.

"I didn't leave because I love him," she states, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Love?"

"Yes, I love your father. I never stopped loving him, even when the time I learned what he did."

"Why?" I choke.

"Because we promised to love each other no matter what," she says, folding her hands on her lap. "We made a vow at our wedding. We make mistakes but we can't dwell in them. We'll just get hurt. So I decided to forget what he did." When she sees my expression, she adds, "When you fall in love, you'll understand. That no matter what the person did, you'll still forgive her. Because the only choice you have is to love her until your last breath."

Is it that easy? Is it that easy to forgive and forget?

Why is it when I need my subconscious mind, it's not talking?