LOVE BETWEEN THE LIES (SELF-PUB) Reprints of Physical book still available

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Mason's POV

"Jesus Christ, Sebi. Are you hearing yourself? We are talking about your wife here. Hindi ibang tao." Gulat na gulat talaga ako sa sinasabi ng kapatid ko.

"I know. That's why I am asking this to you. I don't want her to end up with someone who will not love her the way I do. At least with you alam kong hindi mo pababayaan ang mag – ina ko." Sebi is looking straight into my eyes. Ako ang unang nagbawi ng tingin. Hindi ko kayang salubungin ang tingin niya. Nakokonsensiya ako.

"Hindi ganoon kadali iyon. May sariling isip ang asawa mo. You cannot just ask her to marry someone she doesn't want. And besides, she hates me." Well, I deserved to be hated by everyone I love especially her. What I did, running away from them, is too selfish. I thought I was protecting them but the reality, I am the one who really hurt them.

"Trust me. What I am asking from you is for the best. Just promise me you will not abandon them."

"Kakalimutan ko kung anuman ang sinabi mo. Maybe you are just under stress kaya kung ano – ano ang naiisip mo. You will live, okay? You will see your son grow up. You will – " hindi ko maituloy ang sasabihin ko kasi parang ma nakabara sa lalamunan ko. "Y – you will continue loving your wife."

Ngumiti ng mapakla si Sebi at umiling.

"I can feel that I am not going to last long."

"What if there is another heart? Another heart transplant?"

Umiling – iling siya. "I'll be on the bottom of the list so it is impossible. Bago pa ako mabigyan ng bagong donor, baka nauna na ako. Financially, we cannot afford it anymore."

"I'll help you. I'll make some calls. We will do something about this, Sebi. Hindi kita pababayan na ganyan."

"Only a miracle can make me live longer, Mason. Tanggap ko na. At least I experienced having my own family and bumalik ka. Nakasama uli kita. I love you so much, bro. I am so thankful that you are my brother." Biglang bumagsak ang luha ni Sebi ng sabihin iyon.

Hindi ko namalayan na umiiyak na rin pala ako. Niyakap ko ng mahigpit si Sebi at napahagulgol ako. Hindi. Hindi siya puwedeng mawala. I will help my brother and I will do anything para lang madugtungan ang buhay niya.

Matagal pa kaming nag – stay sa garden ng kapatid ko. We were reminiscing our childhood days, nagpapakuwento siya tungkol sa nangyari sa akin. He is so interested to know what life I have as an agent. Sobrang bilib na bilib siya sa akin. I showed him some photos of our classified missions. Bawal ito but he is my brother so I will show anything to him. Ngayon ako nagsisisi na sana noon ko pa sinabi sa kanila kung anong trabaho ko. Hindi siguro nasayang ang ilang taon na pagtatago ko sa kanila.

"Why you didn't get married?" tanong ni Sebi sa akin.

Natawa ako. "Ubos na ang oras ko sa trabaho and I don't even have a girlfriend so paano ako mag – aasawa?"

"Then why you don't have a girlfriend? Imposible na bakla ka and sobrang babaero mo." natatawa si Sebi ng parang may maalala. "I remember one time nagpatulog ka ng babae sa kuwarto mo and mom found out. I can't forget your face. Pinalayas ni mommy 'yung babae na suot lang ang t-shirt mo."

Natawa din ako at napailing. "Well, I will always be the bad son. Alam ko naman sumakit talaga ang ulo sa akin ni mommy kaya alam kong medyo nakahinga siya ng maluwag ng mag – sundalo ako."

"Iyak kaya ng iyak iyon. Ayaw niya na maging sundalo ka." Napahinga ng malalim si Sebi. "Ang dami – dami ng nangyari. Sana okay na lahat ngayon."

"Everything will be fine." Tumingin ako sa relo at nakita kong pasado alas – onse na ng gabi. "Hindi ka pa ba matutulog? Late na. Ihahatid na kita sa kuwarto mo then uwi muna ako kina mommy."