"I SEE MASTER AIDEN'S feeling better," Antonio sets down the plate of scrambled eggs, three slices of bacon, and toast with honey drizzle for breakfast.
"Yes," I reached for the cup of coffee. "It's a good thing too because I was getting worried."
"Hmmm..." he eyed me with a smirk as he took a seat in the opposite direction. "Were there any explicit activities that took place last night? If you don't mind me asking."
I choke on my coffee and felt it coming out of my nose.
"Is it that shocking?" He hands me a napkin.
"What do you mean by explicit?" I blew my nose into the napkin, but it still burns.
"Well," he pulled out his phone. "I woke up at three in the morning to check up on Aiden, and instead, I found this," he shows his phone where a picture of Aiden and I cuddling. My hands circled his chest with his back against my body.
Part of me felt embarrassed because someone not only saw us like that but also took a picture while the other part of me found it humorous that we actually cuddled last night. I remembered having our arms around each other, but it was more of a hugging position. When I woke up this morning, we were sleeping in our own space, so I thought little about it.
"I believe they call this the "spooning" position, am I right?" He took the phone back, looking like a proud blackmailer.
"Did you have to take a picture?"
"Of course," he bit into his slice of bacon. "In a way, I'm doing you a favor."
"A favor?"
"I see how you look at him, Master Corey," he stirs his coffee. "And the fact that you didn't make a big fuss when I exposed the photograph to you proved me right."
I waited for him to finish sipping his coffee.
"You're head over heels for him, aren't you?"
If I wasn't blushing before, I sure am now because the dining room is spinning. I shook off the unpleasant heat warming my body and shoved a whole egg into my mouth, hoping not to speak.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, sire," he said. "Throughout my days, I've never come across anyone who would bring a homeless person from another country and become so protective of them. You're the first-ever, and I'm still astonished by his background."
"I do love him," I played with the yolk using my fork, seeing how long it can survive before it pops. "And I don't know if I should be ashamed or the opposite."
"I see nothing wrong in loving someone."
"There's nothing wrong when a boy loves a girl," I emphasized. "I'm a boy, and I became more than mutual with the same gender."
"And?" He scoffs. "What's wrong with that?"
"You don't get it," the yolk popped and satisfyingly rolled over the toast. I picked up a slice and ate it.
"Au contraire, Master Corey," he reached for his phone once again, meddling around. "I'm about to tell you a secret, but do keep this between us, okay? Not even to the Masters, deal?"
"Deal."
"I had a male lover during my teenage day, Isaac Fraser," he showed his phone, a low-resolution picture of two boys dressed in sportswear posing by a sports stadium I've never seen before. One of them was Antonio because their facial structure is identical. He looked so young with an athletic figure, and it was hilarious seeing how he had luscious long locks back then. Now the hairs on his scalp looked like a couple of strings taped to it.
"He's your lover?" My eyes were on the male next to Antonio's younger self. He was looking at Antonio rather than at the camera, and those eyes were filled with love.
He nods. "It's a rather sad tale," he took his phone back to view it. "I miss my hair and muscles."
"What happened to him?"
"His parents didn't approve of our love and they forbade us from seeing each other since then," he said. "One day, I found out he was engaged to a suitor whom his father had picked for him. And since then, I never saw him again."
"At all?"
He nods with a thin lip smile. "It was rather difficult to stay in touch as we didn't have the luxury of smartphones like your generations do," he kept his phone aside. "Thus, it is with a heavy heart, I let him go."
"Do you still miss him?"
"Sometimes," he picks up his coffee and stirs it with the teaspoon. "But knowing he's got his life together with a loving family, I'm very happy for him."
"Are you happy here with us?"
"Indubitably," he smiled. "He has his family, and I have mine right here."
"We love having you around too," I said. "Don't you forget that."
"I wouldn't dream of it," he leans back. "The point of unraveling this small piece of history is to let you know that this is normal. In the end, love is still love, regardless of the gender. If you love him, there's nothing to be ashamed of."
"I do," my visions pan down to my plate. The food suddenly looked unappetizing. "I just don't know if he feels the same way."
He scoffs sarcastically. "Let's see," he clears his throat. "He left his home and followed you to Los Angeles, he didn't object to any plans of yours till the poor boy collapse by the streets, he slept with you, and god knows what else you two did. If that isn't love, then I don't know what is."
"Yeah, well, love or not, I doubt this is going to work," I said. "Aiden's finding a hard time getting used to this new life."
"That's on you, I'm afraid," he sips his coffee. "You brought him here after all."
"I know," I exhaled slowly. "Which is why I'm bringing him back to Hawaii. He didn't agree, but he didn't reject either. He's used to that lifestyle, and now, I can't help but feel like you when you let Isaac go."
He taps the mug with his fingers, as he doesn't know what to say.
I'm trying to keep myself from tearing up at the thought of letting Aiden go. I kept blinking and inhaling deep breaths and swallow the lump in my throat. I'm walking around with my bottle full, and God knows when it's going to overflow.
Antonio wanted to say something but halt when the doorbell echoed in the house. We walked to the security cameras to see Lydia, accompanied by a woman. We opened the gates, and they sped walk towards us.
"Miss Lydia, why the surprising visit?" Antonio said. "Who might this be?"
I kept my eyes on the woman the entire time, and I swore I saw her somewhere. I just can't put my finger on it.
"Guys," she rests her palms on her knees to catch her breath. "This is Angela Austin, and she has reasons to believe Aiden's in trouble."
"What do you mean?" I pan towards Angela.
"Remember me?" She waved at me.
"You look really familiar I just can't recall," I responded. It's on the tip of my tongue but somehow, I couldn't get it.
"I was the doctor who helped you when Aiden collapse," she said.
And that's when it all came to me. I finally recognized her appearance. But rather than getting excited, I got scared.
"Yes!" I snap my finger. She looked younger than I remembered. She had long brown hair with eyes to match. She wore black jeans, and a loose ombre pink and blue blouse, pairing with an emerald necklace and earrings. "Now I remember you, but why are you here?"
"Corey," Lydia hands me her phone. I took it to see a paused video.
"What's this?" I asked.
"Aiden's little incident is going around social media," Angela said. "This Facebook post has over a hundred fifty thousand shares, and millions of views."
I hit play and saw the video of Aiden and I where he collapsed by the traffic light. I recall many people recording us and it's now on social media. At this rate, chances of keeping Aiden's identity a secret are thin as a thread.
"Do you think the foster care is aware of this?" I'm starting to panic because things are getting worse by the day.
"Not yet," Angela said. My eyes shifted towards her. "But not for long."
"Why do you say that?" Antonio asked.
"I'm the housekeeper to his foster system," my knees felt shaky.
"Are you here to take him back?!" I stepped into her personal space and glared straight into her eyes. She remained calm. "I won't let you."
"Aiden, chill," Lydia shot her arm in between us and Antonio kept his hands on my shoulders, dragging me a few steps back. "Tell them."
"I'm not here to take him back," she starts. "Trust me, I want nothing more than for him to be safe. Hence, I'm here to help."