Falling Like A Fool

31

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

"Matt, Isabella deu à luz já . Ela disse que estava esperando por você. (Matt, Isabella gave birth already. She said she was expecting you.)" Maximillan said it with a puzzled look on his face. It seemed he was waiting for an explanation coming from me.

I just nodded my head to acknowledge what he said, and walked passed him to go straight to his Honda Accord Hybrid car which was parked in front of the airport. He quietly followed me and went to the driver's seat.

I was feeling exhausted so I closed my eyes and laid my head on the head rest. All throughout my travel back to Brazil, all I thought about was how to deal with Isabella.

I couldn't think of anything to get out of the situation because Isabella's acting irrational... unreasonable, and Tanya's life was at risk.

At the thought of Tanya, I felt a heavier heart that I left her in the Philippines, while I try to figure out how to resolve the sticky situation I was in.

But every second... every minute... every hour that passed by was torture to me.

I miss my Tanya. I miss my wife.

I sighed heavily as I sank myself into the passenger's seat, but noticed that Maximillan glanced at me as he was driving. We were heading home.

I knew Maximillan was trying to gauge if I was in the mood to talk. But knowing him, I know he would still try to talk to me, regardless of what mood I was in.

"O que há entre você e Isabella, Matt? (What is it between you and Isabella, Matt?)" he asked. I didn't respond. I just stared at the road and sighed.

"Será que ela ainda forçá-lo a se casar com ela? (Is she still forcing you to marry her)?" he asked without looking at me.

It was my turn to glance at him. "Será que ela te disse? (Did she tell you?)"

"Não, (No,)" he simply said. "Mas nós crescemos juntos, Matt . Eu sei que ela gosta de você --- muito. (But we grew up together, Matt. I know she likes you--- a lot.)" He said.

I grunted and ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.

"Eu sou casada , Max. (I'm married, Max.)" I answered.

"Eu sei. (I know.)" He simply said.

"Como você sabe disso? (How did you know that?)" I asked, very surprised.

"Observo , Matt . Você pode aprender muito ... sei muito por apenas observando. (I observe, Matt. You can learn a lot... know a lot by just observing.)" He simply replied, with arrogance obviously written on his face. " E, claro , a lógic. (And, of course, logic.)" He pointed out as he adjusted the glasses he was wearing.

I didn't say a word or even contest it. Maximillan is, after all, the most intelligent amongst us brothers. Though he is a geek and always buried in his books, Maximillan is also the most sensible. He is the most capable or sensitive to the attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of others.

"Por que você deixou Tanya nas Filipinas? (Why did you leave Tanya in the Philippines?)" he continued to ask questions.

"Porque ela é mais seguro lá. (Because she's safer there.)" I reluctantly admitted. " (Por enquanto.) For now."

"Segura? (Safe?)" he was confused. "É por causa de Isabella? Ela está ameaçando você ?

(Is it because of Isabella? Is she threatening you?)"

"Not just that." I answered. " Ela está me chantageando . Ela me disse que eu sou o pai de seu filho , e se eu não voltar e estar com ela, ela ia abortar ou ter o bebê enviado para aprovação. (She is blackmailing me. She told me that I'm the father of her child, and if I don't come back and be with her, she was going to abort or have the baby sent for adoption.)"