Vague Existence

Chapter 52: Gulf

I miss Mew. He'd been gone for 3 days. He went back to the city to check on the handwritten manuscripts. We talked the first two nights. He was getting really frustrated since the police insisted they have already given all documents. We haven't talked this night though. He is going to his uncle to find a way to get his handwriting. It seems that he never saw his uncle's handwriting save for the signature he does on legal documents.

It's 10:00 pm, probably too early to expect a call from him. I didn't call him as I might interrupt something important. But I did text him.

Around 12 midnight, I was feeling so anxious I keep roaming around the house because I just can't lie still. I keep on remembering three years ago, when he talked to his sister and pretty much ended our relationship when he went back to me. Surely, that's not gonna happen again. I tried calling him already. The phone just kept on ringing but he didn't pick it up.

Don't be paranoid Gulf, nothing will happen. Well, yeah, he just went to his uncle who used to blackmail his father and him.

Around 1 am, I was already losing it. I called him again, his phone wasn't ringing anymore. I swear to god if what happened three years ago happens again, I will never forgive him.

I was drinking water in the kitchen when I heard the door chime. I turned abruptly. There he is looking so exhausted. His dress shirt unbuttoned to his chest, sleeves folded to his elbows and his neck tie dangling on his neck. Then he saw me frozen in the kitchen. A big smile forming on his face. I put the glass down and went to him.

"I missed you." I looped my arms around him and kissed him hard. He kissed back with the same ardor. "I called you Mew. I was so afraid this was a repeat from three years ago."

He held my face in his two hands and looked at me, "Sorry I wasn't able to call back, I was driving back here so fast, I didnt want to be distracted."

"Are you sure that's it? Nothing's wrong right?"

"Nothing's wrong Gulf. Just tired from driving."

I looked at Mew, trying to decipher what I see in his eyes.  His eyes look very sad. "Something's wrong." I distanced myself from him. "I don't want to be kept in the dark again. We discussed about this."

He approached me. Looked me in the eyes. "My uncle knows about us Gulf."

"And?" I urged him to continue.

"He threatened to destroy the company your father built. He handles your family's affairs and your mother still doesn't know about your father and mine. This will hurt her too."

I am speechless.

"It's so late. Let's think about this tomorrow, okay? We're going to fix this."  He kissed my forehead and hugged me again.

"Don't leave me again." I said.

"I should be the one saying that Gulf." He kissed me, softly this time.

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It was a sleepless night. We both pretended to sleep so the other doesn't worry, but really, I don't think we were able to anyway.

Around 7 am, I felt Mew move closer to me. We were spooning. I felt his lips in my nape very gently nudging it.

"I love you Gulf." 

I reached for his head with my eyes still closed. "Good morning to you too."

"Let's have breakfast in bed. I'll cook you eggs and bacon."

"Hmmm. I'd love that." I said, then felt him stand up and leave me.  I tried to doze of a bit more trying not to think. 

After a couple of minutes, I smell something burning. I groggily stood up to check what's happening. The bacon is still in the stove cooking and Mew nowhere to be found.  I turned it off. "Mew?" No answer. I went out, where can he be?

I checked the bathroom but he is not there. I went outside to check and saw him inside his car. He was talking to someone over the phone.  I approached him and heard something I think I shouldn't hear.

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"Yes Uncle, that's what I am trying to do."

Pause.

"Just promise me you wouldn't touch them."

Pause.

"Yes I will."

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I saw him ending the call and banging his head in the steering wheel. Then sensing as if someone is watching, he turned to my direction. I took a step backward and was about to turn. He was faster though, before I knew it, he is already in front of me. He held my head on both his hands.  "I have a plan Gulf." 

"The bacon is burnt." That's me trying to brush off my doubts.

"Please trust me." That's Mew saying it calmly afraid panicking might make me panic too.

"I trust you Mew."

We walked back to the house hand in hand not saying anything. If there is one thing I have learned about all that has happened between us, it's that, the surface we see is not enough reason for hate or doubt. That there is always something deeper that makes all these much more meaningful. That the reason for all the misfortunes run so deep and cuts across the past both unknown to us.  I can't judge him for something that I just heard. I trust that he will explain.  

In the kitchen after cooking another batch of bacon, we sat down on the table facing each other. I was waiting for Mew to speak.

"Last night, when I went to my uncle, I tried to act nonchalant and tried to ask for his old notes about law. This was the only way for me to see his hand writing. That alone made him suspicious. I didn't want to raise his suspicion though so instead of giving him an idea about the sketch, I wanted to divert it somewhere else. I told him we got back together. I saw the rage in his eyes. The same ones I saw three years ago. He got so angry and said that he doesn't want me associated with you because he knows your father's company too well."  He reached for my hand, "But I know that's not the real reason Gulf. He is hiding something. I needed to play along so I can get more information. He said that he will expose the dirty deeds of your father's company if I don't stop seeing you."

"So this is how he got your father to follow him."

"I think it has nothing to do with your father's company Gulf. But it's hard to talk to him without raising any suspicion."

"What if instead of hiding the sketch? We let him see it."

"What do you mean Gulf?"