BETRAYAL

12

Henry was sitting on the sofa in the living room, checking some business proposals on his laptop when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller id and it read A, he quickly put the laptop down and answered the phone.

"What's up Andrew? Why did you call?" he asked. He listened to the other end and his eyes widened as he received the news.

"And why are you telling me this now?" Henry asked him, a bit furious.

"You didn't think it's important? Oh my God!! I told you to tell me everything no matter how small it is," he took a big breath and released it "Anyway, just find her! Find her before he does and let me know immediately." he told the person and hung up.

Henry stared at an empty space, a lot of thoughts ran through his head. He didn't even notice the door opening and Martin walking in.

"What are you so serious thinking about?" Martin asked him. He looked up to see his father and smiled at him.

"Umm nothing much," Henry told him "So how did the lunch go?"

"Don't even remind me!" Martin sighed.

"That bad?"

"No, not bad. It went well. It's just that I realized how foolish and selfish I was all these years."

"Why? Why are you saying that?" Henry asked, surprised Martin would call himself that.

"All these years I just cared about my feelings and didn't even bother to check on the woman I loved more than anything! Today I just found out how hard her life has been. JR died more than 20 years ago and she has been a single mother all those years and if that isn't bad enough now she lost her only son," Martin sighed sadly.

"That JR died!!! And she lost her son too!! Poor woman," Henry was a bit surprised at the news. No one deserved that much pain in their life. Although he didn't know her, he pitied her. Maybe because she is Martin's love of his life. He could tell Martin still cared and loved her so much. Thinking about that he was a bit happy the woman was single, maybe they can use that chance and finally be together.

"She had no one by her side. She must have been so lonely. Why did I never check up on her!? Just why!?" Martin was furious at himself.

"I would have done the same if I were in your shoes. I don't think I could watch the woman I love happily married with my friend," Henry reasoned with him, assuring him what he did was nothing out of ordinary, anyone on his shoes would probably do the same.

"I really thought they were living a happy life somewhere. I never thought she could be all alone struggling to raise a child all by herself.  Growing up as an orphan she hated being alone more than anything yet I left her all alone."

She grew up as an orphan too?? Henry couldn't help but pity the woman even more. The woman seemed like she lived a very tough life.

Martin continued to express his sorrow, "She knew everything about me, whenever she saw a newspaper or a magazine with my name on it she read them all. We used to be so close and yet I let her find out how I was through newspapers, how sad and upset she must have been whenever she read those newspapers!! One email was all it could have take, I should have emailed her back at least once. I should have asked if she was doing okay. I really regret not doing that."

"It's ok Dad. You can make up for lost time now. You can be there for her now. You still have a chance," Henry told him.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll have to make up for the lost time," Martin said, determination on his face. "I'll never let her be alone again, I'll find her son too."