Summer of Confrontation

Justine got up abruptly, confused. He looked around the room. He looked at me blankly for a long time. I squeezed his hand. He must have remembered where he was because he hugged me again. I hugged him back tightly.

"Is…???" He can't say his brother's name. I shook my head. He shut his eyes and covered them with both hands. He stayed that way for a while.

"Let's wash up and change. And then let's have coffee, okay? Grandpa Anton and my father might be here in a bit." I told him.

We both got up to get ready for the day. When I got out of the bathroom, I saw that Justine had already made our bed. Gary was not in the room while the rest of the gang were in a different state of wakefulness. I told them that Justine and I were getting coffee and got out. He was waiting for me in the hallway, checking his mobile for signal. He waved the unit on me and shook his head. There was still no signal. He took my hand and we walked towards the backyard kitchen holding hands.

The bodyguards were already having coffee. 'Wait. Four. Bodyguards. Alexis' two bodyguards are here!' My heart raced, anticipating some news. Justine noticed them too. Our walk became faster despite my slight limp. Then we noticed Gary talking and having coffee with a slightly dirty young man.

"Alexis!" I half-shouted.

Alexis started to get up from his seat but before he could fully stand, Justine was already beside him. What Justine did next shocked us all! He shook Alexis so violently that Alexis' coffee spilled, scalding both him and Justine. The bodyguards scrambled to separate them.

"Where have you been??? Didn't I tell you to stay close to our friends? You never ever listen" Justine shouted. He was fuming mad. I tried to wipe the coffee from his arms but he brushed me away. Gary pulled me aside. B1 and B2 restrained him.

"I'm sorry I got you all worried. I'm sorry!" Alexis shouted back. He was fighting tears.

"The hell you're sorry! You're so selfish! Apology to you is cheap!" Justine retorted.

"You think you're the only one who cared? I got worried too. What do you want me to say? What do you want me to do???" Alexis asked, frustrated.

"Calm down! Please. Both of you." I pleaded. Justine stormed out of the kitchen. I didn't go after him. I thought it was best to leave him alone for a while. I would go find him later.

Alexis sat down dejected. He put his hands on his head and cried silently. Gary sat down beside him and patted his back. I sat across him and gave him table napkins to wipe his tears. He looked at me a bit embarrassed. I gave him a glass of water.

"Are you going to scold me too?" He asked.

"No. You have enough scolding for the day. How are you?"

"Except for this dirt, I'm okay. I'm really sorry, Nina. I didn't mean for it to happen." He said, sniffing.

"Hey… It's okay. I'm just relieved that you're safe. Your brother I'm sure is relieved that you are safe too. He's just so worried about you. I hope you cut him some slack for his behavior a while ago." I said.

"You don't have to apologize for him, Nina. I know he's worried. I know he must have gotten so angry with me. I know it's my fault. I just wish he trusts me just a little. I'm not a kid anymore. I can also take care of myself. He doesn't have to bear everything. At times I feel that I'm just a burden to him…" Alexis opened up.

Gary and I looked at each other at a loss for words to say. Alexis' voice was breaking up and full of pain. I didn't know the wedge between brothers run this deep. I wished they'd sit down and talk to iron out this misunderstanding. There was so much love between them but they couldn't seem to find the right words to express it. I was beginning to slowly realize that love was never simple. Even between siblings.

I was trying to find the right words to say to Alexis when the girls came running from the house and flocked to him. The good news had apparently reached them.

"O my God Alexis, what happened to you? Where have you been? Were you hurt? When did you arrive? We were so worried about you? Hey! Did Justine see you already?" All three girls spoke at the same time, interrogating Alexis.

Alexis let the girls hug and fuss over him. Even Karlo and Victor embraced him. Auntie Aida quietly handed them a new mugful of coffee. She was teary-eyed herself but didn't say a word. The gang crowded on Alexis. He narrated what happened to him. According to him, he was looking for a certain brand of clothing. He met somebody who told him that it was available in another mall nearby. This new friend happened to be going there so he decided to go with him. He thought he would be back in no time as the mall was just 3 kilometers away. Also, he thought not asking permission from his bodyguards were just a simple prank. He planned to call them anyway. He was in the nearby mall when the earthquake happened. He got separated from his new friend. And he lost his mobile! The gang told him in turn what happened to us. Survivor story telling was in session. It escalated to a contest of near death experiences. Some of their stories once retold were quite silly and funny. Laughter filled the mess hall. The gang could laugh at last. It didn't matter anymore if Alexis was being immature or selfish. He was safe. It was all that mattered to them. The staff and their families started trooping in the kitchen for breakfast. The gang decided to transfer in the main house.

I took a mug of coffee and a mug of hot milk and went looking for Justine. I found him sitting on a bench near a koi pond in one end of the sprawling Huang compound. I sat beside him and handed him the mug of milk. He took it. We silently sip our coffee and milk.

"Are you not going to scold me?" Justine asked.

"No. I'm not your mother." I answered. I wanted to take back the word mother. I was not helping the situation with my curt words.

We again silently sip our coffee. I looked at the fish in the pond. I must admit I was a bit shocked with his behavior earlier. I thought it was a bit much. I didn't know how to tell him though.

"I'm sorry. I frightened you. I was violent, right?"

"Yeah. You were a bit violent. But you should apologize to your brother instead." I answered. "Baby, I know how worried you were. I know you didn't mean to hit him. But startled and hurt him, you did. You should be hugging each other, not fighting," I added.

"You said you're not scolding me," Justine said and smiled lamely.

"Well, you asked for it!" I retorted.

He took the two coffee mugs and put them on the ground. He pulled me to him and made me sit on his lap. I protested but he looked at me with his eyes pleading. Of course my fragile heart couldn't resist him. I sat on his lap. He put his arm around me and leaned on my back. He sighed deeply several times. To my horror, he heard my stomach grumble. He turned me to look at him. I covered my eyes in embarrassment. He kissed me lightly on the lips.

"Uhmnn... You'll always remind me of coffee," he said. He kissed me teasingly again. And then the earth moved. An aftershock!