CHAPTER 37: His Apologies

GABRIEL’s P.O.V.

After I came home, I decided to take a bottle of liquor from the cellar before drinking alone. It was past midnight when my Mom came home, wondering where I am.

“Gabriel? I am home now, son,” she called out. “Where are you?”

“I am here, Mom...” I stated, almost whispering for I’m already intoxicated by the alcohol in my drink.

“Gab... Oh, God. What are you doing here? Why are you drinking alone?” She ran towards me, a worried expression is plastered upon her face.

“I don’t know... Maybe I was just...” I chuckled, before secretly wiping away the tears in my cheeks.

“What happened, son? Are you alright? Is there a problem?” she asked me.

“Erevell...” I trailed off, hesitating to tell her the truth.

“What about her? What happened? Is she alright?”

“She have cancer, Mom... Lung cancer,” I admitted, and she gasped in shock.

“What?! Since when? When did you find out?” she asked me.

“It all started when we were still kids... And only earlier that I found out.”

“What?! But you’ve known her for years!”

“That’s my exact reaction, Mom... I thought we are friends... Best friends, even better. And now... Why does she need to keep it away from me?” I asked her.

“Well... Maybe because she loves you? And she doesn’t want you to be hurt or worried... Maybe she just wants you to enjoy your own life without worrying about her condition.”

“That’s what she said... But she could have said it earlier, Mom... She could have told me everything form the very beginning,” I complained.

“But that is not that easy, son. Listen, she did it to protect you. However, just like what you’ve said, she could have told you sooner rather than you find out about it yourself. But she’s not dying, right? She’s just sick... She could be better,” Mom assured me.

“You think so?” I asked her.

“Of course. There’s always hope, son.”

I smiled, before Mom helped me out in putting away the bottles of liquor. As we did, I finally decided to get some sleep. The next thing I knew, I was awakened by my cellphone’s ringtone. I immediately reached out for it, before looking at the clock on my wall. It was seven thirty in the morning. I picked up the call, before a worried voice answered on the other line of the phone.

“Gab?! Gab... My daughter already told you everything, right? She needs you... She needs you right now. Please come in here...” It was Erevell’s mother, begging me to see her daughter.

“What? What happened to her?!” I asked.

“She couldn’t breath... The doctors are now inside of her room... I couldn’t even get inside,” she cried.

“I’m on my way...” I dropped the call, before preparing myself in the fastest way possible.

I used my car to get there, and when I arrived, everything is calm, her Mom just get outside of her room while sighing.

“Gab... You came. She’s fine now... The doctors already gave her everything that she needs. I am really sorry for bothering you, Gabriel. I just didn’t know whom to call earlier,” she apologized.

“It’s alright, ma’am... Can I... See her?” I asked.

“Of course, you can. I’ll just go and get some foods for us.”

I nodded, before she left. As she did, I slowly opened up Erevell’s room, before getting inside. She stared at me for one second, as if wondering why did I came here when only yesterday, I was furious at her for lying to me.

“Why are you here?” she asked me, looking numb as ever.

Her eyes can’t lie. She’s hurt. She’s hurt and I know that I’ve caused that. If only I became a more understanding friend to her, then maybe she wouldn’t be like this. I made her feel like a liar, when in fact, she only did that not to make me feel worried.

“Erevell... I-I... I want to apologize for what happened the yesterday,” I stated.

“Well, you don’t have to. You’re right... I lied to you. For so many years. But I’m still thankful that I did it. Because if I told you about my disease earlier, then you might have gone away.”

“That’s not true, Erevell... Why would I leave you? I will never do something like that... In fact, if you told me about this sooner, then I might have stay with you through all the way,” I explained, thinking about all those years that I stayed in the Philippines while wasting time and chasing the wrong girl.

“Why? I mean, why would you stay? Is it because I am dying?” she asked me.

“But you’re not dying, right? You can’t... And no, I won’t stay because of that... I would have stay if I knew that you needed my help... I’d rather take care of you than chase Claire...”

“You’re only saying that because she rejected you. If she accepted your love, then maybe it would be different... Maybe now, you’re still in that country.”

I looked down, thinking about what she said. Is she right? If Claire accepted my love for her, would I stay in that country for good? Maybe, or maybe not. But one of those possibilities is living Erevell behind for good... Like I’m never going to see her again. Maybe this is the point of why fate allowed me not to be with Claire... Because I have to take care of our friendship... I have to take care of my best friend.

“But, Erevell...” I trailed off, unable to say something next.

“You know what, maybe it would be better if you just stayed there, in the Philippines. Maybe if you hadn’t found out about my disease, then both of us could be happy, without hurting each other.”

“Come on, Erevell... Please don’t say that. Will you please, accept my apologies?” I asked her, kneeling at the side of her bed.

“What are you doing?” she asked me, confused.

“Uhm... Asking for forgiveness?” I asked her, sounding so unsure.

“You don’t have to do that, idiot,” she stated, and all of the sudden, the two of us laughed.

“Is this mean that I’ve been forgiven?” I asked her.

“Silly. I’m not like you. You know I’m easy to forgive.”

“And that’s what I love about you,” I said, smiling, before I pulled her closer for a hug. “I don’t know what I will do without you, Erevell.”

I heard her sob, making me gently pat her back to comfort her. She’s crying, and I probably know the reason why.

“Don’t worry, Erevell. You’ll get better soon... I know that. We will get through this together, alright?” I felt her nodded. “For now, we just need to have fate... I’m here. I won’t leave you anymore.”