“You look happy wife. You look too excited to meet my brother.” Maru’s a bit annoyed.
I just gave him my sweetest smile.
I really am excited! I finally know why Maru’s brother sounds familiar, because I really know him!
He’s my savior and my puppy love.
Flashback
While Maru is taking a bath, I feel uneasy. I called my mom to confirm something.
My mom answered my call in just one ring.
“Hello Mara!” She sounds happy.
“Mom did you know that Maru has a bother?” I ask her directly.
“Yes. Why?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you knew him already. You and Maru, I mean the older Maru knew each other. You were very close before.” She explained.
I feel so lost.
“Huh? I can’t remember him.”
“Remember when you were just 10 years old, you always tell us about him. That he help you one time when you almost broke the vase in the Ottave mansion?”
My eyes widen by the realization.
“Is that him?!” I almost shout my mom.
I heard my mom chuckled. “Yes baby he was your regular playmate. But you stop playing with him all of a sudden.”
“Yes mom I remember. Thanks.”
“No worries baby. Why did you ask anyway?”
“He’s here in the Philippines now. As per Maru he already reconciled with his Dad.”
“Wow! That’s good to here. But he came too late. He was supposed to be your husband. But you look happy now with Maru so I guess you really meant for him.”
“So its also true that he was supposed to marry me if he wasn’t chased out of their father?”
“Yes Mara. Remember you told us that you two want to get married someday? Maru also told his parents about that, I mean James to his dad. That’s why we talked about it and arrange your marriage. You two look good together when you were young that’s why we agree to arrange your marriage.”
“If that’s the case, then why did I thought that Maru is the one I will marry?”
“When James was chased out, instead of breaking the promise they just let Maru replace James as your husband. Maru’s dad doesn’t want to break what we have agreed for since you guys still don’t know that we are planning your marriage. You are already in your college when we told you about it. Also you suddenly avoided James so we thought that maybe you don’t like him anymore. And also you did not complain when we told you that Maru will be your future husband.”
I just smile and said goodbye to my mom.
Now everything makes sense.
I met him when I went to the Ottave mansion for the first time. I almost broke their vase. Good thing is James came right on time, he was able to catch the vase before it fell on the ground. Since then we became friends and I considered him as my savior.
I call him Maru because I find that name unique.
I didn’t know that he is also an Ottave. Because he is not there whenever I attended their family’s party or celebration. I even thought that he’s the son of the Ottave’s housekeeper.
I often seen him with Manang Lucy, she’s one of the housekeeper in the mansion. He also calls her “Nay Lucy” that why I thought that Manang Lucy is his mom.
While Maru, his mom and dad calls him Andrew.
Now I finally get it. They are both have Maru in their names. That is why people prefer to call the Andrew and James.
Maru and I never got closed. The reason why I never bother to know his real name. Not until I found out that my parents wants me to marry the son of the Ottave.
At first I thought it was James but I realize that James is a child of a housekeeper so it is impossible for it to be him.
And I thought of Maru. I automatically assume that it was really him.
After that I chose to avoid James because we will never had a chance to be together. I was only 10 years old at that time. Can you believe how I think at that time?!
And now that everything is clear, I feel so excited to meet him again.
I immediately went out of the car when we reach the mansion.
I was about to go up the stairs when I felt Maru’s hand on my hips.
“Not so fast wife. Remember you are carrying my child.” He said a bit annoyed.
I just smile at him and ignore his irritation.
When I saw James I called him.
“Maru!!!” I shouted.
I saw him smiled. Recognition is seen on his face.
I saw him opening his arms for me.
I feel so excited to go to him and hug him.
“I miss you Denise!” He whispered and the gave me a kiss on my forehead.
I closed my eyes and hug him again.
“I want to hug you tighter but I might crashed my niece.” He said teasingly.
We let go of our hug. I just look at him with a smile on my face.
“I miss you so much! You suddenly disappear!” I told him.
He scratched his head. “I assume you already know why I suddenly left.”
I nodded.
I was about to ask him again when I feel my husband presence, he put his hand on my hips.
“You really can’t hide your excitement wife huh?” He whispered.
Then he make me face his mom and dad. I suddenly feel embarrassed. I forgot to greet them.
“I’m sorry mommy, daddy I forgot to greet you. I was so excited to see James again.”
They just smile. I think just like me, they are too overwhelmed by James’ presence.
“I thought you prefer to call me Maru than James?”
I just rolled my eyes. I know he’s just teasing me.
“I didn’t know that you both have Maru on your names.” I defended myself.
I heard him chuckled. “Yes but you owe my something.”
My brow raised. “I owe you something?”
“Yes. I thought you’ll marry me?”
I felt Maru’s grip tightened.
“You know what happened!” I said to him.
“But you promise!”
I know he’s not serious about it but I can sense that Maru is trying to calm himself.
He’s not liking it. I know that I’m also at fault because I failed to control my excitement.
“Will you please stop James?!” I said trying to stop his teasing.
“Stop it you two! The lunch is ready!”
“Manang Lucy!” I called and went to her.
I gave her a hug. “I miss you manang!”
She laugh while caressing my back.
“I miss you too Mara!”
“Why did you also left?” I ask her.
“When this young man left this mansion I have no choice but to go with him. You know that I treated him as my own son.” She explained to me.
That’s why I thought that she is James’ mother. Because when the time that James suddenly disappeared, I also haven’t seen Manang Lucy.
The lunch went well. You can see the joy in their eyes because of James’ returned except Maru.
He’s been so quiet the whole lunch. I sometimes caught him giving a death glare to his older brother.
I don’t know if they have a good or bad relationship before.
That’s why I ask Manang Lucy about the relationship of these two.
“Manang may I ask? How is the relationship of Andrew and James before?” I asked her.
She gave me first a smile. “Those two have a really great relationship. You will even mistaken them as twins because their age difference is only one year.”
“Really?” I said in disbelief.
“Yes. The only difference of those two is that, Andrew is more sociable that James. Aside from Andrew, you are the only person he treated as a friend. That’s why he became so sad when you started to avoid him. So he only has Andrew as his friend after you avoid him.”
I feel sorry for him. He only got me and Maru then I even left him.
“You know what? He was so happy whenever he will tell things about you to his parents and Andrew.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “Yes! That’s why when his Dad told him that your father agreed to arrange your marriage he was so happy. But you suddenly avoid him. He thought that you didn’t like the idea of you marrying him.”
“Manang we are too young at that time, and he already thought about that?! Also, I thought it was Andrew whom my parents arrange for me. I didn’t know that James was also an Ottave because I really thought that he was your son.”
She chuckled. “James is a bit matured. You don’t need to be surprised that he thinks like that even if he was so young.”
“Why? If at that time you knew that it was supposedly James, will you still agree to marry Andrew?” She teased me.
I wasn’t able to answer her quickly. Because even I don’t know what will I do if I just knew what I knew today.
“I honestly don’t know.”