Epilogue Part 2

It was as if all the blood in my face has left. My hand keeping my phone up began to tremble.

It took me a few seconds to process what I just heard. When it all finally sank in, I began to shook my head.

No! This cannot be true!

"I don't believe you." I screamed at the phone as tears began to stream from my eyes.

"I am not joking Mew. Check the news articles I sent you."

I immediately dropped the call. My hand trembled as I opened the links Mild sent me.

"Model and COO Brain Dead after Car Accident"

"Famous Model in Spain Brain Dead"

I could no longer hold my phone so it dropped to the floor.

I thought, yesterday was the most painful day of my life. I was wrong. My world collapsed. If my heart hadn't been crushed yesterday, now I'm sure it's a total wreck.

I knelt to the ground outside the airport as pain began to fill my system. I felt lifeless. I felt beyond devastated.

I cried quietly. But eventually wept as well.

I was almost lying on the ground, hugging my knees as I cried out loud.

I can not believe this.

There is so much pain in my heart. So much. Damn.

"Daddy, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" MJ asked worriedly.

I could not give him an answer. Al I could do was hug him tightly. I cried for like ten minutes at the airport. A lot of people were staring at me. But I could not care.

God, why? Why is everything so painful. Why is the pain overwhelming? And why do I only feel pain?

I already set Gulf free, didn't I? So that he can live in peace? Why did this have to happen to him?

I gathered my shit together to call Mild again.

"Please tell me that this is just a prank!" my voice was angry as I cried, still hoping that this is all just a lie.

"This is not a joke. I would never joke about something like this. Please hurry back to the Philippines now." Mild also couldn't believe it everything.

"What did the doctor say?" I sniffed.

"He said that we're lucky if he still survives for a week. So if I were you, I'd come back to the Philippines immediately." Mild was also crying on the other line.

No! No! A week? No fucking way!

It hurts so much. The pain is excruciating.

We immediately flew back to the Philippines.

Mom ordered someone to pick us up at the airport because she was afraid that something bad might happen to us if I drove.

During the fifteen-hour flight from Canada to here I was unable to sleep. I did nothing but pray. That Gulf would fight. I wished that he will not give up. That God would not take him from us yet.

I wish that this was all just a dream. A terrible one.

My heart was beating so fast as I walked towards the ICU where they brought Gulf.

I almost fell into extreme weakness when I saw him. A lot of different pipes were attached to him, keeping him alive.

It was a very painful scene to see. Gulf was there lying on the hospital bed, with his brain dead, but still fighting for his life.

"Gulf, please tell me that this is all just a joke. Please. I'm not leaving again. I'll just here next to you. Get up already." I cried as I knelt next to his hospital bed.

I held his hand.

"Please, Gulf. Wake up."

"Please. Please. Wake up, baby."

Tita Ester approached me and hugged me while I was still on my knees. I sobbed in tears.

"Mild told me that Gulf was on his way to the airport to stop you from leaving the country." Aunt Ester spoke.

"But why?" My voice was shaking.

"He was ready to forgive you. And to fix your relationship." Mild said in a sad voice.

Now regret began to fill me.

"I was so stupid to end things with him that night. I wish I had just postponed leaving." I cried.

I can't help but blame myself for what happened to him. It's all my fault.

If I hadn't disturb his life when he came back, all of this would not have happened to him.

"Mew, I want so much to stop Gulf's suffering. Seeing him like this is so hard for me. The doctor said that there's no more hope. The machines are the only things making it possible for him to still be alive. I want to end his suffering." Tita Ester was still crying. She had difficulty speaking. "But since you're the husband, you have the right to decide whether life support will be removed." her voice broke.

"No! Gulf is strong. He will fight for his life. He will overcome it. Gulf and I are now annulled. Our marriage has been nullified. So the decision is yours, tita. But please, allow Gulf to decide for himself." I begged. "Gulf is trying to fight for his life. Please don't give him up."

Mild approached me. He pat my back.

"A month ago, I talked to Gulf. And we talked about death. I asked him, 'if you would die tomorrow, what would you do today?' Do you know his answer? He wanted to marry you again. But he said, he won't die the next day so it's impossible for that to happen. "

My system really doesn't want to accept everything that's happening. I can not believe this. It's so painful.

How I wish that it was me who got into an accident instead of Gulf.

The doctor said that Gulf would be lucky enough to survive for a week. Although the truth is hard to swallow, I still have to accept the possibility that it might happen. Though very hard for me, I had to make a decision.

The bird that was slowly drowning in the vast ocean seemed to be now out of air. But I want to show that the bird that symbolizes our love will die fighting til its last breath.

I called a wedding organizer to transform the hospital into a wedding venue because the next day, I want to remarry the person I love the most. And on that same day, I sang a song for my groom. My voice trembled as I sang our wedding song.

Aboard his hospital bed, Gulf is being pushed by two nurses while five more nurses were behind them, pushing the machines attached to him. They were traversing the red carpet laid in the hallway for our wedding here at the hospital.

I couldn't stop myself from crying. I am in so much pain. Gulf is lying there unconscious, fighting for his life.

My tears continued to flow.

Why did we end up like this, Gulf. All I wanted was to love you. Why do we have to go through all this pain?

The nurses were pushing his bed slowly and carefully. Gulf is wearing a white Americana suit, which matched the song I was singing. Beautiful in white, indeed.

Everyone watching our wedding was crying. Mild, Tita Ester, MJ and Hugo, Kuya Dominic who flew here from Spain, Mama and Papa, the nurses and doctors, and everyone else here at the hospital.

Gulf's face has bruises because of the accident. But that did not stop him from looking handsome and dashing.

My heart is hurting again. If I could only take away his suffering, I would have done it.

I wiped the tears incessantly dripping from my eyes.

The ceremony presided by a judge began. This brings me back to the day we were first wed.

Until we got to the point where we exchange wedding vows.

"I, Matthew Darth Fletcher, t-take you, G-Gulf Chandler Gibson, to be my h-husband." My voice kept breaking. It was very hard to breathe but I continued. "To have and to h-hold from this d-day forward, for b-better, for worse, for r-richer, for poorer, in s-sickness and in h-health, to love and to cherish, till d-death do us part, " I stopped from speaking because I couldn't stop myself from crying out loud. I forced myself to stop crying. "according to Our Creator's holy law, in His presence I make this vow."

I couldn't help myself so I started crying again.

Til death do us part. Please don't make this the scene where we part. Please, Gulf. Please fight. I might not be able to handle lufe without you.

Our two ring bearers, Hugo and MJ approached me. I took a ring from them and turned to Gulf.

"I give you this ring as a sign of my faithful devotion. I will always l-love you, cherish you, and honor the v-vows spoken here today."

My hand trembled as I put the ring on his finger.

Hugo took the remaining ring and put it on me.

"I'm sure my p-papa loved you and still l-loves you so much. I know that you are a good man T-tito Mew." He cried and hugged me. "My P-papa is a good man. I hope he doesn't leave us soon. I l-love you Papa. I love you so much." he sobbed in tears.

MJ joined in the hug. I knelt down and hugged them both.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, husband and husband. You may now kiss your groom." the judge.

I stood up and faced Gulf. His face looks so beautiful.

I love you so much, my sunflower. The moments we shared with each other will remain in my heart forever. You have taught me so much. I have always loved you. And I always will.

And without wasting more time, I kissed the man I love the most. I kissed the love of my life.

---

One year later

The surrounding was peaceful as the three of us, Hugo, MJ, and me sat in the cemetery. Yes. I now consider Hugo as my own child.

It's a quiet afternoon and the sun is about to set.

Hugo leaned on my shoulder before speaking.

"I miss Papa so much." sadness filled his voice.

"I know you miss him. I miss him too." I answered.

We were all looking at a grave.

Death. A symbol that nothing is permanent. A symbol that all of us will leave this world soon. And when it's your time to leave, then nothing else can stop that.

Death is inevitable. So all you can do is accept it.

Lucky are those who are gone before us. For they will never feel the feeling of being left behind.

And unlucky are those who are left behind. For they will have to endure the pain of longing. Longing for a loved one.

And with death comes hope. Hope that someday, the pain of a loved ones death will heal.

Life is precious. And it is most definitely short. So spend every single second you can with the people you love. Before everything is too late.

"I'm back!" shouted a gentle voice not far from where we are.

The two children quickly stood up and ran towards the person who just shouted.

I smiled when I looked at how fast they ran.

I waved to Gulf who was smiling widely. He waved back. I got up from the grass and approached them.

He was carrying a basket of flowers.

Gulf miraculously survived his condition. The doctors said it was a miracle. The day after our wedding, Gulf's brain became responsive. It took him months to recover, but the important thing was, he survived.

Trevor and Tommy died on the same day of the accident. The truck hit their car harder than Gulf's car.

Today is Hughie's seventh death anniversary so we visited his grave here in Spain.

Hughie had a big role in our story. So I guess it's only right to pay him a visit.

I kissed Gulf on his lips. He kissed me back.

"Ewww. Gross." complained the two kids.

Gulf and I both laughed at their reaction.

We all approached Hughie's grave.

Hugo and MJ quickly sat down on the grass. Gulf and I remained standing.

I hugged him from behind.

Hugo Manuel Cortez

Born: Sept. 20, 1995

Died: October 28, 2020

"Hi Hughie. I know that you're happy in heaven now." said Gulf. "I miss you so much. Mew and I are now happy too."

I kissed his cheek.

"Yeah. We're happy now. Happily married again." I added.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me. For us. For giving way. I promise that your sacrifices will not be put to waste."

"Bro Hughie. Don't worry because I won't hurt Gulf again. I'll protect him from anything. You can count on me."

"Why do we have the same name, Papa?" Hugo asked Gulf. He lifted his head to face his dad.

"That's because you got your name from him. Your uncle Hughie is my ex-boyfriend." Gulf looked down on the child and gave him a smile.

"Oh I see. Do you love Tito Hughie more? Or Daddy Mew?"

Gulf turned to me. He smiled playfully.

"Of course, your Tito Hughie." he laughed in response.

"You naughty boy." I whispered to Gulf and kissed his neck. "You will be punished at home." I warned him.

"Oooh, exciting. But we'll head home later."

We sat with the two children. They came to us and hugged us.

Thank you very much, God. Because you gave us the opportunity to be a family. You gave us a chance to be happy once again.

Thank you for letting us feel loved. You have given us many trials. But You helped us get through all of them.

Love is a very complicated feeling. You will feel hurt many times.

And the bird that was trying to fly was able to soar high. Just like our love.

We fell to the ground a lot of times, but we kept trying. And this time, I will not allow our love to hit the ground again.

We silently watched the sunset. Sunsets are proofs that endings can be beautiful too.

I brought Gulf's hand to my lips. I kissed the back of his hand.

In love, there is pain and sorrow. But the pain and sorrow you will feel will be nothing compared to the happiness and euphoria you will experience. Love is worth it. He is worth it.

My runaway groom has returned. And I will never let him run away from me again. I will hold unto him. I will hold unto him tight.

My story with Gulf was not a love story. But a story about love.

But a story about love

The end.