Potential To Be Strong

Chapter 16: News

After the Olympics, it was a string of bad news. Yuzuru went to check up on his condition to find out he should rehabilitate his injury off ice for 3 more months. He begrudgingly agrees, knowing that he needs to do this if he ever wants to fully heal. Yuzuru has to go to Japan to do the whole media circuit but I opt to go back home since I had many things to do back there as well as missing my family. Going home released the rest of the bad news.

The day of coming home after the Olympics, I notice luggage ready at the front door. I'm confused as I had not heard of any plans of anyone leaving on a vacation. To be honest, I'm upset if they would just leave without me.

"Nanay, Tatay, what's going on?" I call out as I walk into the house. I find them in the kitchen talking in harsh whispers. They turn around shocked to see me.

"Marie, what are you doing home so early?" My father says as he slowly approaches to give me a hug.

"I was done with everything with Yuzuru so I opted to come home early. He doesn't really need me to do press in Japan. What's with the luggage at the front of the door? Are you guys going somewhere?"

My mother looks at me nervously. "Tatay has to go back home for a couple of weeks," she says nervously as she approaches me. "He has some urgent business to do back home."

"Did something happen? Is everyone okay back home?"

My parents look at each other with nervous expressions. Suddenly my sister comes into the kitchen. I notice her before she notices me. She looks at my father in disgust before looking at my mother in sympathy. Then she finally spots me. She rushes over to my side and gives me a tight hug.

"What are you doing home already?" Mary asks me after pulling away from the hug.

"Well it's after the Olympics and Yuzuru went back to Japan to do all of his press and he doesn't need me to translate over there so I opted to come home early. What's going on? Why is everyone acting so weird?"

"Maybe Tatay should explain what's going on."

"Can somebody? I'm so confused."

"I'm going back to the Philippines for awhile," my father says hesitantly. "I'm not sure when I'm coming back."

"What are you doing in the Philippines?"

My father looks at me with a sort of scared look in his eyes. My sister is still glaring at him. My mother becomes teary-eyed. I don't know what happening, but it can't be any good. My father looks over at my mother as if pleading for her to say something, but she looks away with tears starting to fall.

"I can't tell you, anak," my father murmurs looking away from me.

"You don't want to tell her that you've ruined this family," Mary accuses him taking a step towards him. I look at her in shock. Mary looks back at me. "I said it. Our 'father' has kept a very important secret from us the entire time we've been in Canada. Our 'father' knocked up another woman before we left and now she wants him to come and raise the baby with her. Our 'father' is going back to confirm whether or not the baby is his."

I look at my father. I can't believe he did that behind my mother's back. I thought he was always in love with her. They've been together for over twenty years. How could he cheat on my mother and get another women pregnant? I step away from my father. Tears well up at the corners of my eyes. I run out of the kitchen and towards my room. I lock the door so no one can enter. I scramble to get my phone out and call Yuzuru. He doesn't answer the first time so I call again. Yuzuru answers after the second call. I suddenly realize that it is late in Japan right now.

"Mai, why are you calling so late?" Yuzuru asks in a sleepy voice.

"Yuzuru, my whole family is falling apart," I croak out softly as tears trickle down my face. "I wish I never came home."

"What? Are you crying? What happened?"

"My father cheated on my mother. The woman he cheated with had a baby. My father is going back to the Philippines to check if the baby is actually his. But he cheated on my mother. Right before we left for Canada. I can't believe this is happening right now."

"Oh no. Mai. My heart is breaking for you. Do you need anything from me? Do you want me to come home for me? Is there anything I can do for you? My poor girl."

"I can't stay here, Yuzu. I just can't. My family is falling apart. I don't know what to do. I need to leave this house. Can I come stay with you in Japan?"

"Of course. Do you need me to buy you a flight?"

"No, Yuzuru. I can't ask you to do that for me. I'll just go to the airport and get on the next flight out of here. I need to pack new clothes and then I'll leave my house right away."

"Let me know as soon as you get a flight to Japan. Do you need me to stay on the phone with you while you pack?"

"No, it's already late over there and you'll have to be up early for your interviews. You need to sleep. I can manage on my own from here."

"Are you sure? It's the least I can do. And I don't need to be up till 12 pm so it's fine if I stay up talking to you. I want to be here for you, Mai."

"Only if you think you can. I don't want this to tamper with your schedule."

"How can you care about me when you have your own problems to think about? I am here for you no matter what, Mai. I love you and I am willing to do anything for you."

"I love you too, Yuzuru. What would I do without you?"

"Let's not think about that now. Let's get you on that flight and back to me."