Potential To Be Strong

Chapter 21: Back

After all the ice shows and media appointments, it is time for Yuzuru to head back to Canada to start training for the next season. Which means I have to head back to my family. I have barely heard anything from them, just random calls from my mom here and there and texting my Ate Mary. She moved out of the house and lives with her boyfriend now. She managed to find a Filipino man in Canada.  My mother would update me on the divorce process. I listened to her every word despite the inner pain this has been causing me. She hasn't left Canada yet, so I'm glad I'm still able to see my mother once I'm back.

"Are you ready to see your family?" Yuzuru asks me as we step off the plane.

I cover my face with a scarf I received in Japan. "I'm not, but I have to be at this point," I reply softly.

Yuzuru wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into his body. "I am here if you need me."

"Thank you. I need to face my family head on."

"Are we dropping you off at your house?"

"Yes. I shouldn't wait any longer."

"Let's drop you off at your house then."

"Okay. Let's go."

We call a taxi and have it take us to my house first. Yuzuru leaves the taxi meter running as he wanted to walk me to my door. Yuzuru takes my luggage and carries it to my door. We stop at the door. Yuzuru wraps his arms around me and kisses my forehead. He lets go and holds my face in his hands.

"If anything happens, call me right away, okay?" Yuzuru asks me as he stares me in the eyes.

"I will," I affirm as I gently pull his hands off my face. I lean up and kiss the scar on his chin. "Now go before your taxi fare costs just as much as your Olympic medals."

Yuzuru chuckles as he kisses my forehead again. He lets go of my face and steps away from them. Then he walks back to the taxi and gets in. I watch as the taxi drives off before I walk into my house. What I see shocks me.

There are boxes next to the door as if someone is moving out. Whose boxes they are is a mystery to me. I call out to say I'm home to see if anyone will respond. One voice does and it's my father. The last person I wanted to see alone.

"Anak, you're finally home," my father says in a soft voice. He walks towards me as if to hug me but stops. "Your mother is still at work. And I'm just moving some boxes to my apartment. I don't know if you heard."

"I have heard a few things," I answer curtly. I head towards the stairs to go to my room. It feels like I've been gone for years.

"Anak, can I talk to you, please?"

"I don't really have anything to say to you, tatay. Nanay already told me all I need to know."

"Don't you want to hear my side?"

"Not now. I'm tired. I've been on a plane since yesterday."

I rush up the stairs before my father can get another word out. I'm not ready to face my father and hear the excuses he has for cheating on my mother. I don't think I will ever want to hear those excuses. He ruined their marriage and that's all that matters. I wish I was home to support my mother, but I wanted to stay with Yuzuru. Home doesn't feel like home anymore. Home feels like Yuzuru.

I walk into my room quickly. I look around and see that it looks as pristine as I left it months ago. My mother must have came in to dust it every once and a while. I plop myself onto my bed face down. Suddenly my my phone starts ringing. I fish it out of my pocket to see Yuzuru calling.

"Hello Yuzu," I sat into the phone softly.

"You already sound sad. What happened?" Yuzuru asks frantically. "Do I need to come get you? Do you want to stay at my place instead? My mother is still in Japan."

"I don't think that's necessary, Yuzu. But I might take you up on that offer. But I just saw my father as I walked in."

"Did he say anything to you?"

"He wanted to explain his side of what happened. But I ran away to my room."

"Don't you want to hear what he has to say?"

"No. I don't want to hear his excuses on why he hurt my mother. He doesn't deserve my time of day."

"I'm here for you whenever you need me. I hate hearing you so broken hearted."

"Thank you, Yuzu. I don't know if I'll ever get over this, but as long as I have you I don't need anything else."

"Anything for you, Mai."

"I already hate being back. I wish we were off somewhere in the world just the two of us."

"I wish for that too."