Chapter 18 - Past Is Past

Susan left the room and went to her bedroom. She called Mike on her phone. "Son, where are you? I told you not to be late!" she said furiously.

"Mother, please calm down, I'm already parking my car... and going inside our house now, I will meet my brother in your study room, see you in a minute!" Mike said.

"Good!" Susan said and ended the call. She exited her room and went to the adjacent room to get John into her study room.

She opened the room and called for John. "Son, your brother already arrive, he will meet you in the study room," she said.

"Okay Mother," John replied, he rose from the bed and left the room with Susan.

They went inside the study room to wait for Mike.

A few minutes later, a smiling Mike entered the door.

"Oh, what we have here?" his brows furrowed for theatrical effect. "I see my brother is here, brother John nice to see you! Welcome to our house," he grinned.

John stared at his brother silently.

Susan looked at John and Mike.

The smile on Mike's face faded. "Ah, Mom, can you leave us for a few minutes. My brother and I need to have a serious talk, don't worry... it's just men's stuff," he grinned again.

Susan was frowning, hesitating to left the room, she can sense some tension brewing in the air between her two children.

"It's okay, Mother... Mike and I just needed to settle some things related to the past," John explained.

Susan released a deep sigh. "You two are not going to fight---?" she asked, she just wants to make sure that they won't act like children but act like matured a.d.u.l.ts.

Mike and John looked at their mother in amazement. "No we're not!" they answered in unison.

Susan smiled. "Okay...good! I just want to remind you guys that no matter what happens in the past, you are blood brothers, please don't forget that!" and she left the room reluctantly after giving her two sons a stern look.

Mike looked at his brother. "Bro...regarding Catherine and I...we are not an item... so yeah...there's no bad blood between us, your wife and I are just friends," he explained.

John sighed deeply, of all the people in the world why they have to like the same woman? What an awkward coincidence indeed!

"Let's just forget everything that happened in the past, brother Mike, from now on let's start with a clean slate, let's just forget that you were trying to marry my girlfriend once," John said.

Mike grinned. "Yeah. We already meet for a long time yet we were rivals first before becoming blood brothers. Don't worry bro, I no longer have any romantic interest toward my sister-in-law the moment she married you...I swear I already stop pursuing her, so rest assured, I can be the brother that you can depend on from now on," he said.

John smiled broadly... liking Mike's last statement. "I guess, we already settled our differences, eh?"

John and Mike smiled at each other and they engaged in a brotherly hug.

"I'm so happy to discover that I do have a brother, after all, I don't feel so alone anymore," Mike said sincerely.

"Me too, let's bond some other time, bro," John responded.

"No problem... here's my number, I'm always free," Mike chuckled.

John and Mike exchanged numbers.

"It's good to know that we're okay now and I'm glad to officially meet my brother today... let's go out of this room and eat lunch, I'm starving!" Mike said.

They exited the study room only to find Susan waiting for them outside the room sporting a worried look on her face. "You guys---okay?" she asked upon seeing them exiting the room together.

Mike stared at his mother. "Why you look so worried, Mother?"

"Do I have to feel worried---guys?" she asked her two sons.

John and Mike looked at each other and smiled.

"Were fine, Mother, you don't have to worry about us. Whatever happened in the past we already patches things up, so we're starting a clean slate as of today," John explained.

"Yes, Mother dearest, past is past, what matters right now is the future. Our future looks brighter now that we already have brother John on our side," Mike chimed in just to make sure his mother will feel at ease.

Susan feels relieved. She knew that the two men were talking about Catherine. At one point in time, she wanted Mike and Catherine to end up together, not knowing that during that time Catherine was already the girlfriend of her other son, John. If she only knew, she wouldn't encourage Mike to pursue Catherine but as the saying goes... 'Life is indeed full of surprises.'

"Let's go to the dining room now," Susan said.

"Wait... I still want to meet my nephew and niece! Where are they?" Mike said excitedly.

"In the next room," Susan responded.

They entered the adjacent room. Catherine was attending to the babies, she looked up to see who entered the door...she smiled at Mike.

"Catherine, my sister-in-law! Nice to see you again!" Mike exclaimed in delight upon seeing Catherine and the two babies.

"Hello Mike!" she returned his greeting with fondness.

Mike walked towards the bed and gazes adoringly at the babies, they were already awake.

"OMG! They're so cute!" Mike squealed in a girly voice. He went into the bed and took baby James in his arms and pinched playfully the baby's chubby thighs... done with his nephew...he turned his attention towards baby angel and lifted her in his arms and sing to her a funny lullaby.