Chapter 1
"The f**k do you mean by she won't make it?" Eric yelled. The nurse and doctors frowned. "You can't have an attitude when you can't pay hospital bills," the nurse said. It was like a slap in Eric's face. He frowned, standing up from the chair and leaving the doctor's office. He walked slowly to his mother's ward, looking at her through the window. She was so pale and small. This was the woman who raised him for 20 years of his life before she finally fell ill and couldn't do much. He took on many jobs so he could provide for them, but nothing he did was ever enough.
"Mother," he whispered as he held her hand tightly. Erica struggled to open her eyes. She forced a smile, looking at her son. "Mom, I'm not even gonna lie to you. I failed you. There's nothing they can do. You don't have much time," he said, struggling not to cry. Erica didn't have any expression; she already knew. "What am I gonna do without you?" he said, finally giving in to the tears that had been threatening to fall. Erica moved her hand to her oxygen mask and moved it. "I'm so sorry I turned out to be a useless son, Mother," he whispered. "I couldn't save you," he said. "No, baby, you've done more than enough. You know I've always been sick," she said with a smile, giving his palm a gentle squeeze.
"Eric, I have to tell you the truth," she said with a low voice, like she dreaded what she was about to say. "Huh? Truth?" he asked with confusion. "Yes," she replied. "What are you talking about, Mom?" he asked with confusion. Erica sighed. "I'm... I'm not your... your..." "You're not what, Mom?" he asked. "I'm not your mother, Eric," she said, like she had been meaning to get it off her chest. Eric was dumbfounded. He didn't say anything, causing Erica to stare at him with sad eyes. "Is this some sort of joke?" he asked, trying to wrap his head around this information.
"No, I planned to take this to the grave with me, but since circumstances are different... *cough* "I'm so confused, Mom," he said. "Eric, I'm your mom's friend. We used to work together for a rich family. Your mom had an affair with the man and had you. She died days later due to complications," she sighed.
Eric was confused. "What do you mean? You've been lying to me my whole life? I thought Dad died. I'm so confused," he said, getting angry. "Your father doesn't know of your existence. Your mom didn't want to ruin his family, so she left," she said with a sad smile. Eric was angry, confused, and baffled.
"My dad... who's my dad?" he asked, standing up from the hospital stool. "Aaron Yates," Erica replied. Eric was shocked. He was confused. He was quiet, brought back to reality by the loud beep from the monitor. Erica's hand dropped. "Mom!" he yelled, rushing to her. No pulse. "Doctor!" he yelled, as he cried, holding her hands and calling out her name. The doctors rushed in, checking the middle-aged woman who looked twice her age due to her illness. "Sorry, Eric, she's gone," the doctor announced. The nurse covered her with a cloth. "Time of death: 3:04 p.m.," the doctor announced.
Eric fell to the ground. He was on the verge of tears. "Pull yourself together, Eric," the nurse said. He was quiet, as he hugged his legs together like a frightened kid.
The doctors wheeled the body to the morgue while Eric stayed on the floor shivering like a lost kid, just then Gusto rushed in, seeing his cousin brother on the floor broke him, he placed the meal he had brought for both Eric and his mom on the floor, and knelt down beside his brother, embracing him.
Both of them cried together like their worlds had fallen apart.
It took a while for them to pull theirselves together, "she'll be buried tomorrow" Eric said, as he contacted the coffin maker and started making arrangements.
The next day**
3 hefty men in black lowered Erica's coffin into the earth. Eric and Gustavo stood alone and prayed her soul rest in peace, threw some flowers into the grave and nodded, giving the men permission to continue filling up the grave.
"Cheer up now brother" Gustavo said after the burial, Eric nodded with a forced smile.
Three days later
"Come on, dude, pull yourself together. Your mother has been buried, and why are you still sulking? You're literally the son of a multi-millionaire," Gusto said with excitement, as he scrolled through the screen, reading an article about the multi-millionaire. Eric stared at him and hissed. "Greedy bastard," he yelled. "Ain't no greedy crap here. Look, geez, you've suffered 24 years of your life, and your dad is f*****g Aaron Yates," Gusto yelled excitedly, like he was the son of the millionaire.
Eric sighed. He knew what Gustavo was saying made sense, but he was confused.
"Crap! f**k! Jesus!" Gusto yelled. "The f**k is your problem, man?!" Eric yelled back. "Nah, 'cause we hit the jackpot. Your father has no son. You're literally his heir, illegitimate or not. You're his only son. He has four daughters from his wife, Miranda Yates," Gusto yelled with excitement. Eric didn't say anything. He sighed. "Am I supposed to go all the way to NYC to announce to him, 'Hey man, I'm your illegitimate child'?" he asked sarcastically. "Yes, man! You're supposed to be in an office, not here. You've got a degree in business management and you're working as a bartender? When your father has a whole conglomerate? Now that I look at it, I see some resemblance," Gusto said, laughing.
Eric was quiet, thinking deeply. What his cousin said was true. He couldn't keep suffering. He folded his fists. "We're booking a flight to New York," he said. "That's the s**t I'm talking about," Gusto yelled excitedly.
