Chapter 3: Brother Abraham
1116 Words
Mortal World, Haro Plaza
Present Time
"What a tiring day, isn't it Joseph?" Isaac sat on the empty bench while Joseph continued to sell the remaining Sampaguita to the passersby in front of the Haro Cathedral.
"Where is Abraham by the way?" Joseph suddenly ask Isaac, but the little man give him a deathly glare.
"Why are you calling our brother in his first name again? Haven't I told you so many times not to call him like that?" He stood and faces Joseph face to face while the latter tried to move backward because his nose is about to reach his, almost kissing him.
"All right. All right. Stop moving closer to me. Don't you ever feel awkward a little? You're almost kissing me," Joseph turned his gaze to the passersby and approached them to buy his Sampaguita. "Ten pesos for Sampaguita."
"I don't feel awkward on that, Joseph. It doesn't matter. What I only know is, I am nagging you for calling brother Abraham only on his name. He is older than us, remember?"
Isaac's hand is on his hips while his elbow points upward glaring at him. He was blocking the passersby to buy the Sampaguita to Joseph. "I know what you are pointing at. And I'm sorry, okay? Stop blocking the buyers. Sampaguita! Ten pesos only."
"You are not listening, Joseph. We're on the same age and I can scold you as many times as you want. Okay? Just stop calling brother Abraham on his first name. Call him with love. Call him brother Abraham!"
Joseph slaps his forehead and shook his head from Isaac's uncontrollable mouth. He can even smell its bad breath, and rotten saliva splashing into his face. "Stop! Enough. I give up. You won. I won't be calling him on his first name only if we're both alone, and you are not beside us. Understood?"
"You!" His hands were already pointing towards his forehead when Abraham appeared in front of them.
"What is the meaning of this?" he asked after pulling the mad Isaac from the calmer one Joseph.
"He was calling you on his first name, brother. And I was only correcting him that it is rude to call you just on your first name. And you know what he answered?" Abraham doing akimbo style of Isaac listened attentively.
"And what is his answer?" he was waiting for his next words.
"He said that he won't call you on your first name, only when I am not with both of you. Can you tell I am mad for hearing that from him?" he continued while Abraham wanted to burst out into laughter, but he understands Isaac's points.
Abraham knew him ever since he was five while Joseph who came out from nowhere from the stars or whatsoever has been calling him since then on his first name. And he' okay with it. But not to Isaac who's always respectful to him.
"I see. I know your good intention, Isaac, okay? And since you are the matured one here, you should understand that Joseph is not the one you can control. Whatever he wants to call me, it's his choice," he was looking at Joseph's direction whose busy selling the remaining Sampaguita on his hands.
"Sampaguita! Ten pesos. Buy me one, please?"
"Did you see how hardworking he is, and how calm he is, Isaac? Even if you scolded him several times, or as many times as you want, you can't change his mind. He is your opposite," Abraham guided him to the empty bench outside the church, and continued talking to him while Joseph is almost done with selling the Sampaguita on his hands.
"Are you talking about our personality difference?" he replied making Abraham astonished on how brilliant his mind is.
"You pointed it out correctly, Isaac. Yes, you are right. I was talking about the difference in your personality. Joseph is calm and composed while you, Isaac is hothead, and impatience. Just like the two of us before he came. You are handsome, and I am fugly, the ugliest born on earth," he explained clearly to Isaac and good thing that the twelve years old matured kid understood every single word he conveyed.
"Stop calling yourself fugly. You only used that when you transformed into a superhero, brother Abraham. I never once called you ugly since then. Could you please be confident to yourself? You are not bad, nor a plaque in this world we live in. People just misunderstood you," Isaac's words brought tears to Abraham's eyes again.
"Isaac is correct, brother Abraham," Joseph suddenly entered the scene and both of them were surprised calling him brother. "Are you happy now, Isaac?"
"Whatever. Call him whatever you want," Isaac is still stubborn in front of Joseph, but the latter just smiled and wrap his left arms on his shoulder.
"What I was saying earlier, brother Abraham is, Isaac is right. Be confident. Never look down on yourself. Let people say those ugly words to you. After all, your heart is the kindest from the ugliest creature on earth. You know what I am saying," he continued while hugging the angry Isaac in front of him.
"I know. That is why I am grateful from both of you to stay by my side. Whenever someone calling me like that, I always remember your words. And it cheers me up. I won't replace you from anyone who entered into my life."
Abraham was hugging both Isaac and Joseph when he suddenly heard someone calling for help. And he just can't ignore it.
"I think, I have some business to handle first. I'll leave both of you here. I'll back soon after. Do not quarrel again, okay?" he said and disappeared in the wink of his eyes.
"Where does he usually go, Isaac?" Joseph was curious to know why Abraham always disappeared in front of them.
"It's better for you not to know, Joseph. Let's buy adobo and chicken from the nearby cafeteria. Then, we can wait him in the Haro Plaza to eat."
Joseph just nodded and did not ask Isaac again. But, at the back of his mind, something unusual usually happens every time Abraham disappeared and that is one thing he must find out. He felt that he was the only one who doesn't know what is happening around him. Or maybe, Isaac and Abraham clearly hide his secret that no one must discover. A secret that only him and Isaac must be kept from any other people, even to him.
"One day, I'll discover your secret, Abraham. Or I'll find a way to let you tell me the reason behind your sudden disappearance."
- Writer
