My Sister's Fiancé

Chapter 2: Moving On

"Why, Sam? We hadn’t even started our life together, yet you already ended it. Was I a bad person? Why did you have to be taken from me so soon?" he asked into the void. "If I had only known you’d leave this early, I would’ve searched for you sooner. I would’ve married you right away."

He took a long drink from the half-empty bottle of alcohol.

"This is just unfair," he muttered, wiping his mouth. "I didn’t even get to spend enough time with you. N-not even one of our plans came true." He staggered toward his bed and collapsed onto it, still holding the bottle in his hand.

"Sam," he whispered, his eyes fixed on their photograph. For almost two years, he’d been like this—drinking constantly and refusing to leave the condo where they used to meet, where they once dreamed of a future together. He had lost weight and stopped attending gigs with his band.

"Sam, how long has it been? And still, I don’t know how to let you go." Just like every other day since she left, he fell asleep still clutching the bottle.

"Son, I’ll be leaving for Italy this week, so I won’t be able to visit you for a while," his mother said as she picked up a mix of clutter and empty bottles from the floor. She pulled open the thick gray curtains, letting sunlight stream into Derrek’s messy condo.

For the past two years, she had tirelessly cleaned up after him. Though she didn’t fully understand the depth of his grief, she tried her best to be strong and supportive. Derrek’s father had long passed away, and it was only Mrs. Meriah Sison left to manage the family company, which she ran successfully. Despite her busy work schedule, she always made time for her only son.

Derrek squinted, one eye still shut as he looked at her. It was morning, and once again, she was there tidying up his mess.

"Ma, you don’t have to do that," he protested.

"Let me, son. What matters is that I’m taking care of you. Oh, and try to go outside once in a while. You need some sun. Look at you—you’re so pale from staying in here all the time. Such a waste of your handsome looks."

She gave him a wide smile and continued tidying up. She only paused when her phone rang.

"Hold on, I just need to take this," she said, setting the bottles aside and stepping into the bathroom.

"Oh, Shayne? What? Tell our meeting partners to postpone. Huh? Just take care of it—reschedule everything, okay? What’s the point of having you as my secretary if you can’t even handle that? Alright, go now!"

Even from afar, Derrek could hear everything.

The phone rang again, and she answered immediately.

"Joey? The designs aren’t finished yet? Weren’t they due last week? Never mind, I’ll just do them myself. I gave you more than enough time and still—nothing. I already have so much on my plate, and now you add more? Fine, go."

Derrek heard her loud sigh. She was clearly under a lot of stress, and he knew he was only adding to it.

He clutched his head—still aching from last night’s drinking. All those years, and he hadn’t been able to help at all.

He got up from the bed and hugged his mother from behind as she continued picking up the mess.

"Ma, I’m sorry."

His mother was startled.

"For what, son?" she asked, her forehead wrinkling in confusion.

"For everything, Ma. I’ve been such a fool. I only ever thought of myself. I never even considered what you were going through. You were always there for me, and all I did was cause you pain. I’m really sorry, Ma."

She stood and faced him. "It’s alright, son. You’re all I have. I couldn’t ask for more than for you to be okay. This is just part of being your mother. I don’t think any mother would just give up on her child, right?"

Tears welled up in Derrek’s eyes. His mom had been there all along. Why had he failed to see her love just because he lost another?

"Ma, maybe you’re right. It wasn’t only Sam who loved me—you did too. For the past two years, all you’ve done is show me that. And I failed to notice. Maybe it’s time I return that love. I need to move on, Ma."

Mrs. Meriah teared up at her son’s words.

"I need to move on so I can help you too."

"No, son. Don’t do it for me—or for anyone else. Do it for yourself. That’s all I’ve ever wanted—that you find your way back to yourself."

"Thank you, Ma. Thank you for not giving up on me when I couldn’t even find myself."

"That’s what mothers do, son. There’s a reason they call us the light of the home. We guide our family members through their darkest moments. Wait, is this real? Are you really back, son?" she teased.

"Ma, come on..."

"Just joking. I’m happy you’re back, son."

She hugged him tightly, grateful that after all the darkness and grief, her son was finally coming back to life.

Since then, Derrek had been trying to return to his life before Samantha. He attempted to get back into playing music with his band and promised never to let them down again. The whole band welcomed him warmly. He admitted that the pain hadn’t fully healed, but he was doing everything he could to move on from the heartbreak of losing the woman he was supposed to marry.

"Ma, Levi said we have a gig at Isla Trinidad. Is it okay if I go?" he asked his mother, who had been in Italy for nearly a week.

His band was thrilled about his return, and even better news had arrived—a temporary gig on the island of Trinidad, which their manager, Levi, had applied for. They had been out of work since Derrek stopped playing, and they hadn’t performed since then.

"Of course, son," his mother agreed over the phone. "I’ll be busy too—we’ll be presenting our designs to investors in the coming days. Take care out there, okay? And if anything happens, just call me."

"Okay, Ma. You take care there too."

He ended the call and looked off into the distance. Once again, he stood on the veranda of his condo.