Chapter 1

Josh Lee

January 16, 1994

"Hi!!! Look Josh and John you have a gift from your Uncle John!

Come her babies! kiss Mommy. Mwahh." Mom said excitement was obvious in her voice.

September 14, 1996

"Hi!! everyone it's my twins 7th birthday! they are still sleeping, I just gonna wake them up later when everything set. Okay guys I'm going to cook their favorites.

Spaghetti with mushroom!!! they really really love brocolli too" Mom said happily and Dad came.

"Hey Honey!" Dad said smiling and kiss mom on her lips." we are done arranging the tables and chairs! where's the twins?!"

Mom told that we are still sleeping. Our 7th birthday was great! We laughed in felicity and open our gifts from our uncles and Aunties.

July 22, 1998

"Hey Josh don't hurt John" Mom said. He carried the crying John and sing him to sleep. When John feel asleep Mom put him on his bed and put his matress on.

"Josh don't hurt your brother next time okay? It's just a toy. Instead of hurting him love him. Because that was twins supposed to do. We're family I love you and your dad love you too." Mom said to me and when kairo wake up I said sorry to him.

November 12, 2002

After that video of me and my twins fighting mom never took a video again. Lagi na syang umaalis at nagpapahinga sa kwarto niya. Nawalan na siya ng oras sa amin ni John. Lagi nalang maids namin ang nagaalaga sa amin nagpapakain at papaligo. Si Dad naman busy sa trabaho.

Minsan nalang kaming mag sabay sa pagkain. Isang beses sinubukan naming matulog kasama si Mommy pero sabi niya may kwarto naman kami kay matulog na daw kami at magpapahinga na sya. She looked pale and weak that time I followed her order but deep inside I was worried for her and I know John too. John and I sleep in one bed we are hugging each other until we fell asleep. The next morning mom was admitted at the hospital and that was the time na nalaman namin na may sakit syang breast Cancer pero sabi ng doctor macu-cure pa naman. Mom stayed at the hospital for a month and scheduled for her operation sasusunod ma buwan.

One week before the operation may tumawag kay Mommy. I don't know what happened yet, pero sa kagitna-an ng tawag umiyak si Mom at hindi na kinausap ang tumatawag. I tapped her shoulder to comfort her and she started crying loud.

"Mom what happened?" I asked her with calm voice but the truth is I was nervous and scared.

"Your Dad." She said in the middle of crying. John was not really involved in family matters because he's weak he has a heart disease. Kami dapat ang magbabantay kay Mommy pero sinabihan ko syang ako na lang muna para makapagpahinga sya.

"Why Mom what happened to dad?!" Hindi ko maiwasan na hindi tumaas ang boses ko.

"He... He's..." She said still crying and she turned her head side by side. Instead of asking her I picked up the call and asked the person na tumawag kay Mommy.

"Hello Sir may I ask what happened to my Dad? I want to know. I'm his son." The man on the other line cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

"Your dad died kid. He was being shot 4 times. We didn't caught the killer but we are investigating about what happened to your dad, I'm sorry kid." The officer told me with a sad and sorry tone.

I can't believed what I just heard but only one thing in my mind, my family kairo and My mom. I couldn't help but hugged her and we cry together, my mom was painfully crying because of too much pain because Dad died and also because of her conditioned. She was crying uncontrollably, she pulled the scarf covering her head. I feel pity for her, no more hair left on her head. My Mom cried for an hours she might be so exchausted and sleep between in tears.

When I got home John was waiting for me in the living room. Reading his favorite book when he noticed me he hurriedly, went to me and asked me how was Mom.

I can't help but hugged him tight, I can feel his arm around my waist.

"Hey bro, what happened to Mom? Is she fine?" Kumawala ako sa yakap niya at hinawakan ko ang balikat niya.

"Yeah she's fine." I said. I can't looked straight on his eyes and I don't even know how to tell him about what happened to Dad.

I know he notice my awkward gesture. So he hold my face para magtitigan kami.

"What happened Josh? I thought Mom was fine." I moved my head Up down signed that I am saying yes. " So why do I feel something wrong?" He asked we are looking eye to eye. I hold his hand in my face.

"Josh." I took a deeb breath. Mahirap saking sabihin 'to pero kailangan niyang malaman.

"Dad died." Natulala at may pumatak na luha sa mga mata niya. Wala akong magawa para mawala ang sakit na nararamdaman niya, ni kahit ako hindi ko alam kung paano makalimitan ang araw na ito.

"Tell me your lying Josh. Please...

Josh it's not a good joke!" He said with pleading eyes. I really hope that this was just a joke-a dream.

I didn't answered him I just cried and hugged him that's all we have to do now. No words can ease the pain.

"What will happen to Mom Josh?" John was sobbing.

"She'll be fine." I said while wiping his tears. For a 12 years old kids these life was really sucks. Losing a dad early was hell. He was our buddy since we were kids. He was the bread winner of our family.

"How Dad died Josh?" I know it's more hurt if he know how our dad died. But he need to know.

"Someone shot him John. The pulis didn't caught the murder but they are investigating right now." I said while tapping his shoulder. Knowing that dad died because someone killed him was worse and more painful. John face was sad at the same time was angry.