Chapter 116

Richard woke up to find himself back in Central Park. He was standing by the pond along the North Meadow where he and Maine stopped for a breather when he took her there. But it wasn't Maine who stood beside him now.

"Rich?" Richard looked at his companion in shock and disbelief.

His twin hadn't changed since he last saw him eight years ago. He was still seventeen, wearing glasses and has that mischievous glint in his eyes indicating that he was up to something. He was a few inches shorter, being perpetually seventeen. All the scratches and bruises from his accident were gone, and he looked the same as he had always been before he died. He was wearing his favorite blue shirt and jeans, but he was barefoot.

"Hi, Arge," Alden replied with a smirk. "Been a long time. You look terrible, by the way."

"Is it really you?"

"In the...proverbial flesh?" Alden snickered as he opened his arms out for Richard to see him clearly.

Richard still couldn't believe he was looking at his twin.

"Where are we?"

"Let's just say that we're stuck in the 'in between'," Alden replied.

"So," Richard remarked as he tried to make some sense into what he was seeing. "I'm just dreaming? None of this is real?"

"To quote Albus Dumbledore in 'Deathly Hallows'," Alden said. "'Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?'"

"Why are we here then?"

"You know why."

"Maine."

Alden nodded and added, "I needed to whack some sense into you."

"Whack some sense into me?" Richard said. "You did this to her."

"No, Arge," he replied. "You did this to her."

"Me?!?"

"You didn't keep your word to me, Arge," Alden stated.

"Which one?"

Alden faced his twin and reached out to place a hand on Richard's chest, near his heart.

"'This heart beats for the both of us now'," Alden said, repeating the words Richard declared eight years ago when he died. "I have to admit, I was amazed that you did very well on your math subjects. But you weren't really living. Maine on the other hand made the most out of life."

"I have done what I can to move forward after you died, Rich," Richard said. "I couldn't grieve. It was only recently that I've just started."

"That's the problem," Alden said. "The both of you promised to live your lives so that I can be proud. Maine won that battle, but she's now suffering for it."

"She's suffering?"

"I'm tied to Maine's heart, Arge," he replied. "It was my heart after all. But while my heart is strong, it can't sustain two entities. One of us has to go. And it's pretty obvious who it should be. The question is, can you finally let me go?"

"Let you go?"

"Is there an echo in here?" Alden looked about and then faced his twin once again.

"Rich!" Richard said with a stern face.

Alden sighed and said, "I should have moved on now, Arge, but something is holding me back. Or maybe, someone. It's not Maine, so who else would it be?"

Richard just looked at him but kept silent.

"So," Alden continued. "Why are you keeping me here, Arge? I'd have thought that when you and Maine finally got together, I'd be free from all this? But apparently, I still have unfinished business here. So why are you keeping me here? What else do you want from me?"

Richard remained silent. Alden scowled and cocked his head to one side as if trying to figure his twin out. Finally, his brows shot up and he began to laugh. Richard was taken aback by his brother's reaction.

"What's so funny?"

"You," Alden answered in between laughter. "Seriously RJ, how dense can you get?"

"It's not being dense," Richard said defensively. "I was just being cautious."

"We're brothers," he replied. "Twins even. Why would you be cautious around me?"

"We didn't really end our last conversation on good terms," he replied softly.

"I'm sorry," Alden said. "But I've also given you every opportunity to tell me that you liked her. I gave all the openings but you never said anything. It was really frustrating. All I needed from you was for you to just admit it. I was just waiting for that."

"I haven't really met her yet, Rich," Richard said. "Would you have believed me if I said I liked her? When all I ever saw was a view of her from the webcam? What I knew of her were bits and pieces of what you share with me and what I saw from my small window to your room. We never talked, except for that one time on the phone. And she called me 'Alden'."

"She did have that distinction between us," Alden remarked with a smirk. "You were after all 'crush Alden'. I'm just the 'bestfriend'."

"But would you have believed me?"

"Geez, Arge!" Alden exclaimed. "I'd be too dense or very much in denial if I didn't figure out that you liked her."

When his twin kept silent, Alden continued, "let me count the ways. 'Rich, don't forget to bring water for Maine on your walks.' 'Rich, tell mom to make the ice cream extra creamy for the Mendozas.' 'Rich, why didn't you give her the formula for question 5. She was struggling!' 'Maine looks a bit pale today, is she okay?' 'Rich, have the back seat of the bike reupholstered. Maine needs to be comfortable.' 'I'd marry that girl for her music taste alone.' Should I go on? The list is a bit long."

Alden saw Richard's ears turned crimson, and his face started to redden as well.

"You and Maine are two peas in a pod," Alden laughed. "Maine was pretty obvious too. I mean, she's more talkative when we were on the radio than when we're talking face to face. And she would always ask for you to sing for her. As in, always. 'Alden, can you sing for me?' 'You have such a wonderful voice, Alden.' 'I would love to hear you sing again.' 'Do you have a song for me?' 'Do you have your guitar with you?'"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Richard gave a suppressed chuckle as Alden tried to mimic Maine's voice and did a pretty decent job with it.

"I finally got a laugh from you," Alden said, relieved. "It's good to see that shadow of a smile on your face. I missed it."

"You were the only person who could really make me laugh, bro," Richard said.

"And Maine."

"Yes," Richard smiled. "And Maine."

"You guys are an annoyingly cute couple, you know?" Alden sniggered. "I've always known that."

"So why did you ask permission to court her if you knew I liked her eversince?" Richard asked, his face in a scowl.

"Is that jealousy I hear?" Alden chuckled which made Richard frown even more. "Then you got your answer. I mean, she's my bestfriend after all. I need to make sure she's in good hands before I let her go. I need you to be a hundred percent sure of your feelings for her. She's not another flight of fancy, RJ. She's not just some girl you would suddenly lose interest just because she loves Jarjar."

"Seriously?" Richard brows shot up. "You're bringing her up? Why do you guys keep bringing Jane up? She's a non-issue. Besides, Maine doesn't like Jarjar. She hates him as much as we do."

Alden could only laugh at his brother's defensiveness.

"All joking aside," said Alden after the laughter died down. "I've noticed it years ago how much you like Maine. I'd have to be blind not to see it. For a time I was so jealous, but not because I wanted to be with her. I mean, heck. She hadn't met you yet but all she could think about was you. I had this fear that when she'd finally meet you, she'd forget about me, her bestfriend. So, asking permission to court her...I guess I did that out of spite? But also more of, I wanted to get a reaction from you. You never said anything. I had an inkling but like I said, I needed confirmation. I won't just let Maine be with someone if he would just leave her in the end. Even if that guy is my brother. But when I told you I asked permission, you had your pokerface on. And I didn't know if you hated me for courting her or was genuinely happy. I really wanted to wring your neck just to get the reaction I wanted."

"Was that why you were mad at me, that time when I sang 'Central Park'?" Richard asked softly.

"I little bit," Alden replied. "That time I already admitted defeat. My graduation was nearing so the inevitable meet up was coming. And it was only that time that you admitted liking her. I was mad because for the past months you never said anything. I've been waiting for you to say something but you just kept it to yourself. I was frustrated because I could have helped you with Maine. I could have eased you in, way before the planned introduction. I could have done something to help you guys out but you didn't say anything. We're brothers for crying out loud! We've been thick as thieves even when we were separated. What made you think I wouldn't back down? You'd do the same for me, if I recalled correctly?

"I so wanted to wring your neck that day. I already had a plan. Then you sang 'Central Park'. That threw me off. In my head I was screaming, 'now you tell me? I only have two months to fix this and you have to sing a song I have no record of you singing. What if Maine asked for that song again and you're not there? How will I cover for you?' Maine would have asked more questions I do not have an answer to."

"Like I said," Richard remarked. "I haven't met her yet, Rich. I didn't know if you would believe me if I said I like her. You were the one she spends time with. You know her best, you know her first. I can't compete with that. Especially when you said you were in love."

"When did I say I was in love?"

"That day you and mom brought the Mendozas dinner."

"Arge," Alden said, exasperated. "I was talking about the bookshelf."

"Seriously?!?"

"Arge," Alden said. "Floor to ceiling bookshelf that covered half a wall. Now it covers three quarters of the wall. Who wouldn't fall in love with that bookshelf? Compare it to our own bookshelves, come on! No contest!"

"You're weird," Richard remarked.

"And you're an idiot!" Alden exclaimed.

"I still question your claim of being the older twin," Richard countered.

"And I question your claim of being the smarter twin," Alden retaliated.

They both paused for a few seconds and then burst into laughter. Richard felt a deep sense of satisfaction laughing with his twin once more. It felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulder.

When their laughter subsided, Alden said, "for the record, I was never against you guys. I even did my share in bringing the two of you together. I think me dying was the biggest clue. But, you're an idiot as always."

"You shouldn't have given your life, Rich," Richard remarked. "Doc Burnz would have found a way."

"You know as well as I do that that isn't true," he replied. "The doc wasn't able to find a viable candidate and Maine was running out of time back then. She wouldn't have survived without my heart, Arge. Besides, let's say I did survive. I'd be paralyzed from the neck down. I'd be a burden to everyone. That's not living."

"You wouldn't have been a burden to me."

"I know," Alden smiled. "You'd sacrifice your happiness for me. I'm already dead and you're still sacrificing your happiness for me. I don't want that for you. But knowing you, even if I push you away, you'd still be with me."

"We're twins. It's the only logical thing to do."

"Yes, but I don't want that," he countered. "Maine is dying because you couldn't let me go. You're still hanging on to me like a lifeline. I'm dead, Arge. I've been dead for eight years now. It's time you move on and be with the woman that you love. Get married. Have babies. Name one after me while you're at it."

Richard kept silent. He wore a scowl on his face at what his brother was saying. He wondered himself if what Alden was saying was true.

"I know you, Arge," Alden continued. "I. Know. You. We're twins. I know every little detail about you. Every nuances. Every quirks. Heck, we share most of them. I know when you're lying to yourself. That's why I knew that you've liked Maine eversince. But I wanted you to voice it out so you, yourself could confirm it. For you to realize what I've known for so long.

"You love Maine. That much we could acknowledge. But you still hesitate. Like you're guilty of being with her. Of being alive."

Richard sighed and looked down, unable to look at Alden in the eyes.

"I've given you all the signs I could give that I was okay with you and Maine," Alden said. "I've pushed the two of you together so that you could meet again. I gave you that idea of fixing my bike to let you know I was okay. Isn't that one of the signs that you needed? So why do you still hesitate?"

"It's not just about that, Rich," said Richard. "Maine herself said that we would have ended up together even if you hadn't died."

"I agree," said Alden. "She fell in love with your music. I couldn't compete with that. So, if you've already acknowledged that. Why am I still here?"

"Missed opportunity, I guess," Richard replied. "Everytime I go to different cities, I would think of you. I come in a souvenir shop and I would immediately look for a little token that you might like. I would try out a food that would make you cringe or do an activity that would have you whooping for joy. I remembered our plan. I would take you with me to all the places that we wanted to go to."

"Go to the highest point of every city we visit," Alden recalled their plans when they were kids. "But, Arge. You've done just that. I was with you whenever you go to those places. I was always with you. Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, Taipei 101...I was there with you. Always there."

"It kinda felt that way too, bro." Richard smiled and then realized what his brother just said. He asked, "wait. You were there with me? As in, you were beside me that time?"

"Yeah," he replied. "As I am tied to Maine's heart, I am with her most of the time, but I would always be with you whenever you go visit the highest point of any city you were in. I never missed it."

"When you say you're with Maine most of the time..."

"I mean," Alden replied. "I couldn't really go too far from her. I get pulled back after some time. But I do get a few minutes in a day with you since you did promise to live for me, most of the time I'm stuck with Maine. It's really great that you guys have become inseparable when you met, because that made moving around easier. Don't give me that look, I'm still a gentleman. I leave whenever she needed girl time. The first time I saw her naked was during Puerto Galera."

"You were there?" Richard looked at his brother incredulously.

"I really have no other place to go."

"So you saw - "

"Yes."

"That time in - "

"Yes."

"And that time in - "

"Uh-huh.."

"What about - "

"I was there."

"And - "

"Yup."

"Paris?"

"I would have to say that you have a very nice butt," Alden sniggered. "I'd wondered if I'd get the same if I didn't die."

"Perv!" Richard exclaimed but his face had turned red with embarrassment.

"I'm seventeen," Alden reasoned but he couldn't hide the teasing in his voice. "I died a hormonal teenager."

"You're weird," he said as he shook his head in disbelief.

Alden just laughed. Richard couldn't help but smile at hearing his laughter. He missed it. He missed him. He had wanted so badly to hear his laughter one last time. He got his wish and it felt good.

Alden looked at him and smiled. He slowly walked towards his twin until they stood face to face. He said softly, "you're finally ready."

Richard just nodded an acknowledgement but remained silent.

"Say it, Arge," Alden said looking at him intently. "I need you to say it and mean it."

Richard gave his brother an incredulous look. But he paused and took a deep breath so that he was sure that the-powers-that-be would know he meant every word. Then he declared, "my heart is yours, bro. It always has. Always will. I reiterate what I told you eight years ago. This heart beats for the both of us now. It still holds true."

Alden smiled showing the dimple on his left cheek. He breathed a sigh of relief. He felt the chains holding him there falling one by one. He suddenly grabbed his brother in a tight embrace which Richard returned with the same intensity.

"Thank you!"

"I won't let you down this time, bro," Richard said.

"You'd better not," Alden chuckled. "I don't want to come back and haunt you. Besides, I have plans to get reincarnated as your offspring. That would be fun."

"Maine and I will be getting our hands full then," Richard grimaced.

"Speaking of Maine," Alden said. "I think it's about time you woke up Sleeping Beauty."

"How do I wake her up?"

Alden looked at him, one eyebrow raised in question. He remarked, "if you don't know how to wake her up, then you really don't deserve her."

Richard kept silent for a time. His brows furrowed as he thought of what Alden meant. Then his eyes widen with the realization and he smiled.

"It's that simple?" Richard asked.

"Arge," Alden said. "Life had always been simple. It's the people that makes things complicated."

"Thanks, bro," Richard smiled. "I now accept your claim of the older twin."

"And you're still an idiot," Alden replied. "But you're my idiot. And I'm the only one who can call you that. So I shall take that to the afterlife."

Richard just shook his head and reached out once more to hug his brother for the last time.

"I will miss you, bro," he said as a single tear fell on his cheek.

"I know," Alden replied. "And it's okay. Just don't miss me too much. Now, it's time to wake up. Maine's waiting."