The hotel room's air conditioner was running strong. Yet, the beads of sweat on the 60-year-old man's forehead were evident. His gaze swept the room slowly, pausing for a tad longer when it met each of the three pairs of eyes.

"All right. Now that I've shared with you my concerns, does anyone have anything to say?"

Silence. As expected.

"Anyone? Anything?"

Some movements produced the slightest sounds. The muteness otherwise prevailed.

The man could not take it anymore. "I am so disappointed in you! Do you know how lucky I thought I was, having three healthy sons like you? God, I had so much hope in you! Some people would do anything to have a son. I have three and what do I get?"

Silence. It was rhetorical anyway.

"Nothing! No, it's worse than nothing. I get all this... this... madness around me! You two don't speak to each other. You're rude to your mother. You disgraced us with all the gambling and stealing and God knows what else!"

Confidently thinking I had not been included in this address, I looked at my two younger brothers. Jep was so engrossed with his toes. Egi was turning his phone in his hand. This might well be the time where I should speak up.

I kept quiet.

"Jep, say something! I couldn't help thinking you started all this!"

Jep muttered something inaudible, keeping his focus on his suddenly attractive toes.

"That's right, he did!" came the forceful response from the other side of the room.

"Okay, Egi, you have something else to say to your brother, then?"

The youngest son shook his head fast. "No. He didn't even say sorry. Not once!"

"That true, Jep?"

A shrug.

I watched our father with interest. How would he handle this? Being a director of some not-so-small company, he surely encountered situations like this all the time. I would try a different tact now.

He did. "All right, all right. Egi, what if I have your car fixed? Then Jep could pay me back if and when," he looked at his second son, "he earns something."

"Told you that wasn't the point," Egi snapped. "He'll never change! I don't understand how someone could be so ignorant and self-centered. He doesn't care for others, let alone others' stuff. God!"

Well, I -- and my father, I was sure -- thought, at least someone's now speaking.

"Okay," Papa said, "keep going."

Egi exhaled loudly. "He never put back my DVDs after watching them. A lot have scratches now. And my audio CDs -- you know I collect original CDs! Oh, oh, and you know what he did to my laptop? He put a glass of coffee on it! How's that for idiotic?" He waved his hand. "And many more, we could be here all day."

"We will be here all day if necessary! In fact, we will not leave until you two have started talking again."

Oh boy, some holiday this turned out to be. I leaned back, getting ready to wait a long time.

"Okay, look. I know Jep has done many bad things. But you are brothers! You fight while I'm still here, what do you think will happen once I pass away, huh? What's worse is that, by then you will have gotten married, that's another external factor to consider -- your wives will be in this! I'm sure you're grown up enough to know that wives may make matters worse."

This amused me. And you and Mama wonder why I'm still single.

"Brothers must stick together. I know you have friends right now, friends you can rely on. But soon, they'll move on with their lives. They'll have their own families to worry about. In the end, it all comes down to you brothers to help each other out.

"So, please, Egi, forgive your brother. And, Jep, apologize to your brother."

Egi scoffed. "That's right, he's always let out so easily."

"That's because we are family. We love each other. We give each other a second chance."

"Oh yeah. And we all know how that turned out, don't we?"

"Egi! That's enough!" Papa turned to Jep. "Be a man, will you. My offer still stands. I'll take care of all the damages you've caused. You'll pay me later."

Silence. This time, it was prolonged and I willed our father to let it be.

He did. Maybe we were not that different after all.

Jep finally broke it. He stood up and walked over to Egi's bed, extending a hand. "Egi, I apologize for what I've done to your stuff. I promise I will never, ever, touch your things again."

Papa and I looked on. Shake it, damn it! Then we can get the hell out of here and enjoy the sun.

Egi let the extended hand hang in the air for a fraction, just so we knew he could. Finally, he rose and shook it. Our father clapped.

"There you go! Those are my sons! All right, from now on, please leave whatever in the past in the past, okay? We look ahead to a new life."

Our family did not have this kind of talk. We just did not. This scene was too sitcom-like for me, but hey, it was a start. Something good might come out of this.

We all rose and awkwardly busied ourselves with our own things.

***

None of us was under any illusion that things would improve rapidly after that hotel room scene. And they did not. After our rare family vacation, Egi and Jep still did not see each other eye to eye, let alone speak. Meanwhile, now back in reality, everyone was busy and hardly had any meaningful conversation among us.

Until that morning. I was having my breakfast, wonderfully delicious food prepared by our mother, and chatting with a girl I was interested in via phone short messages when Jep walked by and nudged me in the arm.

"What's up?" I asked. He did not immediately reply. Instead, he took his time to make sure we were alone in the room before handing me a cell phone.

It was, I guessed, Papa's phone. I looked at the screen, showing an open text message. "What are you doing looking at Papa's messages?"

"He forgot his phone. The chauffeur is on his way to pick it up. So, hurry!"

What I read was an intimate message from one Monique to our father. Romantically intimate. Like that of a lady to her lover.

"Okay, what's going on here?" I looked around us, making sure Mama was nowhere to be seen. "And how did you start reading his messages?"

"Papa called, asking me to find the phone and pass it to the chauffeur. It was already open when I took the phone," Jep replied. "Dude, Papa is having an affair!"

"That's... kinda hard to believe," I scratched my head. "Besides, anyone having an affair won't be stupid enough to leave his phone lying around with a, well, compromising SMS open for the world to see!"

"Dunno, man. I saw him doing something with his phone just before he left. What if he was reading this SMS when something distracted him and had him hurriedly leave? He did forget his phone, you know."

It was quite possible. Not to me, for I would have remembered at least to return to the main screen before putting the phone down, but possible nonetheless.

"All right. Let's think about this first. Don't rush into any conclusion. Act normal, lest Mama will be suspicious. You know she has sharp eyes for this sort of things. Did you read the other messages? Any more of such?"

"I didn't. I planned to, though."

But just then, Papa's chauffeur arrived. I myself had to leave for work. So, we decided to keep it between the two of us for the time being. What a way to start the morning.

***

I could not concentrate that whole day. So, I took a half-day off and asked Jep to meet me at some café near our house. Well, our father and mother's house. I had been planning to move out for a long time now, but that never materialized. I was too comfortable, having free food and someone doing my laundry.

"So, what's the plan?" asked Jep the moment he sat opposite me.

"I've been thinking. That one SMS is all we've got. We need to know what exactly is going on. I can't believe Papa is having an affair."

"Well, he does have a certain weakness when it involves ladies, if you noticed."

"What middle-aged men don't? He was to retire at 58. He was lucky the company asked him to stay on a yearly contract. For all he knows, the contract may not be renewed next year. Who knows where he will be then." I made a point of looking directly into my brother's eyes while saying this. I hoped he got the message.

Jep paused for a while before replying. Because the message had gone through, I hoped. "I could follow him. You know, see if he ever leaves office, meets this Monique, or whatever."

Jep had recently started his own business, after being jobless for more than three years, and he could therefore take any time off he liked. Getting around would be a problem, though. He was the only one in the family without his own vehicle. He usually borrowed Mama's, but she was frequently out during the day, doing whatever it was that middle-aged housewives did. Egi's was available for he was a night creature, sleeping during light, out by dark. None of us knew exactly what he did for a living, but he seemed to go by just well, having his own money and paying for his own stuff.

But then there was the inconvenient detail: the two did not speak to each other.

"We need Egi in this. The two of you must do the stakeout."

My brother remained quiet for one or two minutes. He fingered his glass nervously.

"What's so difficult? It's strictly business -- well, so-called. You guys can talk."

"He won't talk to me," said Jep.

"Will you?"

He kept his sight on his mocha latte. He liked doing this, now I knew, avoiding eye contact by focusing on something else. Interesting how I had never noticed that. Perhaps it was time to stop minding my own business and pay more attention to what my family members did.

"Oh, come on! This is our father we're talking about!" I snapped impatiently.

"Can't Egi just do it on his own?"

"Huh?"

"I don't know, I'm just..."

"You know how in the movies, two people with a problem among them always get trapped in a small room, elevator or cleaning service room or a closet? That gives them the opportunity to talk it over. By the end of the movie, they're friends again."

"This is not a movie, okay?! People don't do that in real life."

"Jep, this is an opportunity for both of you. What Papa said in that room is all true, you know. We are brothers and brothers look after one another."

"Yeah... Of course I know he was right. But, I don't know, our family don't do this stuff. It'll be more than awkward."

"Sure it will. All right, whatever. You think about it and let me know. I need to go to the gents."

When I sat back down, Jep looked at me and said, "All right, I'll do it. But you talk to Egi."

***

Two days passed with no updates from our two amateur sleuths. No updates on our father, no updates on my two brothers' relationship. I held my tongue. Our parents went by their businesses, oblivious of what their sons were up to.

To be fair, Mama's sharp eyes did not miss my brothers' disappearance every morning, about an hour after Papa left for work. Mainly because Egi was able to wake up early. She inquired once or twice, but then, having received vague replies, let it go. She must have been happy, seeing her two estranged sons get along.

On the third day, my cell phone beeped with a text message. It was from Egi. Papa left the office with his chauffeur at around 10:30. Which could be nothing, he could well be on his way to a meeting. Our private eyes were hot on his trail nonetheless.

According to Jep, Papa entered an office building in the commercial district. Jep took his chance and went in as well. Next, he found our father seated in a coffeehouse in the same building, opposite an attractive young lady in business attire.

"Does she look like a Monique to you?" I stupidly asked Jep over a text message.

"She sure does. Only prettier than what I've imagined," came the reply. Oh brother. Excuse the pun.

According to our detective, Papa and Maybe-Monique had a good chat and laughed a lot. She sometimes casually touched our father's arm. I could not help wondering where Jep was while all this took place. Surely Papa would know if one of his beloved sons was seated nearby. Then again, love -- or infatuation, as I chose to believe in this case -- blinded people.

At 12:30, the couple left for a restaurant on the same floor. Our detective did not have the necessary fund, so he waited outside. Then a security guard got suspicious, so Jep returned to the small space he shared with our youngest brother.

At almost two, Papa went out alone and returned to his own office. Our Magnum, P.I.s scrambled for lunch.

***

"What next?" asked Egi. The three of us were inside his bedroom. Our parents were having their dinner downstairs.

"I say, we confront this lady," said Jep. Because if any of us had the necessary guts to do such a thing, it would be him. "Ask her what she wants from our father."

Egi and I thought this over. Egi, I imagined, would be thinking, we can't just talk to her like that, what would we say? I was thinking, wow, my two brothers are getting along!

I had once read how having a common enemy might push two parties with differences close. In fighting this common enemy, the parties would put their differences aside and work together. Right now, Maybe-Monique was our common enemy and it turned out better than what I had expected.

"No, Jep, I don't think it's a good idea. What will we say to her? Excuse us, but we believe you're stealing our father from our mother?"

"We'll think of something to say. If we come to her fast, we may be able to frighten her. She may go right away, Eg."

Wow, my two brothers addressing each other!

"Wait, wait. Frighten her? That's so like you," Egi sneered.

"Okay, what's that supposed to mean?" Jep raised his volume.

All right, perhaps I spoke too fast.

"You're always a bully, aren't you? Do things without thinking. Others suffer because of you."

"Guys, guys, I thought we were past this?" I interceded. "Remember Monique? Stealing our father?"

Egi murmured something. "I still think we can't just confront her without being absolutely sure what's going on."

"What more proof do you need?" asked Jep. "He has SMSes from her. He sees her during working hours, has lunch with her. And they touch!"

"That was one occasion, all right? What if they're really talking business? As for the touching, well, I know some sales ladies who would do something extra just to push their sales figures."

"What if we confront Papa instead?" I suggested. My brothers went quiet. That was our family. We were more comfortable talking to outsiders than to our own.

"All right, all right. How's this. You guys keep watching. The next time something happens, we make a plan. Okay?"

My brothers nodded. I love being the eldest.

***

More days passed without anything worthy of attention. The two amateur sleuths persevered in their stakeout. They had found a spot just outside our father's office where they could inconspicuously watch both the main entrance and his car. It was just a matter of time, however, before they would raise suspicion. In fact, I was rather surprised they had made it this long without any incident.

I imagined how boring it must have been for my brothers. Stuck inside the car the whole day. Nothing to do but smoking and chatting. I noticed they had started sharing cigarettes again. Or rather, Egi had. Jep never had money to buy his own. Now, I was not fond of smoking, but hey, anything to get them acting like brothers again.

I was not close to any of them and honestly, I did not think I would ever. Yet, I hated the thought of them drifting so far apart. Seeing how they had gotten close again, albeit at the potential expense of our parents, warmed my heart. So, as I tried hard to concentrate on my work, my mind kept wandering to, among other things, the two detective brothers, confined in such a small space, having exchanges that I imagined went like this:

Jep: it's so hot in here, can we turn the aircon on?

Egi: the tank's almost empty, we need to conserve.

Jep: fine, then let's fill it up. Papa's not going anywhere in the next hour, I'm sure.

Egi: are you paying?

Jep: here we go again.

Egi: of course. It's not like you ever paid for anything.

Jep: okay, okay. Can we at least listen to a different CD? We've played this one over and over and over.

Egi: oh, I'm sorry. I guess I stopped buying CDs a while back -- because you kept destroying them! And did you forget how you sold my car's sound system?

Some rough day they had, my brothers. We needed something to happen soon, or else their forced togetherness might backfire.

***

"He sneaked out and had lunch with her again. Don't you think it's time?" said Jep empathically that night.

I considered this. This time, I found myself agreeing with him. "Yes, I think so. But what's the best way of doing this?"

Egi appeared at the door. "Guess what, I just overheard Papa telling Mama he would be home late tomorrow. Said he would have a business dinner followed by an official meeting."

He did this once a while. But now, it took a different meaning to us.

"Jep and I agree it's time to make a move. You have any suggestion?" I asked Egi.

"I say, follow him to that dinner. If it's really with that Monique girl, we catch them red handed," my youngest brother said.

"What do you think, Jep?"

He thought for a moment. "I think it's not a bad idea. Let's do it."

"Okay," I said. "But let me do the talking. All right? Not that I don't trust you guys, but it's better if only one of us is speaking. Let's try not to make a scene wherever it is."

"Okay."

***

The next evening, we found ourselves sweating in a fancy hotel's parking lot. Our father just went in, hand in hand with Monique -- now we were sure it was Monique. Now that it was unfolding before our eyes, the reality hit hard.

"Our father is having an affair," I heard myself say. "I don't know what will happen if Mama ever finds out."

"I don't get it," Egi remarked, "isn't he supposed to be a director or something? Isn't he afraid of anyone he knows bumping into them?"

"I think he's risking it. Love has people do the craziest thing," said Jep.

"Well, so does gambling," muttered Egi. Jep turned to him fast.

"Hey, hey, focus! It's our father we're talking about," I had to intercede again. "Besides, I don't think he's in love. I think he just enjoys the attention he gets from a young lady."

"Whatever," Jep said, not without contempt.

I looked at him. "You sure you can handle yourself, Jep? Remember, we don't want to embarrass Papa."

"Not more than necessary," Egi noted. "We're going to bust him."

I took a deep breath. "Ready? Let's do this."

We three brothers strode towards the hotel's main entrance.

***

I must say we did pretty well for amateur detectives busting an old man having an affair. I was sure we had attracted minimum attention from the crowd in the dining place. Few heads had turned our way when I had announced, "Papa! Didn't expect to see you here with this young lady."

Without a word, Jep had grabbed Papa's phone on the table, pressed a few buttons, and showed our father his inbox. Papa had paused for a moment before sighing and indicating the girl in front of him, "This is Monique. Mon, these are my sons."

We had left Monique in the restaurant and walked to Egi's car. I could see that Jep, the most emotional among us, was fighting his anger. He did well and I was proud of him.

I sighed. "I'm not going to ask how it started, Papa. I just assume it's over now?"

Our father nodded. "I promise. I don't know what I was thinking then." He looked each one of us in the eye. "Thank you, my sons. For saving me..." he paused, "and your mother."

"Speaking of Mama," I said, taking a glance at my brothers, "we have agreed that she doesn't need to know. That is, unless you want her to know. Then you'll have to tell her yourself."

"I understand. Thank you." Papa straightened his posture, a 60-year-old man trying to maintain dignity in front of his three sons. He patted my shoulder. "I'll see you all at home."

The three sons watched their father walk back to the main entrance, to a table marked Car Call. He spoke to the attendant and soon we heard his chauffeur's name being announced.

Our family never talked much.

Watching Papa's car swing by to pick him up, I told my brothers, "I need to talk to this Monique. It'll be just a minute," and headed back to the restaurant.

***

Little was mentioned in the aftermath of the affair -- again, excuse the pun. Life had gone on. Everything was back to normal in our family.

With one exception.

"Anyone wants to watch Harry Potter?" Egi asked. It was Saturday and all of us were at home -- a rarity. "I'm going now."

I looked up. Having made sure that the question had been addressed to me as well as Jep, I shook my head. "I plan to watch it with a friend. You guys go ahead." I watched Jep anxiously.

My brother said, "I'm going with you." I suppressed a smile.

"Okay. Well, get ready, I'm leaving in five minutes."

Just then, Jep stood up and extended a hand. "Egi, I am truly sorry for what I've done. I promise I'll make it up to you," he said in a very serious tone.

It was a small variant of what he had said in that hotel room weeks ago. Yet, somehow all of us knew it was different.

Egi took his brother's hand and shook it warmly. "It's all right. What's in the past is in the past now. I'm sorry, too, for treating you like crap all this while."

This time, I couldn't contain my smile. It was all too sitcom-like, just as it had been then.

I would take sitcom anytime over frozen brotherhood.

***

The girl opened the door before I even pressed the bell. "Hey, you," she greeted, smiling.

I smiled back and took her in my arms. "I missed you."

The smell of paint tickled my nostrils. I did not mind, never did. It reminded me of the sight of my girl painting sceneries and portraits.

"All's well?" she asked, dropping herself onto the only sofa in the house.

I nodded and followed suit. Not feeling like talking, I just wanted to grab her and held her close. She giggled. "What's gotten into you?"

"Just glad of having you back." I savored her scent. She smelled of lavender.

She giggled again and turned around. She enjoyed my nibbling at her ear. I duly complied. "Does that mean I won't have to play dress up as an office girl again?"

"Uh-huh..."

"Good."

Minutes passed quickly. They always do when filled with pleasure.

"Hmm, you love me, don't you?" she asked, with her eyes closed.

"Uh-huh..."

"Is this a serious relationship we're in?"

"Maybe..." I kept my attention on her petite ear and silky neck.

"Then I have a question. When you take me to meet your parents, what will you say to them?"

I took my lips off Monique's luscious earlobe and looked at her.

"That is, hmm, a very good question."

 

(Dedicated to my two fav brothers, not on speaking terms for over a year now. I'm still hopeful.)

Current music: Chrisye - Lilin-Lilin Kecil
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