"What? We thought… I mean…" Joe blurted out immediately. "Who's this Mikey? Are you sure there's even a Mikey?"

"Yah! There was. Mikey's my dead brother, happy? Dead! No more! And he was Queen's son. Of course we didn't know about that until the damn hospital nurse admitted to the possibility of a mixed-up."

"Impossible. My son was born stillborn. How can anyone mix up a dead baby for a life one?" Queen gripped Gavin's hand hard, her knuckles turning white. Gavin spun around and shook his hand free, his cheeks flushed with a deep crimson of agitation.

"I don't know! How do I know such things? Mikey's blood different from his mom and dad's! So he went to the hospital and managed to get hold of the old nurse who supposedly delivered him, asked some questions and drew some conclusions. Together, we found out who and where you are but we lack the money to come over. Mikey died in an accident just as we were about to have enough, ok? Maybe he really was your son. Maybe he wasn't. But he's dead and I should be going. Anyway, you already have everything you can ever hope for and I hope you are happy!" He spat and then dashed out of the room before anyone could stop him, knocking into a just awoken Celeste who was accompanied by Nicole and Holly down to the sitting room. Celeste sensed that it was Gavin and called out after him.

"Gavin! Wait! He's all right, isn't he?" Celeste grabbed Nicole's arm and her friend patted her hand gently.

"He's angry and running away. Yup, he's all right."

"I'll go after him." Frank rose and quickly left the room, breaking into a sprint after Gavin. Queen slumped down onto the couch and rubbed at her temples, her mouth gaping open as she tried to make sense of all that happened.

"I don't understand… Maya… is what the boy saying true? My son's alive but… dead again?" Queen reached for her dear friend who sat down next to her and took her hands comfortingly.

"I don't know..."

"How can it be? Oh… but I have never seen him…" Queen dissolved into tears. The awkwardness as well as bewilderment of the people in the room was apparent. They kept quiet, as if it was a sin to talk or make even the slightest bit of noise. Only Queen's sobbing could be heard and it broke Joe's heart to hear so much sadness from a woman who seemed like she was never truly happy.

"Hey! What's happening here? Queen! Why are you crying?" Robert walked into the room and quickly rushed to his sister's side when he saw her in such a state. Queen looked up at him and sputtered through her tears.

"Someone…someone said my son was actually alive but he died in an accident again. How can this happen, Robert?"

"What?" Robert glanced at Joe who shrugged, completely overwhelmed by Gavin's revelations.

"Gavin, the young man harassing Queen and who stole her personal belongings, said that his brother was Queen's son and there was some mixed up at the hospital. But the baby was stillborn so unless the hospital's staff were very blind, the mix-up is impossible." Clown quipped, a mocking accusation in his two-cents' worth. "If I were to hazard a guess, someone had lied to Queen in the past."

"Robert, did you lie to me? You were the only one with me when I went for the caesarean. Was my son stillborn?" Queen's eyes flashed as her nostrils flared with a vague kind of understanding that Joe knew very well- intuition.

"I ah…"

"Robert!" Queen sensed the hesitation in her brother's reply and pulled his hand roughly, causing him to stumble. "Tell me! Was my baby stillborn?"

Robert extricated Queen's grip and, as if in a trance, lurched towards a chair and sat down, burying his face in his hands.

"No… but it died very shortly after it was born. There was evidence to prove that the hospital's negligence caused the death, besides the fact that your baby was severely premature. When I learned about it, I was very angry, really. But the hospital offered me a bribe to keep mum about it and I was so close to financial ruins so… so I… I'm so sorry, Queen. I really didn't mean to."

"Robert! You know if you have any problems, you can always come to me!"

"You're always bailing me out and… and you were so ill then… I can't bear to… besides, the baby was dead! I… I'm just so sorry, Queen. I wanted to tell you but you were only beginning to gain a little more faith in me…" Robert pleaded with his elder sister, a desperate note in his faltering words. Queen breathing grew ragged and she closed her eyes, forcing herself to take in deep breaths. Joe was caught in the blur by all the drama but there was nothing he could do to calm either party down. Like the rest present, they could only watch in stunned silence at the sordid revelations in those mere minutes. Lives were about to change- relationships about to shatter. All in the span of mere minutes.

"Faith…" Queen finally spoke though it sounded more like a hiss. Maya was still stroking the back of her dear friend's hand, trying to soothe her anger somewhat before it exploded into something regretful. When Queen opened her eyes, those blue orbs were icily cold, sending shivers down Joe's spine and most probably, froze Robert into the heart of an iceberg.

"That's the most horrible lie you can tell anyone… Robert. The most terrible, awful lie…I… I… you… How dare you! How dare you tell me my baby's stillborn?!" Queen started off coldly but ended up screaming at her brother through her tears, her body trembling with much anger. "If I have known about it, a thorough investigation would be done and maybe the mix up would never have happened!"

"Let's calm down…it's in the past and perhaps too late to amend things perfectly. Robert must be wrecked with guilt. Let Frank bring Gavin back… from what I hear, there's plenty of things he didn't tell us." Maya stroked Queen's back calmingly but Queen was inconsolable. She broke free from Maya's attempts to comfort and dashed out of the room with Ted hot on her heels. The loud slam of a door echoed throughout the mansion and left those in the sitting room stunned- lost for words.

***

"Gavin! Wait up!"

"Stop following me, Hardy!" Gavin spun on his heels and clenched his fists. Frank wasn't intimidated though- he knew he was more than a match for Gavin. Moreover, he caught a glimpse into the cause of Gavin's wounded soul and could actually sympathize with the angst-ridden young man.

"I don't believe a thing you said earlier."

"Fine! I don't need anyone to believe me either!"

"But you have hurt your mother deeply. She had been lied to all her life! Can you bear to let her live out her life believing another terrible falsehood?"

"My mom's dead and my dad disowned me, all right? I've been living on my own since I was fifteen!"

"And your brother?"

"Mitch's dead!"

Frank smiled kindly as Gavin clamped his mouth shut, knowing that he had made a mistake in his too-quick answer. The petulant young man stood where he was, scowling at Frank as Frank approached slowly with his hands in the air.

"I know how terrible you must feel. I mean, I saw the news clippings in your room. You think Queen killed her husband, didn't you? And maybe bribe the hospital to exchange you with a dead baby… so she could lay hands on all the fortune."

"No. I didn't believe that." Gavin's voice dropped to a heart-breaking low. "I went for a blood test about a year later after my mom died of cancer and found out that my blood group was different from what was stated in my birth certificate and both my parents'. Dad threw a fit, thinking that I was a baby that my mom had with another man. He couldn't think straight and threw me out. I was hurt and angry so I really left… when I returned back to my hometown, he was dead as well, from grief, I was told. He was actually looking high and low for me but I couldn't be found. He died a heartbroken man and I…" His voice broke and Frank heard a sniff. He rummaged through his pockets, drew out a rumpled but clean tissue and handed it to Gavin. Gavin refused the offer, wiping his nose on his sleeves.

"You have no idea what it feels like to have the hope of finding a new family… or something. I don't know. When I found out who I could be from the nurse who finally couldn't bear the terrible secret anymore, I was ecstatic…" Gavin added flatly, "Very ecstatic."

Looking extremely vulnerable, Gavin turned towards the ocean and sat down on the sand, huddling his knees closed to his chest. Frank took a seat beside Gavin and kept quiet, knowing that upon the raging chest was a dreadful weight that needed to be released. Since he was the one who pursued Gavin for the truth, it was upon him to help the soul right then. All it took was some support and an offer of friendship and willingness to listen. Frank felt he could do that. They both remained silent until Gavin suddenly let out a frustrated growl.

"I came here after scrimping and saving for a long time. Then I took up employment in the mansion, posing as one of those kids who worked here to pay for their trip although my main motive was just to see how she looked like. She didn't recognize me… I wasn't expecting her to but it kinda hurt. Once we talked and she told me about her stillborn son whom she named Michael. Then she said I looked like Peter and then she shook her head. I asked her why. She told me that I was nothing like Peter. I know she didn't mean it in a bad way… she doesn't know who I am but I was so hurt. Then I chanced upon a news article and those rumors circulating about her and Ted… and I… man… I just…"

"You took her stuff because you wanted to be close to her. You wanted to know your mother and thought by taking her things, you will retain a part of her with you. Yet, you're very confused because you believed she did a disservice towards you. But I hope you understand that Queen really thought you were dead and she was crushed for so many years. Maybe you should give her a chance to explain. Robert and Ted will tell you that Peter's death was really an accident that nobody wanted to happen. After all, isn't it time you give yourself a shot at happiness?"

"I'm happy with Celeste. I don't need no one. My mom is dead." Gavin was still indignant though his anger contained less resolve.

"No, you're not happy. Your anger is chasing all those who love you away. Celeste is no saint, Gavin. And you do treat those around you like dirt. I know where the anger stems from but it's very unfair to yourself and those who care about you if you never give yourself a chance to be truly happy. Celeste cannot save you or make you happy if you don't want it for yourself. No one can."

"You aren't a very good counselor. You're making me feel guilty! Yah, yah. I know I chase people away. But I don't want that, you see. I'm just… never mind. Look, I said sorry and I'll return the stuff. I'll never come back here again."

"Don't chase people away just because you're afraid that one day, they may leave you first. I mean, friends, family and loved ones are people to be treasured… not aggravate. It's a second chance for you and Queen to make peace with your tragic histories and start anew." Frank gestured out to the beach and took in a deep breath. "Besides, this is a real wonderful place to begin living again."

Gavin threw him a weird look before shaking his head. "I thought you detest me. Why are you suddenly playing friend?"

"Hmm… because I'm actually a very kind-hearted person. Listen, let's go back to the mansion. We'll let you have time alone with Queen and after you talk to her, you can make your own decision. But I really hope you give your mother and yourself one more chance."

"I haven't done any DNA testing yet. I can't be sure if I'm Queen's son."

Frank grinned and clapped Gavin on the back, "I'm sure when it comes to this, mothers know better than technology."

Gavin smiled for the first time and he turned to Frank with a guilty look on his gaunt face.

"Ahm… I'm sorry too for ah… well. You know."

"Forgiven. One thing Gavin?"

"Yah?"

"I love my brother to death. If you call him a dumb blond and storm his foot or, basically, ridicule him again, let's just say you won't be feeling too good soon after." Frank threw Gavin a shark-tooth grin and the once angry young man chuckled nervously, raking his fingers through his hair.

"Ah, ok. Sorry… Joe just rubbed me the wrong way, I guess. But I'll bear that in mind. Thanks, Hardy."

Frank draped an arm across Gavin shoulders and smiled genially. "You're welcome, new friend."