Page 151 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

It was late afternoon when Ody headed out. The park was quiet, a few dog walkers, some teenagers, older people drifting along the paths.

He spotted Mano, sitting on a ledge. He walked over and dropped down beside him. “Hey.” He smiled. “Why here? You want to walk?”

“I wanted to talk to you,” Mano said, already standing.

Ody’s smile faded. “Okay… I’m listening.” A thought hit him. “Wait… your brother? Did you talk to him?”

“No.”

“You should, Mano. I know it’s not easy, but he’s your brother. I saw you when he came and—”

“This isn’t about him.”

Ody stilled. “…Okay.” Now he stood too.

Mano looked down. “I’m not good with long speeches,” he said, then looked at him. “I’ve thought about it. Since you can’t make the decision…” He hesitated. “I will.”

Their eyes held.

Ody’s expression shifted. “What do you mean?”

Mano’s gaze dropped, his jaw tightening. Then he looked up at him. “Let’s end it here.”

Ody froze. “What?” The word barely came out.

Mano drew in a breath, his eyes closing briefly. “This has to stop.”

Silence stretched between them.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

Ody’s breath hitched. “What? No—why?”

Mano blinked fast. “It’s not working. You see that, don’t you? We’re hurting someone who loves you. Someone who’s been there long before me.”

Ody took a step toward him. “Mano, what do you mean?”

Mano looked down, exhaling.

“I can’t believe I almost threw away two years with her for—”

The words echoed in his head, as sharp as they had been that night.

His stomach twisted. “You’ve tried to talk to her. You can’t do it.” His voice faltered. “You don’t want to hurt her. You’ve loved her for years. You’ve known me for three months.”

Ody’s vision blurred. He didn’t move.

“I know you want me,” Mano went on, quieter now. “But something’s stopping you. Something keeps you from ending it with her.” His jaw clenched. “I can’t be the other guy. And I can’t be the reason she gets hurt.”

A tear slipped down Ody’s cheek. “You want to end this… after everything?” He dragged in a shaky breath. “And last night? Why did you come over? Why did you stay with me if you were just going to end it?”

Mano met his eyes. “I wanted to spend one last day with you.”

A sob ripped out of him. “Mano… I love you.”

“You love me,” Mano said, low, “while you’re still in a two-year relationship.” His expression cracked. “I can’t do this anymore, Ody. One call from her and everything falls apart. Is that what you want with me?”

“I’ll talk to her,” Ody said, tears slipping down. “I will, I swear.”