Of Love and Sacrifices

As expected, Orlando’s family became hysterical upon learning about what happened. Sonia for one, threatened Rita not to go anywhere near her son. They wanted Orlando to come home to them but Orlando protested. He wants to be with Viggo and he can’t bear leaving him again. After some convincing, his family hesitantly agreed. They can’t do anything about it. Orlando and Viggo are married. And Orlando has gone through a lot. They don’t want to add any more stress to the younger man. Especially after what the doctor had told them about his present condition. But his parents only agreed after setting a lot of rules to Viggo.

A few weeks passed without incident. Viggo showered his husband with all the attention, love and care. He also sees to it that Orlando eats right. He does not want his husband to worry about anything. They have already decided to push through with the pregnancy. After all, abortion is already out of the question. Viggo would never put his husband’s life in any danger.

Their relationship as a couple was also slowly improving. Orlando would now talk to Viggo. And Viggo loves it when he sees his husband smiles or laughs. They also agreed to see a psychologist. Viggo wanted to make it up to his husband and he is willing to do everything to make things normal again.

However, what pains Viggo sometimes is the thought that his husband would not allow him to touch him in a sexual way. They would sleep in the same bed every night. But there will always be a pillow in between them. Viggo could not even kiss his husband on the lips. If he leaves for work, he kisses Orlando on the cheeks, and that’s it.

In times when Viggo feels lonely and aroused, he would wait until his husband is asleep and would just go to the bathroom to pleasure himself, thinking of Orlando.

That night, Viggo decided to bring his husband out for a date. It has been a while since they went out on a date because they would usually spend time at home.

Viggo chose a classy restaurant. They usually would be okay anywhere. Orlando was never choosy as long as he and Viggo are together. But, as much as possible, Viggo does not want to be in a place where there would be a lot of people. Orlando is still coping up and he does not want to stress his husband.

“Are you okay, baby?” Viggo asked as he held his husband’s hand.

Orlando smiled at him and nodded.

The waiter was already serving them the food when they heard someone calling.

“Viggo!”

Viggo stiffened. He recognized that voice. It better be not him. He told himself. His hopes went down when the person came near their table.
“Viggo! It’s so good to see you!”

“S- Simon….” Viggo whispered.

Orlando knew a person with that name. Viggo told him everything about his past. Viggo’s ex-boyfriend’s, or ex-fiancee’s name was also Simon. Simon Smith. Before Viggo met Orlando, he was with Simon. Simon was his childhood sweetheart and first love. They grew up together. They were a couple since fourth year high school. They were supposed to be married. But Simon called of the engagement because he wanted to pursue medicine and Viggo could not wait anymore for another four years. Simon left Viggo to pursue his dreams. Viggo, on the other hand, took almost two years of his life recovering from the heart ache. After Simon, Viggo thought he would never love again. Until he met Orlando.

Viggo looked at the man. Simon is still gorgeous in every way. He is still the proud and confident Simon he once loved.

“ Viggo.... How are you?... I’m back in town… I mean… I’m a doctor now…and I’m back for good…” Simon said not even looking at Viggo’s companion.

“Hello… Simon… T- This is my husband… Orlando… Orlando… Simon… an old friend of mine.”

“Oh… a very special friend at that, Vig. By the way, my date, Gerard. He’s also a doctor. So, I heard you’ve been married. I finally get to meet your husband… Vig… I- I’ve heard about what happened… I’m so sorry….”

Orlando felt very uncomfortable at that moment. Simon was looking at his stomach.

“I can recommend the best OB in town if you want…” Simon suggested.

“No… We already have a doctor, Simon.” Viggo replied.

“So, pray tell me…what did you finish… Orlando?” Simon asked.

“I… I’m not done with school yet… I- I’m taking up marketing…B- but I stopped for a while…”

“Hahaha… My VIggo, still the old Viggo that I knew. He convinced you to marry him first, right?...”

Viggo could not take it anymore.

“N- No… I wanted to marry him, too…” Orlando answered.

“Simon, if you won’t mind. I want to have some private time with my husband.” Viggo answered sternly. He does not want to make any scene. But if it would be necessary to stop Simon, he will be more willing to do it. He gave Simon a warning stare.

“Okay… I’ll see you around, guys… Enjoy your dinner…” Simon said before dragging his date with him. He was smiling to himself.

“I’m so sorry….”

“No, Vig… It’s not your fault….” Orlando said to Viggo. He was feeling very bad at the moment and he can’t help but compare himself to Simon. Simon’s already a doctor, while he has not even finished his degree yet. Simon is sexy and gorgeous, while he is heavy with a child. Simon is… well, Simon wasn’t raped….

“Baby….. I know you are not asking me… or you may not want to ask me this… but I still would want to tell you…. You are far better than him…” Viggo said as he moved his chair next to his husband and held him tight.

Orlando just nodded and accepted the comfort from his husband.

How could the timing be this bad? Viggo thought to himself. Everything was already starting to fall into place again. How could Simon come back right now?

The following morning, Viggo did not expect to see his mother in the office…. with Simon in tow.

“Son… I have with me a very special visitor.” Rita announced as she entered her son’s office. “ He told me you met at the restaurant last night. He visited me at home this morning and I decided to bring him here.”

“Hello, Vig… Hope you won’t mind if I visit an old friend.”

Viggo was about to say something when Rita cut in.. “It’s not his fault… I was the one who dragged him here… if you want to blame someone…blame it on me…” Rita was always fond of Simon. His family is rich. His father is one of their company’s biggest investors. And Simon is a doctor now.

“Be nice to him… you know what his family’s money is worth to this company…” Rita whispered for only Viggo to hear.

Viggo fell silent.

“Simon, I know my son can very well take good care of you… Viggo… you’re in charge….” Rita said as she left the office.

Viggo does not know what to say. He can’t just order Simon to get out.

“Vig…I… I miss you….” Simon said as he approached the other man.

“S-Simon…”

“Vig… after all these years… I can’t deny to myself that I still love you…. Vig… please… have me back?”

“Y- You left me…”

“And I will regret that decision as long as I live… Viggo… all these years… it’s still you…”

“No…. I’m… I’m married now… It’s too late…”

“Viggo… It’s not too late! I know you’re not getting what you wanted! I can see it in your eyes! You still lust for me! Viggo… I can provide you with what you wanted…. You can have me…. Unlike your husband… I’m not damaged goods….” Simon said as he started kissing Viggo.

Viggo missed these… Simon’s hands were already moving in his body… He missed being with someone… “Simon….” Suddenly, Viggo was lost in his passion. He kissed back, and lifted Simon. Simon’s legs were wrapped around him. He placed Simon on his desk. Simon was undoing his belt when the door suddenly opened.

“Vig… I….” Sean was shocked upon seeing the scene before him. “I… I will get back later…” He said before closing the door.

Viggo recovered from his passion and pushed Simon away.

“Vig?!”

“Get out!” Viggo shouted.

“Viggo….”

“You heard me! Get out, Simon! I love my husband and I was wrong to even think of doing such a horrible thing!”

Simon gathered himself and went out. ‘No, Viggo…You still want me… I’ve proven it now…. It would just be a matter of time before I have you back’ He said to himself before finally leaving Viggo’s office.


Viggo immediately went to Sean’s room.

“Sean… what you saw…”

“You don’t have to explain anything to me, Viggo… your husband needs it more than I do…”

“Sean, you can’t blame me!”

“For what Viggo?! For trying to have sex with your ex-fiancee?! If I did not arrive there… you surely could have done what you wanted…”

“I have my needs… and I can’t even be intimate with Orlando…”

“So now you have an excuse in sleeping with Simon… or any man you want…”

“You’re not in my position so you don’t understand what I feel!” Viggo was already shouting.

“Orlando is my friend, Viggo… and he’s been through a lot…. I swear if you hurt him again… You will pay for me… He does not deserve any of this, Viggo… I would not say a word, now… but I swear if I find out that you are sleeping with Simon… I would not know what I will do to you…”

Viggo went home thinking about what Sean said. He knew what he did was wrong in every way. He loves his husband so much… But what is he to do? Simon was right… Orlando can’t give him what he wants.

Sean, on the other hand, went to the hospital where Simon is working.

“Sean, buddy… it’s good to see you…” Simon said as he saw Sean. “What brings you here, old friend?”

“Simon…. What do you want with Viggo?”

“Sean?... I… what you saw in his office….”

“I thought you came here in peace. You told me you won’t do anything stupid…”

“I still love him!”

“Are you out of your mind?! He’s married!”

“For now…”

“Stop this foolishness, Simon! I’m your friend too, but if you try to tear the couple apart… I swear I would be your worst enemy.”

“C’mon, Sean! I thought you’re on my side! You were the one who would always give me the news about what’s going on with Viggo’s life!”

“I was, Simon! That’s the reason why I would tell you everything that’s going on with Viggo…even if he does not know about it. I was on your side… hoping that you will come soon to make Viggo realize that you deserve each other. But he’s already married now! You can’t just have your way with him and hurt another on the process! Can’t you see that he’s happy now?”

“I can’t go back sooner because I have to finish my degree! You know that!”

“Well, you chose what you wanted. You have nothing left here!”

“No, Sean… Viggo’s mine! I did not come all the way here for nothing! He’s married… but sooner he will get tired of his whining young husband. How I wish the child would not turn out to be his! In that way, he will despise his husband more!” For that, he received a slap on the face.

“You would not succeed, Simon…”

“We’ll see about that, Sean…..”

Viggo is getting restless that night. He wanted so much to be with his husband, intimately. Orlando is already sleeping on his side. Viggo took the pillow between them and held Orlando. Orlando was awakened when he felt something licking his neck.

“Baby…. I…. I want you….”

Orlando stiffened. He let Viggo continue kissing him. But he was not moving. Suddenly, Viggo made him lay on his back and started kissing him again.

Orlando wanted his fears to go away. He tried to focus. This is Viggo… The man he loves… He is not one of the men who defiled him.

“I miss you so much….” Viggo whispered.

Orlando closed his eyes. He just can’t stop the tears from falling. Viggo noticed it.

“Shit!” Viggo said as he sat up. His arousal died down. He does not want an unwilling partner as cold as a stone and as stiff as a bamboo.

Orlando just lied there. Holding himself.

“I… I have to go somewhere… I’ll be back soon… don’t wait for me.” Viggo said as he started dressing up.

”Okay…” Orlando said trying to control his tears.

Viggo did not even look at his husband and went straight outside.

Orlando was left alone in bed. He cried and cried. Then he reached his phone.

“S- Sean?....”

“Hey… Orli?! Hey…. What… a- are you crying?” Sean was already sleeping when he heard his phone rang.

“C- can you come here… please?”

“Yeah… I will be there in a minute…” Sean hurriedly went to look for his clothes and went to Viggo and Orlando’s house.

Orlando opened the door and Sean could see that Orlando had been crying.

“Sean….”

“Shh… It’s okay… I’m here…. Stop crying…”

Orlando hugged him and cried. He led the younger man to the sala and Orlando told him everything that happened.

“How dare he….”

“Sean…please… it’s not entirely his fault…Please… I just don’t feel being alone tonight… I… don’t want to call my family… they think differently… and I want to save this marriage… will it be okay if… if you stay here?....”

“Of course… Of course it’s okay… Come on, let’s get you to bed… I will be here in the living room… You should not stay up very late… It won’t be good for you and the baby…” Sean said as he led Orlando into the master’s bedroom.

“Thank you, Sean…” Orlando said as he went back to bed.


Viggo was drunk. Instead of going home, he went to another’s place.

”Simon….”

“Viggo…. I know you would come to me… Come in, love… I miss you…. I miss you so much…”

After satisfying his needs, Viggo guiltily went back home. It was already five in the morning and he was surprised to see Sean in the living room.

“What are you doing here?”

“Did you enjoy your time with Simon, Viggo? Are you happy now? “

“Sean, stop this…”

“You left your pregnant husband all by himself all night and you’re asking me what am I doing here? And while you were having your fun, your husband is here crying and worrying what he did wrong to upset you?”

“Sean, you are not my keeper! And I don’t need you to protect my husband!”

“No, you don’t… how could you be so selfish, Viggo?! You wanted everything at your foot steps… You will just do anything you want even if that would mean you would hurt somebody in the process. If you are getting tired of Orlando… if you don’t want him anymore… let him go…”

“So that you can have him?!” It came out of nowhere.

Sean was stunned with Viggo’s accusation. He was not able to react immediately.

“I knew it… I knew you want him…”

“Vig.. Viggo… It’s not what you think….! Why are you suddenly turning the tables here?!”

“Am I Sean?... Am I?! Tell me I’m wrong! Tell me! Well, you can have him! If that’s what both of you wanted…”

“You’re sick…”

“You can have him to yourself, Sean… any way… he’s damaged goods!”

Viggo didn’t mean to say it… He never wanted to say it. But it just went out from his mouth because of his anger. Not to Orlando but to himself. He was guilty of committing infidelity. He was guilty of ever doing such a thing. He loves his husband but he can’t admit that he did something unforgivable. Now he’s trying to throw the blame to someone else.

It was then that both noticed that Orlando had been standing on the door… crying.

He heard everything. He heard every single detail. The two men were just so engrossed in their heated argument that they were not able to notice him…

Damaged goods…. That’s what he is to Viggo….


TBC