Say Hello to the Broken-Hearted (10 page)

“You heard the lady, leave!” John supported and clasped his fingers in between Karla
Steelburg’s fingers, “There is nothing here for you anymore. Another man has taken over.”

The agony of the truth hit home hard.  Joseph face went cold and his eyes dilated into a hard stone. Th
e repudiation quickly sunk in. That was it for him. Time to go back home. Never was there any sense in fighting a losing battle.

“Look, I am not sure what’s happening between the two of you” Andre
w uttered loudly and shrugged John a good six feet away from Karla.

“Andre
w, stop!!” She exclaimed.

“Karla, this idiot is ruining your life and you don’t even realize
it.” Andrew pleaded.

“No he is not!”

“Andrew, I love your sister dearly, but God forbids, she can’t see that this fool is using her!” Joseph exclaimed.

“How am I using her? You sick bastard!” John responded, “You are a fifty year old man, having sex with a girl that is the same age as your daughter. For Christ sake, how do you sleep at night!!
”

“The same way you sleep! Don’t come to me with that. We were good together.”

“You were supposed to be a father to her! You knew she needed one and you took deliberate disadvantage of her! What kind of man are you!!”

“I never used her. I was everything to her!” Joseph emphasized.

“And yet she never loved you!” John touched the spot. Joseph had always doubted her love for him. Regardless, he never questioned it. He had always indulged in the back of his mind that she would eventually grew to love him, but tonight the songs were different and all hope had shattered into unwarranted pieces.

“Joe for heaven sake
leave. Go home.” Karla instructed.

Without further resistance, Joseph retreated,
“Goodbye Karla.” He replied.

She nodded her head and gave him a cold repudiated stare.

“You are going to pay dearly for this” Andrew exclaimed at John.

Joe walked to his car without even glancing backwards. He drove away at God’s speed.

“Andrew listen, I’ll explain everything to you later. Let’s just calm down ok?”

“How am I supposed to be
calm! You are destroying your own life, for this imbecile.”

“Listen John, just go home for now.
I’ll call you in the morning, ok?”

John nodded in reply and walked away.

Chapter 13

       
Andrew
Steelburg stood with a leaning posture against the doorpost of the entrance between the kitchen and dining quarters with a glass of ice cold water in his hand, anxiously waiting for an explanation from Karla Steelburg who was busy creating a maze with her dinner plate.

“I am waiting out of patience.” Andre
w reminded her that he was standing in the room. She realized that within the maze the two paths to the exit window were blocked. She created a phenomenon in which there was no way out and turning back was no longer an option. There was no consolation for giving up. “There must be a prize for effort.” She thought.

“I am about to take a quick shower. When I get out
I’ll explain it all to you.”

“Fine…
I’ll be right here.”

Not a minute after she turned
the shower on, Andrew started to dial Kevin’s Steelburg’s number.

“Hello” Kevin Answered.

“Hey Kevin! I want to talk to you about something. Where are you?”

“I am
at my house, in Sawyers.”

“And there is
no chance of you coming by here tonight?”

“Actually no.
I had made other plans. Just tell me what’s bugging you and I’ll see how best I can deal with it.”

“You
won’t believe this, but were you aware that your brother was sleeping with my sister all along?” Andrew blurted out.

“
Ahh am! Wow! I had no idea that they were that close, but Jesus Christ! Are you sure about this?”

“Yes I am sure. Look, a few minutes ago there was a big fight among I, Karla, your brother and Joe.”

“Who Joseph Gibson, Karla’s boyfriend?”

“Yes…the said one!”

“So what happened?” Kevin inquired.

“Karla broke up
with Joe and told him to leave, and at one point there was an argument between John and Joe. When I told John to back off and leave, he wouldn’t. Look you have to believe me.”

“Ok…Ok, I believe you, but damn this is quite ugly. The entire family
’s dignity is being jeopardized here.”

“That’s exactly what I am saying. This foolishness has to end, now! That is my little sister Kevin. She means a lot to me.”

“I know, just leave it to me. I’ll sort this mess out…by the way, where is John?”

“He left to come there.
I guess he is on his way.” He replied.

“Ok, good. Don’t sweat it.
I’ll take care of this mess.” Kevin assured.

“Good,
I’ll leave it to you then.”

“Bye.”

As he hung up the phone and relaxed into the sofa, Karla came out from the bathroom with folded arms and a disappointed demeanor.

“I heard you, every word!” She fringed.

“Karla it’s for your own good.” He reiterated.

Who died and made him king?
Yes, her father died but there was no reason he should feel compelled to take care of her. Besides, where was he when her back was against the wall and life almost cheated her to death?

“Listen to me! Stay out of it!
It’s not your concern!” She yelled at him, “You are not my father and you never will be!”

“You will do exactly as I say! I am putting my foot down! You will
have nothing further to do with John Steelburg! Do you understand me?”

“Oh is that right!” She laced back at him and poised an akimbo, “Well guess what! I am having his baby and there is nothing, absolutely nothing you can do to stop it!”

Impulses of shocking disbelief transcended through the nerve synapses of his body. His face went cold and hard as if bitten by a venomous snake. He afforded not another word before she walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

Chapter 14

John
Steelburg counted twenty two tiles from the bottom of the steps to the porch. Standing at the door he heard mumbling coming from the living, and he suddenly realized that his mother, Kevin and his sister had already got news of the ordeal that took place just minutes ago. He was about to turn around and walk a little bit longer, but figured the drama was more or less inevitable. He pushed the door open, went inside slowly and sucked all the air from the room.

“Hey there mother…
Kevin.” Kathy wasn’t important, so he refrained from gracing her with the common greeting of a plastic smile and a showcase of his index finger. He noticed the blatant condescension on Kathy Warren’s unusually ugly face. “This wouldn’t miss her for the world. The opportunity rarely ever came to watch John Steelburg be scorned at for his repugnance.”

“I am embarrassed for you!” Kathy started.

“
Embarrassed for what?” John promptly asked with risen eyebrows depicting his concerned curiosity.

“Young man, what is this I hear about you having an affair with your cousin?” That wasn’t so much of a question. She demanded an answer. “I have given you the benefit of the doubt, now what say you?”

Kathy rolled her eyes and folded her hands in anticipation for his response.

“Is that the reason you are embarrassed half-blood?” John provoked in a gist to remind her that it’s none of her business.

“I wish we weren’t
related. She invoked.

“Sentiments shared.” He responded then looked at Kevin to surmise his contempt.

“Do you have anything to say to that?” John frankly asked.

“Have you ever heard of the term incest before?” Kevin asked subtly.

“Yes I have.
It’s not a crime if it’s consensual.”

“Lord Savior in heaven, it is true!” His mother gave out and exploded into trembling discomfort.

“It is satirical, abhorrent, repulsive
and distasteful!” Kevin scoffed in a higher pitch voice edging on anger and disappointment.

“You are a freak!” Kathy snapped, “I always knew you were a weirdo!”

“First of all I am not a freak!” John bluntly added, “And second of all, Karla and I…are in love.”

“In love,
in love!!” Williams exclaimed in an incoherent voice. “Boy have you lost your mind!”

“John listen to me. I am your older brother. Trust me, this doesn’t look good one bit. You know how these people are. They will shun the entire family.”

“This selfish pervert only thinks about himself!”
Kathy spurred her venom of distaste and condescension at him.” Gosh, you are such an idiot!”

Suddenly all the attention was turned to the sound of Kevin’s phone ringing in his pocket.

“Hello, who is this?” Kevin answered.

“It’s me Frank.”

“What is it Frank?
I’m in the middle of something here.”

“I don’t mean to bother,
it’s just that I was coming from the bar, and I heard the guys gossiping as usual. Actually one of them said that your little brother was fucking your cousin Karla, and it developed into an oversized fuss. Is there any truth to this?”

“Look Frank, I have heard the rumors, but
I’m at home trying to sort out some important business. I will get back to you on that.”

“Alright man, let me know.” Frank finished.

“
See, that’s exactly what I am talking about. That was Frank Adimore on the phone telling me that this stink is the hot topic on the bar table!”

“Oh Lord, we need you here!
” His mother gave out.

“Look! You have to set this straight,” Kevin pleaded, “Tell everyone that it’s mere rumors…and in addition, stop seeing Karla for good. Do you understand me?”

Still maintaining his humble composure, John looked into his ey
es with a stern face and sharply replied,

“I am sorry but that’s not going to happen.”

In the middle of it all his mother stood to her feet and walked up to his face. Overwhelming anger and distraught pulsed her to slap some sense into him but it was the grace of God that held her hands at her side.

“Boy, I have had enough of this!” She forged, “Your father had left us when you were just two years old and I have struggled hard to keep this family together since, and as there is a heaven and a God, I will not allow you to destroy it. This is not the son I raised. I don’t know what has gotten into you lately, but you need to stop this nonsense, now!”

“It is love mother….love has gotten into me.”

“You cannot love your cousin. It is a sin. It’s wrong.” She reiterated.

“How is it wrong mother?” He asked, “Based on what, the bible or is it that
you’re just afraid of what people will say?”

“This is nothing more than an abomination!” She cursed.

“Well guess what? I don’t take much of what the bible says anymore and I damn sure don’t care what people have to say!” John uttered in an unapologetic voice.

“Don’t you raise your voice at me boy
! His mother exclaimed, “I am going to inform your father of this matter!”

“And what difference will it
make?” He subtly asked.

“If I
can’t talk some sense into you, well maybe he can”

“I seriously doubt that. Maybe if he was here I would have known who my family was and this wouldn’t be happening.”