Say Hello to the Broken-Hearted (15 page)

“Hey John!”
Calvin exclaimed as he approached him with an open embrace, “It’s nice to see you my friend.”

John returned the warm gesture. The funny sound of his Indian accent
mispronouncing English words reminded John of how he and the others used to make fun of him when he had just arrived at the campus.

“Say pussy---
Puzney he pronounced. Puzney is good for licky licky.” The girls naturally loved him.

“It is grand to see you again Calvin. Thanks for coming.” John affixed.

“No problem man. We have a lot of catching up to do. I am glad you are here.”

The condescending neglect had gotten the best of Karla. It was as if John had left her on the plane like a lost luggage.

“Eh-em.” She mustered.

“Oh, excuse my manners, this is my wife Karla
Steelburg, Karla this is Calvin Peterson. The friend I was telling you about.”

“Hi-- Hello--Nice to meet you.” The two greeted.

“Oh my! She is exquisite John, if I may say so without offense.” Calvin charmed.

“Yes she is
, I feel extremely fortunate.” John replied.

“Yes you must be. I miss Jamaica so bad. When I go back, I will find me one of them just like you my friend.”

Jovial conversations and laughter fellowshipped into the greetings. John and Karla were overly ecstatic to be in Trinidad and Calvin was already proving to be a wonderful friend. They departed the airport and Calvin gave them a tour of the city, and then took them to the apartment, their new home.

“It’s gated.” John gave out as
they arrived at the entrance of the apartment complex.

“That’s comforting,” Karla added, “Incredible landscape too.”

“You guys will love it here, trust me.” Calvin added, “There is a pool, a gym, a convenience store, daycare and a Kid’s playground. You don’t even have to leave.”

“That sounds perfect. The day
care center will be much needed as soon as I am ready to work.”

“Every detail is coming together perfectly
Cuz.” John blurted.

“
Cuz!!” Calvin exclaimed in a high pitched, over curious tone as he made an abrupt stop, twenty feet away from the apartment parking slot.

“
Ahh--Ahh…” John struggled to reconcile a persuasive lie.

In a shivery tone, Karla managed between her tightly clinched teeth, “
Nahh, It’s not at all what you think.”

“Yeah Calvin!
You’ve never heard of the term Cuz before?” The white lie came together as an epiphany.

“Yes I have heard of the word.
It’s a short form for cousin, right?”

“Yes right! But it is also the new hype slang back in Jamaica.” John lied, even Lucifer would believe him.

Karla laughed in a jeering voice, “Yeah Calvin, everybody calls everybody Cuz these days, you follow Cuz?”

“Calvin when you go back to Jamaica, all you need to do when you see a girl you think is hot, is walk up to her and say, Hey
Cuz! What’s up with you? And that’s it.” John convinced.

“I don’t believe you,” Calvin was dubious, “Are you serious John, or you are just fucking with my mind?”

“If I’m lying may God’s lightning strike me now!” It was a dry evening with pretty clear skies.

“Oh yes!
It’s true Calvin, take it from me, girls think it’s really sexy!” Karla stressed and he was pretty much sold.

“Hey guys, room seventy-one
, straight ahead. Here are your keys. I’ll give you two a moment then I’ll take the bags in.”

“Thanks Calvin, I appreciate it.”

“Sure, you owe me one John.”

“I sure do.” John replied as he and Karla proceeded to the doorway.

“He seems like a really nice guy John.” Karla claimed.

“Yes he is
, he is a tremendous guy.”

“Ok,
let’s go inside and grace our new home.” Karla expressed with due anticipation.

“Ok here goes…”

The couple walked into the dinning quarters of the furnished two
bedroom studio. John Steelburg flipped the switch and to Karla’s surprise a navy blue white light illuminated the atmosphere. John Steelburg proceeded to the table at the center and lit the red and blue candles of peach and lavender aroma. Calvin had prepared a steak and vegetable pasta meal with
Cabernet Sauvignon before he left for the airport, all at John’s request.

“Whoa
!” Karla exclaimed with an open mouth and wide eyes, “Oh My Lord! This is incredible!”

John smile scintillated. The ecstasy he saw in her expression was
heartwarming and soul fulfilling.

“Have a seat my love.” Chivalry is not dead. He opened the chair for her and gently placed the napkin to her lap.

He removed the covers from the dinner plates and the scent of marinated medium rare cooked steak teased the nostrils. Indeed, it was foreplay for the mouth-watering intercourse they were about to have with the seductive meal.

“
Let’s enjoy tonight my love—to us.” John proposed and they cheered with the well-aged sauvignon.

“John this is…” She wi
ped the tears that started to fell from her eyes, “I am lost for words.”

“Karla
don’t cry…what are you crying for?” John perplexed.

“
It’s just that—John this is everything that I ever wanted. This is all my dreams coming into reality, right in front of me and I have not even the slightest idea of how to react appropriately or even…” She mustered a smile but the tears were too heavy to keep inside.

“Shut up.” John blurted softly, “Just stop. You are making me way too mushy. I am nervous and shivery. So
don’t do that anymore—please. As a matter of fact,” John stood and reached for her hand to stand as well. The prince charming reached into his jacket pocket, took out a little black box and went down on his knees.

At this point Karla was shocked out of her sanity. Her body peaked into
a frenzy with quivering electrifying sensations. She was extremely elated. There was no question that heaven was filled with joy at that instance.

John opened the box and took out a white gold ring with fine diamonds lining the circumference to the feet of the cone that housed a sparkling blue to die for diamond stone.

“Will—You–Marry me?” John asked in a timid chipmunk voice. The nervousness drizzled into his sweaty palms.

“Yes!! Yes!! I will marry you!!”
She screamed and jumped in a tantrum.

John stood to his feet and shouted with joy steaming from the feet of his soul.

“Yes!! Thank you! Yes! I love you so much!” With her body in his arms and her feet off the ground, he kissed her and spun her around in a frivolous deportment. Gravity had no bearing. The love was real. That’s all what mattered. The omnipotence was forever marvelous.

Tonight the sacred blue rose blossoms. The leaves turn face up to captivate the essence of nature, and the petals curve into a symmetrical mosaic. Tonight the ecstasy of their love pinnacles.

Chapter 22

        The
morning after the proposal, passion, love making and the whole essence of the euphoria. John left Karla under the white sheet and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast before she opened her eyes to
the morning bliss. Love does make a man do silly things. As John Steelburg was a man of much caliber
but cooking he knew nothing about. He over fried the sausages to a dry, crispy texture. The eggs were scrambled without milk or salt, and to perfect the sandwich, the bread was toasted to a sounding crunch. He poured a glass of milk and along with it added a glass of orange juice to the tray.

“Eh-
em,” John cleared his throat, “Wake up sweetie, breakfast is ready.”

The words
‘breakfast is ready’ got her attention. Karla was already awake. She just felt like absorbing with closed eyes the silent serenade of the dreamed reality of waking up in her own queen size bed under cotton spreads to the uprising rays of the sun and the soft tranquility that fresh air brings to a new beginning.

She sat upright, cushioned her back against the wood
en frame, “Aww…baby, you didn’t have to.” She graced as she cleared her eyes to greet the disaster in disguise.

“Come on enjoy- Anything for my fiancée and the mother of my child.” He replied in handing the tray to her lap.

“So what about you?” She asked, “Aren’t you eating?” Perhaps he knew it was distasteful. It’s really bad when one can’t stomach their own cooking.

“
Nahh- I am not hungry. Besides I don’t usually eat this early. Don’t worry about me, enjoy.” That was delivered sincerely.

She took a minor bite of the
sandwich, chewed it, swallowed, and then ended the horror movie with cold milk.

“Wow! It’s delicious babe.” She complimented with a kiss to his cheek. Every lie is more persuasive with a kiss.

“Great, I am glad you liked it. If you continue to be a good girl, I might keep this up for the rest of the pregnancy.”

“I would love that very much.” She replied and the dirty lies star
ted to manifest.

“Hey Baby, I am going to take a walk. I want to see what
the neighborhood is like. I have to familiarize myself with the people. You know I might just meet someone who can help me out with a job.”

“Ok, I would come with you, but I feel a bit fatigue.”

“That’s fine, get all the rest you need…See you in a little while.”

“Be safe baby.”

“I will…”

John exited the apartment complex and strolled east on the sidewalk of Deerock Avenue. He wore a white V-neck T-shirt, a straight blue jean and pullover timberland boots. Outside the gates of the complex portrayed different sceneries. It had the appearance of a clustered community, half being a semi-residential suburb and the rest rejected projects. He remembered seeing guys hanging out at the store at the intersection of this street and Goshen Road and that’s where he headed with the intension of meeting someone who was nice enough to assist him in finding a job.

By
the looks of things, there isn’t much to do here. Finding a suitable job would be a depressive predicament. However, he was cognizant well that even a customer clerk vacancy that paid minimum wage would go a far way in savaging money for the impending expenses. Life had its uncertainties, it was never an easy road.

Migrating to a new country in pursuit of a better lif
e had its challenges, especially with a depending expectant mother. But who knows? John Steelburg was as wise as they came. He had a heart of gold and an endearing love that could steam his motivation to overcome the tallest mountain of obstacles.

As he approached the store w
ith the overhead neon sign that bared the logo “Corner Groceries” John saw a man about five seven who wore dark shades under a Congal hat. His shirt and pants would have fit well if he was sixty pounds heavier and three inches taller. John’s first instinct was right. He was a drug selling thug.

“Yow br
o! You looking for something? I have everything you need right here.” The man behind the shades quickly approached John and offered.

Apparently walking straight into
the store without making eye contact was a stupid idea. He was pretty much caught off guard by his shady approach. Now to continue walking would be an insult. An insult that could cost him his life. A jittering fear staunched his stomach line.

“No, I am good, I am new here, just need something in the store.” John’s effort to be abrupt was futile. Getting rid of him wouldn’t be a walk in the park.