Say Hello to the Broken-Hearted (22 page)

“I don’t mean to cause
any more trouble than I already have Miss Watson. It’s that Karla has left home and I have no idea where she is. I was wondering if you knew.”

“Karla is where she needs to be.” Miss Watson added, “Listen,
do us all a favor and stay out of our lives.”

“Miss Watson p
lease, I am begging you…I know that Karla may have moved on more or less, but I just need to make something clear, and then I’ll be on my way.”

His plea
fell dead center on her compassion. “Ok-ok, I’ll give you the number, but promise me you will not cause her more pain than you already have.”

“I promise…” John settled.

After the phone rang twice, Karla finally answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey Karla,
it’s me John.”

“What do you want John, how did you get this number?”
Karla asked in an irate tone.

“Karla I
ahh… I’ll be brief ok?”

“Quickly, say your piece so I can hang up the phone.”

“Right…See I have thought about all that I have said to you, and I realize that my behavior was unbecoming, I was dead wrong. So I just want to apologize, even if you never find it to forgive me…I am truly sorry Karla.”

“Oh ok then, is that it?” Karla asked flatly.

“Yeah, that’s pretty much it. I ahh, I know it must have been very painful for you. You know, after all the things you have been through over the years, and you somehow found the strength to trust--again. Only to realize, it is just another sad story. It must be really hard on you, so yeah, I wanted to clear my conscience and of course, say I am sorry.”

“Well you know what John?” Karla added, “It may seem funny to you, but I have already forgiven you.”

“You have?” John coyly asked.

“Yup, the moment I stepped on that plane, I decided to leave every struggle, every bit of pain and dark
memory behind me. It’s all in the past now.

“Oh ok then, so
ahh…you don’t hate me?”

“No, I don’t hate you, not at all.” Karla affirmed.

“It’s such a relief to know that. Thank God, “John added and took a deep sigh, “Hey, I am going to dish in the blind here, but is there any chance of us getting back together?”

Karla shook her head in disgust, “No John,” She flatly rejected, “I am back with Joseph now,
and I have gotten over you to be frank.”

“Karla no…you
can’t be serious.” John claimed, “There is no way I’ll find peace knowing that you are back in the arms of that skunk. Karla he is no good for you, can’t you see that?”

“Actually John,
it’s quite the contrary. See I am very thankful that I met you. It is because of you why I now realize how fortunate I was. I have learned to be more appreciative for what I already have. See you provided a comparison, and now I know that Joseph is the best thing that ever happened to me. Nobody have proven otherwise, certainly not you.”

“Karla,
after all what we shared, you can’t possibly mean that, do you?”

“Goodbye John.” Karla replied, “Take care of
yourself.” She closed and hung up the phone.

John suddenly overheated. The veins in his eyes grew red as he panted heavily. He finally snapped and flunked the phone into the mirror. The glass shattered and fell to the floor leaving the empty frame hanging on the wall. That was his heart.

John rang the doorbell non-stop. He didn’t care how ill-mannered it was. Heck! He didn’t even care to live a day further.

Calvin answered the door to find the cold depression staring at him.

“Calvin, Karla is gone. She left…went back to the old seed bag.” The distraught was tense in his voice.

“Oh God no!”
Calvin exclaimed.

“Yeah, I still
can’t believe it either.” John affixed as he turned to stare at the familiar flowers.

“I am so sorry bro,” Calvin offered, “Do you want to come inside, sit down for a minute, you don’t look too good.”

“Nahh, its best I stay out here, I might break stuff.”

“Are you sure?” Calvin asked.

“Yeah I am…you don’t happen to have a cigarette do you?” John asked.

“No John…I don’t smoke and neither do you.”

“Well, I damn sure feel like I would start.”

“John
listen to yourself. That’s not you talking. My friend you need to get your life back on track. Stop listening to your heart for a change.”

John instantly turned around. The agitation was abrasive in his disposition. He viciously grabbed Calvin by the collar and braced him against the door.

“Shut up! Shut up!” John snapped, “This is your entire fault, if I hadn’t listened to you in the first place! I have no life!!! I am in the dark here!!! I have no heart! Not anymore…It’s broken.” John frantically stared into Calvin’s eyes as the emotions erupted inside of him. His temper was a volatile volcano. He finally released his shirt, then took three steps back, turned and hurriedly left.

“John
, where are you going!” Calvin shouted but he didn’t respond. The broken hearted was lost, he had nowhere to go really.

John busted through the door of the corner grocery store. The counter clerk was new, and he was shock at how restless John was as he made way to the back of the store into the employees’ room.

John took from the locker the chrome Taurus magnum handgun, sat at the very same table he first held the weapon, and then brace it against the temple of his head. His hand trembled irrepressibly. As he pulled the hammer back, tears descended from his eyes as sweet forgone ecstasy serenaded from the violin accosted in his memory.

He squeezed the trigger, the hammer flew and the gun went ‘click’ six times as the barrel revolved without bullets.

Now the last withered petal fell to the ground. Like every beauty that nature bared, the sacred blue rose sprung, blossomed and faded away.

THE END