by Dervan Brown
He went down on the ground and called her to take the challenge. She never ran from one. She went over him and fucked him. At least that’s how John saw it. She returned to her feet and stood steadily. She stopped dancing but the music didn’t stop. Something else happened. She shrugged the idiot off of her. He didn’t seem to get the picture that his one night stand was over.
She stared with unpleasant surprise at the man in front of her in stripe shorts and a plaid T-shirt and white Nike sneakers. He was tall, dark and looked about twenty five.
It appeared as if he was having a coronary thrombosis right where he stood. He took deep quick breaths to maintain his equilibrium. Aching with contempt and steaming with anger, he watched her like a lion about to pounce on his prey.
Karla Steelburg walked up to the man and hugged him. He didn’t budge. He was merely as excited to see her or maybe it was the uncompromising position he caught her in. Which man in their sane state of mind would be contended to watch another man practically have sex with his woman in clothes and in public sight at that? How embarrassing and betrayed he felt…
“Hey Joe! I didn’t know you were coming. You should have called. I am sorry you saw that.” Karla tried to calm him down, while ushering him to walk back to the car parked by the road, in an attempt to reduce the likeliness of a dramatic confrontation with John.
“I didn’t know I had to make an appointment to see my woman.” He had quite a humble character. He wasn’t the type to prolong an argument or be hotheaded for too long. Besides, he was enchanted by her charm. Being very much in love with her too, he was a submissive puppy.
“Of course you don’t. I just wasn’t expecting you babe.”
“I can see that.”
“I miss you Joseph.” That’s all it took to soften him out.
“I miss you too Karla. It has been what, more than a month since we saw each other?”
“Has it been that long? I am not sure.” She wouldn’t know. She was busy spending the days with John and whenever he called she would make the conversation brief.
“Yeah it has been that long. We haven’t had sex in a while.”
“I have had sex with you. John made love to me.” She thought.
“Ahh…Joe, I am not ready to go back home with you as yet.”
“I don’t understand. Why won’t you come with me? It’s not easy sleeping beside pillows when I am used to having you there.”
“Joe I know how you feel. Trust me, I do, but I have stuff doing here and besides I have to remain in the store as Andrew has been really busy lately.”
“Karla! Where is this coming from? Before, you would be excited to come home with me. We hardly ever talk on the phone anymore! What is happening here?”
“Joe look…”
“I need you to come home with me! End of conversation!” He demanded in a frank, stern tone. She was very familiar with that compulsive reaction. He seldom got aggravated by her but whenever he did she knows well to do as he says.
“Ok…I am going to pack.” She replied and went towards the house. She found John sitting on the doorsteps again, browsing his cell phone. It looked as if someone had torn his whole life to pieces.
“That’s him, isn’t he?” John asked.
“Yes….That’s Joe.”
She looked down at him and saw the insecurity, the jealousy and a staunch sense of betrayal on his face. She knew he was hurting but what could she possibly do? She made it clear to him what the situation was like from the get-go and he insisted. He still loved her nonetheless. Of course it wasn’t intentional but it was more than likely to happen.
“John I don’t mean to but I have to go.” Karla found herself saying. She didn’t want to see him hurt further, but it would be wrong to leave without telling him that she is leaving.
“I don’t want you to.” John forced out with a low pitched tone. You could hear the agony in his voice.
“I have no choice John.” She reiterated, “He is forcing me to go back home with him.”
“You promised me that you will never leave.”
“John! I thought we have already talked about this!”
“Talk about what Karla? John protruded in an angered and confused voice, “That you are going away to FUCK your boyfriend!”
“John please…”
“I didn’t sign up for this woman!” John cursed.
“Oh so now I am a woman!” She fired back.
He didn’t want to start a fight. That would push her away. Especially when it seems he is playing second fiddle.
“I could have sworn you love me.”
“I do love you John, with all my heart. You are the only one I want. If you only understand….”
“Understand what Karla?” John exclaimed and walked down to her, “Listen, and listen to me carefully. I’m going home and when I come here in the morning I want you to be here and if you’re not, then it’s over.”
That’s all he said and walked away.
Chapter 10
Joseph drove into the driveway of the elegant two stories beach view property that had on the ground floor a furniture manufacturing shop and the hall room. The dining and bedroom quarters were on the second.
He owned the company. Furniture production was a lucrative business in a city such as Montego Bay. One didn’t have to ask how he afforded a girl like Karla Steelburg, but how did John afforded her?
“We are home. I am glad you decided to come.” Joe opened after a long silent drive from the country hills.
“Me too…” She lied as she gazed at her reflection from the mirror on the wall of the living room.
“You never realize how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have- R.I.P Dad”
He approached her from behind, caressed her side down to her thighs and spoke to the mirror on the wall.
“You are beautiful girl. I am glad you are mine, mine alone to keep. Tonight I am going to rock your world.”
“You are not John.” She thought.
“I have to take a shower Joseph. I feel dirty.” The smile faded from her face.
“How longer do I have to carrying on this façade?” She thought as she climbed the stairs to the shower.
“I’ll be out in fifteen minutes.’ She turned and said, “Let’s get it over with.”
Fifteen minutes in the shower turned into forty-five minutes. She took solace within the isolation of the four walls and the glass door, watching it fogged as the heat made its indelible impression and hid her from the man lying in red petals. She didn’t want to face the deception and the dishonesty. All she thought about was how badly it would hurt John to know after the bond, and the love they created, the promises of sticking together until judgment day and beyond were meaningful as sand in an hour glass.
Karla cleared the misty glass, only to see him drinking a glass of wine. It looked like blood.
“My struggles are my past. Today will become yesterday and tomorrow I will be the entire woman I can ever be.” She took a deep breath…exhaled, then opened the door and went to the bedside. “Please don’t judge me. I am a victim of circumstances.” She reminded herself.
“Joseph, please--be gentle with me tonight--please.”
“Of course baby, don’t I always?” He worked in a machine shop all the days of his life. He could easily mistake skin for wood, as Joseph Gibson did not know how to be gentle.
She dropped the towel and lay on the bed, frontal up with her legs clasped. She had thought about telling him a lie. That her period was two days in but that would have only given her a couple more days to breathe. She wasn’t planning on staying that long.
He removed the sheet and gently braced his body on top of her. He was cold, cold as the midnight air. It made her scared, fragile and unwilling to open up to him. His dick was hard and potent. The two blue pills he popped had started to sink in. The abrasive touches of it against her legs made her brace to a tense for the expected common pain she knew well.
“Kiss me Ka
rla.” He requested, almost sounding like a demand.
“Joe, you know I don’t like kissing.”
“Ok, I know, never mind…”
He swirled his tongue in her right ear and suck on it, then caressed her neck and breast with his lips.
She closed her eyes and parted her legs. He forced himself inside of her. It didn’t felt like rape. It was worst. She wished death up on herself. All that conjured in her head was a jockey riding a third place horse with a steel whip as the beast panted heavily and wailed at the heat of excruciating pain as the ground trembled beneath its iron shoes. The pain got worst as he fucked her. He fucked her to make up for all the days she was gone. She should have pushed him away, but instead she rubbed her clit and screamed to the ceiling at the top of her voice…
The pills wouldn’t wear off until another hour. So the poor girl searched for a peaceful memory and in it she numbed her mind and allowed her body to suffer.
“Good morning sunshine, are you up?” Joe asked.
“Yes, I am up.” She hasn’t slept.
“Last night was wonderful. Any chance of us having a go at it before I leave for work?”
“Joe, I am exhausted, please no.” She begged. Her body was still in pain. Her mind was still suffering from grief and the agony of misery and deception.
“Ok, never mind…however I want to ask you something Karla.”
“Go ahead Joe.”
“Turn around Karla, look at me.”
She dried her tears with the pillowcase and did as she was told.
“Yes Joe?”
“Last night, when we were making love…several times I heard you called me John…who is John Karla?”
“I am sorry, I didn’t realize, I guess I was too far away.”
“You were enjoying it weren’t you?” He flattered.
“Yes I was. You were great. I meant to say Joe. I am sorry ok?”
“Ok, it’s no big deal, John and Joe are very close names. If you had called me something like Alex or Peter then we would have a problem.”
She smiled. “That was close,” She thought. “It must have been when the memories of me and John at lovers leap surfaced.”
“Sweetie I have a lot of work to do at the shop, I’ll see you for lunch.”
“Ok…see you later.”
“By the way Karla, I transferred the funds for your tuition and car yesterday. I hope it makes you happy.”
“Aww thanks Joseph. I appreciate it.”
“Yeah, you’re welcome, see you later.”
“Later Joe.”
For the pain she suffered and for sacrificing John’s love and loyalty. A car and tuition money was her only consolation. Only if she knew before yesterday that there was nothing material in this world that could be substituted for love.
Chapter 11
The drizzle started hitting the roof at four sixteen Am. John new the exact time it started as he had given up sleep for the night to unravel the mystery of the glow in the dark clock on the wall. It was nine thirty five and the omnipresence of the rain had brought with it a cold and sinister connotation with it.
“Mom, can I borrow your car please?”
John’s mother was drinking a cup of coffee while watching the rain battered her garden flowers from the kitchen window.
“You realize that it’s raining cats and dogs right?” She replied with a loud negative tone.
“I have something important that I need to see to in Mahogany Hall.” He begged, “I won’t take long, please…”
“No!” That was her final answer. Arguing with her decisions was always a waste of time. However, neither that nor the wretched rain would stop him from finding out if the love he had was real and so he walked to the house in a raincoat and boots.
There were chains and a padlock on the door of the store. The house seemed abandoned. He saw from the patio that Karla Steelburg frontal window was still open and when he approached the steps he heard the radio in her room. He smiled.
“Thank you God. She is here.” He relieved and rushed to knock on the door. He knocked three more times, but still no answer. “She must be stead asleep” He thought. He then dialed her number, it rang three times, and then she answered.
“Hello.”
“I am outside your door. Let me in love.”
“John…I am in Montego Bay.”
“You-you left?” He stuttered. The rain came down harder and the frequency of it sounding on the roof was greater than the rush of blood through his veins. He shattered into a complete nervous wreck in less than a minute.
“I am sorry John. I had no choice.”
“I am tired of your excuses Karla. Goodbye. It’s over!” John shouted in a stern yet pain staking voice.
“No John wait!!” She uttered in a breath of hopeless desperation, “You can’t leave me!”
Joseph was sure to hear her from down stairs.
“I am tired of this Karla. I have waited for you…faithfully! This is what I get in return! Oh my God, I am such a fool to have trusted you and loved you at that. What was I thinking?”
“John please…”
“Karla give me one reason! Just one reason I should go on with this.” John demanded. As far as he knew it was over, that’s all he would give. That’s all he had.
“JOHN…I-AM-PREGNANT”
The phone fell and shattered…dumbstruck.
“Hello…Hello…John! Hello…Hello!”
“Who were you on the phone with just now?” Joseph yelled as he thrust into the room. Obviously angered by the utterances he heard from downstairs.
She looked into his eyes cold and hard. She was certain he heard her yell John’s name this time. A lie wouldn’t fit and a sorry would be too late.
“Ahh, Joseph Gibson. I can’t do this anymore…”
“Do what anymore!” He demanded answers, but sometimes it’s better not to know.
“The pretense.” She proclaimed, “I never loved you Joe. It’s over. Please take me home now.”
“You--You’re not serious! This is a joke isn’t it?” He tried to console himself, making every effort to hide the sudden devastation that was crippling his sanity, “We have not had any problems in God knows when. No arguments, no fights--nothing. Is it something I did Karla?”
“No! No Joseph, it’s not about you.” She reiterated, “Please just take me home.”
“Ok Karla, I’ll take you home. I’ll do whatever you want. Just let us talk this out.”
She hurriedly fetched her stuff from the drawers to her suitcases. Being neat was a needless priority.
“There is nothing to talk about Joe.”
“I’ll be waiting in the car.” He went out the room and on closing the door he realized how badly his fingers were shivering. It was a mere glance of how his heart was shaking.
“Affairs of the heart or maybe another midlife crisis….Oh God please help me.”
Chapter 12
The sun receded half of an hour earlier this evening and as a result seven o’clock was darker than usual. Joseph and Karla arrived at the driveway of the store in Mahogany Hall. Joseph stood and watched her hastily fetched her clothes from the trunk of the car. But what much is left to say to convince the one you love to let reason to live last, even for a little bit longer.
“I am staying the night.” Joe gave out.
“No! One night won’t change a thing.” She frankly replied and grabbed two of the suitcases to the steps of the house.
“Karla, what happened?” Andrew greeted her at the steps, apparently perplexed at the unfolding precedence. He asked. “Did you and Joe break up?”
“Yes, long story. Please get my other suitcase from the car.”
On walking to the car he saw John making his way from the grave approaching Karla at the steps.
“I didn’t know you were here.” He uttered at John.
“I never left!” John said out loud in his reply and Karla Steelburg knew he was alluding to her.
She turned and walked up to him. She wanted to touch his face and tell him how sorry she was for hurting him, but her hands wouldn’t surrender and her voice had forsaken her long ago. Tears fell from her eyes and damped her cheeks. Sentiments shared, but he refrained from crying. Instead his heart bled from the deeply cut wound.
“Hello Karla.” A light, mystical and smooth smile stretched to his dimples. The chemistry rippled her face and refracted a smile that radiated the night and soothed the suffocating tension.
She thrust onto him with clasping arms, and he welcomed her without second thought.
“I don’t know how to say I am sorry.” She cried.
“You don’t have to…Your having my baby.”
“I love you so much.”
“That’s all I needed to know.” John assured.
“John…”
“Yes?”
“I am keeping the baby.”
“Of course, I want you to sweetie.”
“I am happy that we are having this baby. Besides I couldn’t go through that pain again.”
“Everything is going to be ok Karla…I promise.”
“Ahh John…Joe and Andrew are walking this way.”
“I am through hiding. I had enough.” John proclaimed.
“So have I.”
“What is going on here?” Andrew yelled, furious at the sight of his little sister and cousin in a compassionate embrace, “You two are cousins, my God!!”
“We are much more than cousins Andrew.” John responded boldly.
“You must have lost your fucking mind!” Andrew cursed in an enraged voice as he stepped to his face with clinched-tight fists, “What the fuck are you trying to say!”
“Andrew please, leave him alone.” She cried and eased him away from John.
“So this is the reprobate you dumped me for!!” Joe fired at Karla in the midst of the screaming intensity, “You witch! You took my money and dumped me for your fucking cousin!!”
“If I am a reprobate, I’m sure that makes you a pedophile! As a matter of fact, fuck you!”
“Joe I respect you, but refrain from calling my sister names.” Andrew demanded as he pointed to his face.
