The Love Of Life

Chapter Three, A Mother To Be Cherished

It was the next day about midnight when Dad called me and told me he and Brian was about to pay former Mrs. Unthems –better to say ‘departed Mrs. Unthems’ for that to sound right- a visit and as ever I refused to join them. Even though I knew how poor and pitiful she was, I couldn’t put my feet on that low-class part of the town which was somehow out of the civilization. Now she was living with a girl Analia- who is from her first husband. My father was her second husband and I was normally her daughter. But from some time on I had lost some of my feelings on some of the people. Papa is a hero to me but SHE was only the one who gave me born. I remember once going to her house in the northern part of the town and seeing how terribly she lived and how I couldn’t even sit on the floor because it seemed so dirty. I was only seven then and after then I ever refused to visit my … the woman who gave me born. And this time was as ever even after the passage of 19 years. The memories flew through my mind. I remember I was only five then when all that happened. It was August 20th, I remember the day as it was the day after Jerald’s birthday. The beginning of an end it was. My brother –Brian- was playing video games on the last volume. It was midnight and I was so thirsty I couldn’t bear, so I headed toward Brian and as soon as I heard him playing, I knocked; no response. Another knock, and again. He wouldn’t answer. So I went down the floors for my parent’s room. And suddenly… ‘Shut the f**k up. Stupid head.’ The door was half open through which some light lit the corridor. ‘We have children. You cannot dump me.’ This was my mother crying a bit. I took a look at the inside. There on the chilling floor my mother sat not wearing more than a bra and her panties. And my father stood shirtless near her handing a belt. I gasped, but soon enough covered my mouth. What can a five-year-old girl get out of all these? ‘Pl…..ease…….do……don’t’

‘You know what this means to me you slut? BETRAYAL! BETRAYAL!’ Then rose the belt. I counted. He used to do that to Jerald when he got bad scores and all I did was to stay there and count. He began. It came right on her arm. One… He turned position to have more of her body hurt. It came right on her breasts. Two… ‘Don’t……’ It was not asking, she begged, cried, but he kept on. No there was a red line on her left breast. I closed my eyes. That must have been so painful. The he grab her hair and made her bend over the table. Next was her lower back. ‘No……….’ her face was wet by the tears now. Three… ‘IT HURTS. I AILED. I AILED. PLEASE DON’T.’ The next moment he stopped, and she promised, ‘I wouldn’t ever do that again. Forgive me.’ She promised, keeping her previous position on the table. What was betrayal? I didn’t know. Then there was the burst of emotion. He went to her turned her back so they were face-to-face. Then he takes her arms in his; firm, strong, and sick. What was this done for? I didn’t know. Then nuzzled her face with his nose. She groaned; maybe from pleasure, maybe from pain. I backed a little. 

 Now you know what I ask is, what does a five-year-old girl understand? I kept watching, maybe I shouldn’t have. He bite her lips and that was the last thing I saw. ‘Little Lady Unthems, shouldn’t you be sleeping now,’ asked Samantha, the caregiver a bit madly. ‘You know what is happening behind the…’

 ‘Anything that is happening doesn’t matter. You should be in your bed now.’ She looked frustrated. Being pulled away to my room, I took a backward glance, dad looked sadly at me, unhappiness could be seen, and he wasn't satisfied with any of this, but what the matter was, I didn’t know.

 *** 

These days something strange was happening and I could feel it in the air. The day after meeting or none-meeting Mom, I faced dad in the hall in the third floor of the Greators. He looked a bit sad which slightly worried me. At the moment I caught his steps, he began; ‘You hired someone to spy John, didn’t you? I know it is not out of your hands.’ ‘Who the John?’ ‘How many Johns do we have? Loreign I am talking about.’ I was a bit offended but I also had to back myself. ‘Why would I do such an offensive deed? And apart we have John Hancock, John …’ ‘Good one, offensive deed-’ We entered the elevator. He was only looking forward. ‘I didn’t do that.’ ‘I know him; he never talks from his ass.’ I looked around us whether anyone was hearing us or not and soon I noticed everybody was doing their thing or pretending to be doing their thing. ‘I confessed what I was supposed to confess.’ ‘So what does he say?’ I again looked around, ‘Who is he to me to spy on?’ ‘Now that’s my daughter. So do you think it is all made up? ’ ‘Do not know…’ Again he is shitting my life. Here we go…

 ***

A mother's point of view

A long time forward,

 The atmosphere was terrible and the heart was beating just as fast as a horse. My eyes rolling around were trying to find a way towards her. Until they caught her by the table next to the trace. It was her, more lively than her picture. My hands were still. My mind was dazed. Only two steps between us… A girl went close to her. Her hair was blonde and her hands were like she hasn’t ever touched anything rough and her body was in shape. She looked around her fifties. For a moment I hesitated, not knowing if what I was to do would change anything for the worse. I remembered her, my daughter. I could feel the blood pressure in my wrist. Then I saw him. Smiling at the lady, the countess. A tear dropped from my eye. They were happy, and so was he. I turned my back to them who didn’t even notice my existence and left them in all the happy and beautiful scenes. 

Cara's point of view

I was gasping for air as I entered the apartment. It was a new one and I had bought it two months ago where we hadn’t yet moved into. I was sure that weeks after this I would get respiratory problem. Finally I was in the right floor. Stairs had hurt my knees. But I didn’t care. The only important thing is about to come up in a few minutes. I was shaking with excitement. I opened the door. Eventually… There was a hand on my shoulder. ‘Have you noticed that you are entering my estate?’ My lips drowned by that. I returned and met him with his half-smile. Who the hell....? I wondered. ‘Um… maybe I am on the wrong floor!’ I went pass him and before I could recognize the floor number, he said: ‘All mine.’ ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? What?????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ‘But I have bought it. Here are the arrangements-’ He put his hand on mine and brou

ght his lips near to my ear, murmured: ‘I hate wild girls, so chill out because I don’t want a shouting monkey in my estate!’ I was frozen. I pushed him away with my free hand. He was being too rude I couldn’t stand. ‘Sir, look I don’t know what you are here for but all I know is that I have paid $1000000 of my shitty money on that and I am legally the owner.’ He started laughing out loud and when stopped returned to the door from which an obese man came out. He said while hiccoughing: ‘I… I hate… these women… who consider themselves as businesswomen. No woman knows business.’ Then he again started his laughter. We both were looking at him in amazement. He understood and controlled himself. The obese man introduced himself as Asher. Asher then said, ‘Look dear lady, Mister James has bought the whole building, for about $5000000 each-’ ‘I don’t care. All I want is my house or my money back.’ He again was about to begin his laughter but when saw our faces he coughed. The he couldn’t stop this one. Asher brought him a glass of water. He said briefly, ‘She still thinks mine is hers. Look darling, I’ve never shared anything of mine with others.’ ‘See, why don’t you call the builder to ask him who owns the apartment?’ As there was no actual or legal document I hoped this to work. ‘What do you say lady? He had moved to southern Africa last week.’ What?????????????????????????????????????????????????????? What if he had sold the house to the both of us?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What would I tell Kerr???????????????????????????????????????? What would I tell Mom???????????????????????????????????????? Where would we live?????????????????????????????????????????? God! Please don’t do that to me! We’ll become helpless! We’ll become homeless! Kerr will have to stop majoring and go look for a job opportunity as she always says he would!

What on the hell do I do now? ‘Please, for God’s sake, don’t do that to me. He had sold the apartment to the both of us.’ The gentleman went ahead: ‘Look, I don’t know how you bought this apartment for only $1000000. But if you think you are such a smart woman, I have to say, congratulations! You are wrong. Lady, I have bought each for $5000000. But good heavens. I’ll sell it to you for only-’ ‘Why don’t you understand? My money is in his hands-’ ‘Lady, why don’t you understand? I can sell it to you and we can agree on the cost. But I am thinking of $6000000. And I think it is a good number for a BUSINESSPERSON like you. It is only six time as what you have already paid. You can never find such apartment for such number.’ I nearly jumped. Thank you for informing me! I have already known that! I have searched everywhere but have found nothing of that price. And now what he does is to try to sell my own house to me! ‘I can’t afford such number.’

 I nearly said it like a mute. ‘Ha, well you are a good dealer at least.’ He sent the real estate agent (as named Asher) out. Then came to me. Said calmly, ‘There will be other ways for you. You know what you can afford…’ His hands went through my hair. His body smelled awesome. But I didn’t wait to hear more. He was clearly insulting me which I couldn’t endure. I ran out of the building and inhaled the rainy weather. Who did he think I was? How could he treat me like that?   

I didn’t know. Why do all this reach people think they can earn people with their money? Yeah, maybe they can buy stuff by that but they cannot buy pure souls of others. Something they never had and never will know about. Yeah, so true.