The Deceiver’s Handbook

Chapter Seven

Drew’s POV

“Son of Peter Anderson, how do you do?” My dad enquired over the phone call that I’d just gotten on with him. I dragged myself out of bed sluggishly, fitting my legs into my slide and moving to the window to slide my curtains sideways to allow for some lightening.

“Dad, I’m just here, between the devil and the deep blue sea,” I replied nonchalantly.

“You seem to always have too many problems young man, which is it this time?” He asked, his voice almost sounding like a roar.

My dad could pass for a mafia boss, owing to his authoritarian and controlling nature. He never laid his hands on me growing up, but his words were like a double-edged sword, piercing deeply into the soul.

I hated to admit it, but he had done the most emotional damage to me, more than any outsider had. Sometimes, I wondered if he was my real dad, or if I or my birth mom had committed an unknown crime that left him being cruel to me many years after.

I also hated to complain to him about anything going on with me, but more than that, I hated to get directions and instructions from him because his tone was always that of finality. Did I forget to mention that he also detested being questioned? He was such a hard man and I didn’t like the thought of dealing with him because I never win.

“You seem to have forgotten you’re on a call,” he mumbled, prompting me back into reality. “My goodness! My mind had wandered away already,” I exclaimed. “Bring it back here man, because I’ve got no time to waste,” he responded a little agitated.

Deep within me, I contemplated just ending the call and blaming it on the network servers, or spilling the tea. I was already being put off with his mode of speech even though I was trying so hard to conceal it.

“Sheena has been a lump stuck in my throat,” I finally let out, waiting for his response. “Lumps aren’t as hard as bones, however the texture is, a little bit of liquor could help you push it down,” he said sarcastically.

“This isn’t a joke dad and I expect you to read the room already,” I retorted, my tone a little higher than the previous one. I could feel the atmosphere being heated already and I was toughening up on the inside for it.

“I’ve got bigger wars to fight so I would save my strength for them, but in the meantime, take care of that girl. It’s nobody’s fault that you couldn’t make a proper first choice of a partner, of everyone you could have chosen, it was May you decided to settle for. A cheap w***e who passes herself around like salt being provided for a tasteless meal.” He said, hurting the core of my being.

“Not now dad! Not now! I won’t sit here and have you insult me or pour salt into my injury,” I retorted in an angry tone. “You can’t sit? stand then! Stand and talk back at me, you moron! I help you make a better choice for yourself because your incapacitated brain couldn’t and you dare question my decision? You must be out of your mind boy.”

I was ready to end the call and mourn my loss yet again but I decided to stay on it. Who knows, he might shamelessly spill the reason behind his deep rooted hatred for me today.

“Keep it coming sir!” I responded on my end, letting out a brief laughter of mockery. “I have no more words, young man,” he mumbled.

“From my childhood till this day, you have never ceased to speak cruelly and condescending to me. If there’s not a cause for this, then you have a lot of inner work to do! I can barely speak to you, like a child to his father, why? I thundered into my phone’s speaker, expecting a response but I was met with absolute silence.

“I asked a question and I expect an answer,” I said. “I’ve had enough madness to last me a whole week, I’ll talk to you when I need more,” he finally let out after a brief silence and my phone beeped, indicating that the call had ended.

I threw my phone in anger on my mattress and I plopped onto it, holding tightly onto my pillow for succour and comfort.

They often say that kings do not cry but I laid there, weeping like a baby, rationalizing the reason for the neglect and gaslighting by my own father. “I hate you Peter Anderson!” I thundered, growling like a lion ready to devour its prey.

My mind flashed back to all the beautiful times I had with May. I tried to remember how her beautiful face looked, her piercing grey eyes and enchanting smile. She had curly brown hair that I always ran my hands through whenever we were in bed or close to each other. She was a woman to die for and it hurt me more knowing that I didn’t have her anymore.

“Why on earth did she ever cheat on me? Wasn’t I good enough for her?” I asked myself aloud. I knew that I gave my best to her but it was obviously never enough.

In the bedroom, I gave her the best orgasms. More than half of my every-day I spent knowing her was devoted to her, we had the best dates and hangouts that became the talk of the campus and our town, I loved her so much that even the blind could see and testify to it. A load of my finances were spent on her as well, because I believed I owed my lover luxury and comfort.

I could give up my life for her and I stopped at nothing to prove that every time, but I guess it was never meant to be. My heart ached with every single memory such that I could feel the physical pain and my chest tightening in reality.

My whole life was such a mess that not even a magician could fix it.

“I see you’ve gone back to bed Drew?” A bird-like voice spoke some distance away from me. I scanned every corner of the room searching from whence it came until my eyes landed in my closet area and I saw a feminine figure dressed in see-through lingerie standing there and beckoning to me seductively with all the gestures.

“I want to be left alone, Sheena! I demanded calmly but firmly, looking away from her. “Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! when I’m gone you can be left alone! But right now, I want you to make love to me like it’s your last. f**k me until my legs curl in o****m. Let me feel the ecstasy of..” but I interrupted her immediately.

“You seem to be having a hearing impairment. Please leave me alone!” I repeated my words, this time more aggressively to drive home the message.

“No Drew! I will not be bossed around by you! I’m human too and I have every right to demand s*x from you as your girlfriend,” she retorted, her face twisted in disgust.

“Did you just mention girlfriend?” I questioned her, looking up at her face for a proper response. “What a silly question to ask, aren’t I your girlfriend? Do I look like your ex fiancee May who is a cheap ass harlot?” She fired back at me with the most disgusting question of all times.

“Never! I repeat Sheena, never in your damn life make mention of her. I don't care whatever you label her as, but she was way better than you, in dignity and character,” I replied fiercely, pointing my index finger at her to enforce my words.

I hated that my dad and Sheena always chose to get back at me by mentioning her in the conversation and the fact that they always chose to do so in a degrading and condescending manner spiked up some rage in me.

“I can see that you still love her, and just so you know, she is still very much single and available as no sane man would bother going close to her. You both are in fact a perfect match for each other, so go ahead,” she said with an air of authority and walked out of my room leaving me even more devastated than I was after the call.