A Tale of Two Hearts

Chapter 2

James was admiring the scenery when Jeremy’s words brought him back to reality. James stared at Jeremy for a few seconds before opening his mouth.

“Do you know why Mom and Dad divorced?” James asked a question that had quite a clear answer.

“They divorced because she felt Dad had made too much money and decided to run off with another man, only an ungrateful wife and heartless mother like her would have such thought, besides why does that have anything to do with why you never reached out?” Jeremy asked James with a confused look.

In truth Jeremy loved James more than Alex, he was just feeling angry that, James never called, it almost seemed like he didn’t care about him.

“You’re not entirely correct about the reason they divorced, and yes it has to do with why we never spoke for years.” James said

“I would tell you a story I heard from Grandpa, after that I would tell you what happened.” He continued.

*A certain time years ago*

Alex was walking down the stairs after a lady who was taking her bags and leaving.

“Marie this is not what we promised ourselves, what happened, why can’t you stay with me, what have I not done for you?” Alex voice contained a hint of pain as he spoke.

This woman named Marie was the mother to James and Jeremy, she was a beautiful lady with Blonde hair and blue eyes, a female fatelle, he beauty was too much to be described with words.

“Alex, I regret getting married to you, a poor good for nothing man, I wish I had been with Reynolds, you managed to fool me with that flowery mouth of yours I am leaving you once and for all.” Marie said.

“What of our children Marie, what of our sons, how are they supposed to grow up without a mother, can you not feel for these children?” He said looking at her eyes.

“Fine then, we would get an official divorce, and I would be with one and you would be with the other.” She said plainly as she walked out.

*Another time inside the house*

“James pack your bags me and you are going to see your grandparents.” Marie’s voice came from the living room.

A five year old boy ran inside his room and gathered his clothes in a bag and packed another set in another bag.

“Jeremy, Jeremy wake up, we are going to meet grandpa and grandma.” James ran to wake his brother in excitement.

While the boy was running to wake his brother he met a woman who suddenly took his arm and took his bag and dragged him out of the house.

“You better shut your mouth, else you want me to beat the hell out of you.”She hollered at young James while pulling him out of the house.

A taxi stopped and carried their luggages when another boy ran to the window.

“Mummy, I want to come, I want to come with James.” the boy cried and banged the locked door.

“Jeremy be a good boy alright, Daddy will come home and bring you to meet James.” She said in a sweet voice, anyone who saw her would doubt that she was the one who just yelled at the other boy.

“No mummy, I want to come with James.” The boy cried as he spoke.

Ignoring the crying child, Marie got into the Taxi and drove off. A few minutes later a man got to the apartment and opened the door to find a child crying in the middle of the living room.

The child turned and saw the man and ran to him with tears and snot all over his face.

“Daddy, Mummy said you would take me to meet James, Daddy I want to meet James.” the boy cried.

The man was Alex, the father of James and Jeremy, he was at work when he got a call from his neighbour living in the next apartment that his child was crying in his apartment and the door was locked.

Alex rushed from work as soon as he got the call and met his second son, Jeremy crying alone in the house, after hearing what the child said he knew what had happened.

Alex held the child and tears ran down his face as he consoled the child.

*A few hours later in another house*

“Mommy, why did we come here, I want to meet Daddy and Jeremy.” a child’s voice rang out in the apartment

“Smack.”, a slapping sound rang out.

“Young man, in here you shut up and listen, do not mention your father and brother in this house ever again do you hear me.” Marie yelled at the boy.

She picked up her phone and dialed.

“Hey hon, I just got to the waiting apartment, come pick me up, and I brought the boy as planned. Alright hon, see you soon.” Marie smiled as she spoke to the unknown person.

“Jamesy, from now on don’t speak about your father or I would get mad alright. Be a good boy alright.” Marie squatted to talk to the boy.

Young James already scared from the previous slap could only nod his head in silence.

*After a few hours*

“Hey Marie, how are you?” a man walked in the apartment as he spread his arms and hugged Marie.

“Hon, I have missed you so much but I can only bring this child so as to make things easier.” Marie said to the man.

The man turned and looked at James and walked towards him, he crouched and said, “Little boy, my name is Mr. Reynolds, from today I would be your step father, make sure you behave else I won’t just beat you.” Reynolds said.

*Present time*

“Mr. Reynolds was very brutal, I was tortured everyday, and mom never cared.” James said.

“ There was a time when I tried to get to Dad, Mom caught me and I got the beating of my life, Dad had to send her money and plead with her before she did not beat me anymore.” He sighed and looked up.

“Jeremy, unlike what you know, Mom was nothing like Dad, Mom never cared about me for a single second, I even had wondered if I was truly her child many times.” James continued.

“Dad on the other hand took care of you and made sure you had almost everything, if not everything you wanted. I started working at age thirteen as a sale boy at the shop behind home under strict supervision that I never ran.” James looked at Jeremy and this times his eyes were red.

“Even after getting the pay, Mom took the money giving it to Mr. Reynolds, I had gone to school and learnt a lot from a few friends who came from better backgrounds. At least I was not inferior to them in anyway.” He continued.

“I know you are angry with me, and you do not know what I actually went through, but I never stopped thinking about you. Mom told me that once I was eighteen I could leave and meet Dad, obviously she was using me to get child support funds which would end once I become eighteen.” James said.

“Whatever it is you feel, I just hope you can consider Dad’s feelings in this, unlike what he looks like he is very soft at heart.” James got up and walked out of the room, Jeremy was filled with grief that he did not even call out but tears flowed from his eyes.

James walked to his room and shut the doors and went ahead to lock the windows, once he was done he yelled in pain, James was wailing with all his might, no matter how much of a man he was, he recounting his horrible childhood was traumatic, he could not even think properly.

Alex watched his son’s door standing in front of it, he had eavesdropped and heard the story, he left quickly to avoid being caught, when James had shut his door and stated wailing he heard his screams.

Alex felt the pangs, he felt the pain James had felt all these years from his voice, he wanted to knock but his fists froze in front of the door until he gradually dropped it.

Alex walked down the stairs as he saw Cain, “Cain prepare dinner I would be having a private meal, and mostly the boys would be having private meals as well.”

“Yes sir Alex.” Cain responded as he left.

Alex was weary and pained as he walked to his room.