FORGOTTEN SON

FORGOTTEN ?? SON 5

Jones ate slowly all this while staring at me in amusement as I hurriedly cleared what was left on my plate.

"Seems like you really must be hungry."

I shook my head. "Maybe". I choked on my words.

"Easy man"

I nodded.

"We haven't got to talk for a long time now."

"Because you keep disappearing."

He chuckled. "Not again."

I belched loudly, swallowing the last piece of meat.

"How do you feel now?"

"Wow! Nice meal."

"I told you"

I sipped my drink.

"It's late, Dan. Your dad won't be happy knowing you're still out"

I frowned. "I know. I really wanted to see you bro."

"For?" He sipped his drink. " Do you mind sharing my meal with me? I don't feel like eating much."

"Why not?" I immediately grabbed the chicken from the plate, tearing at it mercilessly.

"Any news?"

I shook my head"nothing. No one is saying anything anymore."

"I really can't tell why dad hates me this much. After all my efforts to please him.." I listened feeling pained. "He now sees me as no good of a son.."

"Stop", I interrupted him. "No one hates you. No one sees you as good for nothing. You also have never tried to please dad. Look, you've really messed the family up. I can still tell the humiliation we all had to put up with after your arrest. It was difficult for everyone. Dad has no choice." I placed my hands on his. " I know it's really hard for you and thinking of dad still not giving you another chance, doesn't mean he hates you. We all love you." I lowered my head." Just that you never proved to be that son dad had always wanted you to be. You really shamed him."

Jones immediately shoved my hands away from his, staring at me coldly. "Are you judging me? Can you be any better? You think I shamed everyone?"

"Of course! Truth be told, you weren't good after all."

"Dan.."

I watched his expression turned bitter.

"Stop trying to be the victim here bro. We all know you're the villain. I'm not against you, but I just want you to stop saying those things about dad when you caused his recent behavior. You just have to know your place and pray and plead for his forgiveness rather than ranting."

Jones stood up almost immediately."Dan!"

I stood up slowly as our eyes locked.

"How dare you, Dan? You think you're better because of the scholarship? I could make you dad's worst nightmare."

"Why do you always think of evil? Well, I believe those are empty threats bro."

"I thought you'd understand me. I thought I could talk to you. I.."

"I was always there listening, bro. But I am still not wrong or against you by telling you how wrong you are too."

" You disgust me Dan. So I've wanted all my time with a fool like you? Mum should never be proud of having a son like you.!" He spat out angrily and his last sentence got me infuriated.

Fool?

"You may call me a fool, but get this clear. In every family, there's always a black sheep. Do you know who the black sheep is in the Bakely's family?" He bent over a little, our noses almost touching." It's you. You're the bad egg."

I watched as Jones closed his hand in a fist and stormed away.

Buzz

I sighed. It was Mum.

"I'm on my way" I blurted out and ended the call.

I lay on my bed consumed in my own thoughts. Just then I felt guilty. What have I done? Then it dawned on me how far I had gone. I felt guilty and couldn't sleep all through the night. I wished to see him again and tell him I never meant any of those things I said.

I ran to the restaurant in search of him, but he was nowhere to be found. I kept going there day and night yet found no trace of him. I met the lady that served us that day and asked her if she had seen any trace of him ever since we left there but she replied to me negatively. I was confused. How can he just disappear without any trace? Days passed, and yet I hadn't seen anything close to resembling him. I finally gave up.

Reaching home, I kept thinking of the possible places he could be, yet none surfaced. I was so engrossed in my thoughts I didn't know when my dad walked in.

"Dan, you didn't go out today." He sat on the chair beside my bed. He noticed I was absent-minded. "Dan?" He tapped my shoulder and I jolted back to reality.

"What are you thinking about?"

I sat up immediately. "Nothing dad."

"You can tell me anything. Besides, you didn't go out today?"

"Dad, I have a lot to do. I have a lot of books to study. I keep having this thought about going to school abroad."

"You don't want to go?"

"Why not? But staying far from home is quite scaring."

Dad laughed. "I understand. But you will get used to it. Well, I'll be embarking on a business trip tonight. It came really urgently and I must go."

"But why tonight? Why not tomorrow?"

"My flight is scheduled for tonight, son."

Oh. I nodded.

" I understand how matured you are now. So placing your mum under your care shouldn't be a big issue, right son?"

"Of course dad. Mum and Mabel are my priority."

Dad beamed lovingly. I smiled too. How I wish he'd keep smiling like this. I forgot about Jones temporarily, as everything now centers on the family's happiness.

"I'll drive you to the airport dad"

Dad agreed, standing up. I stretched lazily and followed him out of the room. Mum was busy making all the necessary preparations for dad's journey and, with the help of Mabel, everything was put in place for the journey, and quickly too.