EPISODE TWELVE
THEME: Parents pleas
GABRIELLA DAMIEN HOME
The line rang for a while, the voice he had grown accustomed to all his life and craved to hear so badly sounded live and felt like music to his ears.
‘Hey there baby.’ Meagan called out on the other line.
Jaylen gulped hard not knowing what to say. ‘Hi.’ He responded feebly.
‘How are you doing honey?’ She sounded weak.
‘I am fine. Thanks ma’am.’
‘Your grandma told me of your recent achievement. I am so proud of you baby.’
Jaylen glared at this grandmother who looked away to avoid making an eye contact with him. He had placed the phone on speaker so she can hear everything being said.
‘You asked me to call you mo.. ma’am.’ He couldn’t see himself pronouncing the mom word.
There was a slight pause. Meagan had noticed his reluctance to refer to her as his mom.
‘Are you still there?’ He asked.
‘Oh yes, yes I am here.’
‘Okay, good. What was it you wanted to talk about?’ Jaylen sounded cold and distant now.
‘Your father is ill.’ She said finally after holding out for a second.
Jaylen shrugged, forgetting she couldn’t see him. ‘Take him to the doctor or you treat him yourself.’
‘Jaylen…’ Gabriella gave him a curt glance. ‘Stop being rude.’ She mouthed.
Trying hard not to roll his eyes, he stayed quiet. ‘Why are you telling me this?’
‘He is your father and he is really sick.’ Meagan raised her voice a bit.
Gabriella stared ahead confused. She had heard nothing about her son being sick. ‘What are you talking about Meagan?’
Meagan let out a gasp from the other end. ‘Gab is there with you?’ The question was directed at Jaylen.
‘I wasn’t told she shouldn’t be here when I call you.’ He responded seeming unbothered.
‘Talk to me, Meagan. What the hell is wrong with my son?’ She screamed out again.
There was a pause in the background and some ruffling.
‘Hey mom.’ Carl voice came on.
Gabriella felt her heart tear apart at his voice. She could tell how weak he was from the sound of his voice.
‘What’s the matter baby?’ She almost had tears in her eyes now.
‘I will be fine mama. Can you please talk to Jaylen to come home?’ Carl requested with his voice pleading.
‘I don’t want to. I won’t come!’ He yelled and walked out on them. Jaylen throws tantrums like a child sometimes.
‘Jaylen.’ Carl called out weakly.
Gabriella glanced at the stairs. ‘He has left Carl.’
‘Why won’t he listen?’ Meagan chipped in. She was obviously crying again.
‘Mama, it’s time for him to come home.’ Carl said.
‘Tell me what the hell is wrong Carl?’ Gabriella insisted.
‘I am dying mama. I can’t take this pain anymore and I need my son home. It’s the wish of a dying man. So can you please help me out?’ His voice was shaky.
Gabriella stared into space not believing what she just heard. Carl had been in and out of the infirmary for a while but it was nothing serious and the last time she had seen her son he was perfectly okay. It has been about six months since she last saw him but they do talk well on phone and she never noticed a sign of him being weak.
‘How long have you known this?’ She sniffed, trying to control herself.
Carl breath was unsteady. ‘For a while mama. I didn’t want to scare you.’
‘But you broke my heart.’ She finally let out the tears. ‘How could you not trust your mother enough Carl?’
‘I didn’t want to hurt or stress you mom.’ He insisted.
‘Well, you already did. How weak do you think I am to keep things from me?!’ Taking a pause, she wiped at her tears. ‘I am proud of you son. You have been so resilient and tried your very best to fight it and you did till the end. I love you son.’
As tormenting as the news might seem, she knew it was her place to be a support system for her son and his family. The mere thought of her only son close to death was heart wrenching.
‘Please help beg Jaylen to come home. I want to see my son. And he needs to take his place right here where he truly belongs.’
‘Jaylen has been hurt too much, I don’t know if I would be able to convince him.’ Gabriella told them.
‘Please Gab, I want to see my son.’ Meagan wailed.
‘Please mama.’ Carl’s weak pleas came on.
Gabriella couldn’t take it anymore and she had to hang up. She clenched her chest and dropped the phone on the island. Just when she thought everything was falling into place, she had no idea her son was withering away.
Standing up, she moved towards Jaylen’s room. She stood by the door frame where she saw his back arched and he stared out the window with his hands in his pocket.
“Your father is really sick.” She said.
Jaylen had tears his eyes, not making an attempt to stop it as it flowed. “It’s none of my business.”
“He is dying.” Saying the last word made her feel bile form in her throat.
“People die everyday, changes nothing.”
His words fueled her anger. Gabriella was boiling hard now. “Jaylen! This isn’t just anybody but your father!” She screamed causing her to lose her balance from the door frame she held.
Jaylen’s back was still turned so he didn’t notice. Dragging herself slowly, she collapsed onto the single couch in the room. This had been the room he had slept in all through the years he lived with her. His presence still lingered as he spent most of his free time with her.
“You won’t understand how I feel Granny.” He turned to face her with his eyeballs red from the tears.
“I know how you feel baby.” She tried to calm him down.
The thought of how awful he was feeling made her keep her thoughts to herself. Someone like Jaylen could have chosen to be brutal and uncaring considering how life had treated him. Instead he grew up to be a loving and considerate person. She loves and respects him for that.
“No you don’t! No one will ever do!” He lashed out. His mind was replaying the day he swore to never step foot in his birth home again.