Sitting out here in a bar I decided to go to after leaving the hospital from Doctor Sam's office, my cell phone began to ring, I stared at it wondering why Brian is calling me.
I do not want to go home just yet, I want to sit out here to have a few drinks and think about the troubles I have to go through.
I wish more than ever that Brian has given birth to an heir, if he had, I probably will not be in this situation right now, I may probably not have met Kimberly the way I did in the first place, I may probably still be seeing her in my sleep like I used to, these days I no longer dream of her, and I hate the thought of her having so much hatred for.
"Hello, Brian," I said, speaking into the phone as I picked it up.
"Where are you, Kyle?" Brian asked over the phone.
"Is there a problem?" I asked instead, wondering why he is asking me such a question.
"We are worried, Kyle that is why I am asking," Brian replied.
"Worried about what?" I asked getting angry at his statement.
"You are not home, Kyle, look at the time, it is almost 10:pm," Brian told me, I glanced at my wristwatch to see that he is right about the time, I did not know that I have stayed that long anyway.
"Yes, it is Brian, I am a grown man, not a kid, so why are you worried?" I asked Brian angrily.
"There is no need for you to be angry, Kyle, we are only worried about you that's all..." Brian was saying when suddenly I heard another voice speak over the phone.
"Leave wherever you are and start coming home this minute, Kyle," Dad's deep voice came through over the phone, I guess he took the phone forcefully from Brian.
"Dad..." I was saying before he interrupted me again.
"I want you home within the next five minutes," He commanded and dropped the call almost immediately, leaving me utterly distort.
I did not know when I punched the bar table, and winced from the pain of the blow.
"What?" I shouted at the bartender when he stared at me, immediately he lowered his head and went about his business.
I held my bruised hand in the other, trying to soothe the pain I feel, even though the pain I feel in my heart is far more than the pain in my hand.
I slowly dropped a few dollar bills on the bar table and without looking or speaking to the bartender, I walked out of the bar.
***
"Where are you coming from, Kyle?" Dad asked angrily the moment I stepped into the living room, I could see that the whole family is present except for Brenda, Brian's wife, and I am surprised and angry at the same time to see Sonia seated here as well, I wonder what she is doing here.
"I asked you a question, Kyle, where are you coming from?" Dad asked again still in that angry tone.
"Please, Dad, I do not have the strength for this," I told him rather calmly trying to control the anger inside of me, I did not want to spend the night at home today, but because of Dad's command, I came back home, because I do not want to be held responsible if anything should happen to him, just as Mum always says.
I wished now that I had switched my phone off so that I will not be reached in the first place, also I know what Dad is capable of if I disobeyed him.
"Did you hear your son?" Dad asked turning to Mum.
"Take it easy, Dad, Sonia told Dad, going to stand by his side.
I stared angrily at her, boiling with rage, as she acts like a member of the family when she is not yet a part of us.
"How can I take it easy when my son is not behaving like a Greenwood," Dad said turning to Sonia, "just take a look at him, see how drunk he is," Dad said to Sonia pointing at me.
I did not even notice how drunk I looked, I know that I feel a little light-headed but I feel in control of myself.
"I am sorry, Dad, I apologise on his behalf," Sonia told Dad and this made me even more furious, who is she to render an apology to my Dad on my behalf, I said within me, but I still managed to control myself as I do not want to get into a fight with any one of them this night, I just feel like going into my room and sleeping this whole thing off.
"Do not worry, Gregory, I will talk to our son," Mum told Dad patting his shoulder, "you do not need to get yourself worked up, he is definitely going to change, he can't remain like forever, just wait until she gets married and starts having kids, you will see how responsible he will become," Mum added rather calmly trying to calm that down.
"Oh stop it, woman, for how long? How long will you continue to pamper your son like this, he is getting worse by the day, can you not see it?" Dad asked Mum and continues.
"The other day he came back with a news of knocking a child down, today, he is coming back home drunk, among many other reckless behaviors, I wonder what he is going to do tomorrow or how he is going to get," Dad said to Mum still in that deep authoritative voice of his.
I slowly worked over to one of the couches and sat down because I am unable to stand properly on my own and I feel like I am about to fall, I think I must be drunk, just as Dad has said earlier.
"What are you doing?" Dad asked glaring at me.
"I have to sit down, Dad, since you won't let me go in and have a rest, I think I am going to have to sit down until you are done with scolding me," I told him, "Or is it a crime now for me to sit down?" I asked him too.
"Did you see that?" Dad asked pointing at me and turning to my Mum, "did you see how rude your son spoke to me?" Dad asked Mum again still pointing at me, he sounded very angry that I am wondering if I have committed a crime too by sitting down in the living room.
"That is no way to talk to your, Dad, Kyle," Mum scolded me almost immediately.
"Do not worry, Dad, Mum, I am going to do my best to talk to Kyle, he will change, Dad, please give him some time," Sonia said pleading little to Dad, acting like a devoted wife.
"I think it is time he gets married for real, maybe that would help to get some sense into him," Dad said all of a sudden.
I looked at Dad, surprised at his sudden choice of words.
"Sonia, I would like you and Kyle to get married in a month, maybe that way he will become reasonable and responsible," Dad told Sonia before I could even think of saying anything.
"Oh yes, Dad, I will marry him, even if you asked me to marry him today, I would because that is how much I love him," Sonia accepted smiling sheepishly, like a naive little girl.
"How dramatic," I said out loud, not meaning to say that out loud anyway.
"What did you say, Kyle?" Dad asked angrily, turning to face me.
"I am not getting married to Sonia, Dad, you can't just fix my marriage like that, I am not ready for it yet," I told him, "I mean, what happened to my choice, Dad?" I asked raising my voice this time.
"Stop it, Kyle," Mum scolded me almost immediately before Dad could speak, "You are going to marry Sonia anyway, what difference does it make whether you marry her in a month or a year?" Mum asked me rather calmly.
"It does matter to me, Mum, I feel like you guys are shoving her down my throat, I told you, I do not love her, mum," I snapped.
"Oh shut up, Kyle, stop this nonsense, you and Sonia have been friends for long and I saw the way you two get along well that was why I decided on this alliance in the first place, so you better get your act together and get ready to marry Sonia, I think that is what you need right now," Dad said to me.
"No, Dad, it is not what I need, I think it is what you need, it is all about your heir again," I told him furiously, unable to control my anger this time.
"For your information, I have already spoken to Sonia's dad and I have told him what I want, so get ready, you and Sonia are getting married in a month," Dad told me again in that same deep voice of his.
"Sonia, give Kyle three days to transfer the work he is handling in the office to another staff then, you both can start making preparations for the wedding, okay," Dad told Sonia.
"Alright, Dad, thanks, Dad," Sonia said, her face lit up in laughter, before Dad left the living room.
"Thanks, Mum," Sonia told Mum too, jiggling like a little kid who has just received a present.
"You are welcome, child, I cannot wait to have you as my daughter-in-law," Mum told her, touching her cheek, she turned and stared at me for a while.
"You will be alright, Kyle," Mum told me before leaving the living room, Brian left the living room too, immediately after Mum.
"Are you happy now?" I asked Sonia as she walked closer to me smiling mockingly from the corner of her lips, there is just the two of us in the living room now.
"Yes, Kyle, I am, I cannot wait to become your wife, your lawfully wedded wife," Sonia told me, sounding very excited.
"Oh, you wish Sonia," I told her angrily, "what makes you think that the wedding is going to push through?" I asked her smiling mockingly too from the corner of my lips.
"We are going to see about that, Kyle Greenwood," Sonia told me furiously flipping her hair backwards and with that, she walked out of the living room as well.