Selorm Speaks posted: " Kirk walked out of the room his mother had shown him when he arrived earlier. It was 7:00 am. He should have still been in bed but he couldn't continue sleeping. He had barely slept. He dozed off in Kwesi's room and woke up about three hours later," Selorm Speaks
Kirk walked out of the room his mother had shown him when he arrived earlier. It was 7:00 am. He should have still been in bed but he couldn't continue sleeping. He had barely slept. He dozed off in Kwesi's room and woke up about three hours later, at midnight. He saw the time on his watch and walked out of the room to his room. At the time, he could still hear sobs of Clara in the corridor. He stood there for some time and the sobs went down. Mrs Haynes came out of his little sister's room, looking depressed and worried. He wanted to say something but from her mood, he had to tread cautiously.
"Mom, are you alright?" he asked calmly.
"Hmmm! I will be fine, Kirk. It's already past midnight. Let me try and get some sleep. You should too." She said with a wry smile.
"I just woke up. I dozed off in Kwesi's room. I am not sure but I would try and sleep again. Have a goodnight ma." The conversation ended there.
He thought of going to check up on Clara but it was late. Thus, he continued to his designated room. He unpacked the backpack he brought and placed the few clothes in the wardrobe. He took out his laptop and placed it on the table. He turned on the television in the room to create some ambience amid the deafening silence. He did not want the silence to draw him into thinking too much about his issue and the fact that his sister had been raped. His mind could not just fathom the kind of world he existed in. If someone had told him a few years ago that the world was so intolerant, corrupt, and evil, he would have said no. The only world he was accustomed to was that which his parents had shown him – God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, doing the right thing, excellent grades, and … He was trying to fit in the word love but he seemed not to find it easy to say. That was because he kept reflecting on their lives thus far to see any express show of love. Well, love was there. He could not deny that his parents loved him and showed him love. It did not have to be hugging or being said every night before bed. Wait, am I sure about that? He thought. They never really expressed these.
Their mother was closest because she always spelt out so much love with her consistent show of concern. But still, he could not comfortably sit with the fact that he couldn't admit that there was love because it was something quite unsaid in the home. He sighed. And how evil had befallen his sister right in the church, a place where love was supposed to dwell, had him thinking even deeper. Why didn't anyone tell them that the world was very evil and they had to be very careful? Why did his parents not show him what the world truly was beyond their sphere of living? Because he may have been confused by the fact that he was going to meet people like his parents, who always stood for truth and were simply just. Now, he had discovered a big scandal – his direct boss siphoning millions of cedis from the company to enrich himself through multiple overly estimated invoices, budgets etc – which only had to affect his boss. He was still thinking about where he went wrong. His parents taught him to speak the truth and never coil from it in any way. He did just that and it seemed wrong? He outed his boss to the board and the police and his life was in danger? I know the truth and it must set me free but now that knowledge has entangled me, he thought, almost in a whisper. So, because of this truth, he had to hide. Because of this truth, he had to just vanish. Because of this truth, everyone at work simply pointed accusing fingers at him. Because of this truth, he was stuck in the biggest jail cell where at any time, someone could creep up on him and kill him on the orders of his boss? Maybe teaching him, to tell the truth, was wrong.
His wife sent him a message. They had a quick chat where he hinted to her what was happening. She was very alarmed but Kirk calmed her down. He told her she was far from the drama and all she needed to do was to stay clear of public attention and be careful wherever she went. She felt a bit secure. He also checked the messages from his assistant, Emma. There was work to be done. She had also given an overview of happenings at the office since he had gone on leave. He flipped the computer open and started some work. He did not feel sleepy any longer. He opened the work folder and saw the reports he was working on. Emma had left a message that the board still wanted the complete report of the corruption he had uncovered. Starring at the report, he was not sure exactly what to do. His phone rang. Kwesi. He was now back? It was almost two in the morning.
"Kwesi, what is it? You are now back?"
"I told you I would take longer than usual. I am here with Francis. I don't think he can go to his place like this so yes, we need your help to enter the house, sir…" Kwesi said politely over the phone.
He did not want to judge anyone anymore. He did not have the energy for a battle with his brother.
He got up from the desk and walked out of the room. He found the keys to the main gate hung behind the kitchen door and used the backdoor. He unlocked the gate – a tiresome exercise. He opened the gate wide. Francis drove in the Honda Civic like he was getting spasms. He wouldn't be able to drive home like that. Kirk closed the gates quickly. He was nervous about their gates being open at that time. The reeving engine of the Civic went out and the doors opened. Kwesi stepped out first and then Francis and a third person who to Kirk seemed familiar but did not want to be sure he was right.
"Emmanuel? What are you doing here and how are you looking like this?" Kirk's grimace was unfortunately one of an annoyed big brother. He turned to Kwesi. "Did you get him from school? Did you get him from campus? How are you with him and why is he looking like this?"
"Kirk, please, it is 2:00 am and we simply need to sleep. Let's talk about this later in the day, please Kirk?" Kwesi offered. "No, Kwesi, no! What is going on here? Emmanuel? Are you coming from school? Is this what you have been doing in school? Answer me because until that answer comes, this could escalate."
Emmanuel sighed and looked at Kwesi. "Kirk, I am very sorry but I don't want to talk right now. When Kwesi told me you were here, I refused to come because this is the exact reaction I did not want. I cannot face any of you looking like this, looking and feeling okay whereas it looks to the rest of you like I'm some bad boy who wasn't raised in this house."
"Emmanuel Haynes, listen to me. I do not care whether you wanted to come or not. I am doing my very best to be very calm and handle this well. Neither do I care whether it is 2 am in the morning. What I am asking is an explanation. Why is my brother looking like this? When mum and I took you to school first year, your hair was black. You had your belt on your waist. And what's that mark on your chest? A tattoo?" Kirk let out a laugh of shock. "You are joking right? Why, you lost your sense of self-discipline and that you are responsible for the image you keep?"
Emmanuel looked to Kwesi again. Kwesi looked away; he actually wanted an encounter like this. He knew he could have told Emmanuel his piece of mind but he wanted Kirk to play his role as the big brother.
Emmanuel too was expecting Kwesi to back him up, since he had been able to stand up to them in his hay days of being a black sheep. "I don't actually care what you think, brother. I don't."
"Are you listening to yourself right now? You do not care? What kind of statement is that? At least man up to this new you you've created. At least tell me this is what you wanted. At least be bold and let me know that you chose this lifestyle, this new Emma over the innocent, disciplined young man that left home two years ago! Your irresponsible self makes you think looking like a gangster, writing or drawing some nonsense on your chest is cool?" Kirk fumed. Kwesi and Francis looked on.
"If you truly needed me to stay responsible, you would have kept up with me. If you truly wanted me to stay Emmanuel, you would have ensured that that was done. You would have kept up. You wouldn't have been like mum and dad who have been so stoic and focused on church. You would have warned me about the realities of being in the university environment since you had also been there too..."
"Me, Kirk, I didn't tell you about where you were going? Did I not give you all the advice in the world that day I took you there with mother?" Kirk inquired.
"It was not ENOUGH!" Emmanuel yelled. "You think it was about that one time advice? Telling me to stay away from girls? Telling me to stay away from bad friends? Well, the girls gave me comfort and th4 bad type of friends are the truest friends I have ever had. None of you brothers come close to their sincerity. You think that one time advice was enough? Where were you when I needed to be told that sex was addictive? That alcohol was addictive? I wanted to stop but I could not and none of you were there to have honest conversations with me. You will only throw in scripture and how God will destroy the wicked. Meanwhile, I have just been having fun. What is wicked about that? What? I got a tattoo! I got girlfriends. I have had fun. That's irresponsible? Well then, tell me when last you were a responsible big brother, to sit me down and tell me realities!" Emmanuel walked away into the house. He did not wait for Kirk's response.
"Emmanuel, where are you going to?" Kirk called after him but he turned a deaf ear.
Kwesi walked to Kirk and almost in a whisper, he said, "We found him in a pub, with wilder friends. He was in a brawl and we saved him kinda. So save the rest you have to say because you really have a lot to say after this last piece of information. But save it till morning comes." He walked away with Francis into the house.
Kirk entered the kitchen and drank his water. He reflected on the encouters of earlier hours. He couldn't wait for the rest of them to wake up so he began his inquisition. He just let the query slide five hours ago because everyone was tired and it was not the right time. Emmanuel was not ready for a conversation as well. He emptied the content of the bottle and walked out of the kitchen. His phone was ringing and he could hear it in the corridor. He rushed to the room and answered the phone without checking who it was.
Kirk entered the kitchen and drank his water. He couldn't wait for the rest of them to wake up so he began his inquisition. He just let the query slide five hours ago because everyone was tired and it was not the right time. He emptied the content of the bottle and walked out of the kitchen. His phone was ringing and he could hear it in the corridor. He rushed to the room and answered the phone without checking who it was.
"Hello," he said.
"So, you are still on this agenda to destroy me? Is this your truth-telling agenda? You want to reveal every truth and make sure you take the glory?"
Kirk was alarmed. "Who is this?"
"You wouldn't know. You want my place so badly you don't remember it is me. Now you listen and listen well. It seems you did not get the first message I gave you. Now listen to me again!"
Dr Murah was on to him and for a moment, all the security he felt at home vanished.
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