Life Drama

Amidst the drama, George's phone rang to create relief for him. It was a call from Derek, his second son. 

George hissed the moment Derek's name popped on his phone. He certainly needed someone to speak to, but definitely not Derek. 

The last hectic telephone conversation they had, Derek hasn't recovered from it yet. He would rather not get himself hooked up in another drama. 

“You got a call.  

Answer the phone.

Who knows? It might be from my father. I am sure you don't want to miss out on that?” Ciara chipped in aggressively. 

Her intrusion didn't sit too well with George, who didn't hesitate to hit back at her. “Mind your damn business. 

You've done more harm to me. 

Don't you get tired?”

A few minutes after he barked at Ciara, George started realizing how the call from Derek might tune out to be his saving grace. 

George recalled correctly when Derek offered to come to sign the consent form in the hospital and begin the required treatment.

“Oh, how I nearly missed out. This might just be it,” George sighed in regret as he grabbed his phone to call Derek himself.

 George rejected Derek's calls thrice and doesn't think the latter would wanna call again just to avoid being snubbed. 

Like karma, Derek refused to answer the phone. Twice George called, but not for once, did Derek respond. 

Staring at his phone, George muttered. “So Derek is going to snub me because I did the same thing to him? That was so selfish of him,” 

“Selfish? I am not sure whether you want to use that word. I know you warned me not to speak, but I am just going to say this anyway. The only selfish person in that story is you,” Ciara weighed in and pretended not to say anything. 

George wanted to react, but he had no idea where to start from. He struggled with his breath, sighed, and shook his head sideways disdainfully. 

Seconds later, Derek returned the missed calls. The returned call was so relieving. It wiped off the hatred George had towards Ciara. 

“I told you he was gonna call back. If only you were being patient enough,” Ciara mumbled from close range as George spoke on the phone with Derek. 

“I just heard a female voice in the background. Who's with you in the hospital?” Derek asked, shying away from his father's earlier question about the reason he refused to answer the phone. 

The conversation wasn't on speaker, but Ciara heard Derek's voice. She and George both shared a telling look. 

Ciara became anxious. She focused her glance on George to be certain she didn't miss out on his response to Derek. 

“Dad, I just asked you a question and you haven't answered me. Who's with you in the hospital? The last time I checked, you don't have a daughter, nor did you marry another lady after my mother's demise,” the question came in again. 

“Don't worry about the voice you heard. I share the ward with another patient. The voice you heard happens to be the patient I share my ward with,” George lied. He had a smile on his face while he discussed it with Derek. 

Ciara wasn't pleased with the lies. She considers it a slander and hates speech against her. 

Seeing how upset Ciara was made George more excited than ever before. He considered that a payback for those times Ciara was hurting him with her words. 

“Where are you, Derek? Are you still coming? Where are you?” George went straight to the point. 

“That's the reason I kept calling you, Dad,” Derek said in a calm tone. 

The tone conveyed a negative thought to George's mind. Without having to speak, he already guessed what Derek wanted to say. 

“You haven't answered my question, Derek. Where are you?” George asked again, while he assured himself that Derek's response wouldn't be heartbroken. 

“Dad, before I speak, promise not to be mad at me. I also want to assure you that it was for a good reason,” Derek begged. 

“You would rather not have me killed early, do you?” George snarled.

“Hell no. 

I would speak up now. I am sorry to disappoint you, but I won't be able to make it anymore,” like a rocket, Derek launched the sad news. 

To his surprise, George didn't end the call nor yell at Derek. He just said. “Ok. Is that all?” 

“What do you mean, 'is that all? 

Aren't you supposed to be mad at me for disappointing you?” 

“Why should I be? 

It's not as though it's your first time making excuses. On several occasions, you've turned down the chance to have dinner with me and your brother as a family,” George lamented. He didn't fail to scold Derek regardless of Ciara's presence. 

Derek sighed. “Now I feel guilty for causing you pain. How do I make it up to you? I wished I could show up. Unfortunately for me, my job is very demanding,” 

“It has always been about your job. You don't care about me or your family. How long are you going to continue this way? Do you even have plans to start your family? “

“Dad, please stop it. 

You are making it sound as though I did it on purpose. For the family part, of course, I would love to start one someday. Who wouldn't love to?” Derek defended himself against his father's assumptions. His voice was becoming louder, sending a negative signal to George that he intentionally decided not to show up in the hospital. 

“It's now clear to me. 

Maybe you are worse than Dexter after all. Unlike you, he isn't a pretender,” George got mad and ended the call before Derek had the opportunity to explain himself. 

Narrowing his gaze to Ciara, he ordered her. “Call your father immediately. I don't understand why it's taking him an eternity to bring Dexter here,”

“Why should I be the one to call him? 

He's your best friend. The last time I checked, you have his number.” Ciara bluntly refused, without hiding her feelings. 

“Because your father isn't going to answer the phone, dummy. He knows I would ask him about Dexter. With you, it would be different. He's not even aware you are with me. Do you understand now?” George explained in agony. 

“It's fine. 

I will call him immediately,” Ciara accepted. She doesn't want to be responsible if anything bad happens to George.