Coming to America by Allan Deya (reading diary TXT) 📕

“Okay, so I know you already think I am paranoid to begin with,” Andrew told his parents as their car drew up the driveway, “But I really think you should take this seriously.”

“Look, if you are going to mouth off another one of those ridiculous conspiracy theories of yours, I’d rather you waited until I was in front of the telly.” His dad said, “That way I can comfortably tune you out.”

“Henry!” Jacqueline admonished her husband, “You should be kinder in the ridicule of your son’s delusions.”

They both burst out laughing.

“Yeah dad, ha ha and thanks mom that really made me feel defended; but note that there is someone seated on our front porch.”

The laughter ceased and both turned to look at the front door. Sure enough there was a figure on the front steps; he was looking right at them, not moved in the least when Jackie shone a flashlight in his eyes. Instead without even blinking, he got up and followed the beam to the car.

“Well if you are supposed to be a burglar you are not doing a very good job of it.” Henry said, his colt revolver hidden from sight.

“If I wanted to harm you or your family, I would have done it at the mall, or the park, or at Memorial Day march; so you can relax, I just want to talk.” He told them.

“I told you, I told you we were being followed!” Andrew hissed in a large stage whisper.

“Shut up Drew.” His dad said with as much authority as he could although he was shaken to the core by the fact that they had been tailed an entire day, “So talk.”

“I would but I hate it when guns are pointed at me; makes me jittery and I would prefer to get out of the cold.”

That he had seen a gun that even his wife and son who were in the car with him yet to notice. He was clearly not a novice and the dead tone at a predicament that most would have found dire was proof enough that he could have harmed them had he chosen to.

“Okay, let’s do this inside then.” Henry acquiesced.

But as they walked up and into the parlor, the boy touched his arm, “On second thought maybe you and I should have this conversation right here.”

“Honey?” His wife asked uncertainly from just inside the door.

“It’s okay, just take Andrew into the house, I am right behind you.”

**Half an hour later**

“Are you bloody out of your mind?” Jacqueline demanded, yanking the duvet off the bed with more force than was necessary and shoving Andrew roughly onto it.

“I gave my word okay, that I would do this if and when the time came.”

“Ah yes, that famous word of yours and no, it’s not okay.” She shot back tucking her son into bed and patting down the covers.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch! Mom I’m quite capable of putting myself to bed.” Andrew informed her.

“I can’t explain it, that is to say I cannot go into details…”

“You can’t or you won’t?”

“Does it really matter which it is? Bottom line is there will be no further discussion about this.” He told his family with finality.

“Like hell there won’t be! This is as much my house as it is yours and Andrew’s home. If you think for a minute that you can just bring some..some hobo home with you and have no one ask a damn thing about it then you have another thing coming mister.”

Henry held the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “Fine darling, what do you want? How do you want to play this?”

Jackie smiled inwardly, she had launched into that tirade because she thought she had already lost the battle. There was a tone that her husband took when he was about to be completely obstinate about some matter.

She could have sworn…anyway, she had been wrong and she was going to milk the moment for all it’s dramatic worth. “Either he leaves or we do.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Henry told her resignedly, “This is your home, there will be no leaving.”

“So does that mean I don’t get a mixed race brother?” Andrew joked trying to diffuse the strain that was still palpable in the room.

Henry bent down and kissed him on the forehead, ruffling his hair as he straightened. “Okay dad that was totally not ungay.”

“Honey?” Jacqueline asked, because a part of her knew, just knew that something was off.

“I’ll call you from wherever we settle.”

“What? What does that mean?” she asked even though she knew exactly what he as on about.

“I’ll take him with me.” He held up his hand. “We will not discuss this baby, I need to do this, I have to; I just can’t talk about the why.”

“Bu..but…but.” she stammered even though she knew whatever argument she could conjure would fall on deaf ears. He had that closed off look she had seen earlier.

“Honey,” she begun. “Baby, sweetheart…look maybe we got off this whole thing on the wrong note. Why don’t we step aside and talk about this?”

When she got no response to that, she let the panic that had been bubbling inside her spill over. “You tell me I have to take in a stranger who looks like he walked out of a serial killer movie and won’t tell me why? I say no and you are willing o throw away 20 years of marriage!”

“He won’t tell you; he can’t, but I can.” The boy said from behind them.

Had the mood not been so tense in the room, they would have had the good sense to be afraid- he had managed to open and close the door, and stand there listening to them argue for God knows how long, without them being aware.

“Your husband owes my father a blood debt; one that he vowed to pay a long time ago.”

“I have known my husband for more than 20 years and I know nothing of you or your father or this ridiculous blood debt.”

“I should hope not; that was the whole point- there was to be no contact between our families, not unless the situation expressly called for it.”

Jacqueline was still not convinced and Nisa could see that in the skeptical way she regarded him. “He owes my father his life; the agreement was that he would live so that one day he might return the favour either to my dad or to one of hi sires- I am that son.”

Jacqueline turned to her husband, “Is this true? When was this? Why have I never known of this?” she fired off in rapid succession.

“Like I said lady he couldn’t. It would have been in complete contravention of the covenant that was made all those years ago.” When she regarded him with an open incredibility, Nisa had no choice but to explain further. “He is bound to silence, as is my father; I on the other hand am bound by no such accord.”

Jackie was openly hostile when next she spoke; glaring at Nisa she demanded of Henry, “Why must you do this. It all happened ages ago; surely whatever you agreed must have had a term!”

“Are you sure this woman is your wife? You hardly seem to fit.” Nisa interjected before Henry could speak. “My father spoke highly of your sense of honour and duty; he often said that had he not needed allies afar you would have been made clan.”

“You have no right to speak of me that way, Henry tell him.” Jackie demanded.

“You are right, my tone was condescending and I apologize but let me paint a clear picture of what the promise entails; life and death. It is a blood oath- the type that you turn your back on and effectively forfeit life.”

Andrew sat up in bed, “Like the Mafioso?”

“Like the mafia, only worse, because we have clans where they have families. Bottom line, he does it or he dies- is that explanation enough for you?”

“Henry!” she choked.

“He tried to protect you from this part of his life, to keep you sheltered just as my father tried to. In the end what had to happen happened and it is as simple as that.”

The hand that was turning the door knob stilled. “I do not wish to be here anymore than you want me to be but this was my father’s final order and the only promise my brother has ever made me swear to. As repugnant as this living arrangement is I intend to see it through to the end.”

And just like that Jackie realized, the boy had moved in. She turned to her husband and in his face she saw her confusion mirrored. “Tae is dead?!?” he asked no one.

Publication Date: 08-03-2010

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To all fallen soldiers.