FOUL BURDENS.

CHAPTER 12.

3 months later***.

I was watching Matthew and Luke swimming in their pool which was in the back yard. The past three months have been amazing. Jody's family has been more than welcoming and I have never felt I belonged like when am with them.

I am put off my thoughts by the home land line phone ringing. I take a glance at the boys then rush to receive it.
"Hello?"I ask slowly.
I can hear a sharp intake of breath of the other person. They don't talk and I get confused.
"Hello?" I ask again.
"G..g..Gloria?" They finally say. The voice deep but it comes out shaky like he is scared. He must have dialled the wrong number because am not Gloria.
"No sir. Am Maria. I think you dialled the wrong number. I am going to hang up now," I say into the phone.
"No,no. Your voice is familiar that is why I got carried away. Am looking for Jody. Is she near,I need to speak to her," he says now having recovered from what he had earlier. His voice is deep and rough with confidence aligning his every word. His voice sounds comforting and familiar to me that I find myself longing to see him.
"No. She left with Dave a while ago. Do you want me to pass a message?"
"Yes. Tell her,her brother George is coming tonight with Anthony," he says curtly.
"Okay sir,I will make sure she receives the message," i tell him.
"Okay good day to you Maria,tell the boys their super cool uncle is  to town,"he says trying to make the sentence light but his voice is still hard.
"Sure sir," i say and the line goes dead.  The way he said my name almost made me cry. The familiarity in his voice was so certain I started longing for a father.

"Mariaaaa?!" I hear Luke calling out. I rush to the backyard to see what the problem is ,only to find them smirking at each other. Next thing I know they pull out their water guns and within seconds am drenched from head to toe. A surprised squel leaves my mouth and my clothes hung tightly around my figure,the cold seeping in my bones.

I give them a death glare and I see them gulp nervously.
"Erm...hey Maria..who was on the phone,"Matthew says trying to distract me and it worked because that voice kept ringing in my head.
I feel my anger dimming to nothing and I smile brightly at them.
"He said to tell you,it was your super cool uncle,"I watch as their faces and eyes twinkle with familiarity and they shout,
"UNCLE GEORGE!!!"
I chuckle amusedly and tell them he said he was coming tonight. Their joy is infectious and I find myself jumping up and down with them.

After a while of being drenched with pool water,again,we go change to avoid getting cold. After I was changed, I decided to call Jody to tell her the news so she can prepare herself for her brother's arrival. She picks up at the fifth ring.
"Maria? What's wrong? Are the boys okay?" Jody asks breathless as if she has been running a marathon.
"No we are fine. But someone called looking for you ," I say to her.
"Oh yeah,who?"Jody says her voice thick and heavy,and in the back ground she is telling someone to slowdown.
"Jody,what are you doing and where are you?" I ask her even though am pretty sure I can guess what she is doing.
"Erm...we are in the park with Dave...you know....just jogging,"she says unsurely.
"Yeah riiiight....jogging with Dave's dingaling in you," I tell her while snickering. I hear her gasp with shock then she tries surpressing a moan with a cough.
"Maria! That is not true. But it is exercise after all. You see when a man's pe......" She starts saying but I hang up the phone not wanting to hear that. She'll call me when she will be done with her jogging.

I made us,me and the boys,some afternoon snacks and sat at the kitchen just talking while joking around when we heard the front door opening.
"Boys! Maria!" Jodys voice is carried out in the house.
"In here,"Matthew says.
We hear footsteps coming in our direction and soon enough Jody and Dave come in. They both avoid eye contact with me and I smile smugly.

Jody's cheeks have a tint of pink and I chuckle silently at myself.
"Jody,your brother George called. He said he will be coming tonight with someone called Anthony," i say to them.
Jody's head perks up at my direction and she is grinning widely.
"George is coming?"she squels and we all hold our ears.
"Wait. Did you say anthony?" Jody asks silently to her self.
"Yes. Why? Who is he?" I ask curiousity getting the better of me. Everyone was silent even the boys and they all seemed nervous,apart from Dave that is.
"Oh nothing. And he is George's adopted son. About your age by the way. Travells with my brother alot and doesn't speak  alot," jody say biting on her lower lip.

I nod my head to show I understood and I feel a migraine coming along.
"Okay,is there anything you want me helping you?" I ask.
"Oh no nothing my dear I'll handle everything go get some rest if you want,"
"Thankyou. I was hoping to catch some sleep, I can feel a migraine coming along," I say heading out.
I can hear Jody asking if I will be okay and I yell a yes for confirmation.

Back in my room,i lay on my bed and my eyes close on their own accord. Soon am off to dream land. In my sleep fragments of green eyes patch my dreams every where I go or turn. The eyes are warm and they stare into a pair of dark brown eyes warmly and lovingly. I was confused because I did not know why I was dreaming such things. In their arms lay a baby whose golden eyes are really vibrant and alive. The faces are not clear but the eyes are clear. The faces come as a blurr and I don't know who they are.

I wake up and look at the clock on my lampside table to see it was eleven at night. I slept that long and it seemed as though I slept for only an hour. My stomach grumbles for attention and I decide to go feed it.

My mind was trying to furthom what it was I dreamt but it came out with nothing. Everybody was asleep because all the lights were out. I reached the kitchen and served myself some pasta with meatballs. I took the plate and decided to go eat in my room.

I was not watching where I was going. I know knew the house like the back if my hand so I allowed my mind to wonder around while I took the small journey back to my room. I think I got carried away because soon enough I hit a wall and my plate fell from my hands breaking into tiny pieces on the floor.

"Who the fuck are you?!"