Got 'Em Read online

  Amanda, clearly in shock, slowly turns her head. In a surprised voice, she says, “Uh… what? Ha-ha, are you feeling all there, brah?”

  I churn my lips, and look at Amanda with a serious look, and in a forceful voice, “So? Do you think it’ll work?”

  Amanda, still shocked and surprised, nervously responds, “Sure, ha, if you want to give it a go? But I’m pretty sure you have to believe in that shit, and besides, I don’t really want to go fucking with things I don’t know.”

  The car goes silent. Now this is one of the most awkward moments I have ever had with Amanda, so awkward that we do not talk for the rest of the way of our drive. On our drive of silence, we turn left from the funeral home onto the main road and follow that all the way up to Camden. We stopped at some park thing for Amanda to go to the toilet. It feels like I’ve waiting for hours, but I’m entertained by music, which is fine.

  Amanda finally comes back out from the toilets at Kirkham Park, hops in the car and off we go back onto the main road, on our way through Camden. There was no point to what happened next, I mean to the whole trip there anyway. We come to a roundabout and turn around, exercising a U-turn, then drive back up past the park that we had stopped at, and travel for about ten or so minutes up to a set of lights, then turn right towards Campbelltown. We follow this road until the motorway and take it to King George’s Road, then back to mine at 104 Portland Lane, Ashfield.

  After being dropped off and saying our awkward goodbyes, I set off inside to plonk myself on the lounge. After grabbing a can of coke, cracking it and taking a sip, I lie there in daze before falling asleep. Two blocks, a slab of wood and two tyres to go.

  After the drive around, and dropping me off at home, Amanda makes her way back to hers. As she pulls into the driveway, Lucas Mayfound—Amanda’s boyfriend of five years that works around the corner as a mechanic—comes out in the foulest mood Amanda has ever seen him in, and slaps her across the face whilst accusing her of fooling around with me. Lucas found out that Amanda was with me all day, from his sister’s mate, Andrew. Yes! The same Andrew that works with me and is my best mate. Isn’t it funny? Such a small world.

  Lucas aggressively yells at Amanda, “You’re fucking him, aren’t you?” He continues, “You dirty fuckin’ slut. I knew there is something you were hiding!” He continues in outrage, “All that shit is just another excuse to go out and see your fuckboy!”

  Amanda, scared out of her mind, backfires to him in a spiteful tone, “Oh I’m fucking David, am I?” As she raises her left arm out North-West, from the way she’s facing Lucas, “I’m supposedly fucking someone who has just lost his grandfather, someone who needs someone to talk to?” She continues vindictively, “But oh, ‘Hi, my name’s Lucas, and I’m going to accuse the fuck out of you!’ But you know what? Fuck off!” she continues in an angry, nasty tone, “You want to think that way, cunt? I’m gone. See ya later.”

  Amanda leaves, not calling me, but calling Andrew. Amanda secretly got Andrew’s number when they were at the hotel. Amanda typed in a message on her phone and said to Andrew in an excited voice, “Hey! Get a go at this!” showing him a supposed photo of something, when really, she was giving him her phone asking for his number. Andrew typed his number in and she saved it.

  Whilst Amanda and Andrew were left alone in the car at the fire, they were flirting a lot, hence why Amanda was already in the front seat of his car. And that’s why she is calling Andrew now and not me. Amanda also thinks I might be gay, little does she know though.

  A day passes, Amanda spent the night with Andrew, and I, having no clue about what went down, woke up after a good night’s sleep in my boxers and look down at my boxers and think, Hmm… I was fully dressed last night… eh. Oh well, as I get up and make my way to the kitchen to make my coffee… The kettle is still half-full from the other day. Weirdly, I pour the water down the drain and refill the kettle, then turn it on. Away it boils as I grab a cup, put in two teaspoons of coffee and one sugar.

  The jug comes to a boil then I pour the water into the cup, adding the milk before stirring. I have a few sips of it and put it down on the bench next to the jug. I walk off to the front of my room before turning left to go down a short hallway to the bathroom. I continue to open the door and strip down naked. Turning on both the hot and cold taps, getting the temperature just right before standing in to take a shower.

  Meanwhile, my phone rings from out in the lounge room, on the couch from where I had crashed last night. It’s Amanda ringing. Not one missed call, but three, then Andrew leaves a few missed calls also.

  On the other side of the phone, in Andrew’s car on their way to my place, Amanda and Andrew start to get worried as if I had done something to myself already. So, Andrew put his foot down to get over to mine faster, just in case I had done something regretful.

  They pull up in front of my house, go to knock on the unlocked door, loud knocks ’knock-knock-knock-knock-knock’, after a few seconds there is no answer. So, they knock again, yelling and screaming out my name. Then they heard what they thought was choking, but it is only me coughing up crap in the shower.

  Andrew tries barging the door down dramatically as Amanda moves in front of Andrew to spite him and laugh at him when the door is already unlocked. Amanda goes for my room. Andrew goes for the bathroom as he can hear the shower running. As Andrew bursts in, he gets the rudest shock when he sees me in all of my glory. Andrew’s face drops as he looks down and up. Stunned, I jump out and wreathe the towel from the towel-rack to cover myself.

  Andrew yells to Amanda in a relieved, high pitched, shocked voice, “Amanda, I found him—and I see everything I didn’t want to see!”

  Amanda replies as she comes down the hallway in a relieved voice, “Really? Yay!”

  Still stunned, I question in a curious, defiant voice, “Uh, what are you people doing here?”

  Both Andrew and Amanda reply sadly, “We were just coming to see if you’re okay.”

  I shake a little with embarrassment, “Can you please leave? I’d like to get dressed.”

  Andrew replies in a complimentary voice, “There’s no shame there man, ha, ha,” as he deviously nods his head, from his viewpoint of what his eyes had witnessed.

  Amanda and Andrew continue out to the lounge room. Andrew goes to sit on the couch as Amanda grabs my coffee, pours it down the sink and re-boils the jug for a fresh one. She asks, “Andrew, would you like a coffee?”

  Andrew replies in a docile, frank voice, “Yes please, two coffees, one sugar, cheers.” Amanda takes in what she hears and continues to make the coffees for the three of us.

  Throwing on my boxers after drying off, I wrap the towel around my head as I walked out of the bathroom towards the kitchen/lounge room. Reaching the lounge room I take a seat on the other side on the couch to where Andrew is sitting…

  Amanda brings out the made coffees and sits in between both of us as we sip them down. We sit there in silence for a second, taking in all that happened. Then Amanda said to Andrew sarcastically, “Is he big? Did you like it? Are you jealous?” We all began laughing, someone had to break the silence.

  For some reason, I just wanted to be alone, so I brought it up to Amanda and Andrew in a benevolent way, “Hey guys, I know you mean well and all, but I’d really like to be left alone, just so I can recollect myself,” taking a breather, I continue, “I’ll call you when I’m ready.”

  As I begin to smile, Amanda replies with the voice of love, “Aww baby, okay. Make sure you do. I love you Davveeyy wavveeyy.”

  Replying sincerely, “Love ya too, woman,” as I smile at her again.

  Andrew says, concerned, “Take care of yourself, buddy. Talk soon. See ya, mate.”

  I nod as I reply to him light-heartedly, “You too, mate. Don’t worry, I will.”

  Amanda and Andrew walk off to the car and both get in, as I have a vivid look out my window, sighting that they are both in his car, I think to myself, I wonder, what’s going on there…? Where
is Lucas?

  Getting out my phone, I go through my contacts to Lucas’s number and press dial. The phone started ringing; Lucas picks up and says in an aggressive tone, “What do you want? You back stabbing, girlfriend-stealing cunt!”

  I reply filled with disrespect in an acerbic tone, “Who the fuck are you calling a back-stabbing, girlfriend-stealing cunt? I just had a mate of mine come over with your girl with him! So what the fuck is going on, Lucas?”

  Lucas replies calmly, “Look, she came home yesterday, I had heard that you two were spending time with each other from a mate of mine that saw you. So I went out and blasted her, because I was told that you two were flirting and what not.”

  I reply, surprised, “Really? First I’ve heard man, who is this mate that told you?”

  Lucas replies, heart wrenched and direct, “My sister told me, she mentioned that a mate of hers by the name of Andrew witnessed you two together, flirting and what not.”

  I reply in a rushy, determined voice, “Okay man, I’ve got to go. I’ll speak with you soon.”

  Lucas continues to talk sadly as I hang up, “I’m sorry for your loss man.”

  I glaze around the lounge room in shock, speaking to myself diversely, My Andrew? That deceiving, manipulative lying prick… I bet he knows what he’s doing. Wait, I remember…

  A few weeks back, a lady came to see Andrew whilst at work, and I overheard Andrew and the lady talking;

  Andrew was questioning inquisitively, “Oh so what’s going on? Do you reckon I could meet her? The lady replies informatively,”Well, she’s 24, he takes her for granted, although he’s my brother, I don’t like the way he treats women," she takes a pause to breathe and continued, “I’ll invite her around one day when you’re doing the design, and you can chat—”

  At that point, I was called back to finish my job, and didn’t get to hear the entire conversation.

  Over the weekend, spending it by myself, I went and got some drinks, and just ate take-away. Okay, I’ll be honest, it isn’t the healthiest: it was both KFC and McDonalds. So, I plunged myself over the lounge and pretty much just soaked the weekend in and slept.

  Sunday, 22nd October 2017: the night before the funeral. Lucas calls at about 7.30 pm. He says he has bad news to tell me, that Amanda has fully broken it off with him to stay with this man, my work mate. Little did Lucas know, that this man is an associate that he knows, and that this is fully planned to get rid of him. Stunned, I don’t know what to say or how to comfort him as I’m not feeling the best either, considering the funeral is tomorrow.

  Lucas is coming to the funeral as I confirmed, but he doesn’t want to sleep at his house tonight so he asks if he can come down to mine. I need a lift to the funeral tomorrow so I agree for him to come and stay.

  Showing up at around 9 pm, Lucas pulls into my driveway, but just before that, I call Amanda to make sure that she is coming to my house before the funeral tomorrow, she confirms, and said she’ll be at my house with Andrew to pick me up. In the cruel mood I am in, I agree. I want them to know that tomorrow isn’t about their differences but about showing remorse and support for me as for what I have lost; and to send Pop away to a better place.

  Not long after Lucas arrives, we have a few beers and head off to bed. I thought to myself, Lucas, he’s a nice fella, dark blonde hair, blue eyes. Does drink a bit. Is around an average Aussie weight, about my height, with a little build. But for some reason, I feel I’m over thinking things too much… is this my way of dealing with this new beginning?

  Chapter Three

  A New Beginning

  It is 7.30 am; alarm is going off, after a shitty night’s sleep I wake up annoyed, frustrated and just not in the right mood. My head starts pounding from the noise as I grab my alarm clock. I rip the cord out, and peg it hard at the wall. Getting up, I walk off into the bathroom, turning the shower on, and carelessly hopping into it so I can wake up. A few moments after I wash myself down, I feel a little more refreshed. I get out of the shower and make my way to my room in the nude. I sift through my clothes on the floor to find some good ones. It is then that I remember, It’s the funeral today! So, I walk to the closet, to grab out my dress clothes and put them on.

  I make my way out to the kitchen to make a coffee, completely forgetting about Lucas staying over, so I shout, outspoken, “Hey! You awake?” Getting a growl back out of him, I persuade him with what he wants, “Hey you! You want a coffee?”

  He grumbles back, “Eehhhh.”

  Shrugging my shoulders, I squint my eyes at him and think to myself, To hell with it, I’ll just make him a coffee and get him up. Why not?’ Putting the sugar, coffee, milk and water in, I make him a coffee to my standards, then proceed to wake him up. Bringing him his coffee I say delightfully, “Here you go, man.”

  Lucas replies in a tired manner after just waking up, “Ehh, thanks man.”

  Then I receive a message from Amanda, saying she is going to be here in about an hour or so. It then clicked to me, Shit! I’ve got to put up with these two bickering, or maybe not, depending on if they realise who’s day it is today. They might show some respect. Who knows?

  Not much time went by as I heard a moderately loud, ambitious knock on the door. Getting up out of the chair, Lucas looking up across at the front door bobbing his head as he is still waking up, I make my way to the door as the knock continues again. In my head I’m thinking in an annoyed tone, Fuck, I hope this isn’t Amanda and Andrew already. Opening the door, to my surprise, it’s my neighbour. I haven’t ever spoken to the ones that live to my left. As I’m standing at the front door facing him towards the road, he says in a remorseful, slightly crackly voice, “Hey son, I heard your grandpa died. I just wanted to share my condolences with you, and tell you I’m sorry for your loss, and if you need anything, anything at all, I’m right next door, so don’t hesitate to come and see me.”

  My heart dropped a little as I look thankfully at him, with a small fake grin on my face, “Thank you for your condolences, he meant a lot to me.”

  The 87-year-old English-Australian man replies gracefully, “Okay then, I’ll see you around, son.”

  The older man then turned around and made his way up my footpath and back to his home. At that point—yes it is very quick and a little surprising—Amanda and Andrew rock up in his Commodore. In my head, I’m thinking with complexity, I am not ready for this, it’s too soon. I probably should have told her, or maybe got them to meet us over at the chapel. Shit, shit, shitty shit, shit!

  They get out of the Commodore and head towards me. Amanda, with arms opened, rushes over in black tights and a black cotton dress that came down just over her knees, and a short over coat. Andrew is in a full black suit, including his dress shirt. I, however, am in black pants and white shirt; you get the picture—I’m dressed like a damn businessman!

  Unfortunately, Amanda walks on inside, and braces herself with anger as Lucas turns around to see her. Amanda turns to me, shocked and in a mildly angry tone says, “Umm… David. What’s he doing here?”

  Already frustrated and overwhelmed, I reply, “It’s not your day, it’s not his day, it’s my grandfather’s day. You two can bicker afterwards and away from me.”

  Amanda looks at me surprised and says regretfully, “Okay, I’m sorry.” Lucas overheard what I said, and sat there on the couch with his mouth shut.

  Welcoming them inside, I offer them a coffee. Amanda declined but Andrew willingly said, “Hell yes, you know how I like it bro.” I spun him a weird look as I’ve never heard him call me bro before. Since I’ve met him, he has always called me ‘mate, mateeyy, bud, or buddy,’ phrases along those lines, but not ‘bro’. But I thought, Oh well.

  With mine and Lucas’ second coffee made and Andrew’s whatever number coffee, I carry this round of them over to the couch where we are all sitting. Well not all of us, just Lucas, as Amanda and Andrew are standing and Lucas is also too busy giving Andrew dirty looks. I give Andrew and Lucas both their coffees, a
nd then mentioned to Amanda, suggestively scornful, “Uh, I’m going to be going in Lucas’s car with him so I can show him where to go.”

  Amanda shoots me the biggest filthy look I’ve ever seen her shoot me, and says sarcastically, “Oh yeah. You know we could have just met you there, right?”

  I reply in a sarcastically scornful manner, “Yeah, but I kind of wanted you to come here first, so I could see you guys altogether.”

  Silence drew in the room, pretty much until we had to leave to go to the funeral home, as the funeral is for 10.30 a.m., the silence isn’t most helpful during the hour we held it for, since the silence isn’t too curing. We all start making our way out to the two cars. I and Lucas got into his 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, Amanda and Andrew into his Commodore. From here, we make our way to the funeral home where it is all happening.

  We pull into the funeral home parking lot, just in front of the reception, where we had first come in contact with the funeral home. We park up and make our way to the north chapel where most people already are. There is no viewing because it is denied by everyone, due to my grandfather previously instructing everyone to not have a viewing at his funeral when he passes. Yes, my grandfather thought of literally everything. It’s just strange how he left everything to only me in his Will. Although he didn’t have much communication with anyone of our family, he did have a few close friends, mainly his neighbours.

  It is 10.20 a.m. Everybody has started gathering in the chapel and seating themselves accordingly. Most of the people that are here have brought their ‘sad faces’ as expected. You can see, most aren’t real and don’t like Pop that much. As he did what he wanted to do, and not what everyone tried telling him to do, and probably because he was a stubborn old man.