Veraciously Yours,

Tensely After

A week later

It was afternoon. Javier rubbed his sleepless red eyes. He stood in the middle of the guest room, naked. Sleeping had become hard. He thought if he slept naked after a warm bath would drag him straight to dream land even that didn't work. So, he dressed and went straight to the den room, seeing his father lounging at the divan, playing a game of chess with himself. "Where is your girlfriend, son? Haven't seen her around."

Taking the seat opposite his father, he rubbed his finger over his lips. "She isn't my girlfriend anymore. We broke up last week."

"Ah that's a shame. You think she'd come back?" He was playing the white, his brows knotting.

"To whom? You?" Javier crossed his legs, slanting back.

"Now, that's your problem. Competing with your father always. In chess, in women. Why would I want her back?"

Javier folded his arms over his lap. "Well, dad you always taught me to love winning. Just like you. Win. That's why you want her back. As simple as that. Even when she still loves you, you only think how can I win."

"Loves me?" He looked up from the game, staring into his son's eyes. "No one loves me, son. Nobody did."

"Mom did." He pauses, only to continue. "Tell me how she died."

"You know. She got hit by a car on the way over to steal my son from me."

"Tell me the truth."

He knocked the pieces of the chess board, they clattered. "The truth doesn't make sense, Javier. It's all you got."

"Then tell me nonetheless. The truth that does not make any sense."

Gander huffed a breath. "She brought a pop up book of wild animals and gave it to you, despite my instructions on ensuing you read anything and all related to chess. She disobeyed me and I told her I did not care because I knew what was best of my son. She aimed to please me but when it came to you, she started to resist, and soon could not deal with it. She loved me enough to let me go and you. But I guess....she loved you too much to come back for you. When she came back, she saw you playing chess. The pop-up book was in the trash can in the corner of your room and something inside her broke. Maybe she thought I was doing the right thing, maybe not. Because she picked you up, took you with her and I snapped. Chasing after her in wheels, I kept after her until she rounded a turn so fast she didn't see the other truck making headway. Ashes, I smelt it already. After that...I just ran out of the car, saw you unconscious and badly hurt but still managed to get ya-"

"And mum? Who saved her?"

"She did. She saved herself. And she was gone. None of it made any sense." His eyes widen as if stopping himself to cry. Javier looked at the man he called father, utterly shocked. The truth does not make sense. Perhaps it does not need to be. We just go on with our life, making mistakes, not understanding our destinies, overcoming obstacles and realizing we will never find the answers of our life.

No one spoke. Javier rose up, taking the chess board and he raised as if he were to hit his dad with it only to smash it on the ground. Disintegrating it. His father winced at the sound. Javier's hand curled into a knot. "I have been wanting to do that for a long time." He walks away, a relieve of triumph blossoms in his chest. He goes out, taking his car and rides till he reaches his apartment. The place was the same as it was. It didn't even look like someone was kidnapped from this place. Opening his fridge, he pulled out a beer and switched on the tele to his nature show. Resting his feet up on the coffee table, he lets out a sick sigh. He watches for a little while.