MULATTO (Iyila) (Editing)

chapter fifty three

"Do you honestly believe that a man like you has the moral standing to criticise such words as cheap! And dirty! John if you had the least knowledge of what those words mean you wouldn't misuse them, because if dirty and cheap is not the word to qualify this arrangement you have with Longworth then I am honestly short of words."

John frowned, they always argued. Gabriel never understood him and neither did he understand Gabriel.

"You have no knowledge of the relationship I have with Longworth!"

"And I do not care!" Gabriel raged. "Surely it is not far from greed and power and I am not here to enquire about your relationship with Longworth. It is not a concern to me. So back to my question John, will or will you not allow Collete off the wedding to Longworth. " Gabriel said.

"You listen to me boy, I will not succumb to any of your threats."

"Then you leave me no choice but to stain the John Martin name you have dedicated all your life protecting and preserving."

"You lie, you lie!"

Gabriel chuckled, he knew his father too well that he'd rather die than allow such atrocity. "I have no Negro son!"

"John the child you bore with Racheal still exists and he is growing very well and strong."

John's face was a little bit more scarlet than before. His eyes blazed red with anger. It was impossible, he had personally asked for the death of the child and no one knew of it except him and Racheal. "Who told you?"

Gabriel waved the gun, indicating that such questions were unnecessary.

"Who told you! Answer me!" John spat, throwing things off the table: books, glasses, files. Furniture crashed to the ground, but Gabriel's eyes remained fixed on him, emotionless.

"Give me an answer!"

"I advise you keep your voice down, I do not wish for Collete or Susan to learn of your dirty, cheap secret"

"This is my house and if I want to pull it down by my voice I will willingly do so goddamit."

Gabriel watched John take in hard, laboured breaths, he shrugged, "Go ahead then," Gabriel put.

He'd never planned on using his half Negro sibling as bait, but he had no choice. Nothing was more important to John than his precious bastard surname.

"They told me the child died."

"Or you tried to kill it."

"It will be my word against yours."

Gabriel laughed, his father was a typical criminal. They operated in three phases: Denial, Annoyance then Guilt.

"Go ahead and amuse yourself John, but I must warn you that I do not make empty threats. The boy is registered in your name, Mathew John Martins."

"Goddamit!" John cursed again, "It cannot be true."

"Well how about I tell you a story and for your own good John do not interrupt, for I might not repeat myself!"

John put on a brave face and managed his rage as he stared at Gabriel just wishing to break his nose for naming the bastard after his father which Gabriel had deliberately done to spite him. When John said nothing, Gabriel decided to proceed. First he took his seat, crossed his legs, then began to caress the gun while John imaptiently waited.

"Four years, while I was in Illinios I received a message that your disgraceful affair with Racheal had bourne fruit. At first I was devastated, knowing your shallow view about these Negro creatures. I was shocked and angry that you would impregnant any of them, so I decided to move. No matter how angry I was at the news I just knew I had to save this child from you."