Chapter 3: Questions

“Hold on for a second, Daniel. Hey runt, what did I tell you about vandalizing my front yard?!”

“I’m not vandalizing anything. I’m creating a gard-”

“Clean this up before I get back.”

  

“I’ve been gone for two hours and you’re still out here playing around? You must think I’m-”

“Hey Jorvan….can you lend me you ear for a bit?”

“I do everything you ask me to do. I never complain about doing the dishes or doing the laundry. I never wait for you to ask me to clean up around the house or take out the trash.”

“You want a cookie and a pat on the back for doing what a freeloader is supposed to do?”

“When you leave for days a time, I don’t say a thing about being left alone or the fact that you never leave me any money to buy food.”

“That’s news to me. Last time I checked, the freezer is always packed with frozen meat. Maybe you should stop spending all of your free time on your silly doodles and amateur fan fictions and learn how to cook.”

“And even though you call me all types of names when you get mad and even though you refuse to tell me anything about what’s happening to my parents, I’ve never treated with you disrespect.”

“Quit beating around the bush and get to your point, kid. I don’t like playing these type of games.”

“Why do you always get angry when you see me happy? Everything that I take an interest in, you seem to have a problem with it. You won’t let me work on my art projects in the house because you say I’ll make a mess; you constantly stand over my shoulder with discouraging words when you see me working on my novel. Now, I can’t even plant a few seeds in the front yard. Is there anything that I can do that you won’t be upset about?”

“You smart little ****, you don’t even know your situation or the situation you’re putting others in and you have the nerve to mouth off to me?!”

“What situation? How am I supposed to know about it when you won’t tell me anything?

“…………”

*Knock Knock*

“Come in! I know I overslept for the bus but I can still make it to school in time if I take my bike.”

“Don’t worry about that I’ll give you a ride later. More importantly, come to my room after you get done making up your bed.”

“You want to talk about my paintings? Wow! You really took my words from yesterday to heart!”

“…….Yeah sure, kid. Now about that painting in your ro-”

“Oh man, where do I start? For starters, even though I’ve won every school art contest in Appaloosa Plains since I entered grade school, believe it or not, I actually sucked at it in the beginning. I kept eating my crayons in pre-k and I was the last person to learn how to color in the lines.

"But then my teachers unlocked Pandora’s Box and figured out the secrect way to bring out the prodigal talents that had been lying dormant in me since birth. They started rewarding me with crayon shaped candy every time I completed a good drawing. Can you believe that by the time I was in Kindergarten I was raking in so much candy that all of the girls wanted to sit by me during snack time?"

“But between me and you, these gifted fingers come with deadly consequences. Every time a kid in my hometown had a birthday, guess who was doing the decorations because the parents were too cheap to buy them at the dollar store? This guy. And in middle school, I was practically volunteered for every school event that involved making banners or signs. What middle schooler do you know would have still wanted to be rewarded with crayon shaped candy for slave labor? I eventually told them crayon shaped chocolate bars or no deal.”  

“Of course when I started high school I-”

“Alright, slow down kid. You’re talking my ears off. Now about that painting in your room, the one over your bed. Tell me about it.”

“The one over my bed? Ah, you mean 'She Sparkles'?”

“She sparkles?”

“Yeah, that’s what I decided to call her picture. She’s sexy isn’t she?”

“Her picture? So you know who that woman is in the portrait then?”

“Nope, not a clue. I just saw her one time while we were sitting on a bench together and I couldn’t resist my heart’s demand that such beauty be immortalized for all of time and space to view with pleasure. Unfortunately, I couldn’t remember the exact shape of her eyes or her forehead so rather than sully her image; I decided to just paint her face below the eyes. But it still looks good doesn’t it.”  

“Did you at least get her name? Number? You young people like to surf the internet all day, what about an email?”

“Oh no no, I couldn’t say a word to her. Every time I tried to open my mouth to speak to her, the words got caught up in my mouth. You can’t just go spouting random pick-up lines to an elegant woman like that. You have to come correct or don't come at all.” 

“You're giving me a headache, alright, I get the gist of it. Go ahead and get dressed for school and I'll give you a ride.”

“Well this was a nice bonding moment don’t you think? When I get back from school I’ll tell you all about how everyone at my new school is calling me the next Leocardo da Linci. I’m telling you I;m going to take over this city with my country swagger.”

“…………..”

“Ivan, what did I tell you about letting yourself into my house?”

“You should really do something about this TV. It’s 2015 and you still only have the basic channels?  You shouldn’t live like this, Jorvan. ”

“I’ll survive. You arrived at a good time though.”

“How was Bridgeport the last time you visited?”

“Same as always although your old pal Matthew, is stirring up the hornet’s nest again in Smuggler's Cove. He’s going to end up in the ocean if he doesn't watch where he’s stepping.”

“You’re giving me a headache just mentioning his name. Never mind that stubborn fool; you know what I really want to hear.”

“I thought you didn't want to know anything about them anymore. Your words verbatim, ‘Ivan, if I ever start to get that itch again, shoot me in the head and put me out of my misery.’ So do you still keep your shotgun behind the counter?”

“Don’t get cheeky. Tell me what you know about the Savago Family."

"Sure but first tell me what's sparking this sudden re-interest in the old families? I thought you was out of the game, friend."

"I want you to take a look at a painting and tell me what you think. I think a certain someone has come to town."