Gemsicuted

Written by Julian Robov


Nineteen


The children were playing happily in and around the swimming pool. Parents loved watching them exercise their skills in a natural way. They were even comparing those who were smart and those who needed more vitamins to compete. Men and women too followed the kids, playing and allowing the frustrations of the day to dissolve in the water.

A few men were busy pretending to read a novel, while comparing quietly the size of their wives physical shape with the ones already in the pool. One genius was already busy sketching a blonde’s private parts on a spare paper carefully hidden behind the novel away from the public’s notice. He was desperate. The innocent play among children and the way they settled debates looked more colorful and vibrant.

Marla looked impressed at the progress made by April and May, in the pool as she swam with them teaching the special skills. They looked tired after several trials and Marla recognized the signs.

Lam was already at home watching tele, as Marla opened the front door. She walked to the sofa and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. When she returned after the shower, Lam pretended to be busy. She had been watching him for the past few days. He was hiding something. On the contrary, he was thinking of a way to explain the misery he was going through at the office. He just couldn’t find the right words to explain to her. She kissed him again. Lam switched off the tele, and gazed at her innocent face.
“Why do you need the words to explain to me? You can explain in whatever way you like, and I’m old enough to grasp. But this deceptive silence is dangerous. It hurts everyone in the house. The kids are asking me what’s wrong with you. When they need help you are not there. What should I say?” she explained. He knew he had screwedup everything.
“It’s the old man and his pet rubies. There is a 37carat ruby in Bangkok, and two dealers are holding it. Partly, Lord is responsible. The old man wants the ruby on his table at any cost,” Lam added. “He is going crazy like hell when he sees me everyday. He wants me to concentrate only on this one bloody ruby, nothingelse. Other projects are taken hostage, because of this sickening situation. That’s the big problem.”
“What happened between Lord and Rubyhall?” Marla asked.
“It’s an all out bloody cold war with their jaded egos, and I’m caught in between,” Lam continued. “I’m fuckedup. That brilliant Jay Lam is now shrinking like a goof. It’s a cat and mouse situation. Fucking shit!” He couldn’t control himself anymore.
“You never used these unscientific words before in front of me. If the kids hear this.” She looked back to see if April and May were around.
“I’m sorry,” he grinned. His mind was elsewhere.
“Why is it happening to us now?” she asked.
“You asking me? I wish I had the answer a long time ago. Marla, I’m deeply worried,” he said. Lam looked at their wedding portrait, as if he remembered something. Old memories kept coming back, and he smiled at her unknowingly.
“We will survive.” She kept consoling him.
“Really? Everyday is like a surviving hell,” he added. “Anyway thanks for being a good listener. I feel a bit relieved.” They walked to their bedroom quietly.
That brief precious moment they had was interrupted by April and May. Marla joined them preparing food in the kitchen. Lam pretended that he was helping their mother sincerely. But he wasn’t. After a while, he put the vegetables and the knife on the table and returned to his bedroom.

April and May looked at Marla in utter confusion and disbelief. The girls knew
something was bothering him. They were too afraid to ask. Instead, they relied on Marla. But she too didn’t know how to explain the complex situation. She wasn’t even sure if he still had a job. It looked bad, and she carried on with the work in the kitchen while the girls kept their deceptive silence. They felt instinctively that it was not the right time to ask anything regarding their dad.

Lam didn’t join them at the dining table. Instead, he was plotting his next move in his bedroom. Marla joined Lam after she had finished the work in the kitchen and putting the girls to sleep. It was already eleven. He still remained silent, and kept writing something on a pad. Before she got a glimpse of it, he tore the page and threw it in the dustbin. She saw the emergence of evil character in him, though she didn’t know how to explain it in words. And, he looked different. Marla remained in bed wondering whether to talk or go to sleep. Even if she pretended that she was already asleep, he would have known in a matter of seconds. She too was worrying just like him, as time went by. It took her a lot of courage to say something.
“What’s going on Jay? You haven’t eaten anything so far. Come let’s have something to eat. I have already prepared the dinner for you. I haven’t eaten either,” she said, expecting a positive reply.
“Oh, really? I’m not in a mood to eat anything. Why don’t you help yourself? Don’t worry about me. I have many things to do,” he said frantically.
“If you are not eating, then I will remain in bed,” she answered quickly.
“That’s bad,” he replied, but continued writing and scratching the paper behaving like a madman.

After watching him for a while, she decided to pick up the papers he kept throwing in the dustbin. He saw her open the folded and torn papers, but decided to remain silent. That was the first time she believed Lam had gone awry. She read the names of Rubyhall, Lord, Tito and Miko written repeatedly on the paper.
“I want to kill them all,” Lam said frankly.
“You don’t mean it, do you?” she said worriedly.
“I don’t know,” he said, and then kept writing their names in several rows on another piece of paper.
She returned to bed and kept crying not knowing what to do. Meanwhile, Lam had already made some decisions. And he smiled at her thinking how little she knew about the situation and the consequences.