Echoes Of The Heart

Episode 37

“What did you do to convince a level-headed woman like Sibu to do something this crazy?”
“I would think that I was old enough to make my own decisions,” Sibu said when she joined them. “Aren’t you going to sit down?” She nonchalantly asked Martin as she sat down herself.

Martin sat down without incident, choosing to sit as far away from Ted as possible.
“Are the two of you cuddling and making out in front of my son?” Martin asked.

“Jacob is old enough to understand what’s going on so don’t drag him into this,” Sibu said.

“I shouldn’t drag him when the two of you are busy doing God knows what right in front of him? I thought you were smarter than that Sibu.” He snapped.
“Spare me the insults Martin. I did not do anything morally questionable in front of my son. Why don’t you just tell us what’s really making you upset instead of using Jacob so shamelessly.”
“I asked you Sibu…I begged you not to….” Martin lamented.

Sibu could tell he was really hurting from the discovery. She never wanted him to find out in such a manner. She had planned on telling him everything once they returned home. How was she to know he would just pop up at the door unannounced like that?
“I am sorry Martin,” Sibu said.
“Why should you apologize to him Sibu?” Ted shouted from where he was seated. “You don’t need to explain anything to your ex-husband about who you are dating when he has already set up home with some skunk from God knows where.”
“Hey you better watch your language man,” Martin warned from his other end. “Veronica might be a lot of things but she is still the mother of my second child.”
“Set your priorities straight man,” Ted said and got up to head upstairs.

“Where do you think you are running to?” Martin had run after him and pulled him back by the collar.

“What do you want me to do?” Martin asked Ted who was now facing him. “Tell me what you want from me so that you can leave my wife alone Ted.” He said in a pleading tone. “I know things between us haven’t been good in a very long time but you and I used to be friends man. How could you do this to me?”

“I did not do anything to you Martin,” Ted countered. “When will you get it through your head that Sibu is not your wife anymore and that you are never getting back together?”

Sibu remained seated in spot while the two men exchanged words. She had her head hanging between her legs and kept rocking her body back and forth as if to shut out their voices.

“You might think that you’ve won now just because she’s living under your roof but I can promise you that I will get her back no matter what it takes.”

Sibu could not take it anymore. She got up and quietly walked out of the house, the two men oblivious to the fact that she was no longer in the room.

“Do you even love Sibu or you just want her back just to fulfill some idea in your head because you failed to make her stay the first time around?”
Martin landed a punch across Ted’s face. Instead of retaliating, Ted had this smirk on his face. “If there was no child in the house, I would have taken you out right now but I have an example to set for my son.”
“Your son?” Martin was burning in rage. “How about having your own children instead of claiming another mans. Or is that too hard for you to do Ted? Is that why you’ve remained a bachelor all these years?”

“Don’t flatter yourself Martin,” Ted fired back. “I can easily make arrangements to make a baby right now because there is a woman in this room that wants me. That’s more than can be said for you?” Ted was looking to where Sibu had been seated but his eyes widened in surprise when he couldn’t find her.

“Where did she go?” Ted said, mostly to himself than to Martin.
“How should I know,” Martin muttered. “Isn’t this supposed to be your house?” His eyes searched around the place.
“If you are going to behave like this every time you come here, I hope today will be the last time you will show up at my house,” Ted said sternly.
“You really think you are all that don’t you?” Martin glared at his former best friend. “I was once married to that woman before and I can make it happen again. We have a child together for that matter. Even you should know that there are just certain bonds that cannot be broken.”
Ted scoffed at him. “If that bond was that strong, the two of you should have never divorced in the first place…and she certainly wouldn’t have told me that I am the only man to have ever made her feel safe and happy.”

That seemed to soak Martin up wet. “Sibu told you that?” He regretted the question the moment it came out.

“Did you even know the woman you had married? You had a woman like that right next to you yet you never even noticed the scars on her heart. And you keep calling yourself her husband…I would be ashamed if I were you.” And with that, he stormed off to his room.

“You can play in Jacob’s room for as long as you like,” Ted shouted as he took the stairs to his room.

Martin could not get himself to move. He remained where Ted had left him and drifted off in his thoughts as Ted’s words echoed from every corner of his mind.

You had a woman like that right next to you yet you never even noticed the scars on her heart. And yet you keep calling yourself her husband…I would be ashamed if I were you.

What did he mean by that? Martin wondered.