Cassandra: A Short Story

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  We Aren’t the Huxtables

  By:

  Toni

  Now available on Amazon

  The McCulloughs

  10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1, happy New Year. “Goodbye 2014 and hello 2015,” Jordan said, taking a long swig of his champagne. He sat at the table with his two older brothers, Joseph aka Little Joe and Jesse. The McCullough boys had a lot to be proud of, 2014 was a good year for them. “Not so fast Jordan, 2014 has been good to us. The Atlanta Journal voted me pediatrician of the year. Jesse, I’m so proud of you, little bro. The Atlanta Bar Association’s lawyer on the rise award winner.”

  Little Joe took a sip of his apple cider while patting Jesse on the back. “Yeah 2014 was good, so 2015 can only be better. So, here’s to the future,” he said, raising his glass.

  Jordan cleared his throat. When no one noticed, he cleared his throat again. “What Jordan,” Jesse responded.

  “Y’all fools gone act like I haven’t accomplished anything this year?” Little Joe took another sip from his glass. He wouldn’t even dignify that with a response. Jordan was childish and selfish as hell. If it wasn’t for somebody else taking care of him, he would be in a sad place.

  While Little Joe held his piece, Jesse had no problem telling Jordan what he thought. “Because you didn’t accomplish anything this year.”

  “Here we go,” Little Joe remarked.

  “Bullshit. I accomplished just as much as you two.”

  “Jordan, I’ll give you five hundred dollars right now if you can name two things you accomplished this year.”

  “First, I drive a brand new 2014 Mercedes S-Class, and I live in a banging house.”

  Jesse sucked his teeth and rolled his eyes. Jordan was clueless, and on his last nerve. “Yeah, all paid for by the woman you’re banging.”

  “Enough you two, damn,” Little Joe said. “Y’all fight like little kids sometimes. Can we please not do this tonight? Moving on to New Year’s resolutions, Jesse you go first.”

  Jesse finished his champagne, “I am going to get married,” he said without hesitation.

  “Man please, you not even dating anybody,” Jordan said, hoping his words stung Jesse as much as his stung him.

  “Jesse why are you in such a rush to get married? Take your time, enjoy being single,” Little Joe said. He was starting to get a little agitated, he was in no mood to play peace keeper between Jesse and Jordan tonight.

  Jesse knew what Little Joe was doing. He would let that slide for now. “Little Joe if I didn’t know better, I would swear it sounded like you regret getting married” Jesse replied.

  “That’s not what I’m saying. I love Cat and my kids. I’m just saying I was way too young when we got married.”

  “Well, I’m about to be thirty-five. I’m nowhere near too young. Enough about me, what are your resolutions?”

  Little Joe thought about it. He had accomplished just about everything he set out to, he really couldn’t want for more. “Well, my resolution is to take care of me. The kids are older, my practice is booming, and I’m where I want to be financially. Hell, it’s time I enjoyed the results of my hard work.”

  “I’m feeling that, Joe,” Jesse said. “You’ve been taking care of everybody else for so long it is about time you started taking care of yourself.”

  Little Joe appreciated that. He didn’t think anybody realized just how much he sacrificed. For as long as he could remember, he put everyone else’s needs ahead of his own. Through it all he never complained. He just did what he thought was expected of him. It felt good to know he was at least a little appreciated. “Alright Jordan, it’s your turn.”

  Jordan nodded his head, “I don’t have any resolutions this year. I’m happy with my life right now, so I’m just going to enjoy the moment.” Little Joe rubbed his temples. He didn’t know why he was so surprised. He should have expected such a selfish answer from him. “Seriously, Jordan, there’s nothing you want to work on this year?”

  “Like what,” he asked, staring down a woman at the bar. Little Joe sighed in aggravation. There was no use in talking to him, especially if he didn’t see the problem.

  “How about being a better father to your kids,” Jesse said.

  “Jesse, fuck you. I’m a damn good father to my kids, I pay my child support.”

  “Being a father is more than having your current fling write a check. It’s about spending time with them on days other than their birthdays and Christmas.” The truth hurts and at that moment Jordan was hurting like hell.

  “What the hell you know about being a father? How many kids do you have? No, wait, I get it, your soldiers don’t march. Ha, you shooting blanks.”

  Jesse, slide off his jacket and pushed Jordan to the floor. Jordan was so mad he could feel the steam coming from his ears. Jordan got up from the floor, then Jesse stood up. They stood eye to eye. “Oh, you are trying to hurt my feelings little boy? Guess what, you are going to have to try harder than that.” Jordan was ready to strike. He saw the fire in Jesse’s eyes.

  Jesse stood with his fist and teeth clenched, his eyebrows were furrowed. Jordan smirked, he knew which buttons to press to tick his brother off. Now he just waited for Little Joe to intervene. Instead Little Joe sat back and watched the scene unfold. Everyone else in the club was too busy drinking and having a good time to notice the explosive situation. Jordan knew he couldn’t win a fist fight with Jesse. They may have been the same height and build, but Jordan’s bark was way worse than his bite. Realizing Little Joe wasn’t going to do anything he did the smart thing and backed down. “Whatever man, you a hater.”

  Jordan walked away from the table and towards the bar. Little Joe ran his hand through his dreads, “Jess was that really necessary?”

  “Joe, don’t start with me and don’t call me that,” Jesse snapped. He picked up the champagne bottle and topped off his glass. “Instead of coming for me, you and pops need to let Jordan’s nuts drop and make him be a man.”

  “Don’t lash out at me because Jordan’s words rung true.”

  Jesse chugged the champagne. His skin was thick; it would take a lot more than a few cheap shots from Jordan to shake him. “This is not about what Jordan said. It’s about the fact that he’s twenty-six and you and pops still treat him like he’s six. You have a problem with what I said to him, but you haven’t said zip about what he said to me.”

  Little Joe kept on like he didn’t hear what Jesse said. Jesse was older, he should have never let it come to blows. “You know what your problem is Jesse?”

  “No. I don’t Little Joe. So please, inform me.”

  “You can dish it out, but you can’t take it.”

  “So once again, I’m the problem?” Jesse shook his head, shit never changed.

  Little Joe stood up and put on his coat. “You know what, you and Jordan have managed to ruin the first night out I’ve had in a long time. I’m going home, so if you want a ride, let’s go.” Jesse chugged another glass of champagne and ran behind Little Joe, who was already half way to the door. Jordan saw them leave, but was too busy saving the number of some girl in his phone to care.

  Jesse

  Little Joe zoomed through traffic. Even at one in the morning traffic was still heavy. The closer we got to my house the more I dreaded it. It was a shame, anyone in their right mind would be glad to call my place home. It was a five bedroom, three bath palace, that overlooked my own personal lake. The granite counter tops assented the marble floors and Italian leather furniture. Yet every time I walked in, it took everything in me not to burn it to the ground. It was so cold and lonely. Like a high-priced prison. “Jesse you’re home. You can get out now.”

  I didn’t even realize we had arrived. I couldn’t even stand looking at the place. “Joe man, I’m sorry. The night doesn’t have to end like this, you want to grab a bite to eat?”

  He laid his head back against the headrest. “Jesse i
t’s late, I’m tired, plus I have church in the morning.”

  I undid my seatbelt, “man you’re getting old, you can’t hang like you use to”.

  “Goodnight,” he said as I got out.

  As I made my way up to the door, my feet felt like lead. I walked into the living room and closed the door. Immediately the silence and loneliness wrapped themselves so tightly around me that I felt as if I was suffocating. When I first bought this house, I planned on it being filled with a wife and kids by now. With each year that passed and the older I got, the more I began to lose faith that I would ever have those things.

  I dragged myself upstairs. As I entered my bedroom, I undressed and let my clothes hit the floor. Wearing nothing but my Calvin Klein underwear I sat down on my California king bed. My body shivered because of the cold. Joe’s words raced through my mind, “Jesse your home.” I swallowed a large sleeping pill and laid down. “You’re wrong Joe, this isn’t a home. It’s just a house.”

  Jordan

  My ringing cellphone woke me from a sound sleep. Stirring a little, I jerked up when it rang again. Sitting up in a strange bed, I wiped the sleep from my eyes and the slob from the side of my mouth. After getting out of the bed, I found my clothes folded neatly on the dresser. I snatched my phone from my pants and saw forty missed calls. “Damn.”

  I almost dropped it when it began to ring again. “Hey Tracy.”

  “Hey Tracy nothing. Where are you?”

  “I’m at Little Joe’s house.”

  “Don’t