Dysfunctional Family - Season 1 - Episode 23

Episode 4 years ago

Dysfunctional Family - Season 1 - Episode 23

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David couldn’t stop stealing glances at Juliet who easily noticed. They were having a quiet dinner with their spouses at a fancy restaurant in town.

David’s wife Chanda whom Juliet found to be chatty and annoying was saying, “I like your nails, Juliet. I think since you and I are both full time housewives, why don’t we start hanging out more often seeing as we have a lot in common?”

“That’s a great idea, sweetheart. Why not?” Juliet had to force a smile.
Donald noticed she wasn’t happy in the least way possible so he suppressed a chuckle. Trust Juliet to think she’s better than the rest and he knew that was her exact opinion about Chanda.

“Why don’t we have a couple of drinks?” offered David who was beginning to get bored with the arrangement. Such “dinners” weren’t his thing.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Donald replied, sounding like Juliet had only a few moments ago. They poured some wine for each other and began sipping while talking about nothing in particular. Chanda did most of the talking though.

Bemba women are so primitive and talkative! thought an agitated Juliet who almost voiced out her prejudiced opinion but ended up excusing herself, saying she needed to use the loo.

“Aren’t you drinking more?” Donald asked Chanda when he noticed she only drank one glass of wine and quit.
“She’s better off sober,” replied David nonchalantly. “Trust me.”
Chanda laughed. “He’s right…” She went ahead and narrated an embarrassing and funny experience she’d had in high school after getting drunk which left Donald in stitches of laughter. It also left him wondering why David constantly complained to him about this and that, concerning her. To him, she seemed like a down to earth woman whom he’d trade for Juliet if he hadn’t had Amos and Alice with her.

Chanda was still laughing while narrating her tale when David’s phone rang.
“It’s mum,” he was gloomy as he announced who was calling. “I gotta take this.”

“Alright, sweetheart,” Chanda patted his arm and urged him on.

David excused himself and went outside to talk. Of course his mother was pressuring him to give her a grandchild, as usual.

Immediately he was done talking on the phone and had just stashed it in his pocket, David saw Juliet leave the public toilets outside the restaurant so he rushed towards her and without preamble, pinned her against the wall and kissed her.

Juliet liked the kiss but to due to the little dignity that was left in her, she pushed David away.

“What are you doing?”
“What I’ve been wanting to do since the first day I set eyes on you.” he leaned in to kiss her again and she pushed him off once more.

“Don’t you want this, Juliet?”
“I would have wanted it some time back but not anymore, David. I just got my man back and don’t wanna lose him..am sorry. Just go back to your chatty wife though I’d have lost my mind by now if I were you.”

“Meaning?”
“Bemba women have issues..thats none of my business though. Let go of my arms, David.”

He slowly and sheepishly let her go.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated and walked away, leaving him gaping at her provocative behind like a fool.

David gained composure and went back to the table where Juliet and him acted like nothing had transpired between them outside.
Chanda was going through her phone when she realised she had an emergency so she excused David and herself and they left, apologizing.

“That was fun,” said Donald honestly as he walked to the car with Juliet.
“Yeah it was,” she lied.

They drove straight home and Donald was the one who opened the door only for them to witness incest. Alice was atop Lubesha, half dressed. And they were kissing.
When the door opened, Lubesha shoved Alice aside and sprang to his feet.
“What’s going on here?” asked Juliet. She willed it was only the little alcohol she’d taken playing mind games with her.
Alice grabbed her clothes and covered her half exposed b-----s and private part.
“It’s Lubesha,” she spoke, shaking. “He..he’s been sleeping with me for a month now.”

“That’s a lie!” Lubesha almost screamed. “Uncle, you know I’d never do such a thing. I was seated on the couch when Alice showed up drunk and the next thing I knew she’d stripped and was on top of me, begging me to kiss her. I told her she was drunk and that she should get off me, that’s when she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me.” he bowed his head. “That’s precisely when you and aunt walked in.”

“He’s the one who’s lying, mum and Dad,” Alice had no choice but to play victim. She was sorry she had to do this to Lubesha but she couldn’t risk her father finding out she’s the one who was trying to initiate the sex. “Lubesha brainwashed me into sleeping with him, assuring me he was just making me a woman. Prepping me for relationships.” She started sobbing.

Lubesha stared at her in disbelief. “Why are you lying?”

“I’m not lying! We’ve been caught, Lubesha. At least I’ve admitted to sleeping with you..”
“Which is a big fat lie! Why are you doing this to me, Alice?”

“Enough,” Juliet snapped, walking over to where Lubesha was standing and slapping him. “We should get you arrested for this!”
Donald’s eyes were watery as he walked towards Juliet and Lubesha. “No one is calling the police today.”

“Why not?”
“Because I’ve got a better punishment for this ungrateful b-----d.”
“Uncle-”
“Shut up!” Donald bawled, grabbing Lubesha by the collar. His words were slurred as he was too angry. “After everything I’ve done for you? This is how you repay me? Tell me where I went wrong, Lubesha.”
“No where, uncle. I swear to you on my late parents’ graves I’ve never slept with Alice. She’s lying.”

Alice was crying now and had buried her head in Juliet’s arms. She sniffed, “Why would I lie to you, Dad?”
This time Donald decided to side with his child so he punched Lubesha hard in the face. “I should have done this a long time ago!”
Lubesha who had landed with a thud on the couch was at a loss for words. Clearly his uncle thought he was guilty. Donald angrily stormed off to Lubesha’s room and dragged his bags outside. “Leave!”
Lubesha knelt before Juliet, Alice and Donald.
“Please, I have nowhere else to go.”
“You should have thought of that before laying a finger on my daughter!” yelled Juliet. “You should be grateful Donald has a heart of gold cause I’d have gotten you arrested by now. Now if you have an ounce of shame left in you, please leave this house and never come back!”
“Uncle Donald-”
“Should I drag you out?” Donald rudely interrupted him. “Cause I can do that and more if that’s what it takes me to get you out of my house.”


“No you don’t,” accepting his fate, Lubesha rose to his feet and grabbed his bags. One more time, he repeated, “Alice is lying.”

He ran into Amos on his way out.
“What’s going on?”
“Ask your sister,” and he was gone.


☆☆☆

Donald was too angry to do anything sensible so he grabbed a bottle of whiskey and began drinking his misery away. Lubesha had disappointed him like no one else had before.
Juliet was consoling Alice in her (Alice’s) room when she asked the unexpected. “Did he really do it?”

“What do you think?”
Juliet thought he didn’t. Her hatred for Lubesha was strong, yes. But it didn’t blind her. She knew Lubesha was too noble to even contemplate going to bed with Alice. Whatever had gotten into her daughter, she was just glad Alice was finally living up to her (Juliet’s) expectations.

Who would have thought Alice was the answer to her prayers?
I’ll finally have the last laugh, thought Juliet wryly with a smirk.

Amos walked up to his father and grabbed the whiskey bottle from his grip. “You’ve had enough, Dad.”
Donald didn’t protest. “Do you think he’s guilty?”
“If Alice says he is,” Amos shrugged. “Then he is.”
That left Donald in tears.
With his bags, Lubesha walked straight to the nearest church. The chapel was empty so he dragged his bags in and began shouting at God.
“Why did you create me? Why did you put me on earth, God? So you could mock me, right? Well guess what, I’m done having hope! I’m done believing in you!”
“What makes such a young man utter such bitter words?”
Lubesha wiped his tears and turned. A man had just entered the chapel. “If you’ve been through what I have, you’d be cussing at God right now.”
“Which is the exact thing you’re doing,” replied the man who gestured towards the front pew. “Lets go take a seat.”
They sat.
“Tell me all about your troubles, young man.” Desperately craving a shoulder to lean on, Lubesha narrated his entire story to the stranger. Beginning from his mother and father’s untimely deaths and ending with him being unfairly thrown out of his uncle’s house.
“You’ve been through hell, young man. Still, that doesn’t give you the right to talk rudely to God. So you’ll apologize to Him and be grateful you’re still alive and well. Do you know how many people are in hospitals fighting for their lives and begging God to save them? Do you know how many people out there would do anything just to experience a glimpse of your life? You’re alive today because God has a plan for you. My dear boy, life is not a walk in the park so it’s only normal that each and everyone of us has our own portion of suffering, its part of life. What am trying to tell you is when one door closes, another one definitely opens.”