You're the one I Dream of
“Puta,” (you whore), she screamed at her, as tears drifting from her eyes, and taken away by the water. “You lied to me. You told me--.”
“No, no, don’t you dare,” she came upon her. “Don’t you dare.” She warned her of the consequences; if she mentioned Namor. That was the agreement of their wealth. Attuma gave them both the side eye, and wonder what game was these two playing.
“I don’t know, what is going on here, but trust me. I will get to the bottom of it.” His eyes, were dark, and slits took their place on his face, his voice was deep, but menacing. He went to Tecumbalam. “You left me all those years ago in shambles. Now, you return, and how do you leave me? Please go, I never want to see you ever again.” He looked at Maczil, if she is his child, how does he look at her, knowing what transpired between them.
He turned away, shaking his head. Tecumbalam swiftly made her exit, but Maczil remained. He will not dismiss her so easily; she is dealing with this as well as him. He will have to focus on getting her through it, if its possible.
“You are my father?” She came around to stared him in the face. But he wasn’t ready to look at her.
“Please Maczil, for once do as I ask,” he turned away from her. ‘I’m not ready to look at you, knowing,” he wasn’t able to say the words.
“What are you asking of me?” she inquired. “It’s the least I can do, after what my mother put you through.” At that moment, he found the courage; to look at her. He turned, facing her.
“Don’t do that,” he was firm. “Don’t you ever take responsibility of your mother’s actions. Tecumbalam, had ample time to tell me; but she chose to run away, with my child. She caused this tragedy. But I have to bear my part in this, by allowing it. Even if you weren’t mine, you were someone else’s child.”
“I’m far from being a child, father,” she reminded him of the painful ordeal. He stared at her after this statement.
“Is that what you think, being a grown up is all about?” He questioned her mind frame. “Did you not see, how unattached I was, with your grown-up abilities? Dealing with everyday crisis, and getting through them, whether you have the fortitude or not. Makes you an adult. That part is just an added accolade, but even better; when it’s with someone you love, and who loves you back.” He went to stare out the window, watching the various activities.
“The Wakandan woman,” she stated. He looked back at her.
“Okoye,” he says. “She has been in my dreams, since the day we fought each other, on a bridge one night.” She listened to how he sounded; when speaking of their first encounter.
“What about my mother?” She asked. “What was it like between you two?”
“Tecumbalam and I met in school,” he started. “She never mentioned me?”
“Yes, she did. She told me how much she loved and wanted you,” she told him.
“But not how we met in school and dated?” He found that strange, but then it’s Tecumbalam.
“Did you love her?” She asked.
“With all my heart,” he confessed. “That’s why I can’t wrap my brains around what she did.”
“Taking me away and hiding me from you?” Her voice was saddened. “I’m sorry Father, for hurting you.”
“How did you hurt me?” He was confused.
“What I did to you, it’s not easy to erase from our minds, which makes this so hard. Maybe I shouldn’t be around, while you’re in Talokan. Once you go back to Wakanda, you can leave this behind.”
“Remember when I explained, about being a grown up?” He says to her. “Well, this is exactly what I was speaking about. Going back to Wakanda, is not going to ease this situation. And you hiding out while I’m here, won’t either. It’s something we’ll have to work through, day by day, and one step at a time.” Maczil, nodded, then left.
Attuma broke and began to cry, he will never forgive himself. His daughter? He took off and swam away from Talokan, suddenly Namor and Namora concealing the fact; M'Baku and Shuri wanted to tell him about Okoye’s health, didn’t matter anymore. He was at such a high speed; he didn’t know where he was or how far he had swum. He came ashore of a distance island. He laid there face down, to distraught to move anymore.
“Tecumbalam, how could you do this to me?” He whispered. “How could you Tecumbalam?”
“Namor sat at his table eating, thinking about nothing in particular; when he heard the splash of water, alerting someone has come to visit. The footsteps sealed it. He looked up to see her come through the door, and cause him to be alarmed with her presence.
“Tecumbalam, what brings you here?” he straight up in his chair.
“We have a development,” she informed him.
“Oh, and what would that be?” He inquired. With her it’s always something.
“Did you know about Maczil and m-, I mean Attuma?” Namor had this sinister grin on his face.
“No need to correct yourself with me, I know you too well,” he says to her. “ And yes, I did. And I warned her not to pursue him,” he rose from his seat. “But as usual, she didn’t listen. Like mother like daughter.”
“Well, she will now, and may come to speak with you,” she informed him. Namor eyes narrowed, she’s not telling him something.
“She already spoke with me yesterday,” he told her. “Is there anything else I should know about?” She hesitated, but knew not to toy with him.
“She came home upset, because she felt Attuma had used her,” she told him.
“Yes, she said the same to me. But I told her, she was the violator; since she pushed the issue with him.” He responded.
“She will not be discussing Attuma in that aspect with you,” she took a seat at the table. He looked at her, having no doubt this was something major.
“Be careful Tecumbalam, do not try my patience,” he warned her. “Whatever it is, tell me.” She begins to cry, again. Namor wasn’t moved by them; he knew what a piece of work she was.
“She overheard me speaking with Attuma, and she thinks he’s her father,” she revealed.
“And where would she get that idea?” He said, in a nonchalant attitude. “Wait, you said she overheard you talking to Attuma?” He turned to her. “Did you tell Attuma he was her father?” His voice calm, but she could tell it in his eyes, he was pissed.
“Yes, I did,” she answered. “He deserves to know.”
“Wow, you are something. You break his heart, then when you discovered your daughter was with him, however disastrous, you decided to crush that heart you broke, by revealing he’s the father. It never occurred to you; what this will do to him, or our daughter? Or did you even care?”
“He has a right to know, he has a daughter,” she cried. Namor exhaled hard and long, then went to sit down, across from her.
“Demonio poolech u juntúul ko'olele',” (You crazy demon of a woman), he nearly shouted at her. “She is not his daughter, she’s mine.”
“No, that’s what we agreed on. You didn’t want to lose him, and the potential you saw in him.” She spoke. “You would say she’s yours, if it came up. You took care of us all these years.”
“You are such a silly person,” he glared at her. “Do you really think, I would deny him his child, and claim it for my own? She is mines, he could not have fathered her.” She looked at him confused, with his statement.
“What do you mean? What are you saying?” She was completely frantic.
“He doesn’t remember, and I’m going to have to remind him, if he’s planning on having a family with his Wakandan woman.” Tecumbalam stiffen at the mention of another woman.
“He’s involved?” Her voice was solemn. Namor looked over at her, and could tell by her expression; he had hit a nerve with what he said.
“More like deep rooted in love,” he informed her. “Anyways, let’s get back with the problem at hand. He couldn’t have got you or anyone pregnant; at the time. Due to him having a special procedure done. Nothing potent floating out of there, until he has it reversed.”
“No, we had many nights together, and I had that one night with you.” She was in hysterics, by now.
“My dear woman, it only takes once; with the right equipment,” he laughed.
“Wait, so Attuma isn’t my father?” Maczil ran into the room, getting the last of the conversation.
“No, my dear daughter, I am,” he reinforced the issue. Tecumbalam, sat quietly, trying to registered what Namor had explained.
“Oh, thank you Chaac,” she was relieved. To think, having to look at her father, knowing she had serviced him. ‘Eww,’ she thought. “Oh, wow.”
“What?” Namor looked at her.
“Attuma,” she said. “He thinks I’m his daughter, he’s in shambles.
“I should go tell him,” Tecumbalam volunteered.
“No, you two, stay away from the man. And that’s an order, not a suggestion,” he looked at them both. “I will tell him, and also inform him of the procedure he forgot he had. Not sure how he could have.”
“If he was drunk, he would have. He remembers nothing, in that state,” Tecumbalam told him.
.
“Oh, I see. That explains everything,” he acknowledged.
Attuma laid on the beach, covered in sand. It has been some time passing, since coming ashore. He couldn’t let it go, that he had violated his daughter. It didn’t matter to him if he touched her or not, things were done and he was aware.
He can’t go back there ever, and he can’t return to Wakanda, nor could he ever look Okoye in the face, knowing what happened. He wouldn’t be able to tell her, and he couldn’t keep it from her. It’s better if he disappears, and start over elsewhere. Maybe go be with his parents.
He rolled over unto his back, thinking about the promise he made of returning. But these are perilous times, and she could never understand; how he played with this young woman’s emotions. Then to find out it was his daughter, whether he knew she was or not.
“I’m sorry Okoye, so sorry,” he spoke into the universe.
“Attuma,” Okoye, clutched her chest. “He’s in trouble.” She went outside and stood for a moment contemplating going to Talokan. Then she had this urged, she went inside and grabbed the keys, then got into the land rover to go to his house. Maybe he came back, but something happened to keep him from getting there. “Uthando lwam, nceda ube khona.” (My love, please be there.)