You're the one I Dream of
Tecumbalam and Maczil , turned to their home, neither uttered a word. When they entered, Maczil headed straight to her room. Her mother turned to her, and wanted to talk. She saw that her daughter’s face; exhibited anger, and the pain she inflected on her, with her deceitful, and secretive ways. Anything she would say; would not be kind. But what did Tecumbalam care?
“Maczil,” she called to her, just before she could enter her room. “Don’t you want to talk about it?” Maczil, floated in place for several minutes, not saying a word, her back remained to her mother. “Nothing?” Tecumbalam pressed. Then, Maczil slowly turned to face her, her father’s face masked hers.
“Alright, Na' (Mother),” her voice distilled, but her eyes full of fire. “I was trying to be kind to you, by not speaking what’s raging in my mind; though you don’t deserve any kindness. In one morning, you managed to destroy a man’s life, but then you did that to him before; without remorse of your action.”
“How dare you judge me, on ethics,” she spit at her. “Weren’t you the one who was giving him your mouth to dump in?” Maczil, was clearly shaken; by this, coming from her mother. But she refused to give her that affirmation.
“Yes, I did that; and I wish I hadn’t, knowing what I know,” she fought back the tears, that wanted to make their entrance. But she refused to give them permission. “And for you, as my Na'; to speak to a waal (your daughter) in such a way, speaks volumes.”
“What else would you have me to say?” Tecumbalam asked her. “You knew how much I loved him, and yet, like the little slut, you are, you went after him.”
“And there it is, the topic of the ‘talk' you wanted us to have,” she was at full turbulence. “You only went there to humiliate him, and me; because he never knew you two ever did anything. He had to be drunk, before he could fathom touching you. And even then, no memory of it.” Tecumbalam floated towards her with purpose, and slapped her across the face. And with swift reflex, Maczil back handed her; sending her backwards from the force.
“How dare you hit me, I’m a Na',” Tecumbalam held a hand to her face, to relieve the pain.
“Never put your hands on me again,” she snapped. “I often wondered why the women in the marketplace, and through this luxurious neighborhood, would have nothing to do with you. Now I see, you are toxic, you ruin everything you touch. Namor, my father; you couldn’t corrupt; because you can’t poison what is already poisoned. You two belong together, but I doubt he would want to soil his hands, or any of his body parts on you.”
“Horrible ti', ingrata chan wench, (You horrible, ungrateful little wench),” she screamed at her. “Everything I did was for you, everything.”
“Even the part, when you concealed the fact, Attuma was my real father?” She asked.
“It was better that way,” she replied.
“For who? Me? Attuma? Or you? Because, you knew it would be revealed; you slept with the K’uk’ulkan. Then Attuma would question, whether or not; I was his child. Or maybe you already knew it. This craziness you performed, this morning so early; was your anger with him and me, to assure it never happened again.”
“What is this nonsense you are spewing?” She glared at Maczil.
“Nonsense, you say? No, I think I got it just right,” she says to her. “You hurt him, no, he was annihilated, by the reveal, and you knew it would. What’s that saying mama? If I can’t have you, then no one else will.”
“How can you say such things?” She started to cry.
“I’m done with you,” she says.
“I’m your mother.” Tecumbalam, desperately trying to appeal to her vulnerability.
“My mother? Like I should be honored,” she says to her. “In the little time, Attuma and I thought we were father and daughter; our bond was genuine. Even through the pain he was experiencing, his thoughts were on me, and how I was dealing with it all. He told me, what being a grown person consists of, but more importantly; he taught me about love.”
“Haven’t I taught you that already?” She asked her.
“What you taught me; as long as I’m doing what you want, we’re fine,” she responded. “And you know what? Us bonding, it didn’t hurt as much, that I did the unthinkable to my father, I could live with that. But knowing, he isn’t my father; hurts the most. But it’s okay, because, I will always have that time with him, knowing what a real parent is all about. Namor and you, never gave me any of that. It’s the reason I acted out, negative attention. The kicker of it all, it didn’t work. Neither of you gave a damn about me.”
“How can you say these hurtful things,” Tecumbalam cried. “We gave you everything you could ask or need. What more could you want?”
“Yes, I was given all this wealth,” she says. “But love, that’s what I could and did want. I’m leaving Talokan, I’m going to take the lead of the man; I had as a father for a while. I don’t want to see either of you ever again.” She turned and went into her room, and shut the door, leaning against it and finally, giving the freedom of the tears to flow.
“Namor will never allow you to go,” her mother yelled from the other side of the door. “He will find you and bring you back here. So go, and see how far you get or how long you will stay. I will tell him when he returns. You'll see, you will see.” Maczil didn’t respond.
“No need to say anything to my father,” she shouted back through the door. “I already played this scene out with him, and he had no qualms with me striking out on my own. And he told me if I needed him, just summon him, and he would be there.” She lied, to throw her off enough, to give her the opportunity, to speak with him herself.
It worked for now, Tecumbalam backed away from the door, stunned and bewildered. Surly Namor will cease funding her lavish lifestyle. What is she going to do? Maybe if she rekindled that night they spent, he could have a change of heart. Yes, once he returns, she will go see him.
Okoye drove up to Attuma’s cabin, and rushed to his door, pounding on it; and calling out to him. She looked around and towards the river, to see if he was swimming. Before she came there, she even stopped by their spot. She just couldn’t shake the feeling; something terribly wrong has occurred. She banged on it once more, than decided that was useless. If there’s a problem, he wouldn’t answer anyway.
She turned the knob and pushed the door open, then went inside. She called out to him, but received no answer. She moved further in, and could see he wasn’t there. She felt dejected, knowing he was in dire trouble. She walked down the hall to his bedroom; and stood in threshold of the door, peering in, and taking note of where every one of his belongings were located. She went to his bed, stood there looking at the outlined imprint of his body. She crawled on the bed, and laid in it, imaging him there with her.
Attuma laid on the shore, just inches from the water, that could be his life saver. But he was too weak to move, as he stared up to the sun, that could be an ally, but today was his foe. In his haste to flee Talokan, he had forgotten his rebreathers. Now at this moment, his life force was diminishing, and soon he will be no more.
TMay, his pet humpback whale, jumped out the water; moaning in distress sensing his master in dire need of help. An orca came, and because of his size, in comparison to the whale, had no problem coming partially ashore. It caught hold of one of Attuma’s feet in its mouth, between its teeth, and with two gentle tugs, had him in the water, safely. He struggled with taking in the water, that will fill his lungs, and replenished his depleted oxygen.
He was still weakening for being under the hot sun, and without water flowing through his body. TMay swam beneath him, and mounted him on his back. Then he swam off with him, to get the help he needed. The orca at his side.