What Goes Around

© 2024 JoshFrom53.

Dear Reader,

Below the line is, according to the word count of Google Docs 750 words. I take its word for it.

This popped into my head while lying awake during the night and I think that there are worse ways to keep yourself from brooding, but it's a bit dark.

The usual disclaimers apply. It's all in my head.

SouthernCrossfire was so kind to edit this on short notice. SC: I'm grateful.

Oh, and readers if you want to read a proper story, check out the ones he wrote.

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"Good morning, this is Marc Arnolds."

"Marcus?"

came through his phone's speaker.

It was a voice Marc had heard five years ago for the last time.

"Yes, speaking. Who is this?"

"Don't you recognize your mother's voice anymore? I've had to go through so much trouble to find you."

"My mother died five years ago, along with the rest of my family."

That was cause for a moment of silence.

"You don't mean that!"

"I definitely do. Why do you think I changed my name from Kraft to Arnolds?"

"Your brother is ill, we thought you'd like to know."

"I don't have a brother. He died too, with the rest of the family."

Mrs. Kraft decided to change tracks.

"I looked at your website. You're doing quite well for yourself with your software, aren't you?"

"That's none of your business. Come to the point. What do you want from me that I'm not going to give to you?"

"You're not going to make it easy for me, are you?"

Marc didn't reply.

With a sigh Mrs. Kraft continued,

"Stop being dense. You are my son and Matt's older brother."

"My name, officially, is Marcus Arnolds and I don't have any family besides my own. And I warn you, one more slight and this conversation ends."

Mrs. Kraft was shocked at the idea that her eldest son had a family. That must mean that he was married and had children. She desperately wanted to know, but first, more important things.

"Your brother is ill. His kidneys are failing."

"Couldn't happen to a nicer guy."

Mrs. Kraft started to get emotional, desperation and anger battling for supremacy.

"Don't you see. He needs a new kidney and you are most likely compatible!"

She was almost shouting through the phone.

"Ma'am, it seems that my so-called 'brother always wants what I have. My toys, my car that he wrecked, my business, my house, my wife, and the children. Now he wants my body parts too?"

Marc heard his mother swallow an invective and frantically try to get herself under control.

"He is your brother. Help him or he dies."

"No, he isn't anymore. He took everything I had from me and some more. I don't have anything to give to him anymore and besides, there is that wonderful treatment called dialysis. So don't bother me."

"We can't afford that, even if we all pitch in."

"He literally fucked me out of over ten million Euro's. Don't tell me that that is all gone."

Marc heard only heavy breathing at the other end of the line.

"He isn't the business man you are. The company is failing. Customers and employees are leaving. Think about the children."

"Oh, I think about the children. My children, from my wife and me. Tell me why I should think of the children of that cheating skank of an ex-wife of me and the fucking asshole? We established a long time ago that I didn't provide for that DNA. I just hope his condition isn't hereditary."

"What did you just say?"

Marc didn't repeat himself.

His maternal grandmother with the maiden name Arnolds had already informed him that they were looking for him and why. She was the one that helped him out of the mire and introduced him to his wife.

As soon as Marc knew that his (ex)brother had kidney problems he had himself tested and found himself spared of that fate.

Of course there are other things that can cause kidneys to fail. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and drug abuse.

"Did you just say that it can be hereditary?"

There was definitely a note of panic in Mrs. Kraft's voice.

"I did."

"Can you come and have yourself tested?"

"I won't. He can rot and go to hell the worst way, as far as I'm concerned."

"But, who's going to support Lucia and the children when he's gone?"

"You and your husband, of course. You two supported them in ripping my livelihood from under me, shredding my heart and destroying my soul.

"I have a life again and you have altogether five grandchildren and you will never meet three of them.

"Anyway, the chance that I will donate a kidney to that degenerate parasite is less than zero."

With that Matt disconnected and blocked the number.

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