Esau was a man in transition. He had undergone a surprising change almost overnight. From a sober man, he had unbelievingly been transformed into a drunk. He took to serious drinking almost a week after the deadlock in his affair with Gloria.
He was now a bitter man. Annoyed with himself for having fallen for an unfaithful woman, he sought consolation in drinks. Beer made one forget his problems, at least, thought Esau.
Like most drunks, he had joined the beer culture in which one could go to a bar with a few dollars or shillings in his pocket and end up getting drinks from his friends. Once inside the beer club and culture, friends would even provide a lady for the evening. Esau usually returned home after midnight wet and soaked with beer.
Alfredo had noticed the metamorphosis in his son. And this really disappointed him when he saw that his son, who had been such a fine young man, had been transformed into a wreck.
At first, he could not understand the cause of that sudden change. Then, he decided to wait for an opportunity to arise and investigate.
It never took long. Alfredo was still awake one night when he heard Esau's motorbike stop outside their house. He became alert almost instantly since he knew that Esau had come from his drinking sprees.
When he was sure his son had entered the house, Alfredo left his sleeping wife on their bed and tip-toed to Esau's bedroom.
He reached just in good time to find Esau was about to lock the door to his bedroom. Then he knocked on the door.
"Who the hell is that coming silently like a rat out of its hole?" Esau asked drunkenly.
Alfredo noticed the tone in his son's voice and apologized almost immediately. "It's me, my son! I want to have a word with you."
"What words do you want to have with me, you son of a bitch?" Esau growled and opened his bedroom door.
Then Alfredo saw his son. Esau looked like an old man of fifty years and his eyes appeared quite lifeless. Alfredo pitied his son as he saw him standing quite unsteadily.
He began to talk. "Look here, son, what's wrong with you these days? You were a good, obedient, and quite a smart young man. But now you've been transformed into somebody and something else. Tell me, what's bothering you? There must be something wrong, and I'd like to…"
Esau cut him short, "What's bothering me? Drop dead! Or go and ask Gloria; she'll tell you."
"What has Gloria done to you?" Alfredo was alarmed when he realized that she was the root cause of the problem.
"Why bother, you son of a bitch? Go and fuck your wife! She's there just waiting for you!" He laughed as he spoke.
Alfredo swallowed hard but managed to control himself. "Never mind my son. Has Gloria offended you? Well, if she thinks she can play about with a Karahani and get away with it, then she'll be shocked because she has to reckon with me first. Now tell me; what has she done?"
That seemed to please Esau. His father was on his side. It was the greatest reassurance he needed at such a time.
He replied, "You're right, dad! She's a whore and just another useless woman. I caught her making love with Jacob. I saw her kissing him in the moonlight."
So that was it!
Alfredo's mind was activated. At least he had learnt something. "Well, don't worry, my son. I'll sort out things for you. But don't go about drinking heavily just because a woman has disappointed you. Don't ruin yourself because of a woman. I was never like that."
He tried to comfort his son. And Esau suddenly beamed when he heard his father's words, "Sure, dad!"
"I always warned you. Remember when I told you to take your time with Gloria? Don't marry in haste, that's what I said. And never rush to every woman who is beautiful. Beware of such women; they're like dynamite," he warned as well advised.
Silence settled over the room as Esau remained silent.
Then Alfredo continued, "Moreover, beauty must never be the sole criterion in choice for a wife. You need an honest and faithful woman."
Alfredo was trying to advise his son but immediately realized this was no time for such words when he saw Esau begin to frown. His timing was wrong as Esau needed more sympathy and comforting words, not rebukes or blame games.
"Who the hell made you a moralist? You are now preaching to me yet you love money and despise the poor because you are rich. You're too snobbish! Like your wife, you consult witches and astrologers! Think I don't know that? Fuck you and fuck Gloria!" Esau yelled at his father and pushed him out of the room, closing the door in his face.
Alfredo tried to knock at the door. "Open up, my son! I've one more thing to tell you."
But Esau was adamant. His voice came from inside, "Go and fuck your wife! She's just lying there waiting for you."
The old man stood for some minutes outside Esau's bedroom, trying to think of what to do. Then he heard him snoring and knew he was asleep.
He went back to his bedroom and jumped into bed. As he lay pondering over the latest development, he knew he had uncovered a useful lead. Things were not alright, he told himself.
Jacob had also never come back to visit them as promised. Perhaps it would be better, he decided, to ring and ask him to come. Then, he would be able to solve the mysterious case.
And there was Gloria too. He had to find out exactly why Esau was unhappy and took to serious drinking. He could not sleep much that night.