Agree to Disagree

The tension in the room grew quickly. Calhoun Mane felt overwhelmed with rage, showing no sympathy for the woman who had once treated him nicely. After twenty years, they had grown apart. Kameron had made plenty of unrealistic excuses to leave the house, and it’s been weeks now. Their arguments had always been about credit scores and income. Now they became more personal, and Calhoun aimed to cut Kameron to the core. He knew which words would destroy their longstanding bond.

Kameron stormed out the front door. She only said that his words were the most hateful she had ever heard. Once she drove off in her car, Calhoun cried for hours. He acted out in response to her behavior. This time, her cheating was the last straw. He vowed never again to allow her access to his heart. Losing her was the most difficult moment in his adult life. She knew the trauma underlying Calhoun’s childhood caused him to distrust, but she still decided to step out with another guy.

Calhoun moved in with his brother, Gerry. Their relationship had ended long before they decided to show support for one another. Gerry required medical help, while Calhoun sought distraction. Life had started to unravel for Calhoun. The stress of caring for a heart transplant patient, frequent doctor appointments, and his finances made him a grumpy guy. He held back words that fueled an eventual outpouring about things from the past. Neither brother had treated the other respectfully, and now they forced themselves into civil responses to keep Gerry alive.

The fact that Gerry lived through the whole experience was a miracle. Once he healed up nicely with that brand-new heart, Gerry reverted to old habits. Lies and deception, along with years of pent-up aggression, led the two brothers to stop talking altogether. Calhoun knew God wouldn’t want this situation to continue with so much animosity, but betrayal was a cold meal served with a side of resentment.

Calhoun had already lost so much love. A life of isolation and distrust led him to an old, dusty apartment without the luxury of Kameron. Two decades were a long time, and all Calhoun could do now was to look deep inside and find where things had gone terribly wrong. He now sensed that he needed to agree to disagree with others.