Another Brother, chapter 3
When Mike pulled up at his house, my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe it! The first time I saw it I was to whacked to notice, but it was fucking huge. It looked like paradise. That or maybe the morphine hadn't worn off yet. After all I had only just got out of the hospital.
"You like?" he asked with a grin as he pulled his seat belt off. And opened the car door. I nodded dumbly. Then followed Mike into the house.
We went passed the kitchen, living room, up two flights of stairs to the top level, and down a hall. It was like a maze it was so big. He stopped at a room, I looked though the door.
"This is my room, if you need me I'll be in here, you'll be sleeping in my office" he said as he directed me. It was the weirdest office I had ever seen. Guitars, basses and more were all set up around the place. The walls were painted with a dark blue paint, apart from a metal self in the corner that was it, oh and there was a mattress on the floor with a pillow and blanket.
"Sorry bud, its not much but our guest room is taken, and unless you want to share a room with Estella, then this is all we got." He explained.
"Nah man, after sleeping on pavement for A year this is like a taste of haven." I thanked.
"Well when you move in here we can fix it up a bit, chuck up some posters and well, get a proper bed." He said as he left.
"If I move in" I corrected under my breath.
"Dinner's in 10, get cleaned up and put on a change of clothes!" Mike called as he made his way down stairs.
"Okay, that can't be that hard. I can't get into any trouble doing that, if I only had a change of clothes to change into, and knew where the bathroom was!" I snarled.
I didn't have any possessions, I owned nothing. Asides from the black tshirt, old torn jeans I've had since I was 10 and the crummy 'talking' shoes I wore on my feet I didn't have anything else. Now that my bass was gone. I stood there for a bit just thinking.
Then Mike re-appeared at the door, "Um yea, I forgot. You don't have any clothes, chuck on these, they were mine, so they'll probably be way to big, but just chuck em on and have a shower. I'll wash those clothes of yours and I can get you a change of clothes in the morning." He insisted. As he chucked me some clothes.
I chucked them on with no time for a shower. Then made my way down stairs.
The clothes where 100 times to big. the pants were folded over up to my knees. But the singlet wasn't to bad, it was mostly just the fact the I was so skinny.
As I was making my way to the kitchen for dinner I herd a women's scream. I came running in. it was Mike's wife-to-be. With Estella.
"What's wrong??" I panted. After I had come running.
"Catch that mouse!" they screamed at the top of there lungs.
'What's with women and mice?' I thought to myself.
Just then a white tiny little mouse ran towards me, I lifted my foot and crunched down hard on it. Probably breaking its spine. Ruining all chances of it living.
"ARHHHH!!!" screamed Estella again.
"Don't worry Estella, its dead," I assured.
"You moron! That was her pet mouse!! I had just escaped from the cage! When I say CATCH that mouse I don't mean KILL it!" screeched Mike's wife-to-be, Marie.
Estella started to cry and ran out the room. 'God dam it Ryan!' Thought aloud. I was trying to help, and it ended in tears. Usually stuff like only happens when I do it on purpose.
I was left in the kitchen by myself as Marie went of to comfort Estella. I felt so bad. I didn't know it was hers, how was I meant to know it was hers? I panicked, Estella now hates me, and seeing she means so much to Mike he wont let me live with him.
"Fuck" I said aloud, I had to make it better.
'I know I can buy her a new one!' I thought, yea that would work, it was a bloody good idea for some one like me that had the IQ of 3.
But first I had to get some money. That's when I saw Marie's hand bag just sitting there on the table. Just looking at me. Probably with a perse full of money.
"Oh Ryan don't" I said to myself.
I wouldn't be taking that much, $5, I would buy the mouse then find some way to get Maries money back.
I reasoned with myself.
It's not stealing if you pay it back right? And it's for Estella, its not like I'm taking it for myself.
I went to walk towards the purse, when I realized the dead mouse was stuck to my shoe. "Gross." I said as I nearly fell over as I took my shoe off. I whipped the mouse into the bin, and then quickly wiped up the muck on the floor.
I grabbed Marie's purse, opened it, a $50 note was all that was in there. I had no choice, I mean I was going to pay her back. If I left now and put the money back tonight no one will notice.
I pocketed the money and headed for the door.
I had no idea that Estella saw the whole thing. She was watching from the stair case, a grin came up on her face. she was ready for revenge on the boy that killed her mouse. She wiped away the tears as she headed back upstairs. To find the phone. She instantly dialled Billie Joe's number and asked for Joey.
I quickly hit the street; the sun was beginning to set. I was walking for about two hours when I stumbled across a pet store in the middle of the main street in the city nearest to Mike's house.
I pulled open the door. And made my way to the back of the store past the fish and puppies out the front. I went through all the mice, I couldn't find a god dam white one like Estella original!
Then finally the shop keeper came over after serving several other costumers.
"Can I help you young man?" he asked with a sleigh voice.
"Yea man, you got any white mice's?" I asked as politely as I could. He was an old man, so he had trouble hearing me, and understanding me with my bad grammar.
"Yes we do young man, right over there." He pointed to one of the mice in a far cage. Then he realized he had more costumers waiting at the counter. "Bring it to the counter when your ready to buy it son" he said as he hobbled over to serve the kid at the counter. He had short blackish hair and was dressed a lot like Billie Joe. I could have sworn I saw a kid like him in some of the photos at Mikes house. I shrugged my shouldered and reached up for the mouse cage holding the white mouse.
While I was doing that a boy came in and knocked me as a went past. Purposely placing a brown mouse in my pocket, I didn't notice because the pants were so big. Then he want back to the counter and leaned forward and whispered some thing into the shop owners ear. "Mr. I think that boy's shoplifting" he said pointing at me.
I didn't notice this I was to busy trying to get the mouse out of the cage. From the shop owner's perspective, although he did show me the cage where the mouse was, it probably looked like I was shop lifting.
"Hey stop young man! What do you think your doing!" he called as he hobbled over.
I was confused at first. "Um... Getting this bloody mouse out of the cage to buy it" I explained. I didn't think I was doing anything wrong.
"Then explain this!" he snarled as he pulled the brown mouse out of my pocket. I was stunned. I didn't even know it was there.
"Hey look man, I didn't steal that! I swear! It must of got out of this cage when I was reaching in for this mouse!" I pleaded. Holding the cage up for him to see.
"Then where's the white mouse?" he asked angrily. I looked at the empty cage I held in my hands. the mouse must of gotten out while I was talking to him.
"Fuck, I don't know, all I know its I didn't steal it!"
"You know what I think, you're a lair, and I've had enough. I'm calling the police." He said as he turned away and picked up the phone from behind the counter.
"NO!" I pleaded. The little twerp that had dibbed me in was watching the whole thing with a very guilty look on his face. it was then I realized it was him, when he bumped into me. Now I knew what had happened why, was my next question.
But first I had to save my skin.
"Look, Sir, I didn't steal that mouse, look I can pay for it! Just please don't call the cops. If you do I'll be home less again!" I begged. I swear I was ready to get on my knees.
"You deserve it," he snarled as he pushed in the numbers on the phone.
I was done, my next trick... run.
I headed for the door, but just before I got there the old man hit a button and locked the door. "Don't think just because I'm old I'm not up with modern technology" he snarled.
"Yes hello police, yes I have a shop lifter here. At the 'Harrison Family Pet Store." He explained then he gave a description of me. "Short, about 4'8 brown hair, baggy clothes, black singlet blue old jeans." He went on. My heart began to beat a hundred miles an hour. I was being busted for some thing I didn't do, now I was gonna be home less because of that kid. Who I didn't even know.
I stood in fount of the counter looking angrily at the old man, then back to the kid. Who was looking guiltier by the second.
The old man hung up the phone, and looked at me angrily. "Now don't you try any more tricks boy!" he snarled.
Waiting for the police to come felt like the longest ten minutes in my life.
They came through the door, all dressed up in there uniforms both of then huge men.
"This the boy?" they asked. As one of then put there hand tightly on my shoulder. The old man nodded. The cops took me out side and asked me a few questions. The thought of running was in my mind. But they could clearly catch up to me with no problem. So I decided that would just make matters worse. I gave them Mike's address, my name age etc. I got in the back seat of the car and off I went. Back to living on the street.
We rolled into Mike's drive way. "Mother fucking son of Jesus" I said to myself as Mike came rushing out of the house.
"What's happened officer?" he questioned with fear in his voice, when he saw me sitting the back seat.
"Is this your boy?" questioned the officer.
Mike nodded. "My brother" he added.
"He was caught shoplifting earlier on this evening at the pet shop in town" explained the officer as the other on got me out of the car. Now the shop owner hasn't decided weather or not to press charges yet. We'll let you know, but in the mean time Ryan Pritchard will be released into your custody. If that's okay with you?" explained the officer.
Mike nodded. he was to angry to speak. The cops got back into their car and drove off leaving me and Mike standing on the porch.
Mike glared at me. Anger filled his eyes. He grabbed me tightly by the arm. "I didn't do it I swear!!" I pleaded desperately. I knew what the officer said meant I would have to stay with Mike until the old man from the shop decided to press charges or not. And I also knew that those couple of days where not going to be fun, and straight after that I would be back on the street, or even worse the orphanage.
"I don't want to hear it." He snarled bearing his teeth trying very hard not to yell. He dragged me by the arm into the house. He was incredibly mad I could tell by how hard he was holding onto my arm. it was so hard it was probably going to bruise. On the way back to the room where I was going to sleep we ran into Estella who took one look at me a smiled. She had some thing to do with it I knew it. I wasn't sure if it was the fact that I killed her mouse or the fact that she would have to shear her dad if I moved in that made her do that.
"What happened Daddy?" she asked innocently.
"He shoplifted" Mike was so made he still spoke with his teeth clenched shut.
"Why would he do that?" she asked with an innocent kiddie voice.
"I don't know sweetheart." He replied. Her questions made her even madder.
"After all he did take money from Marie, why would he steal as well?" she added.
My hart stopped.
"WHAT!!!!!!!!!" he screeched at the top of his lungs. He turned to me. Lifted me up by both my arms and pushed my back up against the wall. "WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT!" he yelled pushing me harder and harder into the wall so it hurt.
"I didn't... .. I didn't steal it! I was gonna pay her back, I was trying to get Estella a new mouse after I killed her other one!" I stuttered.
"You fucking killed my daughter's mouse!" he yelled.
I gulped down hard.
"How could you! After I took you in, feed you, put a roof over your head, gave you a chance of getting a home. And you through my trust out the window!" he snarled.
"But... I... it was an accident!" is all I could blurt out.
"Shut. The. Fuck. Up. I don't want to hear another word." He dragged me to the room and chucked me in and locked the door. I sat on the mattress that was on the floor. I buried my head in my knees. I could of cried. I was in so much trouble, I had been in shit before. But never had any one been around to be disappointed in me.
What was I going to do? I know it wasn't me, it was that kid, and Estella. "That's it!" I said aloud, that kid was in a picture with Estella. They must have been friends, that's why he would of done it Estella must of tipped him off.
Well, that's what happened, now how do I make every thing better again? I asked myself.
"You like?" he asked with a grin as he pulled his seat belt off. And opened the car door. I nodded dumbly. Then followed Mike into the house.
We went passed the kitchen, living room, up two flights of stairs to the top level, and down a hall. It was like a maze it was so big. He stopped at a room, I looked though the door.
"This is my room, if you need me I'll be in here, you'll be sleeping in my office" he said as he directed me. It was the weirdest office I had ever seen. Guitars, basses and more were all set up around the place. The walls were painted with a dark blue paint, apart from a metal self in the corner that was it, oh and there was a mattress on the floor with a pillow and blanket.
"Sorry bud, its not much but our guest room is taken, and unless you want to share a room with Estella, then this is all we got." He explained.
"Nah man, after sleeping on pavement for A year this is like a taste of haven." I thanked.
"Well when you move in here we can fix it up a bit, chuck up some posters and well, get a proper bed." He said as he left.
"If I move in" I corrected under my breath.
"Dinner's in 10, get cleaned up and put on a change of clothes!" Mike called as he made his way down stairs.
"Okay, that can't be that hard. I can't get into any trouble doing that, if I only had a change of clothes to change into, and knew where the bathroom was!" I snarled.
I didn't have any possessions, I owned nothing. Asides from the black tshirt, old torn jeans I've had since I was 10 and the crummy 'talking' shoes I wore on my feet I didn't have anything else. Now that my bass was gone. I stood there for a bit just thinking.
Then Mike re-appeared at the door, "Um yea, I forgot. You don't have any clothes, chuck on these, they were mine, so they'll probably be way to big, but just chuck em on and have a shower. I'll wash those clothes of yours and I can get you a change of clothes in the morning." He insisted. As he chucked me some clothes.
I chucked them on with no time for a shower. Then made my way down stairs.
The clothes where 100 times to big. the pants were folded over up to my knees. But the singlet wasn't to bad, it was mostly just the fact the I was so skinny.
As I was making my way to the kitchen for dinner I herd a women's scream. I came running in. it was Mike's wife-to-be. With Estella.
"What's wrong??" I panted. After I had come running.
"Catch that mouse!" they screamed at the top of there lungs.
'What's with women and mice?' I thought to myself.
Just then a white tiny little mouse ran towards me, I lifted my foot and crunched down hard on it. Probably breaking its spine. Ruining all chances of it living.
"ARHHHH!!!" screamed Estella again.
"Don't worry Estella, its dead," I assured.
"You moron! That was her pet mouse!! I had just escaped from the cage! When I say CATCH that mouse I don't mean KILL it!" screeched Mike's wife-to-be, Marie.
Estella started to cry and ran out the room. 'God dam it Ryan!' Thought aloud. I was trying to help, and it ended in tears. Usually stuff like only happens when I do it on purpose.
I was left in the kitchen by myself as Marie went of to comfort Estella. I felt so bad. I didn't know it was hers, how was I meant to know it was hers? I panicked, Estella now hates me, and seeing she means so much to Mike he wont let me live with him.
"Fuck" I said aloud, I had to make it better.
'I know I can buy her a new one!' I thought, yea that would work, it was a bloody good idea for some one like me that had the IQ of 3.
But first I had to get some money. That's when I saw Marie's hand bag just sitting there on the table. Just looking at me. Probably with a perse full of money.
"Oh Ryan don't" I said to myself.
I wouldn't be taking that much, $5, I would buy the mouse then find some way to get Maries money back.
I reasoned with myself.
It's not stealing if you pay it back right? And it's for Estella, its not like I'm taking it for myself.
I went to walk towards the purse, when I realized the dead mouse was stuck to my shoe. "Gross." I said as I nearly fell over as I took my shoe off. I whipped the mouse into the bin, and then quickly wiped up the muck on the floor.
I grabbed Marie's purse, opened it, a $50 note was all that was in there. I had no choice, I mean I was going to pay her back. If I left now and put the money back tonight no one will notice.
I pocketed the money and headed for the door.
I had no idea that Estella saw the whole thing. She was watching from the stair case, a grin came up on her face. she was ready for revenge on the boy that killed her mouse. She wiped away the tears as she headed back upstairs. To find the phone. She instantly dialled Billie Joe's number and asked for Joey.
I quickly hit the street; the sun was beginning to set. I was walking for about two hours when I stumbled across a pet store in the middle of the main street in the city nearest to Mike's house.
I pulled open the door. And made my way to the back of the store past the fish and puppies out the front. I went through all the mice, I couldn't find a god dam white one like Estella original!
Then finally the shop keeper came over after serving several other costumers.
"Can I help you young man?" he asked with a sleigh voice.
"Yea man, you got any white mice's?" I asked as politely as I could. He was an old man, so he had trouble hearing me, and understanding me with my bad grammar.
"Yes we do young man, right over there." He pointed to one of the mice in a far cage. Then he realized he had more costumers waiting at the counter. "Bring it to the counter when your ready to buy it son" he said as he hobbled over to serve the kid at the counter. He had short blackish hair and was dressed a lot like Billie Joe. I could have sworn I saw a kid like him in some of the photos at Mikes house. I shrugged my shouldered and reached up for the mouse cage holding the white mouse.
While I was doing that a boy came in and knocked me as a went past. Purposely placing a brown mouse in my pocket, I didn't notice because the pants were so big. Then he want back to the counter and leaned forward and whispered some thing into the shop owners ear. "Mr. I think that boy's shoplifting" he said pointing at me.
I didn't notice this I was to busy trying to get the mouse out of the cage. From the shop owner's perspective, although he did show me the cage where the mouse was, it probably looked like I was shop lifting.
"Hey stop young man! What do you think your doing!" he called as he hobbled over.
I was confused at first. "Um... Getting this bloody mouse out of the cage to buy it" I explained. I didn't think I was doing anything wrong.
"Then explain this!" he snarled as he pulled the brown mouse out of my pocket. I was stunned. I didn't even know it was there.
"Hey look man, I didn't steal that! I swear! It must of got out of this cage when I was reaching in for this mouse!" I pleaded. Holding the cage up for him to see.
"Then where's the white mouse?" he asked angrily. I looked at the empty cage I held in my hands. the mouse must of gotten out while I was talking to him.
"Fuck, I don't know, all I know its I didn't steal it!"
"You know what I think, you're a lair, and I've had enough. I'm calling the police." He said as he turned away and picked up the phone from behind the counter.
"NO!" I pleaded. The little twerp that had dibbed me in was watching the whole thing with a very guilty look on his face. it was then I realized it was him, when he bumped into me. Now I knew what had happened why, was my next question.
But first I had to save my skin.
"Look, Sir, I didn't steal that mouse, look I can pay for it! Just please don't call the cops. If you do I'll be home less again!" I begged. I swear I was ready to get on my knees.
"You deserve it," he snarled as he pushed in the numbers on the phone.
I was done, my next trick... run.
I headed for the door, but just before I got there the old man hit a button and locked the door. "Don't think just because I'm old I'm not up with modern technology" he snarled.
"Yes hello police, yes I have a shop lifter here. At the 'Harrison Family Pet Store." He explained then he gave a description of me. "Short, about 4'8 brown hair, baggy clothes, black singlet blue old jeans." He went on. My heart began to beat a hundred miles an hour. I was being busted for some thing I didn't do, now I was gonna be home less because of that kid. Who I didn't even know.
I stood in fount of the counter looking angrily at the old man, then back to the kid. Who was looking guiltier by the second.
The old man hung up the phone, and looked at me angrily. "Now don't you try any more tricks boy!" he snarled.
Waiting for the police to come felt like the longest ten minutes in my life.
They came through the door, all dressed up in there uniforms both of then huge men.
"This the boy?" they asked. As one of then put there hand tightly on my shoulder. The old man nodded. The cops took me out side and asked me a few questions. The thought of running was in my mind. But they could clearly catch up to me with no problem. So I decided that would just make matters worse. I gave them Mike's address, my name age etc. I got in the back seat of the car and off I went. Back to living on the street.
We rolled into Mike's drive way. "Mother fucking son of Jesus" I said to myself as Mike came rushing out of the house.
"What's happened officer?" he questioned with fear in his voice, when he saw me sitting the back seat.
"Is this your boy?" questioned the officer.
Mike nodded. "My brother" he added.
"He was caught shoplifting earlier on this evening at the pet shop in town" explained the officer as the other on got me out of the car. Now the shop owner hasn't decided weather or not to press charges yet. We'll let you know, but in the mean time Ryan Pritchard will be released into your custody. If that's okay with you?" explained the officer.
Mike nodded. he was to angry to speak. The cops got back into their car and drove off leaving me and Mike standing on the porch.
Mike glared at me. Anger filled his eyes. He grabbed me tightly by the arm. "I didn't do it I swear!!" I pleaded desperately. I knew what the officer said meant I would have to stay with Mike until the old man from the shop decided to press charges or not. And I also knew that those couple of days where not going to be fun, and straight after that I would be back on the street, or even worse the orphanage.
"I don't want to hear it." He snarled bearing his teeth trying very hard not to yell. He dragged me by the arm into the house. He was incredibly mad I could tell by how hard he was holding onto my arm. it was so hard it was probably going to bruise. On the way back to the room where I was going to sleep we ran into Estella who took one look at me a smiled. She had some thing to do with it I knew it. I wasn't sure if it was the fact that I killed her mouse or the fact that she would have to shear her dad if I moved in that made her do that.
"What happened Daddy?" she asked innocently.
"He shoplifted" Mike was so made he still spoke with his teeth clenched shut.
"Why would he do that?" she asked with an innocent kiddie voice.
"I don't know sweetheart." He replied. Her questions made her even madder.
"After all he did take money from Marie, why would he steal as well?" she added.
My hart stopped.
"WHAT!!!!!!!!!" he screeched at the top of his lungs. He turned to me. Lifted me up by both my arms and pushed my back up against the wall. "WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT!" he yelled pushing me harder and harder into the wall so it hurt.
"I didn't... .. I didn't steal it! I was gonna pay her back, I was trying to get Estella a new mouse after I killed her other one!" I stuttered.
"You fucking killed my daughter's mouse!" he yelled.
I gulped down hard.
"How could you! After I took you in, feed you, put a roof over your head, gave you a chance of getting a home. And you through my trust out the window!" he snarled.
"But... I... it was an accident!" is all I could blurt out.
"Shut. The. Fuck. Up. I don't want to hear another word." He dragged me to the room and chucked me in and locked the door. I sat on the mattress that was on the floor. I buried my head in my knees. I could of cried. I was in so much trouble, I had been in shit before. But never had any one been around to be disappointed in me.
What was I going to do? I know it wasn't me, it was that kid, and Estella. "That's it!" I said aloud, that kid was in a picture with Estella. They must have been friends, that's why he would of done it Estella must of tipped him off.
Well, that's what happened, now how do I make every thing better again? I asked myself.
