Another Brother, chapter 8
I slowly opened my eyes. I tried to keep them closed; I didn't want to wake up. I didn't want to be back in this world.
I thought I as dead.
At first everything was a blur, the light pieced my eyes. After a while my eyes adjusted and my vision became clear.
I was in a plain white room, with absolutely no colour. I was in a white bed, with white sheets, and dressed in white clothes.
Was I dead? Is all I could think of, my head was spinning.
I was still in a daze, I felt like I was floating. Eventually I completely woke up, and realized where I was, in a hospital bed. I had no memory of anything, the last thing I remembered was writing the letter, the letter to Mike and Estella.
I had to think really hard, to know weather or not that I had posted it. I was sure I had, but then how did I end up here?
I sat in confusion for a while when some one came rushing in...
Mike, he stumbled through the door.
I didn't know what to say, I couldn't remember if he had taken my letter. I couldn't remember how I got here, if he had forgiven me for what happened, or what. I just lay there and looked at him.
HE rushed over to be by my side.
"Fuck, are you okay?" he said. From that I gathered I had missed out on a lot.
"You mean, you're not mad?" I replied, I could barley speak, my throat hurt so much.
"After, that letter you wrote? How could I be it takes a real good person to have the guts to apologize like that, when I know you didn't push her, she told me everything" Mike whispered.
"Is she okay?" I panicked. Struggling to speak.
"Yea, she's fine just about %100 better. Her neck had properly held now after the operations." He explained. Completely unaware about what had happened to Estella last I remember was her accident, I knew nothing about these operations.
"Operations?" I stuttered. Every time I spoke it felt like some one was rubbing sand paper over my throat.
"Shhhhh, you need to rest. You were in a coma for a long time" he hushed as a nurse came through the door.
'coma? ' I thought to myself. 'I was in a coma! What had I missed? '
The nurse came over to my bed, she fiddled with a few things around my bed. Then looked at me. "nice to see your awake Ryan. The doctor will be in shortly, everything seems to be fine, we might keep you another night then you can go." She said half talking to me half talking to Mike.
Mike smiled at the nurse as she left.
"Okay kiddo, I have to talk to you, please just listen." Mike began, taking a seat next to me.
"I know the whole truth about what happened, with you and Estella. She told me it was her fault, and she put Joey up to it. I also know that you didn't push Hero, I understand you feel guilty, but you DIDN'T do it. Understand that half of the story, but then why did you go off in the middle of the night and vandalize the shop? I know you where mad, but if you're going to live with me I can't have you coming home in a police car every night, not with Estella being around, understand?" Mike questioned, it was obverse he had planed that speech. He had never sounded so mature, or so much like a shrink before.
"You mean your giving me another chance!" I replied happily.
"After you wrote that letter. It showed me that you really are a good person, you just fuck up like the rest of us. But this is your VERY last warning. Okay, fuck up once more, and your gonna wish I through you out!" he warned.
"So you mean, I have a permeant home?" I stuttered.
Mike nodded.
He stood up, put his hand on my forehead and went to leave. "I'll be back soon to take you home," with that he turned and left. For the first time, in a very long time a true smile spread across my face. I couldn't stop smiling the rest of the day.
I was discharged and sent home from the hospital with Mike the next day. He showed me to the room where I would be *living* in. It was the same room where I had first stayed, just an empty room with a mattress on the floor, and guitars and other instruments placed randomly about the place.
It wasn't much, but it was home. "MY home." I said to myself with a smile.
I hadn't stopped smiling since he told me the news in the hospital.
I thanked Mike and he left me to get settled in, I didn't really have anything to settle into I only had the clothes I was wearing and that was it.
I stood in the room, and picked up one of the bases. It had been ages since I last had held one of them. After all I was in a coma for 6 weeks. I hadn't missed out on much.
Then Estella came rushing in and hugged me out of the blue, she was walking fine, her neck was in perfect knack.
I wasn't sure weather or not to be happy to see her. So I didn't say anything.
"Thank you for the letter, it was lovely. And I am sorry, it was also me. But do you reckon we can be friends, seeing now your kinda like my brother?" she said energetically skipping half her words.
"Sounds good, but what about. J... " just then Joey walked in the room. The smile faded from my face almost instantly.
He looked at me with the same facial expression.
Estella stood in front of me, in case I launched out at him.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled under his breath, wanting me to hear it but not wanting to say it.
"Yea like that's gonna cut it, because of you I nearly ended up killing my self because of you, dick weed!" I instantly went off.
Estella glared at me, as if to say 'shut the hell up'. So I did, I looked at Joey.
He put on an innocent kids face.
"Look, I am sorry I swear. I just thought you pushed her, I didn't want to see that happen 2 her." He explained himself. I could see where he was coming from, but I had seen this innocent kid act before. When he was talking to the police, that same face was used on them, and why should I trust him? What had he done to gain my trust? Nothing. I had every right to punch his lights out there and then.
But for now I accepted his apology, we all went down stairs for dinner.
Mike was attempting to cook, so we all very quickly lost out apatite. What ever it was meant to be, it wasn't food. I didn't wand to offend him on my first night back, so I tried to eat it. For that I deserve a medal.
After dinner we just sat around doing nothing really, Estella was cautious that she always sat between me and Joey. While Jakob, Ramona and Frankito sat across on the other coach.
It felt kind of weird, being the oldest. But being the newest to the family, they all new each other very well.
They all did there best to make me feel welcome. They where all a very cool bunch, but I couldn't but to keep eying Joey I didn't trust him and I had a good reason not to.
I knew he was up to something, the way he kept looking at me, and then when ever I looked back he quickly looked away.
There was more to him, than the 'I was protecting Estella' Kid he made out to be, he had some thing against me, he was planing something I knew it. I just knew it.
That night I lay awake. On the mattress on the floor, I gazed out the Window at the night sky. Not a cloud in the sky, the stars shone brightly.
The smile still hadn't faded from my face.
Then I noticed a photo just lying on the floor, I reached over and grabbed it.
It was a picture of me; just like the one I had carried every where around of Mike. "what the fuck?" I said to myself.
I turned to the back of the photo, there was a letter stuck to the back, I pulled It off and began to read.
Dear Michael,
Here is a photo of your ONLY brother. He may be my son, but as I am un-able to take care of him I place him in your care. I want you too look out for him, watch over him.
You do not have to take him in, I just want you to make sure no harm comes to him.
I know I wasn't there for you during your child hood, but do you really want your brother to grow up the same way?
- Your birth mother, Marie.
I put down the letter, my jaw wide open. Mike did know that I was alive, all this time he knew I was his brother.
He knew, then why didn't he come looking for me? I had been looking for him ever since I was told he was real.
Then I remembered something...
That day. When I was five years old, the day when I was ridding my bike. When the car hit me, my father.
The man, the one who called the ambulance, the one who carried me off the road. That was Mike.
I hadn't thought of it until just then, but he was there, there in secret. I couldn't under stand why he would watch over me in secret. I guess that's what he felt was the right thing to do.
I began to wonder what really happened that day, when my father died. Why was Mike there? 'I guess that's a story of my life I will never know. ' I said to myself.
But that only made me think even more. How many other stories about my life didn't I know about? Was my life just one big secret?
I shook my head.
This was home.
This was my family.
All I had to do once again was 'Don't fuck up. '
I mean, how hard could that be?
The end.
I thought I as dead.
At first everything was a blur, the light pieced my eyes. After a while my eyes adjusted and my vision became clear.
I was in a plain white room, with absolutely no colour. I was in a white bed, with white sheets, and dressed in white clothes.
Was I dead? Is all I could think of, my head was spinning.
I was still in a daze, I felt like I was floating. Eventually I completely woke up, and realized where I was, in a hospital bed. I had no memory of anything, the last thing I remembered was writing the letter, the letter to Mike and Estella.
I had to think really hard, to know weather or not that I had posted it. I was sure I had, but then how did I end up here?
I sat in confusion for a while when some one came rushing in...
Mike, he stumbled through the door.
I didn't know what to say, I couldn't remember if he had taken my letter. I couldn't remember how I got here, if he had forgiven me for what happened, or what. I just lay there and looked at him.
HE rushed over to be by my side.
"Fuck, are you okay?" he said. From that I gathered I had missed out on a lot.
"You mean, you're not mad?" I replied, I could barley speak, my throat hurt so much.
"After, that letter you wrote? How could I be it takes a real good person to have the guts to apologize like that, when I know you didn't push her, she told me everything" Mike whispered.
"Is she okay?" I panicked. Struggling to speak.
"Yea, she's fine just about %100 better. Her neck had properly held now after the operations." He explained. Completely unaware about what had happened to Estella last I remember was her accident, I knew nothing about these operations.
"Operations?" I stuttered. Every time I spoke it felt like some one was rubbing sand paper over my throat.
"Shhhhh, you need to rest. You were in a coma for a long time" he hushed as a nurse came through the door.
'coma? ' I thought to myself. 'I was in a coma! What had I missed? '
The nurse came over to my bed, she fiddled with a few things around my bed. Then looked at me. "nice to see your awake Ryan. The doctor will be in shortly, everything seems to be fine, we might keep you another night then you can go." She said half talking to me half talking to Mike.
Mike smiled at the nurse as she left.
"Okay kiddo, I have to talk to you, please just listen." Mike began, taking a seat next to me.
"I know the whole truth about what happened, with you and Estella. She told me it was her fault, and she put Joey up to it. I also know that you didn't push Hero, I understand you feel guilty, but you DIDN'T do it. Understand that half of the story, but then why did you go off in the middle of the night and vandalize the shop? I know you where mad, but if you're going to live with me I can't have you coming home in a police car every night, not with Estella being around, understand?" Mike questioned, it was obverse he had planed that speech. He had never sounded so mature, or so much like a shrink before.
"You mean your giving me another chance!" I replied happily.
"After you wrote that letter. It showed me that you really are a good person, you just fuck up like the rest of us. But this is your VERY last warning. Okay, fuck up once more, and your gonna wish I through you out!" he warned.
"So you mean, I have a permeant home?" I stuttered.
Mike nodded.
He stood up, put his hand on my forehead and went to leave. "I'll be back soon to take you home," with that he turned and left. For the first time, in a very long time a true smile spread across my face. I couldn't stop smiling the rest of the day.
I was discharged and sent home from the hospital with Mike the next day. He showed me to the room where I would be *living* in. It was the same room where I had first stayed, just an empty room with a mattress on the floor, and guitars and other instruments placed randomly about the place.
It wasn't much, but it was home. "MY home." I said to myself with a smile.
I hadn't stopped smiling since he told me the news in the hospital.
I thanked Mike and he left me to get settled in, I didn't really have anything to settle into I only had the clothes I was wearing and that was it.
I stood in the room, and picked up one of the bases. It had been ages since I last had held one of them. After all I was in a coma for 6 weeks. I hadn't missed out on much.
Then Estella came rushing in and hugged me out of the blue, she was walking fine, her neck was in perfect knack.
I wasn't sure weather or not to be happy to see her. So I didn't say anything.
"Thank you for the letter, it was lovely. And I am sorry, it was also me. But do you reckon we can be friends, seeing now your kinda like my brother?" she said energetically skipping half her words.
"Sounds good, but what about. J... " just then Joey walked in the room. The smile faded from my face almost instantly.
He looked at me with the same facial expression.
Estella stood in front of me, in case I launched out at him.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled under his breath, wanting me to hear it but not wanting to say it.
"Yea like that's gonna cut it, because of you I nearly ended up killing my self because of you, dick weed!" I instantly went off.
Estella glared at me, as if to say 'shut the hell up'. So I did, I looked at Joey.
He put on an innocent kids face.
"Look, I am sorry I swear. I just thought you pushed her, I didn't want to see that happen 2 her." He explained himself. I could see where he was coming from, but I had seen this innocent kid act before. When he was talking to the police, that same face was used on them, and why should I trust him? What had he done to gain my trust? Nothing. I had every right to punch his lights out there and then.
But for now I accepted his apology, we all went down stairs for dinner.
Mike was attempting to cook, so we all very quickly lost out apatite. What ever it was meant to be, it wasn't food. I didn't wand to offend him on my first night back, so I tried to eat it. For that I deserve a medal.
After dinner we just sat around doing nothing really, Estella was cautious that she always sat between me and Joey. While Jakob, Ramona and Frankito sat across on the other coach.
It felt kind of weird, being the oldest. But being the newest to the family, they all new each other very well.
They all did there best to make me feel welcome. They where all a very cool bunch, but I couldn't but to keep eying Joey I didn't trust him and I had a good reason not to.
I knew he was up to something, the way he kept looking at me, and then when ever I looked back he quickly looked away.
There was more to him, than the 'I was protecting Estella' Kid he made out to be, he had some thing against me, he was planing something I knew it. I just knew it.
That night I lay awake. On the mattress on the floor, I gazed out the Window at the night sky. Not a cloud in the sky, the stars shone brightly.
The smile still hadn't faded from my face.
Then I noticed a photo just lying on the floor, I reached over and grabbed it.
It was a picture of me; just like the one I had carried every where around of Mike. "what the fuck?" I said to myself.
I turned to the back of the photo, there was a letter stuck to the back, I pulled It off and began to read.
Dear Michael,
Here is a photo of your ONLY brother. He may be my son, but as I am un-able to take care of him I place him in your care. I want you too look out for him, watch over him.
You do not have to take him in, I just want you to make sure no harm comes to him.
I know I wasn't there for you during your child hood, but do you really want your brother to grow up the same way?
- Your birth mother, Marie.
I put down the letter, my jaw wide open. Mike did know that I was alive, all this time he knew I was his brother.
He knew, then why didn't he come looking for me? I had been looking for him ever since I was told he was real.
Then I remembered something...
That day. When I was five years old, the day when I was ridding my bike. When the car hit me, my father.
The man, the one who called the ambulance, the one who carried me off the road. That was Mike.
I hadn't thought of it until just then, but he was there, there in secret. I couldn't under stand why he would watch over me in secret. I guess that's what he felt was the right thing to do.
I began to wonder what really happened that day, when my father died. Why was Mike there? 'I guess that's a story of my life I will never know. ' I said to myself.
But that only made me think even more. How many other stories about my life didn't I know about? Was my life just one big secret?
I shook my head.
This was home.
This was my family.
All I had to do once again was 'Don't fuck up. '
I mean, how hard could that be?
The end.
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