drink. “We’re brothers; remember ‘Bros
before Hos.’” He’s pleased with his third-grade
rhyming abilities but I’m just getting pissed.
“Jesus Jerry, just get the fuck
out.” I remove his arm from around my shoulder. Resisting the
urge to push his teeth down his throat for referring to Shay like
that is proving difficult.
“Come on, one beer! March Madness,
man. I was hoping to catch it on the big screen.” Jerry motions
to the TV mounted on the wall.
“No, get the fuck out Jerry. Now
isn’t the time. I really appreciate you taking care of Rex for
me. Tell Mom I’ll be over to see her when things die down.”
I open the front door waiting for Jerry to exit but he just stands
there. I wish he would just leave, just once fucking listen.
I don’t want to have to throw him
out bodily. Mom gets so upset when we fight even when he needs an
ass-whooping. I’ve got to get him and his beer out of my house.
I don’t want him here when Shay wakes up; she can’t stand
him either. After realizing how like Aiden he is, I’m not sure
if it’s that or how Jerry hits on her like I'm not in the room.
No. Thinking about Jerry hitting on Shay
really grates on my last nerve. Rage is building in me that’s
starting to feel like it can easily get out of control if I let it go
unchecked. I grab Jerry’s beer off the counter and slap it hard
into his chest, “You’re leaving right now.”
“Seriously man, it’s the
Syracuse/Miami game, Miami is gonna kill,” Jerry whines, taking
hold of the bottles.
“Jerry, go.” I’ve
resorted to simple one word commands in hopes that if I keep it
simple he’ll comply.
“Fuck that bitch, Eli. You can
have any woman you want and you put up with bullshit from a whore
with a gash that has someone else’s name on it?” Jerry
looks at me as if he speaks the absolute truth. “She’s
just another girl, Eli, another girl who only wants you when someone
else isn’t around. I guess Aiden never showed back up or her
mouth would be full of his cock right now instead full of…oh
wait, no one’s because she’s not even putting out for you
right now. Fucking waste." He shakes his head in disgust.
My hands are starting to shake. I hate
the way he talks about women and people in general. He’s wrong
about her.
Heat fills my face and my fists are
balled up at my sides because I’d like to wrap my hands around
his neck and squeeze until his body goes limp. Stepping in close
enough that he backs into the wall, his eyes widen as he loses the
flippant expression. He cowers slightly up against the wall and I say
a brief “thanks” to Mom for giving me height along with
some decorum. Heh, decorum; ironic I’m touting that virtue when
I'm about to pummel my brother for being the asshole he was born to
be. “Get the fuck out, Jerry.”
“Mr. Walker, may I?” Carl
appears in the doorway looking at Jerry like he hates him more than I
do.
“No, I’ve got this,” I
tell Carl, who I appreciate being there at this moment. Jerry usually
will take his chances with me, because he knows I'll go easy on him.
He may not be as sure about Carl and he’s fucking huge. I’m
still a little surprised at the way I talked to him earlier when I
told him to go outside, but that was my dick doing all the talking,
not my good senses. I take Jerry by the shirt sleeve and tug him
toward the open door.
“Come on, Eli. Seriously?”
he pleads as I send him out. He stumbles tripping over the small step
in the entry.
“Yes Jerry, seriously.” Even
though I want to slam the door I close it lightly. I don’t want
to wake Shay if she’s managed to fall asleep.
Carl stands motionless, looking at the
door, then to me, “Sorry, Mr. Walker.” He hesitates as he
reaches for the door knob.
“It’s fine Carl, just stay.”
Maybe he’ll help me keep my mind off the two ticking time bombs
I have in this house: the unopened bottle of Johnny Walker Black in
my bottom desk drawer and Shay in the
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