God Is a Comedian

I stared at the floor as I chewed on my finger nail. I tried hard to keep my mind clear of any negative thoughts about Sean's condition but some how they still found their way in. That made me concentrate harder on the patterns in the ugly brown carpet.

I was sitting next to my mother. She too was staring at the floor. Also in the waiting room was Kevin, Joey Ice Cream, and Jenny. Jimmy was wondering the halls and Tommy was outside talking to Huey Ferrell. Huey took over the neighborhood from old man Malagun. The Irish had ran since 1840's and Huey kept it that way. I lost track of time. Jenny went to get food. Tommy had to got talk to Huey again. I couldn't stand sitting in the silent room any longer. I got up and walked around.

I couldn't remember the hour between the arrival of the ambulance and a clearance I got from the doctor to leave the hospital. Luckily, when my head hit the sidewalk it only caused a small cut which need no stitches. My nose was broken and the doctors were forced to crack it back into position. With all the bruising I was unable to see the direct cosmetic damage that usually comes with a broken nose. Even though the doctors washed all the blood from my skin, my clothes were still covered in both mine and Sean's blood.

I found Tommy exiting the cafeteria. His eyes gave away what Huey had just told him. They were going to kill Jimmy. By kidnapping Louie Downtown and then demanding a 30,000 dollar ransom, Jimmy had embarrassed the Italians. The attack on Sean was just a warm-up. Now they wanted Jimmy dead.

I could also see Tommy's mind spinning, trying to think up a plan to save his older brother. I knew what he was going to have to do to save Jimmy.

"There are going to think Jimmy did it." I said quietly. Tommy still looked confused. "Jimmy needs a alibi. I real alibi." I almost whispered.

"What did you have in mind?" Tommy asked.

"Call Frankie. Get him to arrest Jimmy for the truck thing. And see if Frankie can get him into rehab. Then do what you gotta do." I just said the words as they appeared in my mind.

Tommy nodded. "Where's Jimmy?"

"He just down to the store across the street." I said, before I went back to the waiting room. A few minutes I saw Tommy leave with Kevin. Tommy had to kill Sal before he killed Jimmy.

Remember I told you about the day that changed Jimmy's life. I was the only one who saw him. The only one who knew it was Tommy driving the car. And to this day, it's the only thing I never told anybody. I'm ashamed to be telling you now. Tommy never stole a car again. Never did anything, he turned his life around. I mean he could've made it out, only he was never going to let his brother get hurt again. And this was the day that changed Jimmy's life forever, because Jimmy was off to rehab. And Tommy...Tommy became everything he never wanted.

I soon fell asleep in the chair in the waiting room. I awoke to my mother telling me that the doctor wanted to talk to us. So I followed her into the small room. I was too sleepy to understand any of the doctors words. The only thing I did see was a blood stain on Kevin jacket. It was small but it was there. Tommy saw me looking at it so after the doctor finished talking, he and Kevin left again.

I wasn't sure how long I was asleep before my mother woke me up again. "Why don't you head home, I'll call it anything happens." Reluctantly I agreed. But before I went home, I went to the bar to look for Kevin and Tommy. The door was unlocked and the lights were off inside the bar.

"Hello." I yelled. Only the silence answered her. "Tommy?" I said as I walked towards the stairs that led down to the basement. Upon reaching the stairs, I saw a thin trail of blood leading up the stairs. "Damn it, Jimmy." I whispered to myself. I walked down the stairs careful not to step in the blood, and walked into the small bathroom. Once I was in there, I found a small plastic bucket, which I filled with bleach and a small amount of water. I found myself a pair a rubber gloves, and started to wash the bloody stairs.

When I was finished with the blood on the stairs I had to wash the blood that was splattered on the wall in the room Louie was held in. I washed the bloody bucket out and put it back where I found. I made a quick trip to the apartment where I took a warm shower and changed into clean, unbloodied clothes. I then returned to the hospital. I found my mother sitting in Sean's room. I handed my mother a cup of coffee as I sat down. "Thanks, honey." She said with a small smile.

"Sure. I couldn't sleep." I lied.

"Any time I watch you guys sleep, I feel like you're still five years old. Does that sound crazy? Always five. You're not babies anymore. But you're not grown either." I wasn't sure if she was talking to herself or to me.

"Do you know what happened last night?" I asked quietly.

"What do you mean?" My mom asked slowly, finally at me.

"You know what I mean." I said sternly.

"I think...that if know someone's good then you know it in your belly. Then you trust them that if they have to do something, they had no other choice." Those were the finals words she said on the subject.