Church On Sunday

The kids had woken up late and were now sitting around the living room, eating copious amounts of cereal and Britt had left a couple of hours ago on some errands. Knowing her, it all got a bit much and she had headed for the quiet sanctity of the gym.

Ramona was due to fly back to New York today, so I knew Claudia would be here to come get her and Frankito soon. I hadn’t seen Tre for a while, nor Billie, but you know, they kinda had their own stuff going on- Tre with his kids and Billie with his marriage problems.

“Uncle Mike?” I look up from the paper I was reading to see Jake standing there. He looked a bit sad.

“What’s up, bud? More Apple Jacks?” I ask. He bites him bottom lip, like his Dad does sometimes and shakes his head. “Okay, so…something on your mind?”
He nods and takes a breath. “OK, shoot.” I gesture to the empty seat next to me, and he sits, almost grudgingly.

“Uh, Joey wanted me to ask you…” He stops, looking at his hands. “Um…if we could stay a bit longer…like, if Mum says s’okay…” His cheeks flush and I’m amused at how even though I’ve been around these kids since their conception, they’re always so shy about asking me stuff.

“Course you guys can. You don’t have to ask- you know that by now. Hey, why don’t you and join the others, while I call your mum, yeah?” I say, getting up to grab the phone.
He smiles but I think there’s more “Jakob, what is it?” I ask.

“We just don’t wanna go home yet…we like it here…Mum and Dad are being weird all the time. And…” He stops, looking at me with his doe eyes.

“It’s ok. Look, let me call your Mum and we’ll sort something out, kay?

By the time I turn back around, Jake’s gone and saying “Ok” over his shoulder.
I key in the Armstrong telephone number and listen to one ring… two… three…four, then it’s answered. A frail sounding Adrienne says “Hello” and I know something’s not right.

“Adie? Are you ok?” I ask.

“No, not really. Can I come and get the boys in a hour or so, Mike?” She sighs.

“Well Jake and Joe wanna stay a while longer, and I said yes- that’s why I’m calling.” I reply in confusion. “Adie has something happened?”

She’s taking her time to answer and the door goes. I move to stand in the door way as I watch Estella open it. It’s Claudia. She’s waves to me, seeing that I’m on the phone and then Ramona and Frankito are bounding towards me to say goodbye.

“Adrienne, wait one second…” I say into the phone then quickly place it on the counter so I can give the kids a hug.

“Thanks Mike, see you soon.” Claudia calls out and with that, she and the kids are gone.

I pick the phone up, walking to the door way of the living room, to make sure the rest of them are ok. “Adie, you there?”

“Yeah, Mike I’m here…so, the kids? Can you let them know I’ll be there in an hour?”

“Sure, but what’s going on? Is it you and Billie? What the fuck has he done?” I say quietly. I knew things hadn’t between right between them for a good while and he hadn’t been there when I picked the kids up yesterday.

“I kicked him out. Look, I think you should talk to him. That is if you don’t already know.” She spits bitterly.

“What? Seriously Adie, what the fuck is happening?” I’m confused again, she’s talking in riddles and I don’t like it.

“Ask Billie Joe.” She says and then the line goes dead.

Oh Fuck. I’m looking at the kids, the boys mainly. They look so innocent and happy. How are they gonna cope with whatever their parents are gonna throw at them?.
Adrienne had told me to talk to Billie, that’s exactly what I was gonna do. But first I had to tell the boys they were going home.

“Hey guys, whatcha watching?” I try to sound happy, and their heads whip round at the sound of me behind them.

“Nothing much, Daddy, just watching ‘Unaccompanied Minors’.” My baby girl answers with a smile.

“So Uncle Mike, did you speak to my Mum yet?” Joey asks me, his eyes are back to the screen.

“Yeah I did, Kiddo and I’m afraid it’s a no. But how about tomorrow I take you guys for ice cream to make up for it?” I offer. The boys’ faces fall for a moment, but then they smile again at the ice cream deal. Or it could have been at those kids on the t.v- I’m not too sure.

“Deal.” They chorus.

“OK, well your Mum’s gonna be here pretty soon, so why don’t you go get your things together. I’ve got a couple of phone calls to make.” I say heading back towards the kitchen and closing the door. I wanted to call Billie and if I got angry, I didn’t want the kids to hear it.

I key in his cell number and he answers straight away. “I was just about to call you.” He sounds tired.
“I just spoke to your wife. She told me she’s kicked you out and said to ask you why. What the fuck have you done Billie? Or what haven’t you done? She sounds like a fucking mess.” I reel off, trying to be as calm as possible. Billie is my best friend, my brother. But he had a tendency to fuck up and I wanted to kick him in the ass for it.

“It’s over between us. She found out I’ve been seeing someone else.” He says plainly. He didn’t even try to cover shit up.
Someone else? His best friend of 25 years, and I didn’t fucking know this! Did Tre know?

“You fucking asshole! So, who was it? Some slutty chick from a bar? Wanted some groupie love, huh? What the fuck is wrong with you? Shit…” I shout, pacing the kitchen and trying to think. I hear a bang and remember that the kids aren’t far away.

There’s silence from him. Guilty silence.

“It’s Tre.” He says in a small voice. I’m stunned. I fall into the dining chair and rest my forehead in my palm.

“Your shitting me right?” I say slowly. Was he serious?

“No. We’ve been fooling around for a couple of months.” Suddenly everything was falling into place. The reason why I hadn’t seen much of either of them. The fact that when we were all together, they had these weird looks or their heads were together- deep in some conversation. Probably about how to lie to us all. The bastards!

My temper snaps and I get myself all wound up. “Billie I’m gonna fucking kick your ass! Then I’m gonna kick the shit out of that drumming sonova bitch!” I grip the phone tighter and hear the plastic crack a little. If it broke, Billie could replace it.

“Mike, look. I need you to help me move my shit. She doesn’t want me here- she fucking kicked me in the balls! You’re my best friend- I need you, man.”

“I would’ve done the same damned thing! I’m surprised she didn’t take you by the balls and hang you from the Bay Bridge, Bill!” I try to suppress a laugh. He did deserve that. And I’ve seen Adrienne angry. It’s not pleasant.
“What should I tell the boys?” I think of them upstairs- playing without a care in the world.

“Nothing yet. I’m gonna talk to them, I swear it. I just cant right now. Adrienne wants me gone by the time she gets home.” He’s speaking quickly.

“Well, I cant blame her. You’ve just fucking pissed in the wind and now your sad cos your clothes are wet, you fucking prick!” I snap.

“I know Mike, I fucking know. Just help me out, and then you can bitch all you want, ok?” He snaps back.
I sigh, running my hand through my hair and across my lightly stubbled jaw. “Fine. Adie will be here in half an hour for the boys, I’ll call Brit to come watch Stella, then I’ll pick you up. Where are you?”

“I’m hiding in the basement.” He says. I hear him flicking a lighter. He exhales.

“Ok, I’ll call you when I’m leaving.” I say.

“Thanks.”

I press the ’End’ button on the phone and lean back into my seat. He’s got some knack of fucking everything up.

”…"Trust" is a dirty word that comes…Only from such a liar…”