Twice as Bad

Shadows came in the door and flopped down on the couch. He had just worked a double shift at the shitty mini mart near the beach. He hated living and working in such shitty places, especially since the love of his life, Valary had to be dragged along. They were only 23 so things could get better but he still didn’t like it. It made him feel even worse when they had to move in with her sister and her boyfriend, who was his best friend.
“Hey babe do you want a beer?” Valary softly asks coming out of the kitchen. He turns on to his back and looks at the petite brunette.
“Hell yeah. I am fucking exhausted.” He answers rubbing his head. She gets two and walks to the couch.
“Was it a busy day?” she asks sipping hers.
“Of course it was. You think people wouldn’t want to come and get stuff from such a dump but Syn and I had little time restock the shelves and clean the place.” He grumbles sitting up to chug his beer. She wraps her arm around his large, partly tattooed bicep and leans on his shoulder. Synyster comes in and hands Shadows an envelope. “What is this?”
“Look at the return address.” He smiles. Shadows jumps up. It’s from a record label. He fumbles to tear open the envelope.
“Oh baby what does it say?” Valary gasps as his eyes scan over the paper. The dark cloud that settles over his face offers a clear answer. She bites her lip and he tears up the letter, throwing it in the trash. He and Synyster walk outside
“I am getting so fucking sick of this.” Shadows snaps grabbing the pack of cigarettes that are sitting on the patio. He hands it Synyster who eagerly takes one.
“Me too but I’m even sicker of this.” He grabs a thick stack of papers. Bills.
“Didn’t we just pay everything?” Shadows asks grabbing part of the stack.
“Seems like it. We’re going to have to either work more at the mini mart or get another job.” Synyster says puffing on his marb. The guys look over as Michelle comes in the door. She walks straight to the bedroom and slams the door.
“Shouldn’t you go in there?” Shadows asks. Synyster just shakes his head.
“Babe I’m going to work!” Valary says coming out in her skimpy “uniform”. She works at bar and Shadows hates it. He worries constantly.
“Have fun and be safe.” He mumbles kissing her cheek. She nods and goes to out to her car. “Yeah I am going to look for another job. I’m sick of her working in that dive.”
“I hate that Michelle is working there too.” Synyster grumbles stamping out his marb. “We should go meet up with the guys.”
“Good idea.” Shadows says standing up and crushing the marb with his foot. He grabs his sweat shirt and Synyster tells Michelle that they are leaving for band practice.

“What the fuck? Why are there no fucking places hiring?” Synyster yells slamming the door. It makes all the pictures on the walls shake.
“I have no idea. But I’ve loved working all your hours for the past month.” Shadows grumbles washing the dishes. Synyster glares at him and slams the mail on the table.
“Guys please don’t yell. Michelle has a headache.” Valary says coming out. She looks exhausted and has dark circles under her eyes. “I do too.”
“Well I have to work twice as much because he’s been off doing whatever the fuck he wants!” Shadows snaps slamming a plastic bowl back into the water. Soap suds fly up and land on the surrounding counter.
“I have been looking for a job to get us all out of this hell hole!” Synyster yells. Both men get close to each other. Synyster has only been working a couple days a week to fully look for a better paying job.
“What’s the fucking point when I am the one working?” Valary, despite her small stature, pushes them apart.
“Both of you separate! Synyster you go and check on Michelle.” She sternly says. Synyster goes to the bedroom and stares back at Shadows. “What the hell is your problem? I work too! You need to calm down.”
“I am fucking exhausted!” he walks over and sits on the couch.
“I know. I’m sorry.” She sighs sitting on his lap. He wraps his huge arms around her small waist and leans his head on her shoulder.

Synyster enters the bedroom quietly, remembering Michelle has a head ache. He gently sits on the bed.
“Are you alright?” he softly asks touching her arm. She stirs a bit and looks at him. Her eyes are red and puffy. “Baby what’s wrong?”
“My head hurts and I went to the doctor today.” She mumbles. He rubs his head, his hedgehog hair barely moves. A doctor visit was not in the budget this month, or ever. He was too busy crunching numbers in his head to realize what she was saying. The water or electricity was going to be shut off any moment if they didn’t pay soon.
“Synyster!” Michelle snaps. He looks at her.
“Sorry babe. I was just thinking. I’m so stressed.” He says cracking his knuckles. He hangs his head and looks at the shabby carpet. This was place was not good enough for his girl and he wanted to move her into a grand house on the beach. That dreamed seemed so impossible.
“Well…this is going to make it worse.” She sniffs. He holds her hand.
“What is it? Are you sick?” he worriedly asks. She shakes her head. “You can tell me.” She sobs again and lays her head on his lap, her long blonde hair cascading down his leg. He rubs her back softly.
“I’m…p-pregnant.” She wails. The air is knocked out of him and his eyes grow wide. “P-please say something.” He blinks a few times.
“How the fuck could you let this happen!” he snaps. She scrambles away from him. Synyster, and Shadows, had bad anger problems. He storms out slamming the bedroom door and then the front door, making the gasses on the counter shake and clink together.
“What was that?” Shadows asks, still holding onto Valary.
“Well, Michelle is…um” she hesitates. “She’s pregnant.”
“Are you serious? Holy shit.” Shadows says taking a deep breath. “I should go find Synyster.”
“Yeah. I’m going to calm Michelle down.” Valary nods standing up. She knew if Synyster reacted like this, then Shadows would put yet another hole in the wall when she told him her news. Shadows stands and walks outside to find Synyster puffing hard on a marb.
“Hey man.” Shadows says slapping his paw like hand onto his shoulder. Synyster makes a grunt. “I know what’s going on.”
“We’re going to be fucking homeless. We are barely surviving as it is. We won’t have water or electricity soon.” Synyster snaps. Shadows sits next to him and sighs.
“Just come work at the store more. One of the places you applied to has to respond sometime.” The large man says in a pleading tone.
“I’m going to have to. I don’t have one dollar in savings. I have no idea how we’re going to support a baby.” Synyster grumbles. His marb is quickly gone.
“We will figure something out. Don’t worry.” Shadows sits next to him. All Synyster does is nod. “Now I would go back in there because that was pretty shitty to yell at her then walk out.” He nods again and stands up. He sulks into the house.
“Michelle?” he asks softly knocking on the door. He can hear her crying and goes in. “Babe I am so sorry.” He walks over to the bed and looks down at her.
“How could this possibly be all my fault?” she sniffs.
“It’s not. I overreacted but I am scared. We have no money.” He says. She moves and wraps her arms around his shoulders. He rubs her back.
“I know. It will be okay though. I know we can work through this.” She whispers kissing his cheek. He manages a small smile hoping he can believe her.