The Bond of Brothers

Kevin stepped into the foyer of his little brother’s house and could sense a drastic change. The heavy aura of dread and uncertainty had been lifted and replaced by hope and renewed joy. It wasn’t the Christmas decorations that aided in this. They did do a lot to brighten the gloomy world around them all, as they were known to do; but, it was the rekindled love in this home that gave it that glow that was internal rather than external.

Matt and Patrick were in the living room while Elisa wrapped gifts upstairs. The tiny toddler stood uneasily next to his father, trying his best to help him trim the tall spruce tree. His hands could barely grasp the round metallic green ball, but the boy was not easily deterred by a challenge. Patrick grinned down at him beaming with so much pride. If Kevin didn’t know any different, he would have never been able to imagine that just a few short months ago the future of this family was so uncertain.

“Well, it sure is nice to see that Mr. Scrooge is gone. He was a tired old pain in the ass.” Kevin called to them before swooping Matt up in his arms. “Tree looks great, bro. I bet this little man did all the work.”

Patrick laughed as Kevin hugged Matt closely. He cocked his head at the tree, examining their handy work. “It better look good. Nearly broke my back getting it in here. Elisa may have to hire someone to remove it.”

“No way. Just leave it up.” Kevin tucked the little tike under his arm and flew him around the large living room. He spoke over his shoulder as he made a graceful swan dive. “Constant symbol of the good.”

“Hey.” Patrick set a box of ornaments down beside his feet and checked quickly around the corner to see if the stairs were clear. “Can you give me a lift into town? I want to pick up something special for Elisa.”

“Sure. No problem.” He stated nonchalantly. Carefully he placed Matt into his play pen and stepped back so the boy could busy himself with the variety of toys at his feet. A Mickey Mouse that glowed when squeezed captured his attention. “What is it about Mickey Mouse? All kids seem to love him.”
“It’s the ears.” Patrick chuckled.

Kevin sat down on the sofa and made himself comfortable while Patrick ran upstairs to tell Elisa that they would be gone for only a few short hours. Before Kevin could really get the muscles in his neck and back to fully relax, Patrick reappeared before him pulling his black coat and matching gloves on. “Guess I’ll be playing chauffeur, little man. But you’re buying lunch.”

“Think I can handle that.” Patrick agreed. Grabbing a set of house keys, he kissed Matt on the top of his head and followed Kevin out the front door.

“You can drive if you want.” Kevin offered, stopping at the driver’s side of his vehicle and held the keys out. Patrick stared down at the shiny objects with an intense frown. For a moment, he was lost somewhere in a nest of deep tangled thoughts. The tremble began in his hands drawing Kevin’s attention. He forced himself to smile and say in a jovial tone. “It’s no biggie. I prefer to drive.”

“Thanks.” Patrick mumbled. He would have figured that this intense fear of getting behind a wheel of a vehicle would have dissipated some. It made him feel very foolish, but there was no control over this. Now another irrational fear taunted him. What if it happened again? What if he had decided to take those keys, only to have Fate step in and send a gale of wind to push him off the road? He could lose Elisa and Matt.

He knew that to worry constantly on such matters was foolish. He could not predict what would happen even with his brother behind the wheel. But to live in fear and not try was just giving into a weakness that he refused to accept. Still, Patrick climbed into the front passenger seat and triple checked his seatbelt.

“Don’t worry. I’m a safe driver.”

“And a first class bull-shitter.”

Kevin smiled to himself as he cranked the Ford to life. He didn’t give a shit what any of the guys thought. He liked this Patrick. He was very different from the guy he grew up with. But that was fine with him.

******************************************

Home was already a beautiful sight, but the snow and Christmas decorations added more to the charm. Small town life mixed with all the modern conveniences. On the end of one street there was an old fashioned barber shop, while on another there was a Starbucks.

Instead of fighting the unyielding traffic down Main Street, they pulled into the first available parking space. Once the vehicle was locked up tight, they joined the sea of pedestrians. Patrick was sure to be as discreet as possible. He may have been ducking the limelight for the past few months, but the controversy over the group’s future was still brewing. Plus, there were still loyal fans out there. Patrick’s situation didn’t concern them. He was still “their Trick” no matter what the tabloids said.

******************************

Patrick quickly found the jewelry store that he had spotted on one of his many trips into town. Usually it was with Elisa, so he hadn’t had the chance to venture inside to take a look at the store’s inventory of diamonds. Kevin stood uneasily in the doorway feeling more like a bull in a china shop. He couldn’t stand being in a jewelry store, and being here with Patrick was no different. Quickly, he excused himself to go find a computer store. There he could amuse himself with the Playstation on display for the customers to try out. Patrick could find what he needed on his own.

He scanned over various pendants, all set ablaze by the display lights as they reflected off the precious gems encased in gold and silver. They were all striking, but not exactly what he was looking for that night. Elisa had many rings of a wide assortment. She also did not lack in the earring department either. After doing a sneaky search into his wife’s armoire, he had realized that this quest may prove a difficult one. He turned away from the case of earrings and began to scan the area for a necklace. He figured he would know when he found the right one. It would just jump right out at him.

“Can I help you?” A husky voice sounded right near him. Patrick jumped back and found a man dressed in a rather nice suit. He wore a pleasant smile on his smooth face. Only his gray hair gave away the man’s age. “Would you like to look at one more closely?”

“I’m not sure just yet.” Patrick tried to sound less startled. A nervous smile flickered across his face and faded when he dropped his head to continue his search. The man did not hover over him, but Patrick was constantly aware of his presence. He would not have been the least surprised if he looked up to find the man directly in front of him again. He seemed to move like a ghost, barely touching the ground. “You have an excellent collection.” He mumbled, trying to fill the empty air around them with sound.

“Perhaps you would be interested in some of our classics.”

Patrick stood up after peering in a lower case, but the man had already disappeared into the back. He didn’t even give him enough time to argue, before vanishing and reappearing with a black velvet case. Like a man unveiling a treasure, he opened the top of the velvet box to reveal of a necklace. It was not a gaudy display of sparkling diamonds that looked almost too heavy to wear. A gold rope that shined as if it were spun from shimmering jewels with three of the most perfect cut diamonds gleamed up at him. It was more of a simple design, but elegant in every sense. Something that Elisa would wear around her neck for any type of occasion. “I want that one.”

“A man with excellent taste.” The man said with a wide smile. “Would you like it gift wrapped?”

“Uh...no.” Patrick had to force his attention away from the glittering jewels. “I’d like to do that myself.”

“Very well.” With the same gentle ease he used to sneak up on him, he crossed behind the glass display cases to the register tucked neatly away in the corner. “That will be $5276.98.”

It may have been a lot to pay for a necklace, but Patrick whipped out his wallet and credit card without thinking twice. It was perfect, and Elisa was worth the price. Without a second look back, Patrick paid for the necklace, wrapped the bag tightly around the velvet box, and tucked it inside his coat. That was pretty much the end of his Christmas shopping, which he silently thanked God. That meant he didn’t have to make any more trips into town for a good while. He had gotten used to hiding out at home.

It didn’t take long to find his missing brother. The taller man loomed over a game control with the look of concentration you would have expected to see on the face of a surgeon. Patrick stood back watching him with an amused look. Maybe Kevin should be the one to befriend Pete. They seemed to have this little obsession in common. “You’re worse than a child.”

“You’re just jealous because you suck at this now.” Kevin stuck his tongue at him like he had done so many times when they were much younger. “You find the perfect gift?”

“Sure did.”

“Well, you can show me over lunch.” Kevin tossed the game control aside and threw an arm around Patrick’s shoulder. “I’m starved.”

“God, you’re always hungry.” Patrick rolled his eyes. “Like a dog with a big ‘ol nasty tapeworm.”

“Stop belly aching and buy me lunch.” Kevin grinned. “Want pizza?”

“Nah.” Patrick pushed through the front door and back into the chilly winter air outside. It really would have been so much better if they had chosen to just forgo the nostalgia visit of downtown and headed to a nice warm mall. He wrapped his arms around his body trying to hold in what little body heat he had left. A white Christmas did look beautiful, but the frigid temperatures were a bitch.

“Italian of any kind?” He asked as he followed Patrick. They walked south of the jewelry store towards a row of eateries, all of a wide range of assortment. Patrick wasn’t sure of where he was going. He was just following his feet this time. “Chinese? No. Not in the mood for that either.”

“Mexican?”

“Not in the mood for spicy.” Patrick stopped short causing Kevin to nearly run directly into him. He ignored the man’s grunt of irritation and stared at a glowing marquee just a few feet from them. Right across the street stood a replica of a 1950’s diner. Elvis Presley could be heard singing Jail House Rock from the large rectangular black speakers. If a girl wearing a poodle skirt walked out, Patrick would not have been the slightest surprised. “How about a burger?” He finally asked, breaking the silence between them.

Kevin hesitated, wondering what the strange look on Patrick’s face was all about. Something there made him a little uneasy. “Guess grease on a bun is fine.”

“Good.” Patrick said quickly and took off across the crowded street disregarding the hateful glares from a few pedestrians and motorists. He was already more than halfway before Kevin had managed to get his feet to move again. The man’s mind was set now and that was that.

The Burger Heaven sign flashed bright neon over head and lit of the surface below. Green and red streaked Patrick’s face but went unnoticed. He didn’t wait for Kevin and shouldered his way through the entrance and into the warmth of the diner. The heat slapped him in the face while the smell of sizzling meat struck his senses. A woman dressed in an old fashioned car-hop waitress uniform dodged him without tipping a drink or disturbing a piece of ice. She gave him a quick smile. “Just grab a seat.”

“Never seen you move so fast for a burger.” His brother chided, finally catching up to Patrick. “Thought I was the hungry one.”

“It just hit me.” Patrick mumbled. That was more-or-less true. Passing other customers, they found a vacant booth near the back out of direct eyesight. Kevin took both their coats and folded them neatly before setting them on the empty space beside him. Patrick gazed around the diner as if taking in all the sights and sounds of the place. It was a loud garish place that was more of a parody of the roaring fifties. Patrick twisted his head in the direction of a large jukebox. “We’ve been here before.”

Kevin paused for a moment, reminding himself to not be too anxious about what Patrick had said. He took a deep breath and tried to choose his words carefully. “We grew up around here, Trick. We’ve been here probably thousands of times.” He didn’t like the intensity of Patrick’s stare or the chill that had surrounded the small area they occupied.

“Sorry.” Patrick spoke softly after several icy minutes. The word was flat and void of any sense of what that word meant. “Guess I should get used to this feeling. Probably will get this feeling about a lot of places, but nothing concrete. Just this tingling in my gut and chill up my spine. Fall Out Boy Patrick had been here. Fucking carved everywhere, just not where it can be seen with the naked eye.”

“If you would rather leave...”

“No, I’m fine.” Patrick cut him off. He didn’t want to run every time he felt a little uncomfortable.

A pretty brunette came up to their table and introduced herself as their waitress. A wide toothy smile lit up her face, but it wasn’t from recognition of who Patrick was. Just a typical bubbly waitress after big tips. “Hi guys. What can I get you?”

Kevin, ever the charmer, cocked his head in her direction and grinned. “I’ll have whatever you recommend.”

Patrick rolled his eyes again. “I’ll have the burger special. Everything on it and a coke. The moron here will have the same thing. Bring him a bib too. He’s drooling all over his shirt.”

“Hey now.” Kevin laughed and blushed slightly. “I can still kick your ass, little man.”

“I just shake with fear.” Patrick scoffed at the threat. “Might test that theory of yours later, big man.”

Patrick leaned back against the cool leather with a smile that was a little forced. He wasn’t sure if it was the overwhelming scent of fried fat or the mix of different perfumes that mingled in the air around them, but a queer feeling of nauseating disorientation struck his senses. Kevin reached across the table and took Patrick’s right wrist firmly. “You look pale.”

“Jesus.” Patrick could no longer focus on the other man’s concerned face.

Kevin nearly came across the table as Patrick’s face went slack and caught him by the shoulders before the younger man could fall face first on the hard table top. His eyes rolled back and remained unfocused for several seconds, but Patrick finally shook his head to clear it. “Shit, you feel okay?”

“Feel a little sick.” Patrick stood uneasily to his feet, in spite of his shaky knees. Sick wasn’t exactly correct, but he didn’t know how else to describe it. He motioned for Kevin to sit back down. He could make it to the men’s room without any one’s help. Last thing he wanted was an audience in case he was going to throw up. The idea of doing that in front of the restaurant patrons filled him with dread. He shoved past a rather large man, whose body managed to take up every possible inch between the isles of booths. “Goddamn it. Move it!”

He couldn’t explain in rational terms how he felt or what went through his mind. Every inch of him shivered and the need to flee out the front door grew with every step towards the rest-room. An unmistakable sound of a groan escaped his lips as a flash of light filled his field of vision. It was a peculiar sensation. He had read about such events happening. He could be having a brain aneurysm leading to a paralyzing stroke or even death. It was that Fiend’s joke on him. Ha ha, Patrick, you survived it all, but I have you now!!!! Say good-bye to your little family before I take you to hell.
Now, that was a strange thing to think.

God, just let me get to the bathroom. Please. The fat man remarked something rather rude, but Patrick could have cared less. This situation was quickly becoming desperate, and his stomach was ready to launch into a vomit-pyrotechnic act like no one had ever seen. Blind, he fell to his knees four feet from the closed men’s room. So close. He couldn’t tell which end was up, but knew that he was on his back. The coldness of the dirty tile floor seeped through his shirt and caressed his neck. What a place to be caught like this at. Former Fall Out Boy dies on grease covered diner floor. News at 11:00. If he could have managed it, Patrick would have laughed. God help me, I’m going to fucking die on this floor.

Hi, Patrick.

He looked up and finally was able to focus his eyes on an oval object as it came into view. She was very young with a halo of blond curls framing her beautiful flawless face. The strands of flaxen locks hung down long enough for him to touch, if he could raise his arms. He longed to reach out to her but could only stare at her. She could have been an angel sent directly from God, or the Devil hiding behind a face of a Saint meant to trick him.

“Hi.” Her voice was the sound of hundreds of pure crystal striking together to make the perfect sound. A tender smile lit up her face making her seem even more lovely, which was just barely possible. He had no idea what her name was, but felt a tug of familiarity as he gazed up at her. “You came back.”

“Came back?” Patrick tried to fight back another attack of nauseating dizziness and confusion. He tried so hard to remember her. “I came back from where?”

Kevin was then suddenly with him cradling him in his arms. The small man gazed up at him, but did not see him. His lips moved, but nothing that made sense could be distinguished from the loud sounds of commotion. “Patrick?”

The deep voice of Kevin’s echoed in Patrick’s mind shattering the image of the woman. He blinked in sudden shock to find himself staring up a very concerned and terrified Kevin. The looks of the many faces that surrounded them explained what had happened without the need for words, and a flush of deep crimson reached his cheeks. Saying he was humiliated was not even close to being an accurate description. Patrick suddenly wished that it had been a sudden stroke or burst of a blood clot. At least then he would not have cared that he was now the attention of every single breathing soul there. Hell, even some had come in from the cold to watch the show. He would have leaped to his feet and brushed past them all to escape their relentless stares, but his body was not going to cooperate with him. He was stuck right there until Kevin helped him up.

Patrick moaned and closed his eyes. Could this get much worse?