When we Finish Moving

Chapter 9- Tell Me Mom

Karen Wheeler woke up at 6:30 am.  She usually slept in a little more on her only day off, but she was kind of excited to see Joyce again even though she would have to rehash the details of her divorce from Ted.  Karen cleaned up and got in her car and drove West to Bloomington.  On her car ride she thought about how Mike was getting along with Will.

Night Before - Newby Residence

Will told Mike the details of the letter and Mike was silent.  "I think Ziggy should be told about this.  I can tell him or you can, it's up to you Mike."  Mike stopped Will.  "I better tell him.  Have him come up here."  Mike held the photo as Will left to get Ziggy.  Thoughts came flooding into Mike's head.  The most prominent one was Ted yelling at his Mom when talking about the kids and any arrangements.  "I'm taking Holly with me, you can have your son.  I don't want Holly exposed to you anymore.  If you want to challenge this you will pay a heavy price."  It never made sense until now why Ted didn't want Mike in his life anymore.  Mike's flashback ended when Ziggy walked into Will's room.  "What do you want Mike?.."

°°°°°

Joyce and Bob were sitting in the living room watching TV.  "Will, we are jet-lagged from the flight today and the last few days.  We're going to bed.  Don't stay up too late."  Joyce left and Bob winked and smirked at Will as he followed Joyce to their room.  "Byers, I think it's time for this."  Max pulled out a baggie with some sweet natural bud.  Will's eyes blew out of his sockets "we can't smoke that in here, it will stink."  Mike and Ziggy came up to the two "Max, you're suppose to save that for our next hangout."  Mike was telling Max.  "Mike, I think we all need a break and we need this." Max told him. 

"I guess we can go out back if you want to."  Will lead the group to the back yard.  Bob had a wooden bench sitting in front of the metal fire ring and Will brought 2 folding camping chairs from the garage along with a flashlight and lantern.  Max was busy rolling and Mike and Max took the two chairs while Will and Ziggy shared the bench and Will got the lantern to light and put it on the lantern rod near the fire ring .

The 4 of them sat in a semi-dark, cold backyard as Mike and Max shared her joint by the glow of a kerosene lantern.  "What about me brother?"  Ziggy said to Mike.  "Oh here."  Mike handed the joint off.  "You're really brothers!"  Max cut in.  "What is the story?"  Max was the only one who didn't know.  Ziggy savored the bud while he handed the joint to Will.  Will shook his head.  "Come on Byers, one puff won't kill you, now quit being a chicken."  Max was laughing at him.  Will took it under peer pressure and inhaled.  No one knew that Will was exposed to this stuff years ago when Lonnie would smoke this stuff on the Weekends and Will bared witness.  He passed the blunt back to Ziggy who took one more puff before Mike snatched it out of his hand. 

"Max."  Ziggy got her attention.  "I'll tell you what Mike told me."  Will realized that to be truthful to Mike he had to tell him everything he read off the letter, so he had to expose a secret Mrs. Wheeler was keeping.  "Back on April 7, 1971 Mike's Mom gave birth to twin boys, Mike and Brandon, who is me by the way."  Mike handed the Polaroid to Max who smiled "you two boys were cute, what happened now?"  Mike and Ziggy looked at her unpleased while Max made comments and snorted as the two twins held the exact same expressions and body language.  The photo had Mike and Ziggy as babies next to each other on a blanket ontop of Karen's legs as she was on the Hospital bed.  Ziggy had his forehead birthmark while Mike didn't have one.  The photo said Michael and Brandon April 8, 1971.  "Anyway to get back to the story, for reasons unknown to me,  Mike's Dad had me adopted out while they kept and raised Mike.  My parents, Roger and Evelyn Katz, adopted me and renamed me.  That is why we vaguely resemble each other."  Ziggy pulled Will into himself as Mike was teased by Max.  Max and Mike finished off the joint and the 4 looked at each other.  "I'm hungry, do you have some snacks?"  Mike asked.  "In the kitchen pantry are Doritos and Cheese Puffcorn while there is soda in the fridge down in the basement.  Go down to the basement while I put this stuff away.  We can watch a movie if you want."