Trouble in Paradise

Chapter 17

Sam and i play three more rounds of MarioKart on the Xbox. I win every single time, causing Sam to throw a fit and throw his controller across the room and let loose a string of curse words. He is so funny.
  
Sams grandma walks back into the room followed by his mother, and they sit back on the couch. I have abandoned the controller now, and am letting Sam have all the fun.
  
Hes busy playing Grand Theft Auto. He is mesmerized by the screen, his character is in a police car with the sirens and lights on and chasing an SUV down the street. Its a good thing that Sam doesnt drive in real life like he does on this game.
  
"So," Sams nana begins, looking at me, "five months, huh?"
  
"Yup," i reply.
  
"I guess its time to bring out the photo albums then, dont you think? Tara, hon, would you please go and get the photo albums for me?"
  
Sams mom smiles stiffly but stands up to go get them anyway.
  
Sam doesnt even hear the conversation right now, he is completely out of it and lost in his game. His grandma smiles at the back of his head.
  
Hes sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the 60in. tv. The tip of his tongue is sticking out so i know that he is in some deep concentration.
  
"Do you want to see pictures of Sami when he was younger?"
  
"Id love to," i reply.
  
Sams mother comes into the room with three, very thick, scrapbooks in her arms. She plops them down on the coffee table in front of us. Sam jumps slightly at the sound, but doesnt look away from the game.
  
"That boy is too intact with those videogames. I swear, everytime i come over here, he has that damn controller wedged between his hands," she rolls her eyes at her grandson.
  
"Is he a good boyfriend?" his nana asks me. She flips open the top album.
  
"Yes, the absolute best, hes really sweet," i say nodding my head.
  
"Has he taken you on any dates?"
  
"Actually. No."
  
"Then hes not a good boyfriend. You need to tell him that you want to go on a date."
  
I smile. She seems like a fun grandma.
  
"Aww. Look at this picture."
  
Sams nana points to a picture on the first page. Its a toddler, who im guessing was Sam, hes sitting in a stroller, asleep with his thumb in his mouth. He doesnt look any older than 5 years old.
  
"He was four years old then," Sams mom says, "I took him to the park to play on the swings. He ended up going too high and fell off. He cried for thirty minutes straight before i was able to get him to calm down."
  
The next picture, Sam is in a baseball uniform, a glove and baseball in hand, and hes standing on a pitchers mound. The writing beside the picture says Sam was 6 years old.
  
The next one was of Sam and Jackson. They were standing back to back, holding their hands up, as if they were guns, in front of their faces. They had on serious faces for the camera. Im going to guess that they were around 10 or 11. That picture is probably my favorite so far. Sam was such a cute kid, he still is.
  
"Those two were trouble, werent they?" Sams nana says, but she was smiling, "Do you remember that time when the both of them came over to spend the night at my house," she says to Sams mom, "and Sam ended up with a red welt across his eye?"
  
"Oh yeah. That was awful."
  
"They were playing pirates with sticks in the backyard," Sams nana tells me, "I remember i was over in the garden, and i was trying to keep an eye on them. But then, while in the middle of planting my rose bushes, i heard one of them scream. So i ran over to them and found Sam on the ground crying and covering his eye. Jackson had "accidentaly" hit Sam with the stick," she does air quotes with her fingers around the word, accidentaly.
  
"They were the worst when they were together. And it got even worse when they got to middle school," Sams mother sighs, but she is smiling.
  
Sams mom and nana showed me the rest of the albums. There was only a couple of pictures of Sam with Jackie.
  
One was taken at the beach, the water in the background. Jackie was kneeling beside a sand castle, patting its sides and edges. Sam was sitting on his knees farther away from the sand castle. He was peering over Jackies shoulder, trying to look at the castle. She was 12, and Sam was 11 in that picture.
   
The other one was from their first day of middle school. The two of them were standing side by side. Sams arm draped over Jackies shoulder, and she had her arms wrapped around his waist. Sam had his head stooped low next to her ear, he was most likely whispering something to her because she was smiling into his chest.
  
Sam got tired of playing his video game eventually and is laying down on his back beside me. His head in resting on my thigh, and he looks like he is about to fall asleep. Hes drifting in and out of consciousness.
  
"Looks like someone is ready for bed," Sams nana says, obviously talking about Sami, "I should probably go before it gets too late."
  
She gets up and Sams mom follows her to the door. I start getting up, waking Sam up in the process, and we go to say goodbye to his nana.
  
She hugs Sam tightly, like hes going off to war or something, and kisses his cheek. "I love you kiddo. And stop growing up so damn fast, you got it? I feel like just yesterday, you were this big," she hold her hand to the height of her knee. "And be good to your girlfriend."
  
"I will Nana," Sam says sleepily, "love you."
  
She leans into my ear and whispers so Sam cant hear her, "Tell him that you want to go on a date, okay. And you let me know if he refuses to take you on one, and let me deal with him. He can be a real handful. Trust me, ive know him his whole life."
  
"Okay," i chuckle at her words. Then shes out the door.
  
I end up leaving shortly after that.
  

When i get home i find my brother sitting in the dark in the living room.
  
"Uh- Ryan? What are you doing just sitting in the dark?"
  
"Im thinking," he replies like this is normal.
  
I chuckle, "Oh, okay. Wheres mom and dad?"
  
He is silent for a long moment, "They- uh- went out for dinner," his voice is shaky and rough sounding.
  
"Ryan, are you all right?" I move over to the wall and flip on the lightswitch.
  
Ryan is sprawled out on the couch, hes shirtless, of coarse. There are empty beer bottles on the table beside the couch. And is that-? there is a plastic bag sitting next to the dozen beer bottles, and there is white powder in he bag. Oh. My. God.
  
"Ryan? Are you high right now?" i ask him in disbelief.
  
He winces at my harsh tone, "Maybe."
  
I walk over to him and notice his eyes are bloodshot.
  
"Why are you doing this to yourself, Ry? What if mom and dad came home before me and found you like this? Dad would ship you off to military school if he found you smoking pot."
  
"No he wouldnt. You're silly, Lex."
  
I gather the bottles in my hands and take them outside and dump them into recycling. When i come back in, Ryan is sitting upright on the couch. His head is in his hands and he is rubbing his palms into hi eyes.
  
What is wrong with him? Why does he want to ruin his life? If his college finds out about this, they will surely kick him out, they are a 'No Bullshit' kind of school. And what if they did, that would ruin his chances of becoming a lawyer.
  
I help Ryan up, grab the pot, and walk him down the hall to his bedroom.
  
I sit him on his bed and he curls up hugging a pillow to his chest.
  
"Where did you get this?" i ask, holding up the bag of white powder.
  
"A friend," he answers. His eyes are closed and i think he about to fall asleep. I nudge his knee.
  
"Why do you want to ruin your life Ryan? If you continue going down this path, you definately will not graduate law school. Dont you want to become a lawyer?" i feel like i should be his mom right now, or his counselor with this pep talk. I just would hate to see him go down the wrong path, and not be able to become a lawyer, something hes wanted to do since he was little and watched Judge Judy for the first time.
  
"Of coarse i do. But life is too hard," Ryan opens his eyes and peers up at me.
  
"Thats because its life, its not suppose to be easy, Ryan. But you cant just go out and get drugs everytime something is too hard, okay?"
  
He nods.
  
"Im going to go hide this, i will be right back."
  
I walk out of his bedroom. Where am i going to hide this, somewhere mom and dad wont look. I just need a hiding place until i can dispose of this crap properly, and without getting caught.
  
I go into my room, and the first place my eyes go is my bed. I go to the side of my bed and lift my mattress up slightly, shoving the little plastic baggy deep inside.
  
Goddamn it Ryan. Now you have me hiding Pot under my mattress.
  
I go back to his room, after changing into my pajamas, and lay down beside him. I have my arm slung over him.
  
"Good night Ry," Then i slowly drift off to sleep.