Love hurts?

Brotherly love

Janet's POV

Michael and Ocean came to visit us today after their visit with DJ. I love that I get to see Michael again and that Joseph and mom let him come over. mom told me their all friends again but , something still doesn't seem right. Michael and Ocean always seem quiet and in a hurry to leave and they still won't let anybody come over and visit or give anybody their address. Even though  mom said their all friends again, I can tell Michael is still upset about the things Joseph and mom said . Nobody knows this, but when Joseph sent Michael away, I heard him and mom talking in the kitchen one night and they were saying really mean things and him and that he done bad things which I know aren't true. Michael and I have always been best friend and I know he'd never do the things they said he did. That must be why him and Ocean are always more quiet and in a hurry to leave these days because their still upset about all the mean things mom and Joseph called Michael.

All anybody ever does now is get mad at each other and I hate it. We were all happy once, but ever since Ocean's mom took DJ away from them, Ocean and Micheal aren't the same as they used to be. They have a new baby now, but their still sad. I don't get to see DJ much, but sometimes I see him with Ocean's mom when I go to the park or at the store with mom and he's always sad too.

****

Michael's POV

"dude, relax we'll be back soon. Don't worry about the money we'll get it" I whisper to Ray in a hushed tone while in my parents bathroom. When I come out I can hear everybody downstairs and quietly make my way down the hallway and see LaToya bedroom door slightly open and sneak inside.

I look around the room and in her bedside table. I find some lose change on her dresser, which isn't nearly enough to cover what we need. As I'm searching around I see a necklace on her dresser. It was what my grandfather had bought her for her birthday a few years before he died and I know it's worth a fair bit of money. I quickly put it in my pocket and turn to leave, but I'm stopped in my tracks. I'm not sure if it's my conscious that made me stop or what, but I sigh and turn to put the necklace back. "what's going on?" I hear a voice and turn to see Joseph standing at the door. "nothing I was just um..."

"stealing from your sister?" He cuts me off frowning. "I wasn't I was just..."

"your on that coke shit again aren't you!?" He frowns. "no... I..." He walks over putting his hand in my pocket taking the change I just took. "well something's going on if your up here stealing from your own sister. And for what? $5 worth of change!? I wanna know what's going on and you better tell me the truth! If it's not coke then what do you need money so badly for?" He says sternly. "we um..we're a little behind on our rent this month and I know I shouldn't have even thought about and I was about to put it back and..."

"is that what that phone call was about in the bathroom a moment ago?" He asks and I nod. "and it was definitely for rent nothing else?"

"yes" I lie "how much do you need?"

"$300"

"come with me" he sighs and I follow him into his and my mothers bedroom. "this is a one time thing ok? Just tell help you and Ocean get on your feet" he opens his dresser and takes out some money. "here's $600. Now that's the financial part covered what about everything else?" He asks handing me the money. "like what?"

"Nevaeh. Our you both coping ok on your own? Because if you ever feel like you need a break you know me and your mother will..."

"we're fine and Nevaeh's fine" I cut him off quickly and he nods. "ok, well if ever you guys need a break we're more than happy to babysit anytime"

"thanks" I smiled through purses lips. "and thanks for the money"

"well like I said it's a one time thing to get you both started... we can keep what just happened with the necklace between me and you"

**

As we're saying our goodbyes getting ready to leave, Janet jumps in my car. "Dunk, c'mon! Ocean and I are in a hurry" I sigh, "please? Amy's house is only 3 streets away and I'm suppose to be sleeping over"

"so walk" I shrug and she sits back in the seat stubbornly. "fine, whatever" I sigh rolling my eyes and quickly drive her to her friends house.

***

Ocean's POV

when we get home, I put Nevaeh down in our room while Michael is dealing with Frank and I can hear Robert in the bathroom and it sounds like he's throwing up. "are you ok?" I ask concerned knocking on the door. He doesn't answer and I'm about to open the door when he comes walking out. "are you ok? You look really pale"

"mhm.. Just something I ate" he fakes a smile. I'm about to speak when Michael comes over. "you ok?" He asks Robert softly and he nods. "I'm fine. I must have eaten something bad" he tells Michael and I notice he widens his eyes as he says it, like he's hinting something at Michael. I turn back to Robert to speak and Michael takes my hand cutting me off. "C'mon he's fine" he smiles pulling me into the living room.

*******

Michael's POV

Me and Ocean are on the sofa fooling around and I can sense a real distance from her. "what's wrong?" I ask softly, breaking away from our kiss and she sighs sitting up. "Has Robert said anything to you?"

"about what?" I shrug confused. "when he was in the bathroom earlier and I asked if he was ok the two of you looked at each other, like there was more to what he said"

"he ate something that made him sick, what more was there for him to say?" I shrug then lean forward and start kissing her again, but she breaks away slightly. "are you sure that's all it was?" She looks at me worriedly. "baby, I came home when you did and he told me the same thing he told you" I point out. "he seems to get sick alot latey though and.."

"if it worries you that much then speak to him about it tomorrow" I shrug trying to end the conversation."so you do know something?" She looks at me nervously. "he hasn't said anything to me" I lie. "but if he did..." She begins and I press my lips softly against hers cutting her off mid sentence. "just relax... And let me make love to you" I whisper onto her lips leading her back down onto the sofa. She starts to relax kissing me back, but I can still sense her worry.

*****

Janet's POV

"and here it is!" My friend Amy says showing me the address on her computer. "but how do we know that's were Michael and Ocean lives? They could be visiting a friend?" I point out. "not at 10:30 at night" she shakes her head. "does it say what number door?" I ask and she shakes her head again. "it'll only show where your phone is. So if you left it in their car then it'll only trace it to the location"

"how am I suppose to know what apartment then?" I frown. "guess you'll just have to knock on each one until one of them answers" she shrugs.

I wrote the address down and looked on a map where Michael and Ocean's apartment is. It's pretty far and I'd have to take a bus, but at least I know where they live now and I can help put everything back the way it was and nobody will have to be sad anymore and Joseph will stop being mad at Michael and let him come home and I can finally get my big brother back. Now all I need to do is get DJ to them somehow.