rags and riches ; muke (completed)

7

After putting Madison to bed, Luke decided to stay for a while to keep Michael company.

"Shes really cute, ya know. Cute nose." Luke said, breaking the ice. "She has my nose, my everything. I know she's cute." Michaek cheekly smiled. "Whatever." Like mumbled, hoping that Michael didn't realize Luke practically called his nose cute. "So, I have to work all thus week, will you babysit her? If it's not too much trouble I mean." Michael said, stumbling over the last of his words.

"Yeah sure. I'll watch Madison anytime you need me too. She's an amazing four year old." He assured. "Great. Well anyway, I have a ton or homework to do, so if you don't mind...could ya leave?" Michael asked, trying not to sound rude.

"What? Oh yeah! Sure." Luke said, faking a smile and walking to the door. "See ya later." Luke said. Michael opened the door for Luke, being nice of course. "Oh, and thanks for calling my nose cute, blondey." Michael almost giggled out, closing the door on Luke.

He began his homework, but only about ten minutes later, his mother walked in. She had a liquor bottle in her hand.

"Ma, where have you been?" Michael asked the intoxicated woman. She spit out some incoherent slurr and walked towards the kitchen. "Let me help you." He said, pushing his books onto the couch and standing. "I got it! I got it." She shouted angerly. "Please be quiet, I don't want Madison waking up." He said, trying to shush her. "Oh, Madison this, Madison that! What about me?!! She yelled. "Mom please...I'm trying." He mumbled.

He was trying to keep himself calm because seeing his mother so drunk and aimless really messed with him. Obvisiously he wanted what was best for his mother and this wasnt what he wanted.

"Oh, fuck you! You're not tryin'! If you we're tryin', you'd be like Kyra!" She shouted at him, throwing her bottle at him. "Kyra is died, mom! Okay?! I can't be like her! I know she was the star child, but I can't help that! I'm not Kyra!" He shouted back, "You think Kyra was sooooo perfect don't you? She was on drugs, mom! She was getting her money from the streets! She was a prostitute!"

Kyra was Michael's older sister. She was the oldest child out of all of the four. She was the star child, she never done anything wrong, always made straight A's, never got in trouble, she was the best child anyone could've asked for.

What their mom didn't know was all that was an act. She was shooting up, snorting pills, drinking, getting payed for sex, and being a bad kid.

When she died, that's when their mom went down hill. Her husband, Maxwell Martin, stabbed her. Mom and Kyra were the closest any parents had been with their child. It was her everything. So when she died, their mom turned the drugs and drinking. Michael was just 15 at the time (their dad was still there, he payed the bills)  and he had to, quickly step up and be the bigger man in the household.

A year later, their dad left. He said he couldn't take Nancy, their mom, being so out of control.

His mother slapped him across the cheek. "Don't you ever say that! Kyra was the greatest thing to ever happen to me! Not you, Tori, or Alex can ever replace her! You guys were just...mistakes! Just some broken condoms!" She screamed.

Michael gripped her shoulders tightly. "Don't you ever say that about us, do you hear me! You're just a drunk! I'm the one who works, I take care of your kids while you whore around and I'm sick of it! If it wasn't for me, we'd be on the streets!" He screamed.

"Get the fuck off me, you worthless piece of shit." She growled, smacking his hands away and stumbling to her room.
Michael turned back around, gripping the counter and breathing heavy. He was trying not to go off on her because he knew he could do some damage with all the bottled up anger inside him.

He closed his eyes and continued breathing in until he heard a small voice. "Daddy?"

His head snapped up at the door frame where Madison was, all wrapped up in his blanket. "Hey baby girl..." He almost whispered, picking her up. His voice was scratchy from yelling so much.

"Why were you being loud?" She asked. Michael frowned. He never wanted to fight in front of her, he knew she wouldn't be able to handle it. She had tears down her cheek and a snotty nose, so he knew she had been crying. "I'm sorry baby...daddy and Nancy are just talking loud...I didn't mean to wake you up." He whispered, hugging her small frame.

"Otay..." She whispered, falling back to sleep on him.