The Name of the Game

Chapter 27

Mikey stood outside of Gerard's door. He could hear the music through the wall. He sighed and nudged the door open without knocking. The scent of alcohol hit him in the face like a brick. Empty cans and bottles littered the floor and every other flat surface in the room. Gerard was laying facedown on his bed, a half-full bottle hanging between his fingers.

Mikey sighed. "Gee, what the hell are you doing?" he asked. He leaned against the doorframe. "Why do you keep doing this to yourself?"

Gerard groaned. He turned his head to look at his little brother. "Makes me feel better."

"It doesn't make you feel better," Mikey snapped. "It makes it so you don't feel anything. Stop being a coward and-"

He was cut off by a call from downstairs. "Mikey, come down here for a second!"

He sighed again. He looked at Gerard to say something else, then shook his head and left the room.

Mikey made his way down the steps to where his father was sitting expectantly. "What's wrong?" Mikey asked.

"Nothing," Donald said. "I just need to talk to you about something."

"Oh. Okay. What about?"

"When you move out, I want you to take Gerard with you."

Mikey was stunned. His jaw dropped. "W-What?!" he cried. "Dad, no way. I'm moving in with my fiance, and Gerard isn't part of my dowry."

Donald cut his eyes at Mikey. "I think you're misunderstanding," he said. "I'm not asking you."

Mikey sighed. "It's a one bedroom apartment."

"I will buy you two a ten bedroom house if that's the problem," Donald snapped. "After all, who's paying for that lovely little apartment? Son, we made a deal when you left. I don't like having to support you, but as far as the family's concerned, you're still in our care, at least partially. You do this for me, or I'll cut you off."

Mikey adjusted himself as he began to understand. "This is about the whole thing with Frank, isn't it?" he asked quietly. Donald didn't respond. "Dad, that was, what, a year and a half ago? You have to let it go."

"Let it go?!" Donald scoffed. "You really were never fit to work for us. It was a betrayal, and while everyone else was content with him being kicked out and cut off, I was not. Your mother wouldn't let me disown him. That's the only reason he's still under my roof. Take him with you."

"Dad-"

"Again, I'm not asking you. Look, Ray's a nice, respectable man. He'll be okay."

Mikey sighed. He turned to leave, and Donald picked up a newspaper.

"And not a word of this to your mother."

-

"Ray, can I talk to you about something?"

Ray looked over. "Sure, baby," he said. "Anything."

Mikey sighed and pulled himself closer to his fiance. "My dad asked us to do something yesterday."

"Dios mío." Ray rubbed his face. "Mikey, you left. I declined their invitation to join. He can't make us-"

Mikey placed a hand on Ray's arm. "No, no, it has nothing to do with that," he said. "Well, kind of. We don't have to do anything bad."

Ray nodded. "Okay. Then what?"

"When we move into the apartment, he wants us to take Gerard, too."

Ray faced forward again. He bobbed his head, licking his teeth in contemplation. "Why?"

"Remember how he wanted to abandon Gerard after the whole Frank thing, but my mom wouldn't let him?"