Backdoor Boy

9

Mikey and Gerard exchanged glances. It felt like it had been years since they had last eavesdropped on their parents. Mikey crouched at Gerard's feet, who stood with his back against the edge of the wall. The brothers could overhear everything in the foyer below. At that moment, their parents were discussing the somewhat distressing business call they had just received.

"I hate this!" Donna said. "They always do this last minute shit."

"Donna, relax," Donald said. "They've been doing this for as long as we've been working there. This is nothing new."

Donna sighed. "I know," she said. "But it's like they don't care that some of us have children!"

"It isn't that bad, really. The boys are old enough to stay here for a weekend by themselves. Besides, it isn't like they'll be completely alone. They do have each other."

Mikey looked up at Gerard, who was running his tongue along his teeth. Gerard nudged Mikey with his foot and Mikey stood up. They stepped out over the banister so that their parents could see them. "Everything okay?" Gerard said.

Donna looked up at her sons. "Oh, yes," she said, "Everything is fine. Our boss just told us that this weekend, there's a pop-up business trip to California."

"Oh, Cali?" Gerard said. "Neat."

"Sounds kind of last minute, doesn't it?" Mikey said.

Donna sighed a second time. "It is," she said. "We're sorry. But i-it's only for the weekend. I wish they would have told us sooner."

Gerard shrugged and smacked the banister. "What can you do?" he said. "We'll be okay, don't worry."

Donna smiled sympathetically at her sons. "I'm sorry, sweethearts. Thank you."

Mikey and Gerard exchanged glanced once more. "It's okay," Mikey said.

"Yeah," Gerard said. He threw an arm around his little brother. "We'll be just fine."

-

"...So they'll be in California all weekend." Mikey sipped his cappuccino, having been talking for roughly twenty minutes with only a few short breaks when Ray would go check on other customers.

Ray nodded. He glanced around the coffee shop, noticing that the elderly couple by the door needed him. He patted the counter. "I'll be right back," he said under his breath. Mikey watched as Ray quickly made his way from behind the counter to the couple's table. Mikey couldn't help but smile at the politeness with which Ray addressed the pair. He refilled their coffees and, after he was assured that they didn't need anything else, returned to Mikey.

"Sorry about that," Ray said. He reached under the counter and took out the familiar unmarked spray bottle, spraying the solution onto the counter-top. He took the rag that was thrown over his shoulder and began to wipe down the counter. "So California?" he asked. "For a whole weekend? That's not too bad."

Mikey nodded. "Yeah," he said, shifting on his stool. "It'll probably be pretty uneventful, if I'm being honest. Me and Gerard don't do much most of the time anyway, I don't see much changing just because our parents aren't around."

Ray bobbed his head. He opened his mouth to say something, then seemed to decide against speaking. Mikey leaned forward slightly. "What, what is it?" he asked.

"Hm? What's what?" Ray said.

"You were gonna say something!"

Ray seemed suddenly bashful. He stopped moving his hand on the counter. "I may have had something to ask you..."

Mikey leaned forward on the counter, eager. "Well what was it?!" he cried.

Ray shushed him, smiling. "I was... Well, I was going to offer for you to spend the weekend with me. But, of course, that would have been-"