The Dance Part 2

Chapter 283 Shame

After Bam escorted Jill safely back to her house, he wasted no time in heading for the mill. He was equally as disappointed in his brother as was Jill and resented having to reverse the role of big brother once again. He found Matt exactly where Jill said he was. Shaking his head, he went back outside, filled a cold bucket of water and stomped back into the office. He stood over his brother and poured the icy cold water on him and then took a step back. He got an immediate reaction of a mouthful of expletives.  A bleary eyed and slurred speech Matt asked, "What the hell was that for?"

"First for disturbing my sleep. Second because your wife showed up sobbing in my living room. Third for being an idiot." Bam grabbed Matt by the collar and forcibly drug him out of the mill and back to his house. Lila had already made a pot of coffee to help sober him up. Bam shoved him up the stairs and into a cold shower, clothes and all. When Bam felt Matt was adequately soaked, he threw a towel at him to dry off. Bam rummaged through his closet and gave him a dry set of clothes.

"Put these on before you come downstairs. Lila has some coffee waiting on you." Matt attempted to argue with his brother. Bam's temper got the best of him as he found himself clutching Matt around the front of his shirt forcing him against the batheoom wall.

"I am in no mood to fuck with you tonight, brother. Now get dressed and get your ass downstairs." Bam stormed out of the bedroom. He was visibly shaking as Lila tried to soothe his temper. "I can't believe we are here again. With everything he has now, he wants to throw it all away. I just don't get it."

A disheveled Matt appeared looking somewhat sheepishly at Lila as she handed him a cup of hot coffee. He could feel her disappointment in him without ever saying a word. She let her husband do the talking tonight as she excused herself and went back upstairs without so much as a good night.

"If you think my wife is disappointed in you, then you should have seen your wife."

"Jill found me?"

"She was worried when she woke up and didn't find you in the house. She went looking for you and she found you passed out at your desk."

"I was tired." Matt attempted to justify his actions. "I must have fallen asleep."

"Who are trying to convince? Me or you? Jill found you passed out clutching an empty bottle of booze."

"I can explain." Matt attempted to give his brother a lame excuse but Bam cut him off.

"If you have a problem again with the bottle, we all have a problem. This isn't just about you anymore. You have a wife and two sons that depend on you. You and I have a partnership together and now you want to screw it all up. Not gonna happen, bro."

"You need to check yourself Bam. I am still the leader of this family." Matt stood up from the table going toe to toe with his brother.

"You were the leader of this pack but you are not taking all of us down because you have a problem with the bottle. I'll be damned if I let that happen to your family or mine."

"I don't have to take this crap off of you." Matt pushed Bam back a step and his brother immediately stepped forward invading Matt's personal space.

"And this is exactly why I am not letting you go home tonight. You can sleep on the couch. I don't want Jill or the boys seeing you like this." Matt felt Bam poking him in the chest to get his point across. He stood between Matt and the door and ordered him to the couch.

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Jill had just finished the breakfast dishes as she heard the front door open. She knew it was him and she held tightly to the kitchen sink as he spoke. "I'm sorry Jillian."

She couldn't turn to face him. She wouldn't accept his apology. Matt felt a sense of shame as the one person he loved above everyone else couldn't bear the sight of him.
"I'll get my things and move into the back room at the mill for now."

Still refusing to look at him, she replied, "I think that's best gor all of us. I think you need some time to think." His sigh was heavy as as she heard his footsteps walking upstairs to gather his things. Her knees almost buckled under her as a single tear rolled slowly down her cheek. The only sound she could hear was the breaking of her own heart.

Brett Young-Mercy