The Hidden Truth

Chapter Ten: Empty Promises

Later that evening as I was putting away the last of the dishes, there's a knock at the door. I answered it, surprised to see Larry standing on my porch. I figured I would have more time to slam a pot of coffee before the guys showed up for our usual poker game, I guess not. Stepping aside to allow him in, I peek outside to see if anybody else was pulling up at that time. After seeing no one I close the door and join him in the kitchen to prepare myself a pot of coffee while he sets up everything.

The tremors from this morning have only gotten worse, luckily I found that caffeine will keep my hands remotely steady but it's only a temporary fix. As soon as it wears off the shaking in my hands along with the tremors in my body will reappear. As I pull the pot out of the coffee maker, I drop it, shattering the glass and spilling the remains of this morning's breakfast all over the floor. Larry immediately turns around and asks, "Are you alright?" as he proceeds to grab the broom sitting next to the fridge to help clean up the mess.

Grabbing the towel off the counter near the sink, I mop up the spilled coffee while shards of glass attached to the rag as I reply, "My hands must have still been wet and it slipped." still trying to conceal the shaking going on throughout my body.

"How about you finish with the table and I'll take care of this."

I nod. I should have been more careful but without a pot to brew coffee in I might have just set myself up for a disaster. "Hey, do you think any of the guys would have an extra pot that would fit that maker?"

"I can ask but if they do, it won't be tonight."

I mumble to myself 'great' as I finish getting the table ready.

As the rest of the guys arrived I dealt the cards like usual, trying to control my hand movements the best I can. One by one they would talk and ask a few questions the same as they normally did until Alex came out and grabbed something to drink from the fridge. That's when all the guys but Larry turned their eyes to me. The room fell silent for a few minutes until he left the room and Dante spoke up first, "I didn't know you had a son."

I had gone over this scenario several times in my head before I finally decided to tell them the truth. Well half of the truth that is. "No, that's my brother." After I heard his door close I finished, "When my mother died he had nowhere to go so I took him in."

"Awe, well at least he didn't have to experience what it's like to live as a ward of the state. That's a pitiful life." says Paul.

I didn't think that any of these guys had seen that side of the world and knowing that drew me closer to them.

As the night progressed the steady quakes running around inside my body finally made their way to the surface. My legs and arms start to quiver slightly, enough that the cards I'm dealing, seem to go everywhere but where I want them to go. I try once again to center my attention on my aim. It lasts for all of maybe ten minutes before I find myself leaving the table and heading out the back door to preserve what little dignity I have left. I can hear the guys in the kitchen complaining as Larry takes over, shouting things like 'that's not fair' and 'you're cheating'. Now I understand why they have a rule that the dealer doesn't play.

The contractions going on throughout my entire body are growing with intensity and becoming quite painful as I sit on the back step. I try rubbing my muscles to ease the symptoms but it only seems to be making them all the more unbearable. It's starting to cause my entire body to shake uncontrollably. I can't seem to do anything but allow it time to pass and hope that the guys don't come out here and see me like this.

About a half an hour later at the intermission break, Dante joins me as he sits down beside me and says, "Every night we come over to play cards, I watch you. From the way you try to hide what is going on inside of your head to the way you try to cope with the things laid out before you. You're failing Michael, miserably. I told the guys already that I'm tired of sitting back and not saying anything to you so take this as a warning, stop. We aren't your run of the mill co workers, we are your friends otherwise we wouldn't be here."