My Purgatory Hell

Chapter 11

"Those we love and lose are always connected by heartstrings into infinity."

- Terri Guillemets

No, no, no, no. She can't be dead. The words seemed to ring endlessly in my ears. I froze for a moment as I looked at Jack in disress. I didn't realize I meant that much to my little brother. I figured he, of all people, would be glad. He did wish that upon me one time, when I was babysitting him.

This was maybe three or four years ago. My parents went on a date night and didn't come home until late. Austin had holed up in their bedroom. Jack was engrossed in some television show--Mickey Mouse? Honestly, I can't seem to remember at this point of time. Regardless, during one of the commercials, Jack turned his upper body to face me and told me he wanted cookies.

"No," I had firmly denied him. Denying my brother never went well, even for my parents, who tended to cave in to their little boy often. I'd like to have my two cents on this topic, but it's best not to sidetrack myself.

"Mom always lets me have cookies," Jack pouted while crossing his arms over his chest in a defiant move.

While he did look adorable when he pouted, which was when my mom would usually cave, I shook my head. Instead, I found his move to be irritating. "I'm not Mom," I assured him in a stern, authoritative tone of voice.

"But..." I knew Jack was going to go on some rant as to why he needed cookies to finish watching his show. I also knew that I wasn't in the mood to deal with his antics, as he was grating on my nerves the entire day. I needed to put my foot down before he continued to talk my ear off.

"No. If you keep insisting, I'm going to make you clean the bathroom," I warned in a strict tone of voice. This threat had a tendency to work, but this was the rare occasion that it didn't.

Jack turned around and watched television for a little longer, but decided he had to "go to the bathroom". I didn't think anything of it at the time. Instead, I mindlessly followed along with his kids' television show as he made his way to the bathroom. However, the bathroom break had taken him longer than usual, so after a few minutes of his absence, I went to go check on him. That was when I found him snooping in the package of cookies on the counter in the corner of the kitchen

"Jack!" I yelled.

Jack turned around with a cookie in his hand and chocolate surrounding his mouth. His eyes were wide when they caught a glimpse of my figure in the room. He was caught red-handed with evidence both in his hand and on his face.

"You didn't listen to me, so you can clean the bathroom." When Jack stood motionless with a dumbstruck look on face, I added, "Now!" I jabbed a finger in the direction of the bathroom.

Jack gave me a furious glare. His eye brows scrunched together and his lips thinned out. As if he had a right to be mad! I warned him of the consequences when he asked for those cookies the first time. Clearly, Jack thought the risk was worth it. So I say, if you do the crime you've got to do the time. Maybe that phrase I had taken out of someone else's playbook, but the phrase applied to many things.

Jack still stood in the kitchen corner with a dark look directed in my direction. I crossed my hands over my chest and nodded at the bathroom. "Go on."

"No! You can't make me," he said in defense. The truth was I probably couldn't have made him, but I pulled the Dad card. Dad had a temper that nobody, not even Jack, wanted to push. Unless you were Mom and found it oddly amusing. I think that is why they fought most of the time.

"Don't make me tell Dad about the cookies," I commented in a softer tone. I knew this would break Jack's cockiness.

"You wouldn't!" Jack gasped with shock written all over his face--the look was priceless. I almost laughed, but luckily I caught myself before the laughter escaped my lips. How could I keep the upper hand if I broke face right in front of Jack?