Money Can't Buy Happiness But It Can Help
Chapter 4
By: BeForeverYoung
"Hey Frankie" said Jane nervously.
"Guys this is my baby brother Frankie," introduced Jane as she smiled around the table.
"Frankie this is Dennis, Greg, Michael and Jackie," said Jane indicating to people around the table.
"Pleasure to meet you all," nodded Frankie smiling nicely. "Hey Jane can I actually talk to you for a minute?" indicated with his head to the exit of the bar.
"Uhhh…sure," shrugged Jane scooting out of the booth smiling sheepishly at the members of her table before following her brother outside.
-
Jane made her way out of the bar into the cool Boston night before Frankie turned to her and spoke, "look Jane I need to tell you something," said Frankie staring at Jane sadly.
Jane nearly tripped over her feet at her brothers words. Did Frankie already find out about her and Maura? And what was up with that look on his face? Was he upset by it? She knew coming out to her family was going to be hard but she always thought Frankie would love her no matter what, but as she stared into his sad eyes now, she wasn't so sure of herself anymore.
"I think I know that this is about Frankie…" started Jane trying to keep the hurt from her voice.
"So you know about Ma and Pa?" said Frankie with wide eyes.
"Wait what!" exclaimed Jane, "what about Ma and Pa?" asked Jane worriedly.
"Jane they are losing the house," whispered Frankie brokenly. "I stopped by a few days ago to check on them. I heard them arguing in the kitchen so I went to turn to walk away but Janie…they were arguing about money."
"I have never heard Ma and Pa argue about money before," said Frankie sadly, "I couldn't help but eavesdrop," said Frankie pausing to gather his emotions. "Apparently Ma and Pa lied to us about the insurance covering Pa's heart surgery a couple years back, they still owe 200,000 dollars! Then Pa decided that they money troubles were going to get solved by investing in one of dad's friends companies, it fell through Jane. They had the house up as collateral!"
"Okay stop!" hollered Jane reaching out and grabbing her brother's forearms. "Do they know you know?" asked Jane.
"No," said Frankie quietly, "I snuck back out before they knew and then came right here."
"Frankie…" started Jane trying to ease the situation.
"I already went to down the bank today Jane," said Frankie standing a little straighter, "I pulled out my money and I am giving it to Ma and Pa. I got a little over 125,000…"
"Frankie you were saving that up for a house!" exclaimed Jane.
"I am not going to let Ma and Pa be put on the streets Jane!" hollered Frankie. "All our lives we never had money, we never needed it. We were raised that family and love were the only things that mattered, not money. But Jane, you can't pay the bank in love!"
"Stop it now," ordered Jane instantly taking the older sibling role and silencing her brother.
Frankie instantly quieted at the sound of his sister's tone.
"Now," ordered Jane, "you will take whatever money you took out of the bank and go put it back…"
"But Jane!"
"You will do it Frankie," ordered Jane, "don't worry about Ma and Pa, I will take care of it," said Jane determinedly before turning to walk back into the bar.
Frankie reached out and grabbed Jane's forearm tightly.
"This isn't some parking ticket or the time Ma got a bad deal on her car," said Frankie quietly, "this is 250 thousand dollars, how can you just take care of that!"
"Frankie," said Jane softly turning around and pulling her brother into a hug, "I got this okay," whispered Jane into her brother's ear. "You big sister is going to take care of this."
"But Jane…"
Jane pulled back from the hug and smiled at her brother before knocking him in the back of head with her hand.
"OWW!"
"Stop arguing with your sister and go to the bank and put that money back! I will meet you at Ma and Pa's house in an hour. Wait outside until I get there and don't go in without me."
And with that Jane turned on her heal and walked back into the bar.
-
Jane walked back to the table and was surprised to find it empty. Looking around the bar she smiled when she saw her crew shooting a game of pool. Grabbing her beer off the table she walked over to the pool table where she could instantly hear her friends bantering.
"I think I have a little more experience on how to properly hold a stick then you two," giggled Michael as Dennis and Greg tried to teach him how to hold the cue.
Dennis dropped the stick as if he was burned and backed away from it with Greg.
"See this is why we don't go to bar's with you," exclaimed Greg. "You embarrass us Michael!" he whined.
Maura and Jackie were giggling in the corner at the boys.
"What!" defended Michael picking up the pool stick and hitting a perfect two wall bank to land the eight ball in the corner. "See I told you I have more experience with a stick," pointed out Michael as he picked up Greg's beer and took a big swig from it before walking towards the girls with a smirk. "You freaks need to pull your head out of the gutter!" he called over his shoulder leaving a wide eye Greg and Dennis in his wake.
Jane walked over to the table to wrap her arms around Maura as soon as Michael joined them.
"How butch did I look right there?" exclaimed Michael. "Ohh…my god Maura give me a drink of your wine, I don't know how you anybody can drink beer!"
Maura offered her wine glass to him and Michael snatched it and taking a drink from it.
"Ohh…yah Michael you're a regular old Lumbar Jack?" said Jackie sarcastically.
"Speaking of Lumbar Jacks," said Michael sweetly staring at Jane. "Where is your hunk of brother at?" asked Michael looking around the bar.
"We actually have a little bit of a family emergency right now so he had to go," said Jane softly.
Maura instantly tensed in Jane's arms before turning and staring at Jane with wide eyes.
"What is wrong? Is anyone hurt?"
"Nothing I can't fix," smiled Jane leaning down and kissing Maura's neck. "Don't worry," whispered Jane feeling Maura relax into her embrace.
"Me and Maura do need to leave early, so you guys keep doing what you are doing, while me, Dennis and Greg go over the rest of the paperwork okay?" said Jane smiling at them.
The all nodded smiling as Jane leaned around Maura and grabbed her beer off the table and whispering in Maura's ear, "watch Michael like a hawk, last time we left him unsupervised with Jackie I had to bail him out of jail for indecent exposure because a buddy of mine found him passed out in the park naked," chuckled Jane before kissing Maura on the cheek and walking away.
"Hey that wasn't my fault," called Jackie after Jane before she turned to Maura. "Seriously have you ever had to babysit a 2 year old?"
"No," said Maura shaking her head.
"Ya well watching Michael while he is drunk is exactly like watching a two year old," smiled Julie. "You take yours eyes off them for one second and they are running around naked!"
"Hey I remember that!" exclaimed Michael. "I had to get a rabies shot because a squirrel bit me in the ass!"
-
Dennis and Greg were sitting around the table watching Jane sign the last few pager of paperwork.
"What are half these papers anyways," exclaimed Jane her hand cramping up at the amount of signatures.
"Just some investments that I believe will pay off," shrugged Dennis smiling at her.
"Seriously Dennis I don't want any more money," growled Jane.
"Jane," said Greg soothingly, "you money is what helps people start a successful businesses, what you are doing for these people is exactly what you did for both me and Dennis all those years ago."
Jane narrowed her eyes at both of them as they both put on their innocent faces.
"Fine," sighed Jane signing the last of the paperwork.
"I see you finally spent some of your money Jane," smiled Dennis. "75,000 dollars for a new car," teased Dennis.
"Ya well my old one finally quit," defended Jane.
"So you bought a brand new Ford Mustang," chuckled Greg.
"Okay you got me," sighed Jane throwing her hands up in the air, "I always wanted one so I bought, okay!"
"Welcome to the dark side Jane," laughed Dennis, "before you know it you are going to turn into Greg here and spend 200,000 dollars so he can have a movie theater in his house."
"I will have you know that I am now officially the coolest dad in the world because I did that," said Greg smugly.
"Yes because it couldn't possibly be because you haven't been able step into a movie theater since that incident with your Armani suit and a wad of gum," teased Jane.
"I don't know what you are talking about," said Greg smirking.
"Yes well onto other things," said Jane her voice turning serious. "I need a favor from you Dennis."
"What can I do for you?" asked Dennis noticing the seriousness in Jane's voice and switching into business mode.
"Well apparently my parents are having money trouble," sighed Jane.
"How bad?" asked Dennis.
"I don't know yet," sighed Jane. "All I know is that the bank is about to take the house from them. Me, Maura and my brother are about to head over here after this. I am going to give them a check to set them even with the bank but I want you to take some money of mine and make a separate account for them and invest it."
"I can do that," nodded Dennis.
"I will bring them down to your office tomorrow morning," nodded Jane. "Also I want you to make side accounts for both Maura and Frankie."
"Are you ready for you family to know about this Jane?" asked Greg.
"Well I figured that maybe the surprise of me being a millionaire might equal out the surprise of me being gay," shrugged Jane smiling sadly.
"You think they are going to take it bad?" asked Greg worriedly.
"No," said Jane evading what Greg was really hinting at, "I think they will be happy that I invested my money smartly."
"Nice try Jane but I don't think the money part is what Greg was asking about," smiled Dennis.
Jane sighed as she got up from the booth and indicating to Maura it was time to leave before turning back to Dennis and Greg.
"I guess we are going to find out won't we," shrugged Jane trying to put on a strong front but really she was terrified on the inside about coming out to her parents.
Greg walked up and hugged Jane before kissing her on the cheek and whispering to her.
"Well if we really want to see how they react to gay people we can always introduce them to Michael first."
"God damn it Michael keep your shirt on!"
Greg pulled back from Jane's embrace as they turned to Jackie wrestling with her brother trying to keep Michael from taking his shirt off.
"But I am so hott!" exclaimed Michael fighting with his sister. "Who turned up the heat?"
"Yah don't know if that is the best idea," chuckled Jane as Maura finally made her way to them. Reaching out she grabbed Maura's hand and started to pull her towards the exit.
"Make sure Michael gets home tonight guys," called Jane. "And I will see you in the morning Dennis."
"Nice meeting you two," called Maura smiling at them before Jane dragged her out the door.
"They make a nice couple," commented Greg smiling at the door the just exited.
"They do," agreed Dennis smiling too.
"Sweet Jesus Michael button up your pants!"
Dennis and Greg looked at each other sighing before downing their beers and turning around to help their friend, it was going to be a long night.
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