Chapter 11

Thirty-Three and a Third

Over a Month Later

It was mid May when Drake got a part time job at Guitar World. He needed to fill the

void in his life that wasn't related to school, home, or band life. He also needed his

own money. Audrey and Walter told him that since he finally passed his driver's test

they'd match what he'd put down for a decent used car. He also needed to move on.

As each day progressed it was a little bit easier to cope than the day before it. He

didn't stop loving Torey and he doubted that he ever would. He would still say his

unanswered "hellos" and wished that he could send Mindy into outer space, but he

would eat lunch with his guy friends and resist all urges to sit at Josh's table. He still

was barely talking to Josh much to the families' dismay. Walter dismissed it as the

boys growing up and wanting to live their own lives, but Audrey also knew that Drake

was stubborn and wouldn't give an inch. Yes, they could grow up and be

independent but they were still brothers. Drake was like a kid in a candy store where

all the bad people put locks on the jars. He couldn't play the merchandise and half of

his time was spent doing really glamorous stuff like taking out the trash, answering

the phones (he could've sworn that one call really was Joe Perry though), and doing

inventory.

"Hey," Megan tapped on the counter catching Drake flipping through a copy of

Guitar Player magazine, "What'cha doing?"

"Megan! I'm working."

"That doesn't look like work."

"Well it is. Why are you here?"

She took a small red velvet square box out of her sweater pocket and placed it on

the glass counter. "I found it. See ya."

It was a blessing, a relief that it wasn't lost. But it didn't matter for the reasons that he

wanted the box. He put it in his back jeans pocket.

"Parker, are you emptying all the trash cans?" called his boss from the back office.

"Yes, Sir."

Drake put the magazine down on the counter and proceeded to do the exciting job

of taking out Guitar World's garbage.

"Pink frills? You are wearing pink frills!" Josh laughed as he sat on the kitchen chair

talking to Mindy on the telephone.

"I've worn pink before, Josh."

"Yes, but not a frilly pink dress!"

"Why do you find this hilarious? I've worn skirts before."

"I don't know! I'm just picturing the old Haley Mills Pollyanna movie."

"Josh! Be serious! This is our junior prom."

"I'm only kidding. I'm sure you'll look very beautiful."

Mindy knew she was going to regret asking this but she had to know.

"Is your brother going?"

"His band is supposed to be playing. You know that."

"Well, I thought maybe they'd have broken up."

"Mindy, is there something else that you want to say?" Josh walked over to the

refrigerator to get a can of Mocha Cola.

"I've known for a few days but I didn't know how to tell you, Josh."

"You kept a secret from me?"

"Because I didn't know how to tell you."

"Okay. You're telling me now. That is what counts right? What is it?"

"Torey has a date for the prom."

"Really? I wonder if Drake knows?"

"Don't tell him, Josh. Let the girl have some real happiness. I have to run. I'll talk to

you later. Promise me you won't tell him. Love you."

"I promise. Yeah, I love you too, Mindy." Josh hung up the phone and almost

dropped his soda can when he saw Drake standing there.

"You wonder if Drake knows what?"

"Oh, Drake! When did you get home?" He put his soda can on the counter.

"Long enough to hear you ask Mindy if I know….."

"I thought you weren't speaking to me?" Josh bit his lip and walked out of the

kitchen.

"No! No! No! You are not walking away from me."

"Listen I know we haven't been on good terms lately, but I made a promise to my

girlfriend."

"I am your brother!"

"Oh look who suddenly cares about the family now!"

Drake took off his jacket and threw it on the living room sofa as Megan entered

through the front door carrying her Super Soaker water pistol.

"Right now, Josh! I'll even let you throw the first punch."

"Drake, I don't want to fight with you."

Megan was even caught off guard when Drake punched Josh so hard in the jaw that

his brother fell down.

"What's going on?" Audrey came in from the den to see Josh on the floor trying to

cover his bloody jaw with his hand.

"Drake did it!" Megan would have squirted Drake with her gun but she emptied it out

on the annoying new neighbor boy.

"Go to your room, Drake!" his mother shouted

"Take his side, Mom! Why don't you ask him what secret he's keeping from me?

Never mind the fact that my world is pretty much gone. And I'm not going to my

room. I'm going outside." He grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.

They couldn't ground him now.

He had a job.

Audrey took Josh into the kitchen to clean up his face. No teeth were loose and

there was only some slight bruising once the blood was washed away.

He'd be okay.

"What was this about?"

"Drake overheard some of my phone conversation with Mindy. She made me

promise not to tell Drake something. And well your son flipped out."

"I see. You don't have to tell me what the secret is if you don't want to. But I don't like

seeing you and Drake not speaking to one another. This has gone on for far too

long. You two are going to brothers longer than you going to have a relationship with

Mindy. Think about that. Now keep this ice bag on your jaw for awhile." She kissed

his cheek.

"I will. Thanks, Mom."

Drake only made it as far as the garage. He didn't realize Walter was in there trying

to fix Megan's comet blue 2005 Stardust Schwinn.

"Hey, Drake, would you hand me the wrench on the counter next to you?"

"Sure."

"What happened to your hand?" It was all red.

He was going to find out sooner or later. "It kind of met with Josh's jaw."

What no yelling? Drake was surprised.

"Oh, there you are." Josh walked in the garage holding the ice pack to his face.

"What do you want, Josh?"

"Torey's bringing a date to the prom. There. I hope that you are happy now." Josh

walked out.

"Do I look happy? What a twit." Oops. Drake forgot about Walter being in the same

room.

"Drake as much as it hurts you and believe me I know exactly what you are feeling. I

didn't say anything to you sooner, because the timing didn't seem right. If it's meant

to be with you and Torey then it will be. But if it's not, you still have a family here who

loves you."

"Don't preach, Walter." Shit. He didn't mean to say his first name out loud like that.

He hadn't done so in quite awhile. "I meant to say just fix Megan's bike. Sorry."

He made a clumsy exit and that moment wished that he was on the stage and not

during an uncomfortable moment in the garage with his stepfather.

"Wow. This dress is so beautiful." Mindy said to Torey as they were in the dressing

room of a local boutique.

It was a long powder blue dress with mounds of flowing taffeta in the skirt. It had a

sweetheart neckline and looked like something that starlets in the 1950's wore.

"Thanks, Mindy."

"Wait until Paul sees you in this."

She went from gutter rock star wannabe trash to a freshman at Yale who just

happened to be from a prominent San Diego family.

Mindy Crenshaw was most impressed.

"Yeah, I can't wait."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired. I was up very early this morning."

"Oh. We have less than a month until prom! I hope Josh buys me an orchid

corsage."

Mindy said

"He will. He's a good boyfriend." Torey replied wryly.

Drake didn't feel guilty over Josh's decision to sleep in the guest room. It was his

choice. He took the box out of his pocket. He didn't even open it when Megan

dropped by Guitar World.

And he still couldn't open it now.

He just put one of mom's tiny white bows on it that she kept in a big bag in the utility

closet. If it was a closure instead of an opening Drake was just going to have to

accept it.

He didn't have any energy left to pick up his guitar he just went to bed with the

familiar feeling of a hollow pit that was his bruised soul.

"Boob, what are you doing sleeping in here?" Megan entered the guest room. It had

no personality. It looked like a general hotel room with bland furnishings.

"Megan, go away. I'm in no mood."

"It's your room too you know."

"You were there. You saw what Drake did to me."

"I know why he did it and it was only partly to do with Mindy."

"Why? Are you going pulling my leg? I'm in no mood for your jokes."

"Josh, I'm not joking. I don't make jokes about my father."

That got the Boob to stand up. He knew she wasn't talking about Walter.

"Huh? What does this have to do with your…" He closed the door, "father?"

"Everything. So I suggest you pull up a chair and listen."

It was three thirty in the morning when Drake dropped off the package. He put it in a

padded envelope and dropped it in her mailbox.

Dear Torey,

I want you to have this. No strings.

Drake