Chapter 13
Brother's Keeper
Continuing with the end scene from "Chapter 12: Just Turn Around"
"What?" Drake couldn't believe what he was hearing.
He was just about to tell Megan that he was going to the hospital when he heard
voices.
"Ssh, let's listen."
It was the sound of Audrey and Walter from the other side of the corridor telling Josh
to "get some rest" and that "they would talk about everything in the morning".
Drake walked back into the room as Megan ran off in the opposite direction to her
room.
"Hey Josh," Drake sat on the sofa and took off his boots, "What happened to your
arm?"
Josh was dressed in jeans and a green t-shirt. His right arm was in a dark blue sling.
His nod to the mid '80s tuxedo was at the only 24-hour dry cleaners, which had to be
picked up tomorrow so he could return it without having to pay any late fees.
"I sprained it." Josh replied matter of factly as he threw himself on his own bed
"How did you sprain it?"
Drake would have died if anything happened to his arms. He needed them for
girlfriend Torey kissing and guitar playing.
"Drake, I'm really tired, okay?"
"Okay. Josh, but before you go to bed, I have to say that I've been acting terrible lately
and I'm sorry. You still can get a punch on me. I probably deserve it." Drake took off
his jacket to hang it back up in his closet because unlike Josh he didn't rent his suit.
Audrey bought it for him. Because some concerts that his band had booked up were
at country clubs for their "Teen Nights" and they needed to be dressed formally. It
reminded Drake of the early Beatles and Rolling Stones when they wore suits and
ties.
"I don't want to hit you, Drake. Don't worry about it."
Drake walked up to Josh's bed. "And most importantly I want to thank you."
"You and Torey are back together?"
"Yeah we are."
Josh noticed the spark back in Drake's eyes.
"That's great, bro."
"Thanks to you."
"She just needed to see the whole picture."
Drake squeezed his brother's left shoulder.
"I owe you one."
"It's no big deal."
It would always be a big deal to Drake.
"How was your prom? Was it unforgettable and magic?" Drake knew Josh liked the
corny sentiments. He took off his bolo tie and put it on top of his dresser.
"It was unforgettable. Drake, I'm really tired now and would like to go to bed."
"Okay," he put the light on the dimmer switch, "Sorry."
"You aren't going to keep me up with the guitar playing and songwriting what-not?"
Drake laughed. "No. My stuff is still at the school." He unbuttoned the top three buttons
off shirt as he went into his bed.
"Why?" Josh couldn't help but ask
"Because I don't have my own car and the guys went to the Premiere to the after prom
party and I walked Torey home."
"Oh," Josh yawned, "Goodnight, Drake."
Drake put his hands behind his head and with closed eyes smiled. He was going to
have the sweetest dreams ever. "Goodnight, Josh."
Drake slept peacefully until ten o'clock. His shift at Guitar World started at noon. He
looked up to see that Josh was already up, but he was always an early riser. His
mother was going to kill him for sleeping in his formal trousers.
Maybe, Drake would be nice and responsible and iron them himself?
He hopped off his bed and reached for the telephone.
"Good morning, sleepyhead." Drake said after five rings.
"What would you have said if my mom had answered?"
"I'd have asked her to put her beautiful daughter on the phone."
Torey blushed.
"I miss you, Drake."
"I miss you more, Torey."
"Nuh-huh."
"Uh-huh."
They broke into a fit of laughter.
"I kind of feel guilty though." Torey said as she sat up in her bed looking at the trendy
fashions in CosmoGirl.
"About what?"
"Here we are on our third chance and Mindy's back in rehab."
"What?"
"Josh didn't tell you?"
"No. He came home with his arm in a sling."
"I went to Mindy's house early this morning to see if she'd like to go shopping since all
of the mall rats will still be at home sleeping off their after prom hangovers and her
mother told me."
"But you don't know what happened that caused it?"
"No. It's sad that they broke up on the night we got back together. That's why I feel
guilty."
"You have a wonderful heart, Torey. Listen, I have to get ready for work. I'll call you on
my break, maybe we can go somewhere later tonight."
"Okay. I love you, Drake."
"I love you, Torey."
The most difficult three words to say were now the easiest three words to say.
Drake came downstairs and was greeted by no one. Megan didn't have anything
going on. His parents were up because on the way downstairs he noticed their
bedroom door was open. Drake took a small bottle of orange juice out of the
refrigerator.
"Josh?"
Drake found him in the living room sitting on the chairwith his Premiere vest on the
coffee table.
"Drake."
"Why is Mindy back in rehab?"
"How do you know about that?"
"Torey told me."
"How does she know about that?"
Drake wasn't going to be a smart ass and say, "See! I told you so." That was the
feeling you had deep inside when people (even family) meddled no matter how good-
naturedly in your business. He also wasn't going to exclaim, "See! I told you so." over
Mindy Crenshaw.
"She went to her house earlier to see if Mindy wanted to go shopping. Mrs. Crenshaw
told her, but didn't say why. And here your arm is in a sling, so what the heck
happened?"
He couldn't help to be a hypocrite and press Josh on the issue.
"I made a harmless joke about Mindy hiding the package you put in Torey's mailbox."
Drake sat down on the coffee table. "And she didn't think so?"
"She thought I was making fun of her issues. I might have before we admitted our love
for another, but not after."
"I know. You're a good guy." He shook his brother's knee
"Yeah I am. After she stormed to the bathroom, she locked herself in mom's car
because the keys were in her purse. Drake aren't you going to be late for work?"
"Don't worry about that. What happened next?"
"I got stubborn and went back to the prom. Well that really upset Mindy because s-
she…" Josh's eyes started to fill up.
"What?"
"Tried to take her own life."
"What!"
"You heard me, Drake. So I had no choice but to break the driver's side window so I
could get in the car and take her to the hospital. How I drove there with a sprained arm
and not to mention all the cuts from the glass I don't know how I did it."
"I'm sorry." Drake hugged him.
No wonder Torey felt guilty, he felt guilty too. Couldn't they all be happy? But Drake
knew that when Spidey Parker was taken away his belief in a fair and higher power
went with it.
"I know. Now I have to go to work."
"No, you don't. You're not going to work today and neither am I."
But he was going to have to pick up his guitars and amp later.
"You haven't been working all that long you'll get in trouble, Drake."
"I don't care if I get fired, Josh. There are other jobs out there. I'll call Helen. She likes
me; you won't get into any trouble. Do you have to work tomorrow too?"
"No."
"Good. Stay here. We'll do something together today."
"What about you and Torey? Don't you have a date?"
"That's tonight, but I do have to call her to let her know that I won't be at work."
"You'd stay home for me?"
"Of course."
"I'll set up the Gamesphere. You're a good brother, Drake," Josh walked up to him,
"Knuckle touch?"
Drake couldn't help but roll his eyes. Josh could always find the humor in these
situations.
"What's the magic word?"
"Joshakazaam and I'll let you have the purple controller."
"Thanks."
Drake went to use the kitchen phone to call both his and Josh's respective jobs to
report them off. It wasn't fair. Josh deserved happiness just as much as he did. Mindy
was a creature and Drake didn't know if he was ever going to like her. But Josh loved
her and he knew this was tearing him up inside just like the months without Torey hurt
Drake like someone dipping his body in a vat of hot oil over and over again. It was a
literal fire and brimstone Hell.
Drake didn't know what was going to happen between Josh and Mindy. He certainly
didn't think he'd be given a third chance with Torey. He wished he could fix things like
Josh did with his relationship but this one was out of his hands.
"Drake," Josh yelled from the foot of the stairs
"What?"
"Don't forget the Dr. Fizz and cola."
Drake smiled and yelled back, "I won't, Josh."
One thing that Drake knew for certain was that he was always going to be his
brother's keeper.
