Sunday Breakfast
First Sunday in October
It was one of those mornings when everything went 'just so'. The Californian sun was
bright and welcoming, the toast wasn't burnt, and with the windows open just a crack
you could hear the birds chirping.
And just a slight bit of wind touched Mom's wind chimes. It was really a picture
postcard kind of day that was until hurricane Josh stormed into the kitchen.
"Where?" he stopped talking when he noticed that it just Drake in the room.
How rude was he? He couldn't finish his sentence? Drake made a loud clanging
noise with his butter knife rather than to give Josh the shouting match that he was
convinced his brother wanted.
Megan walked in next. "How come you aren't dressed for church, Drake?"
Who would have ever thought that he would enjoy talking to his sister as a person to
actually converse with?
"Mom and Dad know I don't want to go. So they aren't making me anymore."
"Lucky you," Megan went to get her favorite cereal off of the kitchen counter.
"Hey Megan."
"Josh."
Unfrickingbelievable!
"Where are Mom and Dad?"
"Getting dressed."
Josh almost jumped sky high when the kettle that he put on whistled. He was hoping
the herbal tea would comfort him. Josh sat at the end of the table that was farthest
away from Drake that he could get. He didn't want to disturb Mom as she made her
homemade blueberry pancakes and Dad looked content reading the sports page of
the San Diego Union-Tribune. But Josh had something very important to say and it
needed to be said before two things happened. One his fear that he might collapse
after telling them and two before they went to church.
Drake poured syrup on his pancakes and wasn't even paying much attention when
Josh started to talk.
"Mom, Dad. I need to ask you something."
Megan felt that this was a biggie. Kind of like anticipation some animals feel before
an earthquake.
"Sure son." Walter said as he broke his bacon in half
"What is it?" Audrey asked
"I need your permission to transfer to Garfield High."
Drake almost choked on his pancake. He hit himself in the chest, "Wrong pipe."
What in the Hell?
"Why on Earth do you want to change schools?" Audrey beat Walter to the punch.
"Because Mindy goes there and I want to be with her."
It was so sad seeing Josh so dependant. But as long as Drake didn't care anymore
he continued eating his pancakes.
"But you and Mindy aren't even together anymore." Walter said
"I knew you would have a problem with this. That is why I got all the paperwork
myself. All you need is to sign this."
"We are not signing those papers." Audrey tried to lay down the line.
"I know you guys don't understand. Mom said you wouldn't."
Walter dropped his fork on his plate.
Mom said?
"What?" Audrey asked in disbelief
"My birth mother. Josie Nichols."
Megan wished she had her tape recorder running. This was priceless!
"When did you see your Mo--?" Walter didn't want Audrey's feelings to be hurt.
"She mailed me a letter and sent me a cross pendant a few weeks ago. She
decided to come to take a chance and come to the Premiere one night."
"How did she know where you worked?" Megan butted in.
Drake was transfixed and couldn't move. Was it possible that those lunchtime letters
that Josh was writing were not to Mindy but to his mother?
"Megan be quiet. Infact would you and Drake go in another room? We would like to
speak to Josh alone." Audrey suggested
Drake and Megan silently left the room where they could watch the action in
Megan's room from her inhouse hookup.
"I don't know how she found out where I worked. She probably followed me one day
or something. I didn't ask."
"You are not transferring schools and I don't care if my EX-WIFE thinks it's a good
idea that you do." Walter said who went over to comfort Audrey who was trying not
to break.
Which was making Drake very angry as he watched the whole thing.
"That son of a bitch."
"Drake."
"Well he is. I should go downstairs and beat the crap out of him."
"NO! It'll only make matters worse. Come on, let's continue watching."
"Maybe if you guys think about it, you'll let me switch schools. It's the only way I can
have a shot back with Mindy. You remember how cliquey schools were in your day.
Well it's worse now. A thousand times worse! Mindy was able to reinvent herself
and she needed it. I don't like keeping things from you guys so I might as well tell
you I correspond with my Mom via snail mail since she doesn't have internet access.
I was thinking about spending a year with her after I graduate and then go to school."
"NO! Get this through your head Josh you are not transferring to Garfield High and
THAT IS FINAL!" Audrey couldn't believe it.
Gone were the days that they could happily quote movie dialogue with one another.
"And when you are eighteen you can do what you want," Walter cautioned, "But that
doesn't mean we will paying for your college education if you are going to be this
disrespectful to your family."
"He's making Mom cry! That's it!" Drake left the room. Megan ran after him.
"Don't do it, Drake! Please."
"You are done, Josh! Don't you dare disrespect our parents!"
When he was downstairs it was all about his mom, but when he got in the kitchen it
was all about his dad too.
It seemed like just a few months ago he punched him in the mouth. And that's the
point that Drake was trying to make. How long could this cycle continue?
"Drake," Walter had to pull him off Josh, "That's enough."
"Mommy," Megan ran after her mother to keep her company.
Josh straightened his clothes. One of his front teeth chipped when he fell on the
hardwood floor.
"Let's continue this in the living room, Josh."
"No, Dad! I have nothing else to say. I'm out of here."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to---" Drake started to say
"I know you didn't, son. Can you do me a favor and clean up these dishes while I
check on your Mother?"
"Sure."
It was the perfect moment to say 'I love you, Dad' to Walter and hug.
Drake didn't know why he chickened out because he did mean it.
Once Drake finished clearing the table and washing the dishes he was going to
make it right in a song.
Their family unit was starting to feel like a real family and damn Josh for ruining that.
Drake might have had a selfish streak but he wasn't that bad and thanks to Torey
he was working on fixing his weaknesses.
Drake was never going to forgive Josh for hurting his Mother---and the Father that
wasn't Spidey, but still his Father just the same.
He didn't have a brother anymore.