Chapter 3

It was January 2013. Joey's mother had been released from prison about a month ago. Joey had only been back in the country himself for about three months. After about a week of being back, he found out that his mother was being released. To be honest, he had completely lost track of when she'd be let out.

He had been staying with Benny's wife, his nephew and two nieces - his brother's children. His nephew was called Harley; he was seven. The two nieces were called Jess and Jodie; they were five and three, retrospectively. Those three kids were now fatherless. On Benny's third tour, he and his team were blown up by an IED. There were no survivors. His wife, Chloe, was in such a state that she was struggling to look after the children. That was the reason why Joey decided to live with them.

Somehow Joey had found himself outside his old house. This was where his mother lived. He had only gone out for a walk. He had so many thoughts buzzing around his head. He just needed to get out. To clear his head.

Without realizing it, he had walked up to the front door and knocked. Almost immediately, his mother was opening the door.

"Joey! My little boy!" He was startled. She had never said anything like that before. Maybe being behind bars had done some good for her.

"Hello mother. I don't honestly know what to say or what brought me here," he was nervous.

"Well you'd better come in then!" His mother was acting out of character. Joey just nodded and stepped inside. That's when he smelt the alcohol. Then he saw the empty bottles of booze scattered around the place.

"Mum, you're drunk!" Joey stated, bluntly, with a sigh. "You always have to ruin everything, don't you? And you can never, or ever have, committed to your responsibilities, have you?" He couldn't believe his mother would do such a thing, again. He thought she had actually changed. How stupid he was to think that.

"I am not!" She was slurring her words.

"Why?" Joey wasn't usually one to lose his temper. Yes, he had been in fights and had lashed out suddenly. That was before; when he couldn't cope with the truth. But, something about seeing his mother like this ticked him off. He had never really seen her like this. He had only heard her. Benny and Ketan would sort her out. Not wanting the others see her in such a state. They said they didn't need to.

"I am not drunk!" His mother exclaimed, again. Just then, she picked up one of the bottles and swung it at her son. Luckily, Joey dodged the object.

"Mum!" He shouted. "Wait, did you get yourself drunk because of Benny? Did you?" That was the first time Joey had been able to say his brother's name aloud since his death.

"What? Is he the dead one?"

"He was your son! He IS your son!" His mother looked lost. "Unbelievable!" With that, Joey walked out the back of the house and grabbed his bike. He had left it there when he visited from Hawaii. It was a present from his dad, for his twelfth birthday.

His mother followed him, another bottle in her hand, and screamed at him, "I AM NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!"

Joey couldn't listen anymore. He sped away, trying so hard to block out her shouts.

She went back in the house, put her bottle down, grabbed her car keys and walked out the house. She got in the car and went after him.

Joey was in no mood to stop for anything. He needed to get away from her. He was on the outskirts of the city and was on one of the roads that went through a woodland area. He was glad that the road wasn't busy. Enclosed by the trees and quiet, he felt like he had escaped her. How wrong he was.

She came speeding around the corner. She was over the white line. Joey couldn't see her, yet. She sped past him and, at that very moment, another car came round the corner. Within seconds Joey was knocked off his bike. He flew over the barrier, on one side of the road, and rolled down the slope. He finally stopped when he hit a tree. He was about twenty feet below the road level. He was still conscious. Thanks to his helmet. But, his head hurt like mad. His whole body hurt like mad. He felt something on his back, and decide against trying to move. He just laid there. For the first time in his life, he felt helpless. He felt there was no way the situation could progress to be better.