Disclaimer: Craig Bartlett is the creator and he and Nickelodeon have the rights of the show.


19. A big bifurcation

–Johanssen's House - Sunday 5am-

- Everybody! It's time! - The brunette jumped up from his bed, full of energy and began to shout outside the rooms of his parents and little sister.

- Gerald, son, please relax, it's too early. - His tired mom said, trying to open her eyes.

- What's your problem Gerald? I need to sleep at least 12 hours on Sundays.

- Silence Timberly, Did you forget that Jamie O is coming today?

- Of course not Gerald. - His dad was finally able to say something. - But he'll be here in two hours.

- I'm not sure about it. - A voice appeared behind them.

- Jamie O, you're here! - His little sister screamed and ran into his arms.

- Hey Tim! You're so tall! You're a young miss now. Gerald is nice with you?

- Not really, he's so bad with me, he never wants to play with me, he spends all his time with Phoebe now, last Monday I wanted to play hide and seek, but they only were kissi…

- Enough Timberly! - A red Gerald covered her little mouth. - Jamie O has traveled for a long time to hear those stupid stories!

- Enough everybody, come in the kitchen, we will enjoy a delicious breakfast together.

- Yeah! Pancakes! - The men said.

Mrs Johanssen walked to the kitchen with a little smile on her face. The last months were a little difficult for all of them, they were together since each of them had been born. She always knew that someday, her 3 little babies would move out on their own count, but from her own point of view, it was so fast.


– Johanssen's House - Kitchen - 9am

After a big pile of pancakes, the family were sitting laughing and remembering some funny stories about Jamie O and Gerald's old fights. Looking at the past was so stupid for him, Jamie O was an awesome boy, and now, he was sorry he hadn't seen it before.

- Oh please, Gerald threw up more than me!.. Poor grandma!

- Hey! It was your idea? Remember? - Gerald defended himself.

- Yes, yes, bro, guilty. And how is your friend?

- Arnold? He's totally happy with his parents now.

- And his girlfriend… Do you remember?

- Timberly, I told you, Helga isn't his girlfriend. - Gerald winked at his brother and they both laughed in complicity, they both knew the "secret" and there was no more between them.

- Anyway, can we have lunch with Arnold later? Maybe some hot dogs at Kaline's place?

- Well little bro, sounds nice but… I'll be a little busy.

- Busy? Doing what? - The young bro asked.

- Actually… I've some news for all of you…

- Jamie O, please tell me that you are still studying at college! Because the money that you mom and I…

- Don't worry dad, I'm in college… for now… I've got some different kinds of news.

The middle brother noticed how his brother was beginning to look a little nervous, he knew him well, he had done something. - Maybe he failed something or owes some money. - He thought to himself, until the doorbell distracted him from his thoughts.

- I'm coming. - Jamie O came to the door and opened it, while the family waited for him in the kitchen, looking at each other. - I'm here again guys, and I've a surprise! Mom, dad, Gerald, Tim… she's Charly Myers… my…

- I'm his fiancee! - The girl smiled while the family felt his jaws drop in surprise.

- Your… Your what? - His mother stuttered in astonishment, waiting for the moment when her eldest son announced that it was a cruel prank.

- Yes, she's right… We'll marry in March! Isn't it amazing?

- Cool! Can I be the bridesmaid? - The youngest girl of the family jumped for joy until she felt the tension grow in her family.

- Jamie O Johanssen! Are you nuts? or what are you thinking! - His dad screamed, pulling his brothers out of their amazement.

- Why did you react like this? This is happy news!

- Jamie, you're so young, you're starting at college, you don't have money or a place to live.

- Mom, I've a job now… in Greece.

- What? What about college?

- Don't worry mom, we have a new excellent job in a hotel in Greece, we'll move this spring! - Mrs. Johanssen stared dumbfounded at the smiling naive girl in front of her, her brown eyes and dark hair making her look beautiful, but she was about to be killed by the older woman because of the kinship she claimed.

- Charlotte, please, leave us alone, we need to have a talk with our unconscious son…

- But, you're wrong… he isn't…

- I said… now! - The angry man screamed. - And you two too!

- But daddy, Jamie O is who is crazy, I'm your little princess!

- I SAID NOW! Why does nobody listen to me today!

The younger guys feared for their lives, so, like any logical human being would, they decided to run for their lives.

- Jamie O, what's wrong with you? You're a child to make decisions like this!

- Dad, do you forget that I'm almost 18? I'm not a child anymore, I'm a man!

- A man? Did you hear him honey? He's a "man"!

- Martin, relax please, that you explode like this doesn't solve anything. We need to talk with him.

- But your son doesn't listen! He doesn't think!

- Oh… I don't think because I don't do the things that you want me to do? I've my own mind.

- What do you know about life? About making decisions? Good ones, I mean!

- Maybe I don't know anything about life, but I'm pretty sure that following YOUR steps is not living my own life!

Timberly felt anguished, she didn't like listening to arguments, what seemed to be a nice week had turned into real chaos.

- Gerald, do you think Jamie O will go away? You know... forever?

- He wouldn't...

- But if dad gets mad at him and he doesn't obey him, I don't think he'll come back.

Deep down, the young man knew that she was right, his father could be a stubborn man and his brother... Well, for some reason the people said that he is like a Martin Jr.

- It will be better for me to go watch TV, this will be long.

The little girl got up from her seat, while the voices in the kitchen were lowering their decibels. Suddenly the young protagonist of the conflict appeared in front of his brother.

- Well, the worst is over. - He sighed, tired and annoyed. - Dad can be very annoying sometimes.

- Dad? Is dad the problem for you? - The fury began to grow little by little in the chest of the tall-haired boy.

- Yeah! I mean, he is who is trying to control my life.

- Jamie O… are you nuts! You can't marry a woman that you just met and move to another country and abandon us!

- Awesome! Now my brother is turning my back! What about our covenant?

- You can terminate it... traitor!

- Perfect… I could have expected it from everyone, but not from you... Apparently, Timberly is the only one with a sense of empathy in this family... I'd better go back to my hotel, Charly is waiting for me.

Without giving him time to respond, the young man left the door. Gerald grabbed one of the chair cushions and flung it furiously into the void.


– PS 118 - Hall – Monday 1st period

Gerald was in front of his locker, looking for anything…he saw a very special baseball inside, and for some seconds, he looked at it with sadness.

- Kon'nichiwa Gerald!... Gerald? - His girlfriend asked, then the silence was her answer.

- Oh.. Hi Pheebs…

- Everything is ok? I called you around 3 times last night and you seem like you didn't sleep pretty well.

- Sorry babe… but.. Jamie O…

- Oh, silly of me! I remember now! Jamie O is here! What did you do together? some hot dogs, cinema, baseball?

- Actually… he spent all Sunday with his fiancee at their hotel.

- What? What are you talking about? - The surprised girl couldn't believe what she was hearing.

- I know, he arrived with that wonderful news! Everything at my house was a disaster!

- I can imagine… but what's his plan? Marry and live together at campus?

- No! Worse! They'll move to Greece and work at a hotel.

- What? What's wrong with him?

- To be honest, I don't know and I don't know what I can do…

- And what's think Arnold about this?

- Ehm… I haven't talked with him yet.

- Why? He is your "bro" and they always tell each other everything.

- It's not a big deal, it's just that Arnold sometimes doesn't understand and tries to solve anything with love and the positive side, you know, he isn't realistic sometimes.

- Thanks for trusting me.

- Well, you're my babe! If I can't say anything to you, who else will I say it to?

- Come on handsome, we have classes.

The young couple held hands and headed towards their classroom, while a boy in a green cap looked at them stunned and with a mischievous smile.

- So... Gerald and Arnold aren't that close anymore, huh?


– Johanssen's House - Kitchen -

Despite the young Johanssen not talking with his best friend about the topic that was getting him nuts, he could hear his voice in his mind, suggesting that talk with him.

- Oh Arnold, please! Get out of my mind! - The brunette screamed at nobody. He sighed and stood up. - Ok… I'll do it! I hope that you will be happy.

He wore his jacket and went and prepared to lose some of your pride.


– Hillwood Inn -

- Are you hungry JO?

- Not thank you Charly, eat you. - He saw through the small window, he still felt hurt and underappreciated by his family, he just wished that even if they couldn't understand him, they could only respect him.

- JO, please, we knew that this wouldn't be easy, your parents didn't know anything about me, and they had some different plans for you.

- I know… but, it's deeper than that… - The door knocking interrupted his speech. - I'm coming. - He stood up and opened the door, to his surprise, his little brother was there.

- Hey! - He said with his angry voice.

- Gerald? What are you doing here? My parents…

- No, our parents don't know that I'm here.

- Hi Gerald, welcome, please, come in. - The girl opened the door entirely and took her bag. - Jamie, I'll buy some water bottles, see ya. - The girl said and closed the door behind her, the guilt didn't leave her sleep last night, she had the hope that maybe that visit would solve the problem a little.

Back with the Johanssen brothers… Gerald walked into the room and he sat in the small dining room of the room. His brother followed him with his eyes, opened the fridge and handed him a mini bottle of yahoo.

- So.. what are you doing here?

- Yesterday I didn't finish, I didn't say all the things that I wanted… I was thinking of you all night, but Jamie, I can't understand… What's wrong with you?

- Gerald, I know that you don't understand and neither do my parents, but… I know what I'm doing, for the first time in my life, I know what I want.

- But it's a crazy thing! You don't really know her, what about if something dangerous happens to you, alone, in another country, what about your career… What about me!

- You? What do you want to say?

- Jamie O, you and I have always been like natural enemies, you stole my things, broke it, lied to my parents about me and… you were like my personal bully… I always wished for a big brother who plays baseball with me, or basketball, or whatever! And last year was our year! You were like my second best friend, we did everything together… facing the fact that you were going to go to college was hard, but seeing you go so far... Do you care so little?- His hazel eyes were glassy, a part of Jamie O broke upon hearing it, it was true, until now he had only thought about him and his own feelings.

- Little bro… of course that you are important to me, more that you could imagine… everything got better when you were born… well, except for my toys… you were like a terminator!

Gerald smiled at the memory and Jamie O smiled a little.

- Torturing you was my way to show you how important you are to me, I know, was a very bad way, but, please… we were just kids… immature ones..

- See? Everything was amazing? Why does it have to change?

- Because things can't still last forever, life is always changing, and change isn't always bad.

- Oh yeah?

- Sure, for example, you were Phoebe's friend and now, your relationship changed and got better, right?

- Yes…

- And you gave a chance to Helga and now is your best female friend, right?

- Yes, but…

- And Arnold now has his parents with him and…

- Ok, genius, I got it!

Jamie O got up and knelt in front of his brother so that he was level with him.

- Gerald, bro… sorry for hurting you… It wasn't my intention, I swear to you… It's just… When I went to college, I didn't have a plan. I just went to that school to please dad, but there… I discovered that business is not my thing, then I met Charlotte… She is amazing! She's clever, funny, so authentic... She's a warrior, she always fights for what she wants... I admire her a lot for that... and to be honest... I've never felt that way about anyone else.

- You're in love with her, huh?

- To be honest… yes… and this opportunity for us it's amazing, I can't lose it!

- I understand… I'm gonna miss you…

- Don't worry bro, it's not the last goodbye, we will come to visit you when we have the opportunity! I promise you!

- For real?

- Big brother word!

They both shared a big hug that comforted them both, Charly returned and enjoyed the beautiful painting in front of her with a smile.

Without the young man realizing it, the week of his brother's visit came to an end.

Luckily for him, their relationship was safe. On the day of their departure, they shared an equally big hug at the airport.

- Be a cool kid, ok? And be good with Tim, eh?

- Yes, yes... only if she wasn't so unbearable... so I don't promise you anything.

- That's my little bro! See you! - He broke the hug and smiled at Phoebe. - Please, take care of him… he's a little stupid sometimes.

- Don't worry, taking care of him it's my speciality.

- See you guys! - Jamie O said, moments before starting his new adventure.

- Are you ok Gerald? - His girlfriend asked, while she took his hand.

- Yes… I'm ok… I wish him good luck, they are too young for all this stuff, but I trust him!

- Gerald, I've never asked you before, but how did you and Jamie O become friends? That is, they got along very badly, I remember that from the times I would visit you.

Gerald smiled and they decided to walk towards the exit.

- That my dear girl, is a very good story…

– Johanssen's House - Gerald's room - A year before -

The tall hair young boy was furious, he fell on his bed exhausted. He was about to sink into his misery until the sound of the door caught his attention.

- Well, well, but if it's my little brother, I heard the story... So you and Pheebs had that huge fight because she didn't want to be your girlfriend, I don't blame her!

- You know Jamie O, I've had enough! Everything went wrong because of you! My parents found out about my low grades and that's why I can't date her!

- It was for me?

- Yes, you already ruined my life, sleep peacefully and leave me alone.

-Gerald... I... I'm sorry...

- What did you say? - I must have heard wrong, he never apologizes. - The brunette thought to himself.

- Did you know? Take your jacket and come with me!

- Where to? I don't want any more problems!

- Oh you just follow me! Let's fix this mess so your ugly crying face doesn't ruin my view, come on!

- Let's just say, he helped me in a big deal and our friendship was born that day. - Gerald said and smiled, remembering that day he and the girl finally became a couple.

THE END


A chapter a little kind different of the previous ones, without Helga or Arnold. To this adventure I wanted to try given the principal rol to the Johanssen's and I don't know what did you think, but I loved the results... Let me read you in reviews! See you next week!