"I have had it with you! Seriously Michael, this is the last straw." Janean glowered at Mikey as she stood, hands on her hips, tapping one foot and ranting angrily. "When are you ever going to learn?"
"Now, just calm down baby." Mikey's father stood up from his chair and moved to her side. "Just give the kid a chance to explain. He said it was all a mistake."
"And you believe him?" Janean laughed sarcastically. "Chuck, you're not that stupid. How much longer are we going to put up with this shit?"
Mikey rolled his eyes, annoyed. He couldn't stand to hear that woman's ramblings for another second but he knew better than to ignore her. She wasn't just going to go away. "I've said all I'm going to say." Mikey snapped at her. "Believe me or not, I really couldn't care less. I told you that I had nothing to do with what happened to that kid and I meant it!"
"And we're just supposed to take your word for it? After everything you've already put us through? Mike, you've got issues. I've been telling you that for years. You need help. Maybe this time..." She sighed and looked at her husband. "Maybe this time you'll actually get some help."
"What are you saying?" Mikey narrowed his eyes. "You actually want me to get locked up?"
"No, it's not that we want to see you go to jail but...I just think that maybe it would be for the best. Mike you can't keep going down this route. If you don't get some help now you'll end up dead, or worse."
Mikey raised an eye-brow and chuckled some. "What exactly would be worse than dead?"
Janean rubbed her temples in frustration. "You could end up killing someone and spending the rest of your life in prison, and knowing you Mike, that would be worse than being dead because you would never survive in prison."
"Whatever, it's not like they have anything on me. I just have to wait for this thing to blow over."
"Well, hopefully that kid wakes up soon and he can just tell the cops that you had nothing to do with it." Chuck put a hand on Mikey's shoulder and squeezed gently. He was hopeful. Mikey on the other hand wasn't as optimistic. If Avery woke up and told the cops anything, it wasn't going to be anything in Mikey's favor.
"Yeah dad..."Mikey grinned halfheartedly. "I guess if he wakes up the truth will come out."
"Hell yeah it will, and then everyone will owe you one big fat apology!" Chuck gave Mikey a swift and hard pat on the back then returned to his seat and to his current television program. The matter was settled for him. Mikey had been wrongfully accused and that's all there was to it. Life went on. Janean on the other hand wasn't as convinced.
She looked Mikey up and down suspiciously. She knew him. She knew the way his mind worked. He may have fooled his father but she wasn't quite as gullible. "For your father's sake, I hope you're being honest with us."
Mikey shrugged. "It's not like it's any of your concern anyway. Why are you always butting into our business. This is between me and my dad."
Janean narrowed her eyes. "It most certainly is my business. When I married your father I agreed to not only be his wife, but also to be a mother to you. As difficult as that has been, it's all I've ever tried to do. I may not have been the best mother in the world but at least I tried."
Mikey scoffed at her. "You might be married to my dad but you are not my mother! Things were just fine when it was just me and my old man, then he had to bring you into the mix. It was the worst mistake of his life. We didn't need you then and we sure as hell don't need you now, so you can drop the mother of the year act because you ain't fooling anyone. Just butt out of my life, I don't need your pity or your concern. I don't need anyone."
"Okay..." Janean frowned, "You just keep telling yourself that Michael. One of these days you're going to find yourself alone with no one to turn to."
"Fine by me." Mikey growled. "The only person I can depend on is myself anyway."
Janean nodded in defeat. "If that's the way you want it, I'm done." She threw up her hands then turned away from him and walked off. She'd said all that there was to say. Mikey had dug his own grave with this one and he could lay in it now.
"Stupid bitch." Mikey muttered under his breath. He hated Janean. He'd hated her since the day his father had introduced them. How could she even think that she could be anything close to a mother to him, she was only ten years older than him for one thing and for another, she simply was not his mother. He had a mother. He adored his mother and it broke his heart when she died. That was the first time in his life when he had actually felt alone.
There was no one who could replace his mom, especially not some little tramp, half his father age, who let herself get knocked up just so the old man would marry her. Mikey resented the fact that Janean had wormed her way into their lives, he resented her son too. He didn't even care if the kid was his half brother or not, he was just another problem that Mikey had to tolerate.
Anyway, he didn't need her help. He didn't need the old man's help either. He could handle this situation on his own. Even if Avery did wake up, Mikey was going to see to it that the kid didn't talk. As long as Avery kept his mouth shut, Mikey was in the clear. Any evidence that the cops had against him was circumstantial at best, and if they were looking for witnesses, well they were out of luck.
The only two nitwits that actually knew the truth would never talk. If they did, Mikey would make sure they went down with him and they knew it. Besides that, those two were long gone. They'd skipped town the morning Avery was found and hadn't been heard from since. Mikey grinned thinking of those two cowards. It was a smart move on their part, leaving the way they had, because had Mikey caught up with them, they'd be sharing a room right down the hall from Avery.
Boomer had no sooner made it into the parking lot of Rick and Avery's apartment complex when Rick's cell phone started ringing. Rick fished his phone out of his pants pocket and looked at the screen. "It's Trash." He looked over at Boomer and Boomer could see the look of concern etched across his face.
"Answer it." Boomer told him. "It might be important."
Rick nodded as he brought the phone to his ear. "Hey Trash man, what's up?" Rick's eyes widened. "Are you serious? She did, really? Hell man that's awesome news! Yeah, how's he doing now? Oh okay. What about nurse dreadful? Yeah I hear that." Rick chuckled some and Boomer relaxed. It was nice to hear him laughing again. Obviously what ever Trash had called to tell him was good news.
'Finally some good news.' Boomer thought. 'Lord knows these kids need it.'
Rick thanked Trash for calling him, then he hung up and shoved the phone back into his pocket. He looked up at Boomer and smiled, a wide, happy smile. "Avery spoke." He beamed. "He said my name. Kat heard him and she ran down to tell Trash. Boom, he actually said my name! This is great news!"
To say Boomer was shocked was an understatement. He was shocked but also elated and a little giddy. "So, he's awake?" He asked.
"Well, they don't really know for sure yet how aware he is. He's been kind of in and out of consciousness, but Kat says at one point he squeezed her hand and then he said my name, so it's a really good sign. Boom, I think he's going to be okay!"
Boomer smiled. "That's great news kid. I suppose your wanting to go back to the hospital?"
