My Brother's Grave

Chapter Two

I bombed those jerks that came to Al’s for the sole purpose of making my brother’s life miserable. He didn’t deserve to be the object of their craziness. Johnny had been raising me since I was three years old. He gave up his life to be the one constant in mine. When I was seven, he was awarded full custody of me. I loved my brother more than anyone else in the entire world and those girls were just such witches-with-a-B to him all the time. I just wanted them to leave him, and me, alone.

It was a mistake though. I shouldn’t have done it when I did. Because not only was Al walking down the sidewalk, but so was Maggie Ann’s father, a rich business man who loaned Al Walden the money to keep Al’s Diner open. I was pretty much screwed the second I let go of the plastic blue balloon filled to the brim with the smelliest slime I could find.

The Witches screamed and cried and… well… bitched. Al’s eyes found mine and I swear, my heart stopped. He was so angry this time that his face was bright stinkin’ red. I backed away from the edge, and tripped backwards over my ammo crate. At that moment, I knew I was screwed. I suspected that Johnny was actually going to kill me this time. I thought about calling Lane and asking her if she would calm him down before he could kill me.

I scrambled to my feet and ran as fast as I could to the door where the rusted metal ladder stood. I stumbled down the ladder, completely forgetting about my slime balloons. I wanted to warn John of the shit storm I’d caused before he found it out for himself.

I burst through the doors of the supply closet and practically ran into a seething Al Walden. His black eyes were trained on me, with the intent to kill, it seemed.

“You,” he growled. “This is the last straw! I’ve let you get away with a lot because I feel bad for you and your brother. But I warned you! I told you no more goddamn pranks!” I was in deep shit this time. Al looked like he was about to lose his balding head. His chubby cheeks were red and caused him to resemble a puffer fish. The thought made me want to laugh, but I didn’t want to be in any more trouble with my brother’s boss. I averted my eyes to the floor as Cade walked over to see what was going on.

“Please, Mr. Walden, I’ll never come here again, just don’t fire my brother,” I begged. I heard the door open and swing shut. Johnny was standing in the doorway with shake still caked in his dark brown hair Al turned around and I could see the disappointed look on his face.

“Turn in your apron and empty out your locker. I warned you about that damn… menace of yours.” Johnny opened his mouth to speak, but Al cut him off. “I let your brat,” he waved a hand in my direction, “get away with a lot, but I can’t do this anymore. You’re a good, hard-working kid, and I respect what you’re trying to do, but that delinquent needs to learn some goddamn-”

“Enough!” Johnny growled. “You can fire me if you want too, by don’t ever,” my brother took a threatening step toward the man, “ever call my sister by anything other than her name, got it?” My legs were literally shaking. The last time I’d seen John so angry was after I’d spent the weekend with my dad when I was seven.

My dad had just gotten back from one of his business trips and Johnny had planned a road trip with Cade, his best friend, and Lane, his girlfriend. When he came home I was in the hospital with a dislocated arm and having my stomach pumped. I’ve never believed that my dad meant to hurt me, he just didn’t know how to deal with my seven year old antics.

Johnny had forgotten to leave my dad the book that he was reading out loud to me at the time. It was my favorite book at the time, Downriver, by Will Hobbs. Without the sound of Johnny’s voice reading to me, it was difficult for me to get to sleep. When I tried to explain this to my dad, he thought I was playing games. He kept telling me to go to bed, but I wouldn’t go. He grabbed my hand to force me to my room, and pulled a little too hard. I know that he didn’t mean to do it, it just happened.

I was screaming and crying, which scared Jack. He didn’t want to go to jail too. In his frazzled state of mind, he decided the best thing for me to do was take some pain killers and sleeping pills. Unfortunately he gave me too much, which eventually ended in he and my imprisoned mother signing over custody of me to Johnny. Which, I was betting at that moment, he was probably sorely regretting.

Nobody spoke for a few minutes, until Al said, “Get out now. I’ll have your final paycheck sent to your house.” Al stormed into his office, slamming the door. The sound made me jump. My eyes turned to look at my older brother. He looked pissed.

“Johnny, I -”

“Go get your stuff and wait for me out on the curb. You sit right out front and do not move. Understood?” His voice sounded calm, but his green eyes were stormy.

“John I’m-”

“Go Tomara!” He never used my real name.

Alright, I guess there’s no dodging it anymore. My name is Tomara (ew). Tomara Annabelle McMurphy, but if you call me that, I'll hurt you. Call me Tommy. Just Tommy. My dad said that all of the great women in his family were name Tomara, but I know he was lying. It was an impossibility for there to be any great women in the McMurphy family. My mom was a great example of that, as far as I was concerned.

I sat out on the curb for a half an hour before I couldn’t take it anymore. Sitting still was never my strong suit. My teachers often said that I was the most unfocused, fidgety, disrupting student they’d ever taught, which I considered a compliment. They wanted me to take drugs so I’d calm down, but Johnny always refused.

I started walking back and forth, my mind was overcome with terrible scenarios involving everything from Johnny locking me in my room, to him shipping me off to our dad’s last known address. Honestly, I’d have sooner jumped off a cliff. I was in the process of brainstorming ideas to change Johnny’s mind, I was even preparing to beg, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Johnny’s grim face staring back at me.