chapter 4
William wasn't at the apartment when he arrived back at 6 PM, so instead of worrying where he was, Mikey sat in front of the TV and did something he only did once and a while; he watched it.
As far as he was concerned, television and the media where what was seriously wrong with society today. Yeah, of course they're going to bring you the news, the happenings of the world, but it was overwhelming, over-exaggerated, over played. Somedays it hurt to watch the suffering, the calamity, the chaos over the world man made or not. Mikey usually didn't watch TV. It wasn't that he was sheltered or that William wouldn't let him; he could make his own decisions and just chose not to. It was an aspect of himself he admired.
Every now and then Mikey would switch the channel and he could feel his eyes drooping and himself yawning and decided it was far to late to be sitting around the house watching boring TV. He got up and located his cell phone, dialing William's number and waiting until he answered.
His voice was tired and harsh when he answered. "Are you all right, William?" Mikey asked, leaning forward on the sofa, listening carefully.
William sighed and Mikey pictured him sitting in th street curb running his musicians finger through his long and wavy hair. "Mikey, will you listen to me if I tell you what happened in Jersey?" the phone line went silent. Mikey leaned back on the couch, inhaling deeply as he thought. He didn't want to hear about New Jersey or what was happening there. He left Jersey to start his own life, one not over-shadowed by his family and their hypocritical ways. He didn't want to listen to William go on about his family, how much they missed him; he was living the life he wanted in New York. He didn't need this.
But he knew William was upset and just trying to look out for him. Always doing what he thought was right, trying to bring Mikey back to Jersey because that's what he believed would be best for everyone. Mikey leaving, bringing William with him and "deserting" his own family had left William heavy with guilt.
"Will, where are you? I'm coming down."
"Are you going to listen?" he asked quietly. If Will didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be found.
Mikey chuckled. "Yeah. Tell me it all." he listened carefully to William's directions and headed for the bridge, the place he'd written that song the night before.
The weather was deteriorating slowly as Mikey arrived at the bridge, watching William walk the edge of it, peering down into the depths of the water below.
"Hey!" Mikey called up, grinning at William as he startled and jumped off the side onto the pavement. He ran to Mikey and enveloped him in a warm, friendly hug and a quick kiss as friends would do. They walked hand in hand towards the park next to the bridge. It was a dirty thing, the park, full of homeless people looking for food or throwing things at two guys walking through the park holding hands. New York was full of people like this.
Mikey watched William, the guy grinning steadily, not speaking a word. Mikey could smell the whiskey on his clothes.
"So tell me about Jersey." Mikey said dreamily as they continued. It was better to get it out of William while he was drunk; he wouldn't be nice to save Mikey's feelings, he'd tell the truth when asked, he wouldn't over dramatize things or understate them. All in all, Mikey would get the information about his family as required. As a bonus, Mikey would manipulate things in the morning when asked what was said.
William laughed. "Jersey was amazing!" he let go of Mikey and did a spin in the middle of the empty path. "First we went to Belleville, you know, your hometown." he nodded. "Yeah. I went and visited your brother after that." he shook his head. "The man as changed!" he nodded to himself again.
"Yeah." Mikey whispered. "I bet he drinks three bottles of vodka each night instead of two." he shook his head. William stopped.
"Hey." he said, but Mikey refused to look at him. "Hey!" Mikey's head was forced up and William saw the glittering tears immediately. "He's sober now. He gave all that up a month after you left." Mikey chuckled harshly and wrenched his jaw away from William's hands. "Mikey, he's changed! He's not like that anymore. He doesn't come home drunk and he doesn't throw things and he doesn't hurt people!" William screamed at him. His voice was raw and bitter from the whiskey. "He's gotten help! He's been in rehab for a year and a half for you! You won't even call him!" Mikey turned around, tears flowing wildly.
"I won't give him a chance because night after night I gave him that chance and he fucking broke me!" He screamed into the night, taking his glasses off and throwing them on the ground. "You weren't there to clean up the blood the last time! You weren't there to watch the glass explode on me! You didn't drive me to the hospital only to bring me home and do it all again the next night!" William stood a few feet away, mouth agape, watching Mikey destroy himself and felt helpless. "He never loved me! He never fucking...never fuckking..."
The world collapsed into black as Mikey's body fell to the ground with a sickening thud.
"No, he won't be able to make it into work today." William said into a phone. "Yeah, Bert. Just tell anyone asking for him to call here." a moment of silence. "No, don't send him a piece of your shit." William laughed. "Bert, I gotta go. Yeah. Come over later or something. Bye." The phone clicked off and William got up and left Mikey's room.
Slowly Mikey opened his eyes, feeling on his nightstand for his glasses. They were missing. Sighing he slowly put in his contacts. He was going to work, whether William like it or not; no one controlled what he did.
He pulled himself out of bed, feeling a tenderness in his legs and remember collapsing lsat night. "That would explain that." he muttered, walking slowly across the room and slipping into his shower, the cool water bursting out of the shower head and soaking his body as it turned warmer. His tense body remembered Frank's words yesterday and his hands massaging every tense muscle out of his back. He remembered his promise to play with him and suddenly hurried to get out of the shower and dressed.
As he left his room he saw William sitting at the kitchen table, cup of coffee in hand while he read the paper. He raised an eyebrow towards Mikey and offered him a cup and the pot silently. "I don't drink it." he replied, picking up his acoustic and cell phone and heading for the door. "It gives me headaches." as he opened the door to leave he heard William behind him whisper something.
"He has changed. I'm sorry you don't realize it."
He slammed the door shut and walked to work in the cold, tears freezing to his eye lashes.