One Dysfunctional Mess part 5

Chapter 18 The disaster

This place is a disaster."  John said as he slowly helped his brother through the living room.  Disbelief filled Jack as well at the disorganized mess it had become.  Dishes, silverware, and empty bottles of wine and other alcoholic beverage were scattered throughout the room.

"Well housekeeping has never been high on my mom's list of priorities."  Jack said as he held his queasy stomach.  The further he moved into the house the sicker he felt.  A part of him wanted to flee from the house but he pushed himself through.  I'm tired of living in fear he thought.  I'm tired of being a victim.  "She always left it to dad and me to do it." 

John saw that Jack's skin was going a bit pale.  "Let's go into the kitchen."

 "Okay."  He said with a slight nod.  "And our nannies.  She expected them to do a lot of the housework."

John looked at him surprised as they walked into the kitchen which was in the same state of disarray.  "You had nannies."

"Yeah."  Jack said as he sat down.

"Do you want me to get you a bottle of water?"  John asked.

"Yes please."  John walked over to the refrigerator.  "We had two nannies Sasha who was from Russia.  She was Elizabteth's nanny and stayed until I was five."  He told him as John opened the door.  "And then there was Elena who was our nanny until I was twelve and my mom made dad fire her because she was threatened by her."

"No, water."  John said.  There was not really anything else in the fridge except for a couple of half empty condiment bottles sitting on the door and a couple of oranges that probably should have been thrown out a couple of days ago.   He closed the door and then went to the cabinet to find a glass.  He just hoped that he could find a clean one.  "A threat?"  He said grabbing a small glass. 

"Yeah she was sure that dad was sleeping with her."  Jack said as he poured a glass of water from the tap.  "Of course he wasn't but  did not believe him."

"She had a lot of nerve accusing him of cheating."  John said as he handed him the glass.  "I mean yes he did cheat with my mom but it wasn't like she was being the faithful wife."

"No she wasn't."  Jack shook his head took a sip of the water. "But her cheating was okay."  Hte took another drink of it.

"Sure you don't want to go back to the car?"  

"I'm sure." Jack shook his head and took another drink.  John saw the color slowly return to his cheeks.  "I want to see my old room."  I don't know why I want to see it.  Its not like I have  a lot of good memories associated with it.  But for some reason I need to see it.

"Jack was a good boy." Jeremiah sung to the tune Skidrow's eighteen and life. "But he did not have a heart of stone."  Jeremiah let out a large sneeze which he was sure was due to the copious amount of dust that had collected in the room.

I guess its been awhile since anyone has been here he thought.

"Where are we?" Jeremiah asked as he looked around confused.

"The first floor guest bedroom." Jason answered.

"I don't want to be here." He said. "Take me to the master bedroom."

"I am not helping you into my wife's bed."

Jason then dropped him onto the bed. "I'm sorry Jason." He said as Jason placed his legs on the bed. "I screwed everything up."

"Yes you have." Jason said not feeling an ounce of pity for him.

"I hurt mom and dad, I hurt you, I hurt your kids, my kids."

"Your wife." Jason said as he removed his left shoe.

"Her too." Jeremiah sneezed again. "You want to know a secret."

"Not really." Jason dropped his right shoe.

"I never loved Theresa." Jeremiah said.

"Big surprise there." Jason said.

"I only married her because she was pregnant with Casey." He said. "If she hadn't been stupid enough to get herself pregnant I would have never married her."

"She's not stupid." Jason became flustered. "And you had a part in his conception."

"I know "  Jeremiah said. He rubbed his hands down his face. "I hated every minute I was with her."

"Yet you had four more kids with her." Jason said.

"Well she needed to be good for something."

"So that is all she was to you." Jason said. "A baby factory."

"And a housekeeper." Jeremiah said. "She can keep a house."

"You are deplorable you know that."

"But I'm an adorable deplorable." He said with a smile.

"I'm done." Jason said and turned to go out.

"No wait." He shot up in bed. "Tell John I'm sorry."

"I think you mean Jack." He said at the doorway.

"No." He shook his head. "I mean John."

A puzzled look crossed his face. "Why would you owe John an apology?"

"Because.." He then hesitated.

"Because what?"

"Because I've known about him for two years and said nothing." Jeremiah said.

Jason's eyes filled with rage.

Music blared from Elizabeth's room as the two walked up the stairs. "This is Nicole's old  room"  Jack said as he pointed at a room. "And here is my mine."

Jack's palms grew clammy. He found it hard to breath. What is wrong with me? Jack asked. Why am I freaking out. I've entered this room a thousand times before and it never bothered me.

He forced himself to walk in.

"Nice room." John said as he followed him in.

"Yes it is." Jack said. "Elizabeth was going to turn it into a walk in closet but I guess she decided that was too much work for her to do."

Jack looked around the room. Images of him over the bed being beat with a belt by his mom, tossed around the room like a rag doll.  And the slaps across the face.

There were so many slaps across the face.

"You'd think she get one of her boytoys to do it for her." John said.

"You think." His breathing became more labored as he saw himself standing in the corner.

"Are you okay?"

I was standing in the corner when I felt him behind me

"Jack?"

Jack did not hear him. He just continued to stare at the corner. He was behind me, his breath on the back of my neck, his hands...

"Jack."

"Dont touch me." Jack yelled as he pulled away.

"I'm sorry." John retracted his hand.

"I was wrong." Jack said as he stared at the corner. "It wasn't a dream, it was memory." He looked at his brother as water filled his eyes.

"I remember now." His body began to tremble."  Jack said. "But it wasn't at Aunt Anne's." He said as tears began to roll down his cheeks. "It was here."