4 Years Ago, 1973 Avante City, Phronesis
"Come on big bro! I want to show you the new slide we got!" My little brother told me as I walked down the stairs.
CHAPTER 61: A Look In The Past - 11
As I got down, I looked to see this slide, a small slide with a design that a clown would have for an outfit. Lots of red buttons, and a fake steering wheel with a horn you can press. With the contrasting colors being yellow and purple.
"Watch me go down!"
"Okay, I'll watch!" I loved him. He was the best little brother I could have asked for.
"Saw! Look!"
"I'm looking!"
I used to watch him and talk to him for hours.
"Here you two are! I was worried I didn't see you guys in the house!" My mother said, grabbing her jewelry of pearls around her neck, from the thought of us being missing.
"Nope! Saw watching me slide!"
"That's lovely. Hey saw, how about you slide?" My mother joked.
"Heh, I be lucky I fit!" I replied laughing at her comment.
"That's for sure! You're all big and strong now! You're going to be the best basketball player ever! Even though I still don't understand it."
"Mom! It's simple! You shoot the ball into the hoop! See easy!" My little brother Eddie said.
"I get that part, but I don't understand the whole... Putting everything you got onto the line to win. Your father used to have the worst back pains and leg cramps, however, he always played his matches."
"That's because Dad didn't want to stop playing. I admire that! I want to be just like him!" I said, smiling at my ideal goal.
"Don't be too much like him, he tells you if he was here, the pain would be so bad he thought about just cutting the limb off and playing like that!" She said, kissing both of us and starting to walk inside.
"Food will be on the table in 30 minutes so don't stay out for too long! Preferably come inside in 30 minutes!"
"Okay, mom!"
"Mom is always so worried about us." Eddie laughed going up and down the slide.
"That's how you know she loves you."
"That's when Eddie stopped sliding and sighed. Isn't that sad though? Isn't it sad that... Someone so full of love like Mom can no longer love someone because they're gone? You think she has love she wants to show again but can't because she only wants to love Dad?"
The question caught me off guard at the time. Who asks a question like that at your age? Especially Eddie! This kid could never stop smiling.
"It makes you wonder, how much love can she give to us... Before she could feel like the love for Dad she used to have, or at least act like it didn't exist. Do you think she wants to forget?"
"Uhm... I don't know. I don't know about any of those questions. Did I really know Eddie...? Or do I think I know Eddie?
"Oh well!" Eddie said going back up and down the slide.
"Look how fast I can go!"
"Yeah! Doing great..." Shaken up, I knew I needed to calm down and just enjoy the moment. However, it felt off. Creepy even, like Eddie wasn't there when he said it. Like he was acting on emotions instead of thinking. Like an animal.
"Boys! Dinner Done!"
"Coming Mom!" Eddie said, running into the house before peeping his back out.
"Aren't you coming inside?"
"Oh... Yeah." Was all I could muster, as I went inside the house.
"Now a prayer before we eat." We all put our hands together as we made a prayer, grabbed our forks, and started to dig in.
"By the way, Saw honey. There's a letter for you in the mail, something about... a scholarship!"
"No way!" I jumped up from my seat and started to run towards the mailbox.
I read it once, then again, again, then again, I just couldn't stop.
"So, tell us!" Eddie said before I turned and smiled at him.
"You're big brother will be able to go to a good college, If I can keep up my good work for the next 4 years."
"Saw! You're amazing!"
"Thanks, Eddie!"
I then felt my mom kiss my cheek and hug me with tears in her eyes.
"I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get you in college... Since your father died I've tried to... See if I can scrap enough money but. You... You really saved us! Thanks for being so brilliant! Both of you! I'm so grateful you guys are my son!"
I started to tear up a little but had to keep my face, my little brother couldn't see me cry! So I hugged my mom and showered her with complaints.
"There's no other mother I would want, not even if they were super duper rich! I wouldn't care! I love you for you mom! No need to cry! It's a happy time!"
"Yeah, mom! Listen to Big Bro! This is... Super awesome! Will I see you play on TV!?" Eddie asks with stars in his eyes.
"Who knows?"
"That's such a mysterious answer!" Eddie yelped as I laughed and we began to bicker with each other throwing jokes at each other and laughing about them.
"Alright, well I'm off to bed. You two go to bed at a good time, okay?"
"Yeah, mom!"
"Yup, Mom you can trust us!"
"See you in the morning, good night sweeties!"
"Night Mom!" We both said.
"I think I'm feeling a little tired as well," Eddie said, yawning.
"Oh, Eddie's tired? What world am I living in?"
"No!" Eddie yelped as he went to our backyard again.
It's not a big backyard, nor a middle-sized one either, just a little nice backyard with one slide and one swing attached to a tree from the neighbor's house. It's all the space we have so we
"Why'd you run off like that" I laughed as I brought a lantern from inside, to see Eddie smiling and swinging away. Taking pride in our little backyard.
"Cause I wanted to prove that I'm not tired!"
"Well, you proved me wrong! I said in a sarcastic tone.
"Hey!" We both laughed, as he swung on the swing for around 10 minutes before giving up on his point.
"You're right, I am tired! I can't do it anymore!"
"All right, sleepy head, you can sleep and do this tomorrow."
"Fair point, alright let's go!"
I grabbed his hand, and we walked inside the house. I brought him to his room and right before I left, he said "Wait. Saw... I have something to ask again."
"Oh, what is it?"
"If you left for college wouldn't that mean you wouldn't be here?"
"Yeah... I wouldn't be here. Why do you ask?"
"It just... I don't want you to get hurt... Like Dad did. He sprained his ankle and then got shot trying to save someone. If he just took time for himself and fully healed his sprained ankle, he could have moved faster... He is still alive."
That's what we told him but in reality. Dad couldn't play sports again because of an ACL tear. Then his parents both died to what seems to be Co consumption. Then, Mom and Dad, we're starting to fight. I always took him outside so he never knew, but I did. It hurt. However, his tipping point was... Them losing our sister. Mom got pregnant again, and... it was unsuccessful. With everything going on in little under a year, Dad couldn't take it and eventually offed himself. There was probably more to it, but I didn't want Eddie to know that so I lied. We lied, Mom included, making him die a hero instead of a sad man.
"Don't worry. I will always be here."
ONE YEAR LATER
"The child prodigy Saw Brooklyn, is showing his capabilities! Not one, not two, but three defenders defending Saw and Saw not passing and he's not slowing down either!"
"I can hear them, saying my name! What a feeling!" Out of 200 students, I was one of the only 50 chosen to play in a college game, to see what clubs and scouts wanted to recruit when we were older. Only 10 of us are freshmen.
"Go Saw!"
"Go, honey!"
I can hear Mom and Eddie cheering me on! A commentator for the special matches to emulate a real game! This feels... Amazing!
"He's going for the game-winning shot!"
I really am... The best in the fucking world. I win
*Snap*
"Ahh!"
"Saw! Saw! Saw!" I can hear Eddie calling my name. However, my leg. My leg hurts all I could do was yell.
"Honey! Somebody help him! Forget about the game! Move!" I can hear Mom... concerned.
"Losing consciousness." Don't cry. You can pass out... But you must not cry! Be a wall! An example for your brother to follow! So your mom doesn't worry.
...
"Mr.Brooklyn, can you hear me?"
"Where- Where am I?"
"You're at the hospital. Do you know why?"
"No. I don't remember."
"Earlier today, you broke your leg. Hopefully, after being in the cast, it should heal and go back to its old self. However, until then no basketball."
"Basketball... Basketball! That match! Who won!?"
"You're team unfortunately lost. I was told to say so, by your brother... Eddie. Would you like to see him? They're waiting for you."
"Yes!"
That's when Eddie and Mom came in and hugged me and asked a million questions.
"Okay! Okay! I'm okay!" I laughed so they could stop asking questions and think I was in no pain even though... I'm suffering. I'm upset. I'm devastated.
"Well... I'm glad you're okay." Eddie said, hugging me. It hurt like hell cause he was a little on my leg but... How can I resist his hug?
"Okay, honey... You're coming home with us, if they let us take you."
"We will Ms.Brooklyn. He has a broken leg but, no reason he can't go to school or go home. Just take these."
He then handed me crutches and then grabbed some off the wall.
"Do you need an example of how to walk on crutches?"
"That would be appreciated! I'm sorry for not knowing..."
"You're all okay, that's what I'm here for! Don't worry Dr.Pete here will teach you! I'm quite amazing!"
"Okay."
A few minutes in and we were getting nowhere.
"Big bro... You. You suck at this."
"I know!" I said to Eddie who started laughing hard after my response.
"Don't get mad at me for being bad!" He started laughing more. Even Mom started to chuckle.
"What a lively family!" The Doctor said laughing.
After 30 minutes in I got the hang of it.
"Ha! I understand now! See I don't suck!"
"I want to try!" Eddie said and The Doctor gave him a smaller crutch for his smaller height and Eddie... Immediately had the premise and walked perfectly.
"Woah, you should be a doctor or an actor, Young Man!" The Doctor said impressed with the perfect form.
"Wow, that was... so easy."
"Yeah, I was just joking for the last 30 minutes."
"Yeah, sure," Eddie said in a sarcastic tone.
"Hey!" This time even The Doctor laughed.
"Well, I think I can send you home, you guys are good with that."
"Yup!" We all said in unison.
"What's your name again?" I ask the man.
"Dr.Pete."
"Thanks, Dr.Pete!"
"Glad to help. I'll be walking out with you guys since you guys are my last shift for the day." Dr.Pete said, grabbing his stuff and getting ready to turn off his light.
"All right, everybody out. Love you guys, but I have to lock the door." Dr.Pete joked as we all left, and he locked and turned off his light.
While on the walk back, we can hear Dr.Pete complimenting and flirting with Mom and it was honestly funny to see Mom kind of flustered and surprised, like a teenager my age. It was also weird. Really weird. We all went our separate ways and Mom smirked while gripping onto something.
"What are you holding?" I asked her confused since she didn't have anything before.
"Nothing." She then stuffed whatever it was in her pocket as we got home.
Once we got home Eddie and I were so tired we just wanted to eat and go to sleep. That's when my mom pulled out two boxes of pizza from the oven.
"Thought you guys were hungry so I ducked and got these pizzas to help you feel better about your leg and basketball."
"Thank mom!" I said and grabbed three slices and Eddie doing the same. We all chatted and giggled for a bit and then we all headed to bed.
As I'm almost asleep I can hear the jingling of keys walking past my door going down to our kitchen. I grab my crutches and follow the sound and see Mom grabbing the other pizza box and setting it on the table with alcohol. I then sneak behind the wall, in front of us to stay out of her line of sight.
"What the..." I whisper to myself as I try to keep balance and watch what is happening. That's when two knocks came from the door and when Mom opened the door, Dr.Pete came through.
"Is this where the beautiful mother lives?"
"Indeed it is. Can I get you a drink?"
"Sure that sounds lovely. Kids asleep?"
"Yup, that means, no filter."
"Say no more~"
That's when they started to go crazy on each other, I didn't know if I should leave, or not but once Mom's clothes started to come off I knew it was time to go. I dashed back to my room, closed the door, and put the covers on my bed.
"Did you hear something?" I heard my mom say.
"No, I didn't hear anything. We're fine, Let's take this to your bedroom so we can be more... safe."
"Yeah, that's smart."
As I'm hearing this conversation I can't help but feel a little sick. However, interfering when my mom sounds a little happier than usual would be awkward and weird for me to. That's when I heard mom's door lock and the bed slowly creaking here and there.
I walked out quietly and checked on my little brother to make sure he wasn't up hearing this and if he was, to get him to sleep ASAP. I checked in and he was awake... The worst outcome.
"Hey buddy, can't sleep."
"No. Not after what I just heard."
"You heard it too? Guess I can't hide it or anything. If you know you know, you know?"
"Yeah. I know. It makes me wonder though... Does mom care for Dad anymore? Or is this her way of coping?"
"I... can't answer that."
"Yeah, I thought so. Only Mom can I guess."
"Yeah, only Mom can."
"Can she?"
Honestly, this never happened before. Ever since the day with the slide, these questions are starting to get scarier.
"I-"
"Just a question I'm throwing out there. No answer is needed. Just thinking out loud I guess. But maybe there is a way of filling a void of love. With new seeds of love. However, the only thing I have to ask is, is this the love she is looking for? Or a temporary fix?"
Yeah, this is getting weird. He talks like he's smarter and older than I am. Could he be? Older, no. But smarter? Maybe. Just maybe
"Welp! I'm off to sleep! This whole thing is kind of awkward so I'm going back to sleep! See you tomorrow!" He said with a smile on his face.
"Okay, I'll leave when you fall asleep." Before I could even finish my sentence he was snoring asleep.
I rub his hair and smile. "I wonder what makes you think the way you do. Are you... secretly sad?" I said rubbing his hair a little more before grabbing my crutches and walking back towards my room and falling asleep myself. Not without giving thought to what Eddie said.
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