The Painful Truth Chp.11

I sunk into the couch, making myself comfortable. I let my mind wander, until it struck me that I was totally unaware that Georg had slept over. If he would have gotten up a few minutes earlier he would have caught Bill and I together. We would have to be more careful. A weak sigh came from the outside hall. Gustav slowly ambled through the door and almost jumped onto the couch beside me. “Uunnnngh!” he complained clasping his head in his hands. “Hangover? I asked knowing all too well that the sound of my voice must have sounded like a series of fireworks going off beside his ear. “Aaaaannnnnhh!” he called waving his hand at me to shut up. I chuckled quietly and left Gustav alone.

        Bill was in the kitchen clenching his fists and muttering to himself. “Are you still upset about Poppy?” I asked. Bill looked up and scowled. “You’re not mad at me are you?” I asked. His scowl faded from his face and a small smile formed at the corner of his lips. “Not at you,” he said sighing. “It’s just Poppy really knows how to push my buttons.” I put my hands on his hips and pulled him towards me. “Well, that’s the last time you have to deal with her again, I promise.” I pressed a tender kiss to his lips. “Unnnngh!” came a faint cry from the living room. “I think Gustav needs some nursing.” I joked. “I’ll do it.” Bill said. “You sure? You drank a lot too are you not hung-over?” I asked. “Nah, I’m fine. Besides if you do it and he pukes, I’ll not only have to clean up his puke, but yours as well.” he said exasperated. I gave him a mock broad smile and patted my stomach. “Is it my fault I have a weak stomach?” I asked cutely. “And yet you have no trouble watching all those gory movies.” Bill said as he left the room. “Yeah well that’s movie gore.” I said quietly.

       Slipping past Bill as he helped Gustav to his feet I dashed to my room. I needed a nap, I was exhausted and I could feel my head begin to throb. I could handle my drink and it didn’t affect me, but women, they were another story altogether and Poppy takes the biscuit.

       I stretched out on my bed and buried my face in my pillow. I took a deep breath, my lungs filled with the sickly sweet scent of her. Even when Poppy was gone I still couldn’t get rid of her. I knew if Bill smelt her on me it would upset him more, and I had already caused him enough grief for one day. I stripped the sheets off the bed and threw them to the floor. I sniffed at my t-shirt but the scent had stuck. I pulled off my clothes and dropped them on the pile of sheets. I headed to the shower and hoped it would wash away all the final traces of Poppy from my life. As the water ran down my body I scrubbed off her scent and let it flow down the drain.

       Rummaging through my drawers with a towel wrapped loosely round my waist I searched for my favourite T-shirt. Bill had bought it for me the day after our first sold out concert and I had always liked it. Failing to find it in my room I tried the laundry basket, the washing machine, the dryer. It was nowhere to be found. “Bill? Have you seen my ‘69’ shirt anywhere?” I called. “The one I got you?” he replied. “Yeah! It’s gone missing.” “Tom I don’t really have time for this.” He groaned. I went to see what he was doing. I found him sitting on the edge of the bath, pinching the top of his nose, with Gustav bent over the toilet bowl. I squinted in disgust and felt my stomach start to move. “Tom you better fuck off,” Bill said annoyed, “Because if you puke I’ll leave you lie in it because I’m not in the mood.” I ran back to my room and breathed deeply to try and settle my stomach.

       When the nausea had passed I went back to finding clothes. I gave up on the missing shirt for the moment and pulled on the first one I grabbed. After I had dried my dreads, I looked for my favourite hat. It was a one of a kind that my mom had gotten made for my birthday. ‘If I couldn’t wear the shirt then at least I’ll have my hat.’ I thought. I opened my hat drawer. Each one of them neatly placed in line. They were my babies, though I would never tell anyone, because that’s just strange. Quickly scrolling through them I couldn’t see the hat I wanted. I looked more carefully. This was getting ridiculous. Someone must have been purposely hiding all of my favourite clothes. Reluctantly I put on a hat that matched my top and gave up. I’d find them later, I needed to help Bill. “Bill? You need help?” I called after putting my sheets and clothes in the wash. The sooner I had gotten rid of all reminders of Poppy the better. “Bill?” As I entered the living room I could hear the muffled sound of light snoring. ‘Gustav has finally fallen asleep.’ I thought. However, lying awkwardly on the couch, leg strewn over the arm was Bill. Gustav, on the other hand, was curled up in the foetal position on the floor, holding his head and groaning almost silently. I hauled Gustav up and helped him to the guest room. Georg was once again asleep on the bed so I placed Gustav on the couch and before I had left he was sleeping soundly.

       “Bill….” I whispered in my brother’s ear as I laced strands of his hair through my fingers. “You’re amazing.” I gently kissed his forehead and his lips and ever so carefully, not wanting to wake him up, I lifted him into my arms and brought him to his room. He needed his rest. He nursed Gustav when he wasn’t feeling well so he deserved to relax. I softly lay him on his bed. I brushed his hair out of his face, gave him a soft peck on the lips and made for the door. “Tommy?” he said softly just before I fully closed the door. “Go to sleep Billy, you need it. I’ll take care of you.” I whispered back. “Thanks…” he said finally slipping into unconscious sleep.

         I crept up to the guest room door and pressed my ear against it. A pair of snores could be heard simultaneously accompanied by an occasionally groan. “Good everyone is asleep, now I can relax for a bit.” I told myself aloud. I slowly slipped away from the bedrooms and headed for the kitchen. They would be hungry when they wake up, so I was going to make them something to eat. I chuckled at the thought of it. It was usually Bill who mothered the rest of us. ‘Well I guess it would have been my turn sooner or later.’ Not paying attention to where I was walking, I kicked something that had been discarded on the hall floor. It was Bill’s digital camera. “What are you doing here?” I asked it. I checked to see if I had broken it. I turned it on and it lit up.

NO MEMORY CARD

The message flashed on the screen. I turned it off. ‘That’s odd; Bill always keeps his memory card in his camera.’ He had a habit of loosing things, especially something as small as a memory card, so he always kept it in the camera removing it only to give it to me to get the photos developed. “He lost it.” I laughed. It would probably turn up somewhere round the house. It wasn’t difficult to guess who owned it. He had scrawled his name on it in red marker.

          Putting the camera safely on the coffee table I made my way to the kitchen. I rooted around in various drawers until I found an apron. Floral wasn’t my style, but I had no other choice. I looked through the fridge. Cold pizza and week old mayonnaise were all that I could find. Shutting the fridge I looked round the kitchen hoping to find something I could use to make an edible meal. My eyes landed on the phone. “Take-out!” I yapped.

         Placing the hot Chinese take-out cartons around the table I glanced at the clock. Four thirty. ‘I should wake them up, they must have slept it off by now.’ Turning around to leave I saw three scruffy boys standing in the door way. “Is that for us?” Georg asked. Rolling my eyes, I let out a small chuckle and nodded. Bill took a seat next to me and smiled a sleepy smile. He leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Thanks Tommy, Ich liebe dich.” I smiled and squeezed his thigh. “Let’s eat.”