Blueberry and Jimmy (Part 3) - Trials of Brotherhood (author: Carpdime)
Continued from Blueberry and Jimmy Part 2
The two brothers sat tight lipped in the waiting room of the Valley Drive Fluffy Clinic.
Jimmy, the older of the two brothers, sat up straight with eyes dead forward and unblinking. A restrained rage simmered behind Jimmy’s blue eyes.
His younger brother Elliot sat two seats down from him. Elliot knew that Jimmy was upset at what happened to his fluffy Blueberry. More so he knew that his older brother had sensed that he had not been told the true story of the events leading to Blueberry’s injury.
“Jimmy Lewis…why am I not surprised to see you here again?” a young woman said emerging from the door that led to the back clinic.
Jimmy turned towards the young woman, “And why the hell are you always here Becky? I thought you were just a volunteer?” Jimmy shot back.
Elliot looked at the exchange with slight amusement, happy to see the awkward silence being broken.
“So you remembered our meeting the other day?” Becky said with slight surprise.
Jimmy looked away in thought, “Yes I remember. I was really hoping to see you again.” He looked back at Becky, “I know what you did for me and Blueberry last time. I just wanted to say thank you.”
Becky nodded in acknowledgement, “And how is Blueberry? Is he all right? What happened this time?” She asked.
“He should be fine, he’s just getting an X-Ray done at the moment.” Jimmy turned a glare at his younger brother, “As to what happened, who really knows…?”
Elliot avoided eye contact with Jimmy as the older brother pointed at him accusingly.
“This is my little brother Elliot.”
Becky and Elliot exchanged awkward pleasantries.
“Look, I better get back to my work. I hope Blueberry gets better soon. I don’t want to be rude, but I really don’t want to see you here again.” Becky said as she turned to leave.
Jimmy grimaced to himself and waved farewell to Becky.
As Becky disappeared through the doors, nurse Lucy emerged at the same time carrying Blueberry in her arms. The stunned fluffy was looking around tensely for a familiar face.
“Good news Mr. Lewis.” nurse Lucy said as she handed Blueberry back to his awaiting owner, “Nothing broken my dear, just some heavy bruising in the legs that’ll take a bit of rest. All you need to do now is to approve the X-Ray and consultation costs and you are once again on your way!” nurse Lucy smiled that overbearing smile of hers and handed a form for Jimmy to sign.
At seeing the cost, Jimmy looked frustratingly at Elliot.
The silence of the ride back home was punctuated only by the roar of Jimmy’s truck engine. Blueberry had dozed off in the back seat, nursing a dulled pain that had been treated with some painkillers.
In their younger days living at home with their deadbeat parents, the brothers had spent a lot of time playing together and going through the pains of growing up. Elliot had always looked up to his older brother. Jimmy was the ‘go getter’ of the family and had seemingly achieved everything he had set out to do.
Not a few months after his 17th birthday, Jimmy had uprooted himself from their family home in a search for independence. Leaving his family behind, Jimmy relied upon the unreliable charity of a few friends to establish a footing in the outside world. He figured it was a tough and unfulfilling life, but it was no worse than what he had back home and at least it offered him the chance to captain his own destiny.
When Elliot had reached a similar decision on his 17th birthday, he had every intention to follow in his brother’s footsteps. But Elliot was always considered the smart one in the family, albeit sheltered and naive in his assessment of the world around him. He was offered an avenue to attend college with a partial scholarship. He too jumped at the chance to leave home in search of his own flavor of independence.
Expending all of his own savings, Elliot commenced his studies living alone in his own apartment which was well beyond his means. He took on odd jobs looking after fluffies for strangers. It was in the pursuit of further opportunities where he had met Lily and begun his unsavory dealings in the fluffy kidnapping operation. None of this was known to his older brother. Elliot was meticulous in keeping that a secret. He didn’t want his older brother to think less of him. He would rather suffer personally than to lose the respect of Jimmy.
“So how is work?” Elliot asked, breaking the long silence.
Jimmy glided his hands on the steering wheel without responding.
Elliot sighed and looked out the window. The last sliver of daylight clung at the horizon as they barreled down the road.
“My work is fine but how are your studies?” Jimmy replied after a while.
“I’m doing okay. Just maintaining the grades so I don’t get kicked out of college.”
“Surviving not thriving eh? Sounds about right.” Jimmy said disparagingly, “Why are you causing trouble in your own college? Are you trying to tempt fate?”
Elliot stayed silent. He knew that he had screwed up so he readied himself for a chewing out.
“You were always the clever one, I don’t know why you’d get involved in a fist fight of all things.” Jimmy said.
The truck rounded the corner as they neared Elliot’s apartment.
“Something feels fishy about all this business with Blueberry getting hurt and you punching a woman. I mean, damn it, it’s something you’d expect from me, not you!”
Elliot couldn’t help but laugh but the frown on Jimmy’s face was unmoving.
“It’s funny huh wise guy? What if the woman comes back and presses charges? What if the college rescind their scholarship because of your misbehavior? Grow a brain!”
Something triggered within Elliot and his face became serious. The stakes had suddenly increased and he could feel his life plan coming apart under questioning.
“I just wanted to earn some money for myself the way that you do!” Elliot shouted in his own defense.
Blueberry was awoken at the outbreak of their argument.
“Ewwiot! Nu shouties pwease… Bwuebewwy am scawed!” The fluffy suddenly said.
“Oh I’m sorry Blueberry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Elliot turned around to comfort the fluffy.
“Daddeh…Bwuebewwy wan gu home nao. Pwease?” Blueberry poked his head forwards towards Jimmy.
“Not yet Blueberry, I need to take Elliot home before we go home.”
“Nuuuu! Pwease daddeh! Nu wan gu Ewwiot home! Nu wan see Wiwy! Pwease daddeh!” Blueberry was highly distressed and his wild movements threatened to dislodge him from this seat belt.
“Damn it Blueberry, just settle down for a moment! Daddy will take you home right after…”
A short while later, their truck screeched to a complete stop just outside Elliot’s apartment. Jimmy unlocked the doors and motioned Elliot to leave. “Good night Elliot, I’ll call you later for a talk.”
Elliot didn’t move. He turned his head solemnly and looked directly into Jimmy’s eyes. The seriousness in his eyes frightened Jimmy who sat motionless awaiting Elliot.
“Jimmy…I…I screwed up.” Elliot said breathing out.
“Of course you did. You’re lucky Blueberry didn’t break a bone, or else I would have broken some of yours.” Jimmy leaned towards his brother imposingly.
“No, you don’t know what I mean. I really screwed up…”
Jimmy scanned his brother’s eyes which began to drop with remorse.
“I really really screwed up Jimmy.”
“You’d better come clean right now or I’ll never believe another word you tell me again.” Jimmy said solemnly.
Elliot looked at his brother sheepishly. He slowly explained his arrangement with Lily and how he had gotten involved in the fluffy kidnapping business when he was unable to afford his rent. Jimmy’s eyes burned with horror filled anger as Elliot revealed the true reason he was at the campus with Blueberry earlier in the day.
“I swear I’ve never kidnapped a fluffy before. But I just couldn’t resist the money that was on offer. I just wanted to be able to pay my own way. I didn’t want to disappoint you.” Elliot reasoned softly to his brother.
Jimmy paused a brief second. A sickening, demented smile appeared on his face. He lashed without warning at the steering wheel in front of him and he hard elbowed the truck door which rattled with the sound of cracking glass.
“Daddeh!” Blueberry yelped from the back, withdrawing in fear from Jimmy’s outburst.
“I’m sorry Jimmy I know I screwed up!” Elliot said, trying to placate Jimmy.
“How dare you put Blueberry in danger for that little scheme of yours. I trusted you!”
Without warning, Jimmy reached over to Elliot who was beside him and grabbed his collar. Elliot had seen enough of his brother’s violent temper to know where this was heading, he pulled desperately at the door lever which thankfully opened the door swiftly, sending him falling out of the truck.
As Elliot scrambled away from Jimmy’s truck, Jimmy climbed out of the same door in pursuit, the belt around his pants getting caught on the gear lever which slowed his pursuit.
“Please Jimmy! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry. I know what I did was wrong!” Elliot yelled as he created distance between them.
Jimmy stopped a few yards away from Elliot who had his arms outstretched to keep his brother at bay. Jimmy stopped his pursuit and turned away. He lifted his hand high into the air and slammed his open palm with great force onto the bonnet of his truck.
Blueberry saw Elliot cowering in fear, he knew that when his daddy got angry, he could really hurt somebody. He loved his daddy but he also loved Elliot. He didn’t want to see Elliot get the big hurties the same way that Lily had given him earlier. Blueberry freed himself from his seat and jumped through the open door towards Elliot.
Jimmy looked down and could see his fluffy limping with pain towards Elliot, completely ignoring him. A sense of shame washed over him and he felt a sharp pain on his hand where he had cut himself accidentally on the bonnet scoop of his truck.
Elliott inched forward and picked up the limping fluffy.
“Put him down now.” Jimmy ordered.
Elliot looked at his brother with fear. For some strange reason he felt safe with Blueberry in his arms. The fluffy gave him strength.
“Daddeh pwease nu be angwy at Ewwiot…Ewwiot am gud, Ewwiot save Bwuebewwy fwom big meanie Wiwy…”
“Elliot, I said put him down now.” Jimmy repeated.
“You’re scaring me Jimmy. I know I screwed up but you’ve got some demons yourself you need to deal with!” Elliot could feel Blueberry holding him with increasing tightness.
Jimmy advanced towards his brother, his fist gathered into a punch.
Elliot stepped back to compensate, he held the blue fluffy before himself in a shielding stance. He felt bad putting Blueberry in harm’s way, but he was no match for his older brother who had years of experience roughing it up as a result of explosive temper.
“You coward…” Jimmy sprinted forward and pushed Elliot off his feet. The younger brother closed his eyes and held onto Blueberry tightly before he hit the ground.
“Pwease daddeh! Nu huwt Ewwiot!” Blueberry said with tears streaming out of his eyes.
Jimmy grabbed onto Blueberry and lifted him roughly off his fallen brother. Blueberry’s survival instinct kicked in, he thrashed around wildly, biting and scratching in a wild frenzy that Jimmy had never seen before. More out of shock than real pain, Jimmy let Blueberry go, the fluffy ran immediately back to Elliot, hiding himself behind Elliot’s head.
“Damn it Blueberry, what in the hell are you doing! Daddy’s gonna take you home!”
The fluffy kept shaking his head, his eyes were closed and he had his hooves wrapped tightly around Elliot’s head.
“Come on Blueberry. Let’s go!” Jimmy ordered his fluffy. Blueberry did not move.
Elliot sat up slowly on the ground and rubbed his head. He looked at Jimmy who was now standing over him with a concerned look. The malice in his eyes had evaporated, the way it always did after he’d blown his fuse like so many times before.
Elliot felt pity for his older brother.
“I know I screwed up Jimmy, but you need help.” Elliot slowly stood himself up from the sidewalk and dusted the dirt off himself. Blueberry looked hopefully at Elliot and was glad that he was unharmed.
“You know I’ve always admired you, I wanted to be like you. But you are really scaring me.” Elliot said as he started walking away from Jimmy and Blueberry, “I wanted to leave mom and dad to get away from the constant arguing and fighting and drinking. I wanted to follow you to get away from all that.”
Jimmy stared at his younger brother who was now biting his lips. Jimmy walked forward in an effort to explain, “Elliot I…”
“No Jimmy. You are just like them. You really can’t help yourself to a dose of the old Lewis family rageathon.” Elliot ran away towards his apartment and barged through the lobby doors, disappearing from view.
Jimmy breathed out heavily, he could feel a cold sweat on his brow and the dread of remorse heavy in his gut. He bent down in an attempt to pick up Blueberry but each time the fluffy shuffled away from his grasp. He could feel his anger rising, he knew something had to give.
“Bwuebewwy wan owd daddeh back, nu wan shouties and huwties fwom bad daddeh…” Blueberry said as he evaded Jimmy’s hands one more time.
“Daddy’s really sorry Blueberry. Daddy wasn’t mad at you, I promise.”
“Daddeh’s pwomise am nothing! Bwuebewwy just wan owd daddeh back!"
Jimmy tried one last time to pick Blueberry up. This time the fluffy relented and allowed himself to be carried back to the truck. It had been a long day for Jimmy, having left work early against the protestation of his supervisor. He had rushed his way to the clinic and saw Blueberry injured and in great pain. Finally, his scuffle with his brother had broken him physically and mentally. He just wanted a release, something to help him forget. Jimmy reached down under his seat and took a can from his underseat beer stash. The old reliable. Something he could always count on to get through his frustrations.
Blueberry crawled over to Jimmy and tried to nudge the can away with his muzzle.
“Daddeh, wets gu home. Nu hav happeh juice nao…” Blueberry said.
Jimmy lifted the can outside of the fluffy’s reach and opened it. Blueberry stood on his hind legs and tried his very best to reach for Jimmy’s can.
“Stop that Blueberry. Daddy is not playing around.” Jimmy took a short, soothing sip from the can.
Blueberry walked over to the truck’s window and looked out. Tapping on the glass with his hooves, he called out desperately.
“Becky! Pwease come an take daddeh cannies away!”
Jimmy felt nervous for a second and looked out the window. To his relief there was no one there, just the pale orange glow from the street light outside his truck and the dark reflection of his face on the inside of the window.
It was a tired, pathetic face staring back. It was a face of realization of the hurt and trauma he had inflicted on his best and loyal friend, Blueberry.
Jimmy felt disgusted.
He wound down his driver side window and threw the can as far as he could manage.
Blueberry turned back around slowly towards Jimmy and limped tiredly to the seat beside his owner before lying down into a heap. Jimmy fastened Blueberry’s seat belt before starting up his truck.
“Let’s go home Blueberry.” Jimmy said, “I think I am done with today.”
Continues in the story of Princess Pinky and Amy