The Boss [LGBT]

Chapter 13

I gasped and leaped out of bed, "Oh my god, sit down, sit down." I sat him down on the couch and took off his coat and shoes. I grabbed some pain killers. "What happened?"

"Well, I said I wasn't going to keep on paying for everything they wanted. If they ever needed money for bills or something, I'd gladly help, but I'm not going to let them spend my money on vacations or stuff they don't need. They all yelled at me, except for Clovis. He brought Alisha by the way. She'd try to start a conversation but they'd cut her off," he said.

"Who hit you?"

"Gerard. His wife is pregnant now and he was asking me how he's suppose to pay for their kid. I told him to get a job. I mean, his wife has a job, and it's a pretty good job. Gerard has a college degree, too. He got his degree in engineering. Axelle has a degree, too. She was a nurse for a little while, but then she quit, too, because of me. Delphine didn't go to college. She married her high school sweetheart, and he became a reverend. It's not my responsibility to take care of them. I will help when needed. I told them I bought them houses so they'd move out of my place. Except for Clovis, I said he can live there because it's not too far from his work. Though they were pissed because the houses weren't big or lavish after I described them. They're regular two story houses, but still better than most. They're on the outskirts of the city, just for them, brand new and in a nice neighborhood. They don't have to pay any bills for them. I bought them all cars years ago and they don't have to pay for that. My insurance covers them. They don't have much to worry about, and if they want to go on vacation they have to make their own money."

"I'm sorry," I told him.

"Don't be. You didn't do anything."

"It doesn't mean I can't be sorry. That sucks, Faye. I wish you could just get along."

He leaned back against the couch. "We used to. I mean, all my life we'd bicker, but there were still good moments. It's just these past few years, six or seven years, things changed. I started to give them money and it just went to their head. They grew greedy. We'd fight a lot as kids, my siblings and I, but we still got along. Gerard would beat me up, but there was a time when some kid shoved me during recess and wanted to take some toy I had. Gerard beat the crap out of him and walked me home. Then Axelle was really one of the only ones who didn't care I liked guys. Dad was yelling at me after he found me and the neighbor boy. They were all sitting in the living room as they were yelling at me, not sure what to do. Axelle told Dad that he was overreacting. We're not even that religious. They say they're Christians, but they don't go to church or anything. Delphine is religious, yeah, but when Dad was yelling at me she didn't know why it was such a big deal. She used to adore me. I was her favorite older brother, and when she got pregnant, I was the one who drove her to the abortion clinic and I told her that her choice was completely valid. She was so young, only fourteen. Clovis never said much, but we shared a room when we were young and we'd tell each other about our days at night, to try and help us get to sleep. We had great times, all of us. It just went downhill. My parents were so mad when I dropped out, but when I first started making money, like only a hundred thousand dollars, they said they were so proud of me. I made my first million they said they were proud. I paid for their retirement they were thrilled. By the time I made my first billion they had changed. You're right. It does suck."

"Well maybe one day things will get better. How often do you really tell them how you feel?"