Rock 19

Traitor  ...


I had been at Mango's house talking to Lilly and both of Mango's parents for about three hour.  It is my first time of meeting Lilly, Mango's wife, but I know both of his parent's really well.  They knew me of old and are both very pleased and a little surprised at how I've turned out, especially my career in medicine.  Although they are a little cross with me for what I've put Forrest through all these years.

Coral didn't hang around for very long thankfully, she took off somewhere with her little sister Cotton.  I was surprised and amused that Mango has a toddler, I thought all of his children would have been a lot older.  

I received a call from Mango's phone because Cinnamon wanted me to go to the hospital urgently.  At first I thought it might be the paternity test results but it wasn't.  He had a conversation between Mace and Gravel that he wanted me to listen to.  He had also called Mango in to listen.

"You need to sit down Granite, you too Mango."  Cinnamon says with a strange look on his face when we both stand by the desk wandering why he has called us here so urgently.  "It seems I owe you an apology Granite!"  he says to me sheepishly "It appears that you seem to be right about Mace after all!"

"Right about what?"  I ask because I'm really confused.

"El has kind of been saying the same sort of things that you have about him.  She has been saying that there is something not quite right with Mace.  She has been very taken aback by the person we have on paper to the person she is seeing."  he looks at me awkwardly  "Something you said yesterday about his fingerprints had me looking through all his hits.   Other than hearsay and witness statements we do actually only have one hit that we can 100% pin on him because of prints and DNA.   The first one, his strangled cousin and ..."   he rolls his eyes  "The conversation between Gravel and Mace this morning has confirmed that."

"I don't understand, what are you trying to say?"

"I think it's best you just listen and we'll discuss it later."  he says quietly  "This is the conversation that went on between Gravel and Mace just after you and Coral left the house this morning."

Cinnamon is interrupted suddenly when there is a knock on the door.  It becomes pretty comical as the police officers in the corner of the room whip the curtain across to hide their presence in the room.  Cinnamon and Mango quickly swap seats after Cinnamon has stuffed all of the police files into a draw.  Mango shouts come in when the coast is clear.

I catch my breath as I watch the red guy walk into the room that I'd seen with Forrest out on the hospital car park.  I'm really glad that I know the truth about the situation now because if I still thought he was in a romantic relationship with Forrest I would probably have launched myself at him.  Not that I have much room to talk or react having Mace in my life, especially when he has no one and has never had anyone else!!

"What can I do for you Dr Blush?"  Mango asks as he takes the patient case folder that is being held out to him.  "I did say I didn't want to be disturbed this morning didn't I!!"

"I'm really sorry to disturb you Dr Muffin but we have a problem with Mr Flowers that Dr North says can't wait.  He doesn't think that his meds are working for him and we wandered what you would suggest, only with Forrest being away ...."  I notice the red doctor looking at me then he glances at the photograph on the wall then back to me again.

Mango takes the patients case notes off him and opens it quickly and starts to scan through them, while the red guy starts to irritate me a little by just standing there continuously smiling at me. I guess he has recognized me from the photograph and must know who I am.

"What would you suggest Dr Rock?"  Mango says to me as he hands me the notes.  I laugh to myself knowing that Mango is testing me.  I take the notes off him and start to read through them and spot where the problem is straight away.

"I would DRASTICALLY cut all the doses down and QUICKLY!!  He should only be on 10mg not 100 mg, whoever subscribed this is an idiot."  I glance at Mango and he smiles at me.  I glance up at the red guy.  "How can any of you out there NOT see that 100mg is a ridiculous dose for anyone and especially a patient who has just been through that procedure!!??"  

"Who authorized these meds?"  Mango asks and Dr Blush mumbles Dr Marsh  "Well I'll be having words with Dr Marsh"  he says angrily  "This is where I miss Forrest, he would have noticed that fuck up straight away!!"  he snaps.  

My head has now switched into doctor mode automatically and I forget where I am, I'm used to working with a load of idiots and this guy looks like another one as he stands there scratching his head not knowing what to do next unless he's told.

"What is the patient doing exactly?!  What is Dr North's concern?  I'm surprised the patient isn't hallucinating and crawling the walls!!"   I look at Mango awkwardly realizing what I'm doing when I hear him chuckling to himself, he waves me to carry on.

"Your call Dr Rock."  he smirks at me 

"He was hallucinating!"  the red guy is laughing like it is funny.  This riles me and I snap.

"I wouldn't be laughing if I was you Dr Blush!! You are lucky between you that you haven't faded the patient!!  What do you mean WAS?!"

"He's been very restless through the night and has complained this morning he's got a severe headache but he seems very lethargic now."  me and Mango both jump up out of our chairs at the same time.  Alarm bells start ringing in my head.

"Take me to the patient NOW!!"  I snap.

Suddenly everything becomes bedlam as me and Mango rush to the patients bed, I think we both already know what is happening to the patient.  I look at Mango and he tells me to carry on and deal with it which surprises me.  I assess the patient quickly while Mango stands back at a short distance with his arms folded and just watches me, almost with a look of amusement on his face.  

I kind of lose it a little, like I would in my own department, with the group of gormless looking doctors who are standing around watching me scratching their heads.  I'm wandering why they haven't spotted or worked out what is happening to the patient or spotted the stupid dose error, but now they seem more interested in who I am than what's happening to the patient.

I know straight away that the patient needs to go straight back into theatre.  The wrong high dosage of medication has aggravated the surgical procedure the patient has just been through and has caused a life threatening hemorrhage.  

I am very surprised when Mango tells me to scrub in and go into theatre with him.   I expected him to take the patient off and just leave me hanging around with Cinnamon until he returned.  Me going into theatre with him was the very last thing that I expected to be doing. 

I became pretty excited about going into theatre, not only have I been missing work this past month but I am also thinking that I am getting the chance to be observing the great man in our world at work.  The one time he came to Cherry Hill to carry out a very complicated and complex procedure that nobody else would even attempt, including me.   I had the chance to observe his session in theatre that day but I had to swerve it, scared he would spot and recognize me.   

I became very nervous when Mango threw me straight in at the deep end to my shock.   I find that I am the one carrying out the surgery while he is the one observing me.  Talk about being tested!!  It isn't the surgery that is making me nervous, I've carried out this procedure many times successfully.   It is Mango watching me at work that made me nervous.  

Thankfully for me and the patient everything was plain sailing and it wasn't long before the patient is recovering nicely back in his bed.  Mango amuses me as we make our way back to Forrest's office when he starts chuckling to himself quite loudly as we walk down the corridor.  He turns to me and says that he couldn't have handled the situation better himself and I've just cured his major headache.  When I frown at him he says he'll explain to me later.  

As we walk through the Neurology department he suddenly shouts all the doctors on the department together and I watch him switch into something else as he reads them all the riot act over the mess up with the patient.  He amuses me then, using me to whip them a little more saying how they have shown themselves up and especially embarrassed him in front of me.   He introduces me to them all then, but not as the guy married to Forrest, but as Dr Rock, Cherry Hills Head Neurosurgeon, which I am, but that's when I realize he's been poking through my work records and takes me seriously at least in a professional capacity. 

Minutes later we are both sat back down in Forrest's office with Cinnamon about to listen to the conversation that took place between Gravel and Mace this morning.

"I'm warning you both, it is not pretty and far from what we expected to hear."  Cinnamon pulls a face at us. "Neither of you are going to like what you are going to hear one little bit!!"

Me and Mango just sit and stare at each other for a moment in confusion.  I really don't like the sound of this!! Cinnamon turns on the tape when me and Mango are ready.

We all just sit and listen.


~~~~~~~~


I watch Granite and Coral through the kitchen window walk off down the path and get into Corals car.  Granite makes me laugh as he opens the door for Coral and holds it patiently open while she struggles to get her baby bump behind the steering wheel, then he closes the door and gets into the passenger seat.

I watch them laughing together as the car pulls off the driveway and really wished that I was going with them.  I would much rather spend the day with them than Gravel!!

I know Granite really does not like Coral at all.  So I don't quite understand why he would even suggested that we do this?  I've also told him enough times I really don't like Gravel, which isn't a lie!!  I've never been able to stand the bloke especially because of what he has done to me!

"Come away from the window!!  You be careful Macey boy, anyone would think you are missing him already!  Here catch ..."  Gravel laughs as he throws something at me  "... drink that, you may as well make the most of it while lover boy is away, it might stop you pining after him!"

"Shut up Berry Hole!!"  I snap at Gravel as I catch the can he's just launched at me.  I stand for a moment staring down at the can of alcohol in my hand.  "I can't drink this, he'll smell it on me and you shouldn't even have alcohol in the house while he's here!!"  I snap at him angrily, he seriously has no consideration for anyone other than himself!!

"WUSS!!  I swear he's turned you even softer then you already were!!  Where has bad man Brownie gone?"  he laughs sarcastically then throws a packet of mints at me  "It's the only one you are having mind!  Make sure you neck all those mints before he gets back, we don't want you snogging him stinking of booze and setting him off  - remember we are saving that for AFTER the transplant!!  I want him back in that gutter where he belongs!!"

"Excuse me ... bad man Brownie is just that myth that you have created to pin your shit on and you know it, so STOP rubbing it in my face Berry Hole!!   AND you can back off!!  I am NOT doing any of that shit you want me to do to him!!  I'm sick of telling you, the only thing I will do for you is keep Gran away from here!!"  I snap at him nastily  "If you remember, you agreed, it's up to me what I do with Granite, and you butting out of our life and leaving us alone would be a very good start!  You owe me that much at least!!"  I snap at him and slam the can on the kitchen table  "And I'm not drinking this alcohol either!!  See Gravel this is where you keep fucking up - you want him to stay sober for the transplant yet you bring alcohol into the house - you take too many unnecessary risks!!"  I laugh at him  "We wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you getting your leg over your sons Mrs like a dirty dog and getting caught!!  You are an even worse crook than you are a copper, brother or Dad!!"

"SHUT IT ... boy, you are pushing it!!  I owe you nothing!!  You would have been behind bars years ago if it hadn't been for me and don't you forget it!!"  he snaps at me angrily.  "You owe me big time for your new life and don't you forget that either - the new identity, my brother and the cushy life hes giving you with the safe roof over your head where you can lay low forever if you behave!"  he points at me  "It only takes one phone call and your life is over ..."

"BERRY HOLE!!  The only reason they are after me at all is because of all the stuff you have done and pinned on my back, so don't act like you are doing me any favours now when you created the shit in the first place!!   My life was over the day you decided to start playing with it!!"  I scowl at him  "you make that phone call and you know I'm taking you with me!!"

"They won't believe a word you say anyway, I've tampered with plenty of paperwork and paid too many people to point the finger in your direction, and you know what I do to people who try to talk or upset me, don't you Mace!!"  he laughs at me  "I have got you wrapped up so tight they are going to throw the book at you and how are you going to feel when you are spending the rest of your life rotting in prison for twenty plus hits that you didn't even do!!"  he starts laughing hysterically  "So I wouldn't try to piss me off if I was you, keep pushing me Mace and I'll be making that call, hell I don't even have to make a call, remember I can take you in myself!!"  he waves a pair of handcuffs at me as he sits there continuously laughing.  "You know every copper in the force is biting their arm off to be the one to haul you in, but you are mine and one day you'll be more brownie points for me to cash in - get it BROWNIE points!!"  he starts laughing hysterically again.
 

"GO TO HELL!!"

"No that is where you will be going Mace!!   Just think of all the years you are looking at - the whole of your entire life inside and away from lover boy!  Not that I expect you'll last too long in there, they'll eat you alive once they clock onto how much of a wuss you really are!!"  he continues to laugh  "I guess it will give you plenty of time to reflect on the one murder you did commit!  It's been about fifteen years now hasn't it - you still haven't got over what you did to your cousin have you!!"

"How can I when you've spent fifteen years holding a gun to my head and stitching me up good and proper because of it!!  You are going to make me spend the rest of my life paying for it!!  I could have done the time and be walking free now, but no, you just had to manipulate the situation to your own advantage!!  It's not like it was even intentional, you know it was self defense, you was there for berry's sake!!  It wouldn't surprise me if you didn't wind him up and tell him all that stuff to make him go for me in the first place!!"   he just sits there laughing at me and he's really starting to wind me up!!  "Just go to hell Gravel, one day you'll get what's coming to you big time!!"  I snap at him.  "One of these days you are going to play your games with someone who will be able to undo you and I just hope I'm there to see it happen!!"  I laugh at him sarcastically  "You preyed on me because I was a vulnerably kid fighting to live up to the family reputation.   You could see, like I knew, I was in way over my head and never going to be in their league.  I didn't even want their life!!  I had no choice but to tow the line, I'm a Brownie it was expected of me, especially by my family - petty crime and playing people is all I'm good for and you knew it and that is how you've screwed me over!"

"I love the way your balls drop when we are face to face!!  You are something else when you are on the other end of a phone ... look at you sat there like a pathetic scared wuss!!  Where is your attitude now boy?!"   he starts laughing at me again  "I bet your old man is turning in his grave right now, his only son and look how he turned out!!  A pretty boy!!  He would be well ashamed of the soft faggot he has created!!"

"Grow up Gravel, I can't help who I am and I'm sure your old man would be just as proud of you right now ... NOT!!"  I snap at him  "I'm not ashamed of being a faggot or preferring the life I've had for the last five years even if it's not exactly been cosha thanks to you ... instead of the life that was expected of me just because I am Fudge Brownies son.  They expected me to be just like him, well I'm nothing like him!!  I hated  who he was and having to live the lie even more than I hate that you are now pulling my strings and you've got me hanging ten foot off the ground, but what choice have I ever had!!"  I snap at him  "The only good thing that's come out of my whole sorry life is my daughter and you have even taken that away from me!!  Now there's Granite and no doubt it won't be long before you take that away from me too!!"

"What's up with you, you grumpy ass!? ... you are seriously no fun anymore Mace, it's like you've lost your spark and have got no fight left in you!!"

"I don't have any fight left in me, what's the point ... I can kick and scream as much as I like, but its never going to change things, you'll never come clean and tell the truth and you aren't ever going to let me off the hook are you?!  You've taken it way to far to ever change it!!   I don't want to be here, so close to my daughter knowing I can't see her, it's killing me.  I just want to take Granite home and away from you and Forrest, so we can carry on with our life, which was okay until you fucked up again!!"  

Gravel sits at the table opposite me and just scowls at me.  We sit in silence for ages as he makes a start on the can that I refused to drink.

"Wuss, you've got it bad haven't you!!"  he laughs  "I thought you'd be jumping through hoops now he's proposed, it's what you wanted isn't it!!"

"Of course I'm happy, but I have to wake up every morning wandering if today is the day you are going to pull the plug or something is going to happen to draw attention to me and I'm going to lose it all!!  You might enjoying living that way but I don't especially when my life wasn't of my making!!"

"Man you'll have me crying and feeling sorry for you in a minute!!"  he starts laughing.

"Yeah right!!  Do you actually know how to cry?  I bet you can't can you!!  You need a conscience and emotions neither of which you have!!"  I laugh at him  "This identity that you've given me, it is completely safe now isn't it?  and I don't suppose you noticed if Mace Wood was wearing a wedding ring before you stuck the knife in or whatever you did to him?  You never said."  he starts laughing

"Yeah virtually, I told you I'd have to sit for a while before I could make everything disappear, he's a cold case now, I've disappeared the files, there are just a few odds and ends I need to tidy - then you are set forever - but you are safe to get married as him, he's no longer faded on paper."  he laughs  "I slit his throat if you really want to know and no he wasn't married anyway but don't forget you are so that could still catch up with you, not that another six years is going to make any difference to you!!"  he starts really laughing again.  "You never know she might have given up on you by now and divorced you!!"  he laughs  "I can check for you unless you want me to just arrange for Tami to drop off the planet!!"

"Bro ... Are you seriously THAT twisted?  I hope she has given up on me, you all know I never loved her like she wanted me too.  You all knew I was gay, but it doesn't mean I don't care about her!!   DON'T you touch her!!  Isn't it bad enough you've left Jasmine without me, now you want to take her Mother away from her too!!"

"Okay! Okay!  I'll leave Daddies Princess alone!!"  he laughs at me  "So come on I'm curious, you still haven't explained to me, how is my brother a piece of chocolate cake compared to me?"  he asks and I laugh at him

"He sucks dick a lot better than you do for a start!!  Maybe I should tell him his little brother swings both ways when the mood takes you!"  I laugh at him for a moment as he chokes on his drink.  "It's you who needs educating mate!!"  he kicks me really hard under the table!!  "Berry hole that hurt!!  The shame of it ...Gravel Rock got played even after I warned you that I could!!"  I start laughing at him.

"Berry Hole!! That was donkey's years ago and you should have forgotten about that by now TWAT!!  You might have played me once Mace with that cute little face of yours but you'll never do it again!!  Mention that again or try it again and you'll be going home in a wheelchair!!  Mmmm that's an interesting thought, I wander how lover boy would react to a permanent cripple!!"  

"Shut up Berry Hole!!"  I snap at him "Don't worry I wouldn't want to play you again anyway, you seriously make my skin crawl.  I only did it to wipe that smug smirk off your face!!"  he scowls at me  "You think you're untouchable, but you're not Gravel, I showed you that and one of these days someone WILL turn you over properly!!"

"Whatever wuss!!"  he snaps at me  "Come on I want to know about this chocolate cake!!"

"Granite isn't a liar like you, I'm not sure he knows how to lie whereas you, you couldn't lie straight if your life depended on it.  He keeps things to himself a lot but when he tells it, he tells it straight ... the only things he hasn't told me yet is about the wedding ring on his finger, the photo in his wallet and Forrest's name but if I pushed him hard enough - he'd tell me!"  I laugh for a moment  "He makes the job you've given me really easy and at home, when it's just us, I can be me.  Besides he is nothing like the person you described to me ... I think you was describing yourself not him, he's ten times the bloke you'll ever be!!  He isn't selfish, twisted or vindictive like you.  He doesn't use people either like you, I've always known he loves Forrest and he needs me to keep him away from his demons because he can't hack being alone, he's told me straight many times and to go if I don't like it, he thinks he's using me when really he isn't!!  You take lives while he saves them ... look at Slate he came back here without a second thought to give him a kidney when he doesn't even know the boy just because he's family.   If the tables were turned, you would have told him to jog on plus you don't give a shit about your family do you, you are too busy stabbing them in the back!!"

"Oh Pleeeease!!  Enough already!!   You are starting to sound like the green one now!!  He thinks the sun shines out of his backside too!!  That bloke is as blinkered as you are where the brown one is concerned!!"  he starts laughing  "How can you love him, why aren't you pissed that he was the one who grassed your Dad and Uncles up and got them locked up?"

"It's not like they didn't deserve it and actually in the long run it did me a favour, it got them off my back forever, and if you hadn't pounced on me to fill their shoes, I could have lived the life I wanted - being me instead of having to live up to being a Brownie!!"  I laugh a little  "Plus there are two sides to this story aren't there Gravel and I think we all know who the real snake is here don't we YOU!!  Granite was never meant for that life it was the alcohol and drugs that drove him there, and my family that forced him to stay there.  So when he asked you, his brother,  for help you used him to take them down and was even selfish enough to take him with them for reasons only Forrest seems to know!"  I laugh at him for a moment  "I might be a wuss but I'm not stupid, you must have thought you was being really clever pulling Turmeric out and sending me to sit on your brother, you hoped I'd be holding a grudge against him, you hoped there would be a repeat of what I did to my cousin, that I'd snap and finish Gran off to save you the job - didn't you!!"  he just laughs  "Well that back fired on you didn't it!!" 

"Yeah, I should have known you'd be a useless wuss - you just had to go and fall in love with him instead - I should have known better than to put you two faggots together!!  I also should have got Turmeric to finish it years ago."  he starts to really laugh  "See I told you, you are just like the green one, he also defends and makes excuses for the brown one even though neither of you should!!"

"So what's happening with Forrest ... I'm warning you Gravel, you make sure you keep him out of town and away from Granite because that is one murder I will be happy to commit if I really have to!!  I'm not losing Gran and if he ever finds out how Forrest still feels about him, he'll be straight back there without a second thought for me!!  I don't want Forrest to get anywhere near him!!"

"Don't stress Macey boy!!  We are both on the same page with that one even though you are all mouth, we both know it will probably be me or Turmeric who has to do it!!"  he pulls a face  "I think it's only a matter of time now, its going to be the green one first, which should make you happy then you get to keep the brown one all to yourself!"  he laughs at me  "The minute he's back, he's gone before he talks!!  If I knew he would keep his mouth shut then he'd be okay but I know he won't, he's getting too tetchy, you saw how stupid he went outside the hospital when he spotted Gran and it won't be long before he gets to him and opens his mouth.  He's bought the crap so far, but he'll be back, I doubt he'll stay away for long!!"  

I watch his face twists up a little bit. I already know he struggles where both of his brothers are concerned, if they were anyone else they would have both been six foot under years ago, because if Gravel wants you gone, you are gone, he never messes about!!  But I know in the end he will finish them if he has to.  I'm only still here because I'm useful to him, he is using me to pin all of his crap on, and I know one day I'm going to have to carry the can for everything he's done.  I have no choice because I seriously can not ever see a way out of this for me now.

"I want the brown one out of this town PERMANENTLY after the transplant!!  and this is where I'm warning you Mace - if you don't keep him away from here and Slate, he will be following the green one into his box and you won't stop me!!

"How can you get so bitter and twisted, they are both your brothers!!  Isn't it about time you let me into your secret!!  What is Forrest trying to tell Gran that is so devastating for you?  Is your secret really so precious that it's worth doing away with both of your brothers to keep!?"

"Hell yes it is!!  I have my reason which you will never be privy too!  So don't even try fishing again Mace, haven't I already warned you not to ask questions!!  I've already made the mistake of talking once and it won't be happening again!!"  he laughs at me  "If I told you, you'll be wearing the green ones shoes.  I'd have to fade you and I don't want to because I need you to keep the brown one away permanently.  Plus I'll have to find some other mug to pin my shit on, and if you do have to go down, then I want to be the one to take you down and cash in!!"

"You are a sick berry hole!!"  I snap at him  "I feel sorry for Coral and those babies!!  I guess they have got your shit coming just like the rest of us!!  I don't know anyone you haven't messed up!  You screw everyone over - even your own son has had a dose of it!!  I wander what they would think if they knew the truth and exactly what you really are!?"

"Coral and Slate are NONE of your business!!  You just keep away from both of them Mace I'm warning you!!"  he shouts at me quite nastily.  "If I catch you telling them one single thing about me and I've warned you already Mace, if I even suspect you are trying to play Coral you'll be looking at the inside of your prison cell or box!!"  he smirks  "I've not buried anyone alive yet, but I've always fancied it!  I think I might save that one for you and lover boy, because you must have realized by now, when lover boy has gone, you are going to be surplus to requirements Mace, I'm not dealing with an hysterical heartbroken wuss, you can go with him or I'll get you banged up, it's your choice!!"

"Ewww I've just hit a raw nerve haven't I!!  Coral and Slate, maybe you do have some emotions in there some where!!"  I laugh at him  "Maybe we should trade - you leave people alone I care about and I'll leave yours alone!!" 

"Shut it smart ass!!"  he snaps at me  "So what is this bonding session all about?"  he laughs  "Is he up to something or is he being genuine and going soft like you!!"

"I don't know, ask him!!  It's probably just what it is, he doesn't play games like you do!  Berry knows why he'd want me to get to know you better!!"  I laugh for a moment  "If only he knew I actually probably know you better than anyone, especially himself, he doesn't have a clue what you are!!"

"Yeah and it's going to stay that way isn't it Mace!!"  he scowls at me for a moment then smiles  "So what are you going to tell him when he gets back?"  he smirks at me  "How much you love his little brother!"

"Like hell!!  I'll be telling him the truth - that I can't stand you and I don't want him to leave me on my own with you EVER again!!"  he starts laughing  "How is Tarragon?  I take it you are still running Apple Hill on the sly!"

"Of course!!  Although it's been a lot harder since Coral."  he grins at me  "Your sister is good!"  I suddenly don't like the smirk on his face  "she's always got your kid with her.  Jasmine is a shy little thing ..."

"Gravel DON'T!!"  he just laughs at me.  I really don't want to hear anything about my daughter because it hurts too much.

"How do you fancy going out to see an old friend?"  I frown at him  "Turmeric, I said I'd meet him in the dive bar, we have things to discuss."

"Hell no!!  ARE YOU STUPID if Granite sees Turmeric in town he'll suss something isn't right especially if he sees him with you!!"  he just laughs at me  "You seriously are a TWAT!!  Taking another risk you don't need to be taking!!  In fact isn't Mango's house right by the dive bar!!"

"You stress too much!!  You know me, I always live by the seat of my pants!!"  he laughs as he crushes the can in his hand.  "You should try it sometime!"

"No thanks!!"  he laughs at me

"I really don't know what happened to this generation of your family - you all turned out stupid!!  Nothing like your old man and his old man before him."  he laughs at me  "It's probably just a good job you Brownies are a dying breed!!  There is only you, Tarragon and little Jasmine left now you know."  he starts laughing and I frown at him  

"What's happened to Aniseed and Basil?"

"Wearing heavy bricks at the bottom of Apple Lake!"  he starts really laughing  "They weren't a patch on your old man and Uncles, they were getting too big for their boots - but not anymore they're not - they are fish food!!  That's what happens when people upset me!!"

"BERRY HOLE!!  Who?  You?"  he nods and grins at me  "Are you on some kind of mission to wipe out my whole family?"  I snap at him.  I can't believe he's finished off my cousins and there is only me and my sister left which makes me wander what his problem is and if my sister and daughter are safe.  "You better leave Tarragon and Jasmine alone Gravel or I will seriously lose it!!" 

"Oh don't worry Macey boy your sister has her uses."  he sniggers for a moment  "She's never complained about me making her skin crawl, quite the opposite in fact!!"  he smirks at me  "I find it quite amusing, you get to play with my brother while I'm playing with your sister!!"

"YOU BERRY HOLE!!"  he laughs at me  "You make me sick and my sister needs her head testing if she's sleeping with you!!  How long has that been going on?  I take it Coral doesn't know!!  More to the point does Tarragon know about Coral?!"

"Do you seriously think I'd be sat here smiling if they knew about each other, they'd both batter me, you know how hysterical women get, especially Coral.  Tarragon not so much she punches like a bloke, she's actually got more ball than you!!"  he laughs sarcastically  

"HOW LONG have you been messing about with my sister?"  I snap at him  "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Nearly five years with your sister, she needed a shoulder to cry on when her little brother went missing, besides I had to keep tabs to make sure you weren't keeping in touch with your family!!"   he smirks at me  "What was the point of me telling you, it's not like you can do anything about it, is it Macey boy!!"

He starts laughing but stops quickly because his phone starts ringing.  He looks at the phone number flashing on his screen and smirks.  I'm now worried about my sister, because I know the minute that Gravel gets bored with her or finishes using her, it is curtains for her too!!  Why the hell did he need to mess up Slate and Coral if he already has Tarragon?!

"Yow how's it hanging?!"  he laughs into the phone  "Chill Turmeric!!  Get me a pint in, I'm on my way.  The brown ones left me baby sitting his bitch!"  he starts laughing  "You'll never guess, they've only gone and got engaged, it looks like the brown one has finally gone all soft on Brownie boy!! "  he starts really laughing  "Have you heard from the green one?"  there is a slight pause  "No he's not answering his phone to me either, which is probably a good sign he's still crying!!"  he starts laughing again.  "Give me ten minutes!"

Gravel stands staring at me after he's snapped his phone shut.

"So are you coming with me to see our big bro?"  I shake my head at him  "You should come, he says he can't wait to see you again - he misses you, and he's got a bone to pick with you apparently!!"  he laughs

"Yeah the one in his throat I bet - berry hole!!"  I snap at him  He just stands there laughing at me!!  "You go I'm not interested in what you're up to with T, and I definitely can't afford to have you pulling me into any of your dodgy shit or my clothes stinking of booze!!  I'll stay here and wait for Gran to come back."

"Suit yourself wuss!!  If anyone asks I got called away on police business!"  he smirks as he picks up the empty cans off the kitchen table and just throws them into the open bin where Granite could quiet easily see them.  "See you around kid!!"  he winks at me as he walks out of the kitchen.

As soon as I hear the front door shut, I take the cans out of the kitchen bin and take them outside and throw them in the rubbish bin after I've wrapped them up with a news paper that is on the top of the bin, the berry hole wasn't even going to hide them!!

I go back inside and run upstairs and throw myself on the bed and cry myself to sleep.


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Cinnamon turns off the tape and the room is silent all but for me.  

I hear him go over to the police officer sat in the corner of the room, they talk quietly to each other for a moment before the officer walks out of the room.

"Granite?"  he says as he crouches down and puts his hand on my shoulder

I've completely gone!!  I'm literally on the floor in pieces, listening to Mace crying totally cracked me up on top of what I'd just sat listening to.  

I'm not even sure how I got off my chair and onto the floor.

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Song ~ Traitor ~ Daughtry 

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