The Brothers Read online



  The Brothers

  by

  Michael Bronte

  Copyright ©: Michael Bronte 2016

  All Rights Reserved

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

 

  To the brothers of Alpha Pi of Chi Psi, class of ’74. You know who you are.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1… The Reunion

  Chapter 2… The Mercedes

  Chapter 3… The Investigator

  Chapter 4… The Visit

  Chapter 5… Natural Causes

  Chapter 6… Back To The Old Grind

  Chapter 7… The Wake

  Chapter 8… I-95

  Chapter 9… Who’s Listening?

  Chapter 10… Point Pleasant

  Chapter 11… The Hospital

  Chapter 12… Tinted Windows

  Chapter 13… i Quattro Fratelli

  Chapter 14… Paranoia

  Chapter 15… Leaving Slick’s

  Chapter 16… Brother Bapple

  Chapter 17… Death At The TipTop Lounge

  Chapter 18… Saugus

  Chapter 19… The Travel Plaza

  Chapter 20… Bob’s Barbeque

  Chapter 21… Waiting It Out

  Chapter 22… The Brothers Assemble

  Chapter 23… Use Precaution

  Chapter 24… Convergence In Cambridge

  Chapter 25… The Thirty-First Reunion

 

  PROLOGUE

  “Party! Party!”

  “Yo, Dirty Harry, you want a beer?”

  “I can’t believe this might be the last time we’re going to see this place.”

  “Is that a yes?” the Inevitable Doctor Eisenberg asked as he pulled a plastic cup off the stack next to the tap.

  “Yeah Doc, absofuckinglutely... I guess.”

  “You guess? Now don’t go getting all morose on me. It’s time to celebrate. Four good years here, then onward and upward, I say. That’s the way I’m thinking about it. And besides, you’ll get to see the old Lodge plenty. They have these things called reunions, you know.”

  The Inevitable Doctor Eisenberg put his arm around his girlfriend who was still dressed in commencement attire. She looked a little sauced. Harry took a sip of his beer as he pulled up a barstool inside the Zeta Chi fraternity house. Across the way, a couple of young guys he didn’t recognize were clumsily tossing darts toward the dilapidated dart board. They too were still dressed in fancy clothes, probably family members of one or more of the other brothers, many of whom were packing up cars for their final trip home, now as graduates of John Adams College, class of ’84.

  Doc said, “Are your folks still here?”

  Harry answered, “Naw, they left a few minutes ago. We did the celebration dinner thing and I kind of ditched ‘em because I thought a bunch of us were gonna get together and get all stinky, but clearly that’s not happening. Where the hell is everybody?”

  Doc just shrugged. “You know how it is. For some guys it’s a real big family deal, for others graduation and commencement are just formalities and they can’t wait to get it over with; you know: splitsville. I think a lot of guys have already scattered. Maybe some others will be along later.”

  Harry just nodded. “What are you still doing here?”

  Doc replied, “My folks flew in last night and turned right around and flew out after the ceremony for a few days in the Bahamas. They’re using this as a little excuse to get away.”

  “Aren’t you going with them?”

  “No way. I’m packing up the old Docmobile in the morning and heading out then; should be home in Chicago in a couple of days for some hurry-up-and-do-nothing time. Med school will be here soon enough.”

  “That’s right,” said Harry. “Congratulations, Doc. Tufts, right?”

  “Go Jumbos,” said Doc, pumping a fist into the air. “What about you? When are you leaving?”

  “Same as you. I’ve got my mom’s station wagon to pack up in the morning and I’ll be home a couple of hours after that.”

  “Then what? Did you take that offer from Prudential?”

  “Nope. Turned it down. Didn’t feel right to me. Figured I’d take my time and go after something I was really interested in and not take a job for the sake of taking a job. I’ve got a little time... you know?”

  “If you say so big guy, but speaking of time, I’m out of it. I’ve got to get Sara back to Mount Holyoke tonight before it gets too late.” Doc put his arm around his sweetie and added, “They’ve got another week of classes down there, can you believe it?” She just smiled.

  Harry said, “Be careful out there, Doc.”

  “Always am, brother man.” They shook hands.

  As the Inevitable Doctor Eisenberg and Sara were leaving, and anticipating that Doc might stay in South Hadley for the night, Harry called after him, “Say Doc, if I don’t see you in the morning, have a good one, okay? As in, life.”

  Doc turned back toward him. “Yeah, Harry. You too, man. I guess I’ll see you in twenty years or so.”

  “Yeah,” Harry responded. “Or so.”