Title: Venice Lifestyles - S01E08 - Season Finale - Disrespect
Featuring: Nitz Donnelly
Date: June 2009
Location: LA and Boston

(Author's Note: These events take place after the events depicted in an piece titled “Cliff Jumping with Angels” found here which took place after the last episode of “Venice Lifestyles” found here.)

Thursday, June 18, 2009 �" LAX

It had been only six days since some of the most saddening and devastating events I had ever seen occurred. I witnessed someone lose their life, I'd saved a child from the same fate and I had the pleasure of getting to know a now single father who had a very tough life ahead of him with his daughter after saying the final goodbyes to his beautiful bride. I believe and perhaps always will that Monica saved my life and somehow gave me the ability to save her daughters life. It was all a blur, some of the details I just can't gather in my mind anymore but needless to say, I needed every single hour since to recover. It just sucks because given all that time, I still felt like a wreck.

So why was I suddenly getting out of a car at the airport ready to board a plane?

“Are you sure you can handle this?”

Leticia's words were soft and sweet as she helped me out of the vehicle. I'd be lying if I said I didn't consider canceling the flight altogether but I had already delayed it once. I wanted to go back to Boston again to consider the positives and the negatives of possibly moving back there from Venice.

“I'll be OK Letty. Just gotta take it easy on the flight.”

My shoulder still hurt and I was a tad hopped up on pain pills so I wondered if I was actually making sense when I was talking. I reached for my bags but remembered that I couldn't really move my left arm all that much. It wasn't so much the sling getting in the way as I felt like passing out when I rotated the shoulder.

“OK my eye, you're a wreck Nicky and you shouldn't be traveling alone.”

“Perhaps I shouldn't but it's too fuckin' late to change my mind now.”

“Yeah it is.”

She smiled. I had to have been missing something as normally being unhappy about a turn of events normally doesn't make you show your pearly whites. But as a car pulled up behind us in the loading zone, I quickly had my answer.

“It's incredible that you talked me into this Letty.” Vance exited his car from the drivers side and popped the trunk. As he circled around I turned my head back to witness the continuing smile beaming from my childhood friend.

“We're going with you.”

I didn't know whether to feel elated or violated. Actually, that's not entirely true. I couldn't possibly feel violated when my close friends agree to fly all the way across the country to help me out. I'm not even sure I could use the words invaded, so I stuck with unexpected.

“I swear to god, after a thousand times hearing about how good Mikey's chowder is it better be good enough to fly across America for.”

“Always thinking about your stomach huh?”

“Look guys, I appreciate this but you really don't have to. I'm sure I can handle myself perfectly fine.” I lied. Instead I was looking for a perfectly good excuse for Van Ray and Letty not to join me. More importantly, all most people had to do was look at Vance to be scared out of their wits so I'm not even sure how my family would take to him. Flashbacks to my childhood where my parents thought I was running with gang bangers invaded my mind. Pleasant.

“We're coming with you and that's final.”

“Can I object?”

“Vance!”

“Ugh, fine. I'll help with these and then move the cars.” Vance bent down to grab Leticia's bags as well as his own as Leticia took mine despite my constant assurance that I could carry a bag. I knew Van was coming along more because Leticia wanted him to rather than wanting to go himself. I silently wondered when the last time was that they got away on a mini vacation. I'm not so sure spending anytime around my family could be considered a vacation or Boston could be considered a vacation over Venice Beach. Leticia knew the score from many years ago but Vance?

Well, let's just hope the Nevada native could handle some slightly colder weather.


|~o~|


Boston

“Name's Hailey. Called for a takeout order half an hour ago.” The new girl behind the register smiled and asked her to wait for a moment while she went to check on the order. Hailey stood and looked around, pleased for Mikey that the business was well above satisfactory in terms of patrons. A moment or two later, he emerged from his kitchen dungeon.

“Hailey my girl!” He held his arms out as the girl followed him with a large paper bag. Hailey gave him a big hug and for a second it seemed like he wouldn't let go.

“Mikey, glad to see everyone here.”

“It's been crazy busy! Guess those newspaper and bus ads are working wonders. It's like Christmas in June.”

“Haha yeah. How much do I owe you?” Hailey reached out and took the bags from the young woman and opened her purse. Mikey just reached out and kept it shut for her.

“Na na na na. You guys come in here all the time. Now it's my turn to repay the favor.”

“Awwwwww that's nice of you. But here, this is for you.” She pulls a ten out of her purse and hands it to the new girl. “What's your name hun?”

“Kaitlyn.”

“Nice to meet you Kaitlyn. You've got yourself a good one here Mikey.”

“Yeah, she's a delight to have around. Her smile lights up the room.” Kaitlyn blushes and thanks Hailey for the twenty-plus percent tip before taking off to make herself busy. It was almost a blessing in disguise for Mikey as he pulled Hailey over to a table.

“Truthfully, I'm glad you came in. I need to talk to you about Nitz and Chad.”

“Yeah, Nicky's coming back in later tonight and he's bringing his friends with him.”

“Well I've been trying to reach Nitz for a while now and can't get a hold of him.”

“His cell phone packed it in while he was out somewhere. I talked to him about it the other day. He hasn't gone to get a new phone yet cause he's waiting for the one he wants to come back into stock at the store near him. So he might pick it up here instead.”

“Well that's just dandy. Look, Chad has some bad ideas about Nick coming back into town and it's not pretty.”

“You're kidding right Mikey? Chad and Nicky have finally patched things up, what could he possibly have said?” Hailey looked concerned, but at the same time she looked doubtful. The girl was defiant until the end in the best of situations and had to see visual proof most of the time.

“When you guys were here the last time together, you went off to the washroom and Chad was talking to his buddies about welcoming Nicky back the right way as he called it.”

“What are you saying Mikey? That Chad is gonna mess with Nicky again? Cause I don-”

“Him and his friends are gonna kick the living shit out of him! I heard it with my own two ears.” The sincerity on his face said it all.

“I'm not one to question friends, but are you sure you heard exactly that?”

“Sure as my wife's tits are fake. You wanna see the receipt?”

Hailey couldn't help but let out a slight laugh at the remark, but quickly returned to the serious portion of the discussion.

“You know anything else? Cause I'm gonna nail that pricks balls to the wall if you're right.”

“Before I go into anything more, don't let on that you know to Chad. I'm thinking Nick will wanna hear about this first.”

In fact, Mikey was certain Nitz would want to hear about it before it all blew up in Chad's face. There was only one thing wrong...

|~o~|


Evening �" 8:45ish

“What the hell happened to you?!”

There I stood, middle of the airport terminal with my one good hand in my pocket, shrugging my shoulders. I really didn't want to get too deep into an explanation even though the tragic memory was fresh in my thoughts.

“Do we really have to talk about this right now Hail? I was in a car accident OK? I just want to get settled in soon cause I'm tired from pain meds.”

“Well alright but I wish you would have told me. We would have understood if you couldn't come again.”

Leticia showed up after her trip to the car rental agency. Hailey hadn't seen her in countless years and if I hadn't mentioned her a second earlier, she could have sworn I was traveling with some complete stranger.

“Hailey!”

“Leticia! It's been so long I could have never recognized you. How've you been?”

“Bout as good as I can be lookin' out for your brother. See what dumbass up and did?”

“He hasn't told me anything about it besides the fact that he was in a car accident, though I guarantee he will tell me more later.”

“Yeah, later is the key word. Can we drop it now?” I was desperate to flush the brutal scene of the wreck from my mind, but the face of Monica invaded repeatedly. It was no use. I was stuck in the shackles of the torturous event and guessing I would be for the long future ahead.

“Got the bags.”

Hailey turned around at the booming deep voice originating from behind her and came face to chest with Van Ray as he dropped the bags on the ground. It was a funny sight at first until his hulking frame struck fear into my sisters eyes. She slowly looked all the way up to his face and later she told me she could have been looking straight into the eyes of a scary mass murderer who escaped from prison while serving consecutive life sentences. She actually said that exactly, I couldn't make that shit up.

“You must be Hailey.” She nodded slightly, still in shock at the monster of a man who was practically blocking out any natural or artificial light attempting to shine from behind him. “I'm Vance.”

“Nice to ummm... meet you.” His hand engulfed hers and could have made it and half her forearm disappear. He released and picked up the bags with a single grip.

“Keys?”

“Here and take care of that thing. Nicky is going with his sister.” Leticia tossed the keys to Vance and he was quick to depart. Hailey turned around, still stunned at the sheer size of the Vance.

“Not one to socialize is he?”

I thought the car ride would be uneventful and quiet so I could relax and let the medicine do it's job as the pain in my shoulder was excrutiating. But I should have guessed that I'd eventually have to face off with Hailey about my accident and let her know exactly what happened.

She had turned the radio to a talk station for some unknown reason. She didn't like talk, never did actually. The color had drained from her face and she looked like she was about to get violently ill. I turned the station on the radio when she wasn't paying attention and the sounds of AC/DC filled the air. I turned it up a little as she looked to see what I was doing.

“Excellent song. Why do you look like you're about to blow chunks all over the dashboard Hail?”

She shook her head and reached for the radio knob and cut the music. I looked over at her and could see how upset she was. She struggled to get the words out.

“Look Nicky... I don't know what happened with you but there is something you need to know before we go and see Mom and Dad.”

It wasn't the discussion I was expecting and I sighed in relief slightly.

“Like what? Is Chad gonna be there?”

“He's the problem. He well...”

“Awww don't tell me he didn't get the job he applied for. He really wanted that job.”

“No it's not that! He...”

“Well spit it out sis. He gay? He get married in Atlantic City? He lose his life savings on a hooker? What?”

“He's planning to kick your ass.”

I couldn't have laughed any harder and it sent pain shooting through my tender body. She sighed deeply but I didn't really notice as I was too busy trying to gather my bearings. The laughter just wouldn't stop. Maybe he and I had disagreements and finally we patched things up, but the man was a wimp. He had no muscle tone, he never worked out and couldn't win an arm wrestling match against a metal coat hanger. I wasn't being mean or insulting in thinking that, I was just being truthful. He couldn't even left a shovel half full of snow in the winter.

“You done?”

“Heh oh come on Hail. You say something as silly as that and you expect me NOT to laugh? Thinking about it I'm about to laugh again.”

“It's true.”

“OK seriously, you gotta stop it. Laughter may be the best medicine but it's not helping right now. My stomach will be sore before we travel another three blocks.”

“Nicky, he's got his buddies, most of whom never liked you in the first place, in on it. He's not gonna get involved, but he's got a bunch of them ready to jump you and kick the ever living hell out of you.”

I stared into her eyes for the few seconds it took to see she was telling the truth and the joke really wasn't a joke after all. I wasn't sure when it would hit me, all I knew is that it didn't at that moment.

“We're going to Mikey's. You gotta hear it from him cause he's the one who heard it straight from the horses mouth.”

“That's cute.” I really didn't know how to respond so I stuck with a bit of laughter, unwilling to believe what I heard. There I was, in a car with my sister telling me my brothers supposed plot to beat the tar out of me and Leticia and Vance were in their vehicle following close behind. If it was true, the whole trip was a sham. If I confronted my brother, I'd be ready to hop a plane back to Venice to rid myself of the nonsense and heartache.


|~o~|


Night �" 10:15ish

Mikey was really convincing. Mind you it's never taken long for him to convince me of anything. Something about the way he talks, the dedication and emotion that he puts into everything he says. I'm not so sure the bastard could actually tell a lie.

He told me the entire scenario, some second hand account of Glenda listening when Hailey went to the washroom. He followed that up with the entire script of what Chad wanted to do. My stomach was turning at the sheer thought of letting my brother back into my life after all this time only for him to hatch a plan to hand me my ass for lack of a better term. In fact, I was the only one who hadn't eaten and it still felt like I was about to heave my guts. Hailey had picked up Mikey's earlier in the day for Mom and Dad and Leticia was currently enjoying her first ever bowl of Mikey's chowder. Vance was in the same boat, however he was already a few stages ahead as he and Mikey burst forth from the kitchen. They hadn't a care in the world about being silent because it was getting late and he had been closed for over half an hour.

“This guy sure loves this chowder. He can't stop eating it!”

“And he loves my chili recipe too.”

“Oh yeah, I'll be adding that to the menu.”

“I'm glad you guys can actually party while Nicky is sitting here in turmoil.”

“Well said Hailey. You tell them.” Leticia shared a high five with my sister after the comment which won a puppy dog lip from Vance.

“Awwwww now that's cute. Erases all my bad original feelings about you being a psychotic killer and such.” Hailey took a sip of her drink which gave me just enough time to chime in.

“OK, I'm not exactly in turmoil here. I'm just pissed right the fuck off that my brother is betraying me like this. Hell when I was mad at him before, he didn't really even do anything to me directly. I couldn't have cared less when the fucker left. But Mom, going through cancer and Chelle, he just left her high and dry. This time he's directly attacking me.”

“Could've seen it coming eventually to be honest with you Nick.” Mikey's words paved the way for Hailey.

“He's at a house party tonight and should be calling me anytime to come on by with you. He has no clue you're hurt and knows nothing about Leticia and Vance being here. Hell, I'm not even supposed to know anything about all this and he was gonna use me to lure you over there. I feel like such a fool for believing him.”

“Nicky believed him too. That's why there was all the talk about him moving back here.”

“And you're still gonna lure me over there.”

Silence. I don't think I'd ever heard Mikey's restaurant so quiet before unless it was just him and I hanging out after hours like we'd used to. I looked at all the faces around me. Hailey was concerned, much like Leticia. Mikey just shook his head and Vance was just a bit too busy shoveling his third bowl of chowder back. He did starve himself all day waiting to try it. Me, well I'd never been in Mikey's before without eating anything. Looked like that was all about to change.

“Explain to me why in the world I'd do that Nicky.”

“Simple...” I started, my voice cracking due to the stress I was experiencing. I tried to keep calm. “As soon as the asshole sees me and the shape I'm in, he wouldn't stoop so low as to have his friends tear me limb from limb then. I know him and behind his supposed tough exterior he puts out to his friends, the guy is a chicken shit.”

“Yeah what exactly happened to you by the way?”

“Long story that I'm not getting into.”

“He got in a car accident, saved the life of a dying woman's daughter and made friends with the husband.”

Silence again. Van Ray took the time between chowder filled spoons to give the short short version of my tale. I wasn't impressed, yet he saved me some explaining.

“You're gonna have to explain that in more detail later Nicky.”

Or so I'd thought. I should've known Hailey wouldn't let me get away with Vance's explanation. Leticia playfully slapped his shoulder and the pouty face returned.

“I spoke out of turn didn't I?”

“You got the big galoot on a short leash don'cha?” Mikey was such a smart ass sometimes. It's a good thing Van Ray seemed to like him a lot cause I've seen him punch guys square in the nose for less.

“So what's the deal here, I'm supposed to take you over there anyways?”

“Yeah, you'll take me and Leticia will follow with Van Ray.”

“What about me?”

“You've got a wife to go home to big guy. Get all you can out of those store bought melons.” Vance won a giggle from the entire table that time. Even I had to laugh a slight bit, even though I really didn't feel all that jolly. Guess a traitorous sibling can do that to you.

“You told everyone about that, didn't ya Nick?”

“So when's he supposed to call?”

It was like Leticia could sense it was getting close. As soon as she got the words out, Hailey was forced to dig the phone out of her purse when it rang. Everything became silent as soon as she pressed the button to receive the call.


|~o~|


After �" 11:05ish

The car ride was quiet. Hailey and I barely said anything to each other as the lights from the SUV Leticia rented flashed repeatedly in the mirrors of Hailey's car after every bump. Even when we pulled into the driveway of one of my brother's friend's houses, I said nothing as I opened the door and got out. Leticia and Vance came to a stop right behind us, the tail of her vehicle poking out onto the street. A ticket was the furthest thing from her mind.

“Hailey and I will go in. Follow us in after. I don't want him freaking out and calling the whole thing off before I have the chance to confront his sorry ass.”

My shoulder hurt even more now and Letty could see the discomfort in my face. She rubbed it lightly.

“Be careful Nicky. Vance and I will be right behind you if you need anything.”

I grabbed her hand that was trying to soothe the aching joint. I nodded to Hailey and we approached the door. After a few stiff knocks the door opened and greeting us was my rat bastard of a brother, talking like nothing was wrong.

“Nick! How was your flight? What the fuck did you do to your arm? And your head?”

“Uhhhh hurt them in training.” I could just sense Hailey rolling her eyes at that explanation. I kept the remainder of my injuries concealed. He invited us in. The lights were turned down a little lower than normal and a few of the guys Chad knew could be heard talking further inside. Chad shut the door as soon as we walked in and we were greeted with the smell of alcohol and pot. Invading our ears was possibly some of the worst hip-hop music I'd ever heard. It was too loud inside to hear anything outside, but I was guessing that Leticia and Vance had exited their vehicle and were making their way towards the front steps now. Chad didn't lock the door.

“Boys, you remember my brother Nick.”

A few waves and a couple heys later and they were back to their business. One of the guys took a shine to Hailey. Typical guy probably thinking a few drinks and some flirting would bed him my sister.

I saw Chad pick up an empty beer bottle from the table and hide it behind his back. I smiled a bit as he thought I couldn't see what he was up to. One of his friends approached him and whispered a few things to him, looking at me strangely. It was almost as if he was arguing outside of my earshot with my brother.

“Chad, cut the bullshit.”

The focus was on me. I had said what I said loud enough for everyone in the room to hear me.

“What're you talking about Nick? Grab a beer and relax would ya?”

“I know why I'm here.”

I could almost smell the nervousness emanating from his pores as he sweat.

“Yeah, to have fun and enjoy being back home.”

“No dipshit... I know exactly why I'm here.”

He looked at me with a frozen expression. It was clear I'd rendered him speechless and he knew he was caught without so much as raising a single finger in my direction. His friends all gathered around as I approached him. Hailey was off to the side with the guy who fancied her, completely ignoring his advances. At least she was out of the way if something violent broke out.

“So come on, take a shot.”

“What are you going on about Nick?” His laugh had strings of stress in it. “I thought we were over this?”

“We were until Mikey heard you talking in his place. Rule number one, never EVER talk anywhere around my really good friends.”

I could see him whisper a swear, which one I didn't really care as he turned his head away.

“Rule number two, using your own sister as a pawn to get me over here is beyond even your douchebaggery.”

His friends actually stepped away as I came closer. Chad surprisingly stood his ground, even though he had about six people that I could see backing him up. At least that's what I thought.

“You and your friends here thought you could get the jump on me and who knows how many other guys are in other rooms here. Chad talked you all into this? Would be a pretty cool thing to teach his mouthy brother a lesson no?”

I paused for emphasis, knowing that some of these guys secretly hated me. I turned to Hailey to make sure she was doing OK, but her face was filled with concern for me and disdain for the guy attempting to feel her up. I was betting with myself in my head which limb he would lose first. I then lifted my injured arm up and removed the sling, tossing it right at him and hitting him in the face before he had the chance to knock it down. The pain was gone, overruled by the burning rage and hatred for my brother brewing deep within my core.

“Come on guys, why don't you all take a swing at the crippled car accident victim. Wouldn't that be fun? Bet you didn't know that, huh brother? Yeah I flipped over a fuckin' cliff in my car, witnessed somebody die and saved her young daughter. I'm a fuckin' mess and my arm is killing me but feel free to take a shot!”

Nothing. He didn't respond. He just looked at me with a blank stare.

“How about you guys? Wanna hit an injured man?”

Nothing. They all stood back as I jumped in the face of my brother. I could feel the breath leaving his body through his nose I was so close.

“You sick fuckin' prick. HIT ME!”

I raised my right hand and struck myself in the cheek.

“HIT ME!”

The tone of my voice prompted the front door to open, the atmosphere changing as soon as the boot steps of Van Ray hit the hardwood. He was closely followed by Leticia. I figured they would normally look her up and down like the other pervert did my sister, but they seemed more concerned about Vance taking up most of the doorway from the foyer into the living area.

“Long time no see Chad.”

“Le-Leticia?!” He stammered. I quickly ensured his attention was back on me.

“HIT ME YOU GUTLESS FUCKIN' COWARD!”

I hit my own cheek again, bringing forth a welt. I was still experiencing headaches and knew I would pay for my actions later but my adrenaline kept me going pain free. Chad was done, he looked defeated, he even sounded defeated with the shallow breaths he was taking. Once again, I had owned my brother.

“Pussy...”

And I reared back and slapped him directly on the cheek. It wasn't a punch, but I did let my hand go limp upon swinging and felt a couple knuckles connect with his bones. A closed fist would have been a sign of an ongoing fight. It would have been one that I might've lost given my condition, but the slap was insulting, rude and disrespectful. It was exactly something that should have never occurred between siblings. I had punched Chad in the past. This action I took by slapping him showed my determination. I would rather see the bowels of hell than share a friendly word with my brother again.

Chad held his face, not in pain but in shock. His friends backed away, already having talked them down. I just knew no one would raise a single finger to a guy in a sling who had a huge bandaged gash visible on his head. Van Ray cornered a couple guys coming down the stairs behind him to find out what all the commotion was about.

“Maybe your friends are good guys. Not raising their hands to a fuckin' accident victim. But you, you piece of shit. I could see it in your eyes, wanting them to jump me, to shut my mouth even after taking into consideration my condition.”

I leaned back a little and let fly with a huge gob of spit. It landed directly above his eye and all over his nose and cheek. He recoiled in disgust and a couple of his friends made unpleasant sounds. The ultimate disrespect severed any chance of two brothers ever getting along again...

… and I was enjoying every minute of it.

“You're not my brother. You're a weasel, a dirty fuckin' dog who couldn't stand up to me on his own. If you would've hit me, maybe I would have respected it. But these guys? Getting your friends together to throw me a beating? Disgusting.”

I stepped back and fixed my coat, wincing in pain for the first time since the confrontation started. The adrenaline wore off soon after I hit him and the pain slowly started to flow back into my entire body. Now I was defeated, not by my brother, but by my own physical condition.

“Let's go Hail. Let's go visit Mom and Dad and tell them the juicy details of exactly why I've lost the urge to move back home now.”

I continued to stare at the man... no, boy... I swore was no longer my brother as I backed away closer to where Van Ray and Leticia were standing. Chad raised a hand to his face and finally made a motion to wipe the spit away. Hailey punched the flirty creep in the stomach and left his side with me.

Leaving the house was uneventful, the music still playing behind all the family explosion around it. It's a sad turn of events when adult siblings fight and get into disagreements. It's utterly tasteless however when things turn to one telling the other that they are no longer brothers. Blood couldn't be thicker than water. Van Ray and Mikey were more brothers to me than Chad was. Hailey would always be my sister and Mom and Dad would always be my parents. But Chad would always be seen as a lying, filthy disgusting puke of an excuse for a human being. I really didn't think anything would change my opinion of him after these events.

I was the last one out of the house, taking one final look at my disgrace of a sibling before I shut the door to the home and on any future we had as brothers

Hailey was upset most because her younger brother wouldn't be moving back home and that broke my heart. She just had no choice but to understand and she knew that. Perhaps one day if Chad ever moved away I might consider it but now my home was in Venice. My home was under the sun, where the great beaches and the hot women were and where the people I considered an extension to my family resided.

Good thing too, cause I don't think Van Ray could handle coming to visit me while sitting on a beach where cold water instead of warm was lapping at the shoreline.

It just wasn't his style.
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