Larry

I know how much Robert likes privacy when we sleep, so I usually don’t say anything when he shuts the bedroom door, but it’s a really dark night and the kids might be scared. I can’t hear them as well with the door shut. I should just get up quietly so I don’t wake him, and open the door...

Or should I not worry about it and go to sleep...?

Stop worrying Linda, the kids are fine. I need to fall asleep, but I’m wide awake and laying here is just a waste of time... I should get up and mop the kitchen floor.

Headlights shine through the window. Someone pulled into our driveway. What? ...at this hour? Who could it be? Are they just turning around?

The car does not back out. The engine cuts and the headlights go out. The door opens and a man gets out, and heads for our front door. I roll over and shake Robert. “Honey, someone’s coming to the front door.” Under his breath with his eyes closed, Robert said “What?” Starting to stress, I snapped back “Honey, someone’s at the front door.”

A fist pounds on the front door twice. Robert opens his eyes. “Someone’s at the door,” he said. “Yes!” I said.

From the front porch “Robby! Robby!, it’s me,” said the man. “Oh, it’s just Larry. He probably just needs to sleep it off.” Said my husband who was finally realizing I was scared. “Sweetheart, don’t worry. It’s just Larry.” Said my semi awake husband as he gets out of bed, and tries to reassure me. “I am sure everything‘s OK. Don’t worry, I’ll be right back.“

Instantly that sinking feeling in my stomach returned because with Larry, there’s always something to worry about... Robert went out the door and down the hall. I quietly followed, because I needed to know.

Our son was asleep in his bed, and I just knew Larry was bringing more drama to our home. It seems to just follow him. I quietly hugged the wall at the end of the hallway, out of sight, but close enough I could hear.

Robert opened the front door, and there was instantly a lot of frantic whispering, but some things were clear. “Bro, I need your help!”, followed instantly with my loud and clear husband saying “No!, I’m sorry you’re in trouble, but I can’t keep doing this. I have a wife. I have a son and daughter asleep in their beds. I love you bro, but I just can’t keep doing this.” A short pause and my heart was pounding out of my chest. “Dude, I understand” said Larry. “ I needed to see you one more time, because I gotta leave or they’re going to kill me.“ Larry’s words were pure manipulation. I worried my Robert was gonna cave because he loves his brother so much.

There was more frantic whispering I couldn’t make out. Larry finally raised his stressed voice, “If they find me with this, I’m dead. My only chance is that I don’t have it on me. Bro, ya gotta hide this really well, and don’t let anybody know I was here.” I heard Larry walking quickly away. I turn the corner to see my husband’s silhouette with a briefcase in his hand.

“Honey, what have you done? We’ve got Richie and Emily asleep in their beds and you know someone is gonna come looking for that.” I said with a frightened voice. Robert took a deep breath, walked around me and then down the hall. I instantly followed him. He went into the bathroom, turn on the light and laid the suitcase in the bathtub. He slowly opened the briefcase.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the briefcase had four bundles of money. Each bundle had a band around it that read $5,000. There was a black leather notebook, and a gun. Now I was starting to feel dizzy. Robert carefully took the gun out and laid it on the bathtub floor. He started searching through the rest of the contents. There was a checkbook, a videotape, four keys on a ring, some coins glued together in a stack, and a Happy Valentine’s Day card, that was signed “I just can’t stop loving you, Larry”.

We were stunned. Larry always seemed to be mixed up with the wrong kind of people, and obviously, he is still making that mistake.

Robert opened the little black book. It was sort of a ledger. There was page after page of credits and debits. A lot of money was moving back and forth, but none of the entries made sense, like they were all in some kind of code. I didn’t know what to make of the money, the notebook, or any of the other items in the case, but it was clear none of it belonged to Larry, and I was now worried the real owner will come looking for it.

“What are you going to do?” My stressed voice cracked as I asked the question. Robert said “We have to hide it and tell no one we have it.” We put everything back in the case and closed it. Robert whispered, “Where can I hide this?” We walked down the hall, stopping by our son’s bedroom door. Our Richie was only 6 years old, and just loves his Uncle Larry.

The front door opened, and we froze. We looked at each other not sure what to do. Larry quickly put the briefcase under Richie’s bed, and I grabbed a baseball bat from behind the door. We walked into the hallway slowly…

“Just hold it right there” said man standing at the end of the hallway and holding a gun that was pointing at us.

My heart skipped, and I froze…

Quietly, the man continued, “Drop the bat.” I gently complied. The man continued “All I want is the case. Give it to me and I’ll leave quietly, and no one has to get hurt, but if you give me any trouble, this will go another way.”

I thought I might pass out. Robert calmly spoke up, “Okay… Okay… we have no money or drugs in the house. I think you may have made a mistake and entered the wrong house”.

“No, this is the right house.” The man said. “Larry is out in my trunk. I was following him, and from across the street I saw him give you the case.”

“Why is Larry in your trunk? Is he okay?” Robert’s question felt like the calm before the storm.

“Now listen to me... I’ve been very calm up until now, but if you get upset, I may just snap. All I want is the notebook that was in that case. If you just give it to me, I will quietly leave and no one will get hurt.” He was trying to stay calm.

“I want to be sure Larry is okay.” Robert said.

“You should be worried about you and your wife, ya know? …Now you need to give me that case, and let me leave quietly, or this may have to go another way.” The man’s voice was now stressed.

I stood motionless, without blinking, almost unable to move, as Robert took a slow side step.

The edge in the man’s voice grew stronger, “Look, you’re gonna have to be good with that plan because I need that notebook.” He raised his gun, pulling the hammer back until it locked.

Robert raised his hands and said, “Okay… okay... you win. You can have the case.” I finally exhaled. “Let me get the notebook for you”, said Robert.

“NO!... not you... her” the man said sharply. “Hey Lady, remember, I don’t want to hurt anyone, so don’t do anything stupid. Just get the notebook and come right back.”

I slowly backed up and went into Richie’s bedroom. I pulled the briefcase out from under the bed, opened it and picked up the gun. Oh, my right hand was trembling... am I able to do this? I have to do this, but can I... do this…?

“You’re taking too long!” the man shouted. “Come back now!”

Robert yells… then loud crashing from the front room. I rush out into the hallway to see both men fighting on the ground with all hands on the gun.

“Stop it!” I screamed, “Stop it!”

The man hit Robert on the side of his head with his gun. Robert fell away, and the man pointed his gun...

The crack of a gunshot...

The gun in my hand went off...

My hands are shaking. I dropped the gun. I can’t breath…

The man fell back to the floor. I watched a red stain on his shirt growing from the center of his chest… I think I’m gonna throw up.

“You shot him!”, my husband shouted. “You shot him”. Robert grabbed me, hugging me tight. “Thank you, thank you”, he said.

I’m dizzy. I need to sit down.

“Did I shoot him? ...did I really shoot him?” My voice broke as I said the words.

Robert kicked his gun away, turned on the light and kneeled next to him. Quietly, he said “Yes, you shot him... he’s dead… and you saved my life”.

Loud knocking on the front door. “Robby!, Robby!, open up!”.

It was Larry, who kept knocking and yelling! “Robby! Robby!”

Richie was in the hallway. Wide eyed, he said, “Is that man dead?” And now I can hear Emily crying in her room.

Quickly I forgot about throwing up. Getting up and heading straight to Richie, I said “Honey, don’t look… it’s okay… come with me.” I took Richie back to Emily’s room, but left the door open so I could hear.

“Wow, you killed him... “ a surprised Larry said, then continued “did you get his gun?”

Robert had his fill, and was now angry, “Larry, why do you do this to me? …YOU brought this man here, and now he’s dead on my living room floor. This was you. This was your fault.“

Larry answered, “Hey bro, right after I left, he pulled a gun on me and threw me in his trunk. It took a while to pry my way out, and then I heard a gunshot... Bro, listen, I’m sorry all this happened, but I really need that case. Let me have it, and I’ll get out of your hair.”

Robert said, “You can’t be serious... You do this all the time. You only think of yourself, and what you want, and you never think about how it affects everyone else… Our whole lives I’ve just been collateral damage that you don’t care about. When are you going to stop all this and grow up?”

Larry was getting desperate. He said, “Hey, I’m sorry for everything, but look Robby, I need that case. Let me have it, and I promise, when I go you’ll never see me again, so you won’t be my collateral damage any more. Then you gotta call the police, and tell ’em this guy broke in your house and you had to shoot him.”

I kept the gun, but brought the case out of Richie’s room and handed it to Larry, and finally had the strength to say what I’ve been feeling about Larry for a long time.

“Yes, please go... and never come back… Larry, your Robert’s brother, and he loves you, but you have always been too much to deal with, and we just can’t do it anymore. I want you out of this house and away from us. I don’t want you around Richie. You’re a drama magnet, so yes, please go and don’t come back.”

Larry grabbed the case. Picked up the man’s gun from the floor, and went out the front door without a word. I prayed this time he was actually gone for good.

Then, with my trembling hand, I picked up the phone and called the police.