What Comes Around

By Brian Taylor

In the tightly knit community of South Boston, loyalty is everything. And family is more then that. When teenager Kelley Ann Keenan was discharged from rehab, for heroin addiction, she thought that she had her demons safely tucked away. But as the cities drug epidemic spirals out of control, temptation to relapse starts to penetrate her already fragile mind. With her uncle running for a seat in the United States senate, and the beloved Boston Bruins playing for hockey's highest prize, the Stanley Cup, a looming question touches down inside of the local police precinct. Is one of their own paving the way as the area's top and most feared drug dealers supply the streets with danger? As internal affairs searches for answers, another question rises to the surface. Will Kelley stand tall and strong while battling sobriety or will she fall back into the treacherous world that rocks the core of all those close to her heart?...Time will tell in What Comes Around.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brian Taylor
• Release date: Mar 20, 2020

Brian Taylor

Brian Taylor is an artist and illustrator who lives and draws in Scotland. Brian does not wear hats.

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Contents

Tuesday: Discharged

Wednesday: The State House

Thursday: Game 7

Friday: Washington D.C. delayed

Saturday: Harsh Reality

Sunday: Reminiscence

Monday: Good Bye and Begin

Tuesday

As Kelley Keenan walks down the hallway to the discharge office at the Safe Horizons rehabilitation facility in Danvers, Massachusetts, she thinks of the past three months and the time that she has spent there. The first month was a living hell. The second was a little bit easier. The third was much better as she is starting to get back to being herself after being held tightly in the demonic grip of a full-blown heroin addiction. Walking with her is her case manager, Martha Raye Endall. Martha Raye has been an anchor of support for the nineteen-year-old from South Boston who has been addicted to the potentially lethal drug for two years. Kelley, one of five children in the Keenan family, became hooked on heroin during her junior year at South Boston High school when she took the dare while playing truth or dare at a neighborhood party. The dare was to try heroin. She figured it would be easy due to the fact that when she was in the tenth grade she had torn the A.C.L. [anterior cruciate ligament] in her knee when sliding safely into third base after hitting a triple during a varsity softball game. After surgery, she was given oxycontin for the pain and didn’t have a problem with dependency when the prescription was finished. At the party, the substances available were beer, marijuana, oxycontins, cocaine, ecstasy, and a small amount of the devil in disguise, heroin. She took an injection and the nightmare began. It never would have if Kelley had only told the truth. As it turned out, the question was an easy yes or no for teenagers today. Have you ever had sex inside of Southie High? Instead, she entered the world of a different kind of high, a world where the afflicted walks the slow path of destruction until either jail, death, or professional help steps in and walks with them. The ladder, help, being Kelley’s only hope which she has taken on with an attitude and a level of honesty of someone who wants to get better, someone who wants to live.

How are you feeling K? asks Martha Raye.

Nervous and fat.

That’s good, real good.

Why is that good? I feel like the ground is about to have an earthquake that sends shivers all throughout my body.

Those are your nerves. Your mind is anxious because you’re leaving rehab today.

And fat, why is that good?

That’s how you’re supposed to feel; you’ve got your appetite back.

Ya, back and had me eating like a cow after a while.

Well now it’s time to moo-ve on.

Good one. Don’t quit your job to become a comedian.

And you don’t relapse. OK, now it’s gonna be a nightmare sometimes. That’s the truth of this world, this junkie bullshit. You’re better than that. That’s what you and everyone else that gets wrapped up in it has to realize. That you’re better. When you get tempted to use, that’s right, when you get tempted, just say I’m better.

I know.

I hope you do, and I hope you realize that the naturalness of your mind, body, and soul connecting with the world, with the universe K, while sober is fascinating. Wait ‘till you see what you can accomplish when feeling the freshness of true sobriety. You might become so excited with the new you you’ll never sleep.

That’s OK. I’ll just get a night job.

Speaking of which, are you sure about going to your uncle’s party once your parents sign you out?

Ya, I want to go to show my support. If he wins or loses, I want to let him know that I’m grateful for him helping me out during all this by being my sponsor.

A sponsor who, if he wins, might be able to talk to someone around town to get you hired as an assistant.

Ya, then one day I’ll become mayor of Boston and anyone who gets caught with heavy drugs selling or using doesn’t just get a slap on the wrist.

I hear that. First things first though. Let’s get you weighed and check you out real quick. They head into the nurses station for a quick weight and blood pressure check before meeting up with her parents, Bill Sr. and Karen, who are in the waiting room in front of the discharge office at the facility.

Kelley steps on the scale.

128 pounds, says Martha Raye.

Oh my God, I’m huge. I knew it, I feel like I’m going to burst, replies Kelley.

That’s good. You were skin and bones three months ago, now you got some meat on those bones.

You will not see me in a bikini, any time soon, that’s for sure.

And your blood pressure…good. Let’s go see your parents.

They walk into the waiting room in front of the discharge office.

Hey, there she is. How are you feelin’ K? asks Bill Sr..

Hey Dad, hey Mom.

You look great. You’re eating healthy, I can tell, you’re fillin’ out, says Karen.

Ya, healthy and huge, all the carbs in this place.

I think the lasagna’s top shelf, says Martha Raye.

It is; it’s so good, responds Kelley.

There’s going to be plenty of food at your uncles party, so I hope you’re hungry.

No Dad, not after stepping on that scale. I am all set with food for a while.

Come on, let’s go into the office; we’ll get moving on those discharge papers.

Kelley and her parents follow Martha Raye into the office.

Hey Kell, if you don’t want to go to Danny’s party, it’s OK ya know, I mean if there’s going to be too many people there, your father and I completely understand.

No, I want to go. He’s my sponsor and he came and visited me every week so I want to show my support.

He’s going to be tough on you Kell, you better be ready.

I am, Dad. I’m ready…You think he’s going to win?

I don’t know, but if he does we have a U.S. senator in the family.

What a great support system Kell. Having an inspiration like that as your sponsor, you’re lucky to have him, Martha Raye says as she hands Mrs. Keenan a pen. Just need you to browse that over real quick and sign at the bottom, and Kelley, same for you, your signature and your all set girl. You’re on your way.

OK, sounds good.

Sounds great, responds Mr. Keenan.

Here you go. Mrs. Keenan hands Martha Raye the discharge forms.

We just want to thank you Martha for all that you’ve done for Kelley, for us; we are so grateful, for everything.

It’s my pleasure, I’m an addict to. We have to look out for one another.

Kelley hands Martha Raye her discharge papers. I guess this is it. Thank you so much.

Thank you for watching out for our little girl here, Mr. Keenan says.

Like I said, we look out for one another. Alright, you’re all set, and Kelley, use the system, go to meetings, call your sponsor. Oh, here, your prescription for suboxone. You’ll need that.

I hope not.

Don’t hesitate to use it Kell. I’m serious.

I know. Kelley and Martha Raye hug as the Keenans start to walk out.

Hey K? asks Martha Raye.

What?

What did the dog say to the addict?

What?

Sobriety is ruff.

Like I said, don’t quit your job.

Love you Kelley. They hug.

Love you too. Kelley and her parents leave Safe Horizons.

The Broadway Gardens apartment complex in South Boston is home to many people. A small percentage of which are unemployed, disabled, and held down by drug and/or alcohol abuse. Those of which give off a morbid energy that spreads throughout the entire neighborhood. Some of the afflicted by addiction receive a monthly check for unemployment or disability. These checks arrive at the beginning of every month and are the reason local drug dealers come into the complex like kings and leave like kings with a lot more money. Sometimes the check is gone within a week due to the power that the drug has over the individual. In this part of Boston, the most powerful dealers are Marty and Mickey Breen. Brothers born twenty months apart, both of whom display a vicious appetite for outlaw behavior. They have about ten people working for them who supply whatever the demand of their circle of customers. This demand is usually anything from cocaine, oxycontin, ecstasy, heroin, fentanyl, and large amounts of marijuana. You want it, they’ll get it with no sympathy and no shame for others. The Breens are on the radar of the Boston Police Department’s drug task force. Working in their favor is the fact that in Massachusetts absolute proof is needed for a conviction and ratting out the local drug suppliers is a rarity seldom acted upon. That and there’s always the crooked cop who looks the other way as long as that way is accompanied by a payoff. Let ‘em take all the drugs they want, rot away from within as long as I get paid, I don’t care. Said so easily with a bad attitude by corrupt cops as some of those trapped in the web of addiction melt away into death.

On duty tonight are Detective’s Mike Mulligan and Anthony Barcello. They are stationed on Green Street, a small side street near the basketball courts and playground area deep inside of the Broadway Gardens. They are undercover and are eagerly waiting on a call as both cops are quick on acting off of impulse and willing to fight to make an arrest. They’re waiting in an unmarked black crown victoria 4 door with tinted windows. Both men love the job with Mulligan having 12 years with the Boston Police Department, 5 of those years on the drug task force, while his partner, Barcello, has 10 years with BPD, 6 on the task force. Both sit itching for action be it early June in Boston and the weather is slowly shifting into summer. Summer brings heat and heat creates reckless behavior in some, especially for those who would rather sit and eventually try to sleep in a sweltering apartment because they choose to buy drugs, rather than pay for air-conditioning.

The overdoses are piling up and the addicts don’t get the message. Some of which get the cravings to use daily instead. They want to escape themselves and plunge into the fiery, boiling waters of the heroin hell that constantly surrounds them and their drug-addicted existence. Gone are the days of the euphoric state of mind that the user gets when they first start taking the extremely addictive, extremely powerful, and extremely mind-and body-altering opioids. Those afflicted now need it or withdrawals can be so overwhelming that some will stop at nothing to get high or, in a lot of cases, a fix while flirting with death by dancing with the devil.

Still patiently waiting for a call are Mulligan and Barcello. They are listening to the pregame show for the Boston Bruins vs St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup finals hockey game on the radio. Tonight is game 6 in the best of 7 with the Bruins leading the series three games to two. They are one game away from hoisting the cup. The game is being played in St. Louis, Missouri.

What do ya think Mikey, the B’s gonna drink champagne from the cup tonight or what?

They better. responds Mulligan.

Why, did you bet the game? asks Barcello.

Ya, I got some action going. It’s a sure thing. Rask is on fire.

I don’t know; the Blues are hot at home.

We shall see.

We shall. Anyway who’d you bet with? Barcello asks as Mulligan focuses on someone near the basketball courts.

"Don’t tell me you bet with the North End. Did you? You did, didn’t ya?’

Beats using a credit card. Is that Terrance Lane over there?

It shouldn’t be. I thought he was locked up, Barcello says as he gives a closer look.

It is him; he had some weight on him too. What he have like 4 ounces of the H?

Somethin’ like that. A fuckin quarter pound of heroin and he’s walking around. I’m gonna see what’s up. Mulligan says as he uses the police station contact radio hooked onto the car See what the station says on this.

Mulligan to central.

Go head Mully.

Hey Ricky, can you look up a Terrance Lane? L as in lost, a as in animal, n as in nice, e as in Everest, and see why he was released early from South Bay, would ya please?

Ya, give me a minute.

I know this idiot wouldn’t rat anyone out, he’s not that stupid. Mulligan says.

Ya, then what’s he doing out here?

Terrance Lane, sentenced for 3 to 5 years in South Bay correctional facility. Received early release after 14 months due to an evidence issue.

What’s that mean?

I don’t know.

Alright, thanks Ricky, out.

Yup, have a safe one. They click off.

What did they question whether the heroin was real or not? asks Barcello.

Let’s go find out. The two detectives get out of the car.

Seeing the plainclothes officers approach, and being familiar with the two, Lane takes off running. Watching him flee, Mulligan and Barcello give chase.

Stop! Hey, where you goin’? Think your fast, do ya? yells Barcello, who was a football and track star in high school, as