FRACTURE: Am I My Brother's Keeper?

By Clarissa T Sky

FRACTURE is a story about two brothers from different mothers. Living life in Las Vegas, sons of an entertainment legend, life and death circumstances have a way of showing just how strong their bond really was.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tablo Publishing
• Release date: Mar 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781649699565

Book preview

Prologue

Bubba could feel the blood draining from his body as he laid face down on the parking lot’s hot cement. There was no telling how many bullets shattered into his body. He only knew one thing for sure, that someone shot him in the back, pushing him forward to the ground as he stumbled and fell facedown onto the hard-ass ground. It’s no joke when they say my life flashed before my eyes when you’re staring death straight in the face. 

Bubba saw his Gramma, clear as day, holding out her soft subtle hand just like she always did when she wanted him to hurry up. He could hear her sweet comforting voice calling out his legal name. She was the only person that ever called him Joseph-Earl.

But ….wait a minute …. she was dead! 

How come he saw her?

Is this what it's like in the afterlife? 

What if he was already dead? 

Or was he about to die? 

As long as he was thinking these questions, he had to still be alive. He could barely hear Anthony's faint voice telling him the ambulance was on the way and begging him to just please hold on. But he was fading fast and wanted to close his eyes. 

He needed to close his eyes. 

The only thing he wanted to do was to slip away and follow the bright peaceful light and take a hold of Gramma's soft, reassuring hand.

---

The Cole brothers lived their lives by a different set of rules. Growing up in Las Vegas as sons of an entertainment giant, their lives might have been privileged, but they sure faced a lot of difficulties. The two boys were polar opposites. Billy always felt that being a Cole had a high price, especially having to deal with a stepbrother. Bubba, on the other hand, enjoyed being in the spotlight and fit right into the drama of the Cole family. Desperate circumstances unite the brothers and reveal how close they really were. 

Proverbs 17:17 ESV / 16 

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Chapter 1 ~ The Beginning

Las Vegas in July gets so hot you could literally fry an egg on the sidewalk. In the summertime, temperatures soar to triple digits and only tourists dared venture out of their hotels to see the elaborate sights and walk the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.  Locals, on the other hand, were heat-smart and kept cool by staying indoors close to the air conditioning. The celebrity weather forecasters issued entertaining heat advisories and broadcasted warnings on television urging people to stay inside and pay attention to the scorching heat. They made the intense temperatures a distinctively unique feature of the entertainment and gambling capital.

As a Las Vegas native, Bubba was used to the heat. After moving to the desert as a child, it didn't take him long to adjust to the hot summer weather. With time, he grew to love the city's dramatic history and appreciated the palm tree beauty that lined the streets.  He became accustomed to the heat thinking it was only a minor inconvenience living in paradise. He was enamored with the natural beauty and felt that it was well worth enduring a few uncomfortable months out of the year. 

Bubba was a glass is half full kinda guy who felt blessed just to live in an internationally renowned major resort city.  He also thought that maybe driving a 1990 four-door Chevy wasn't all that prestigious, but he kept it clean and it ran. He didn't feel the need to complain he wasn't driving a luxury vehicle or that he was driving without air conditioning in the middle of summer - as long as the car got him to where he needed to be, a busted AC wasn't a priority and luxury was just bling thing. He was just grateful for the car he had. 

He rolled down the windows and sped down the freeway with the wind blowing hard. He was in a good mood despite feeling like he had a hot blow dryer blowing heat on his face. Besides these little hiccups, it was the perfect opportunity for him to practice his vocals as he sang along to the music blaring on the car stereo. 

He pulled into the casino's parking lot and seized on an empty spot close to the entrance. Typically, the closest spots were reserved for casino guests. Ignoring the hidden rule, he turned down the music and swooped into the untethered parking stall near the entrance. It was Bubba's custom to get to the club early before his shift began and he thought he deserved assigned parking. He deserved to be treated like a boss.

 It was the way he lived now: always putting in the extra mile. He took one last look at himself in the rear-view mirror; smiled and got out of the car. Showtime, he thought to himself.

A cool breeze brushed against his face as the entry door swung open. The casino always gave him an amazing feeling when he first walked in. There was just something about the unmissable feel and unique sounds of a casino that energized him. Entwined with the cling and clangs of the slots, he heard the smooth jazz playing in the background, a sign that the club doors would be opening soon. The music was a time-keeping thing. When the staff heard the soothing melodies playing over the speakers, they knew the rush was on.  

Bubba quickly walked past the coat check towards the back of the club. Hurrying past the bar, briefly stopping backstage to make sure the equipment was ready for the band, and after he made a quick check-in with the sound crew, he went to the back office like he had been doing every night for the last five years. He loved working at this club, most clubs in Las Vegas were part of a larger casino, but this club was different. The seating capacity was much lower, plus it had its own entrance. This worked for him, a separate entrance meant he didn’t have to bother with the gamblers. Sure they had a few slots machines in the lobby, but the main attraction was entertainment, which meant no need to be around the gambling scene. Perfectly separate and apart.

He opened the office door and flicked on the light switch let there be light he muttered. He waltzed into the room, sat down behind his desk, and turned the computer on to check his email. He glanced at his watch wondering where Anthony was. Damn that boy is late again, he mulled it over and then quickly dismissed the thought. He knew Anthony’s life was tough, and he needed this job, so Bubba would cover for him if anyone noticed, just like he always did.

Hey Bubba, sorry I’m late, Anthony said as he charged into the office panting out of breath, throwing himself down on the black leather sofa. 

I missed the bus on Charleston by my house and had to walk all the way to the next stop in this frickin’ heat… I thought I would pass out! he whined. 

Not feeling any pity for Anthony's complaints, Bubba shook his head and said, Drink some water. You know you really need to make sure you make that bus. If you were running late, why didn’t you call me, I would pick you up.

Yeah, but I didn’t wanna bug you, Anthony replied hoping to make his excuse quick and avoid having a conversation. That was the last thing he needed, Bubba scooping him for work and getting into it with his mom. The two of them had never met, but mom was tough and he was sure they wouldn't get along.

I need to get ice for the bar …. be right back boss, he said and dashed out of the office.

Bubba watched Anthony dash out of the office suspecting something was up with him, but he wouldn’t push it. Besides, he needed to answer the swarm of emails, respond to the stack of phone messages waiting for him, and check the inventory reports. He didn’t have time to deal with Anthony’s shit right now. He could hear music and sounds coming from inside the club. Showtime, he thought to himself. 

The bar has ice and I put out those extra chairs in the front… Anything else? Anthony asked Bubba as he pulled up a chair in front of the used card table in the middle of the room. He sat down, picked up the deck of cards, and began shuffling. 

Wanna play some spades? he asked.

Yeah, sure, Bubba responded as he sauntered out from behind his desk, pulled out the chair, and sat down. I  can’t think of anything else for you to do right now…. Just keep checking the trash, he said. Anthony gave Bubba a big smile and dealt the cards.

Bubba leaned back in his chair watching Anthony’s body movements. Somethin’s up with you man. Bubba didn’t want to get into it, but he had to keep the upper hand over this young man and he wasn’t about to let him think he was getting away with anything.

I’m watching you, he growled and picked up his cards, scanning and calculating his hand.

I know you are, Anthony chuckled, he knew Bubba watched every move he made. He knew there was no getting over on him, but the thing was, he wasn’t in any trouble, not this time.

Bobby a 250 pound, 6’6 bouncer opened the door and yelled, Hey Bubba ... move your damn car!"

Startled, Bubba shot up All right, all right, he yelled back.  Looking over at Anthony, he sarcastically muttered Shit, who died and made him the parking lot boss.   Bubba didn’t want to start anything, so he kept his response minimal and any negative thoughts to himself.

 Bobby slammed the door shut.  Bubba got along with everyone, his charming personality was one of his more attractive features. Bubba was a sweet-talker and everyone fell in love with him  — everyone except Bobby the bouncer. 

Grunting, Bubba pushed himself up from the card table.  Anthony leaned back in his chair and chuckled. He knew Bubba thought Bobby was a pain in the ass. "Game over, Bubba slammed his cards down on the table and said to Anthony,  You might as well see if the band needs anything and check the trash…. I’ll be right back."  

Irritated by Bobby's interruption, hated being told what to do, he stormed out of the room and slowly made his way through the crowd. 

Throwback Thursday always drew large crowds, and tonight the club was packed. Ushering past the partiers, smiling and greeting guests politely showing his veneer smile like the boss he was.  

He squeezed his way through the crowd, brushing his chest against a nice-looking Latina woman. She was just his type, olive-skinned, curvaceous body with long thick dark hair that fell in front of her bosom. 

"You sure smell good girl," he whispered in her ear giving her one of his sultry smiles. She sipped her drink and flashed a flirtatious smile back.  Too bad, he didn’t have time to explore her, she was definitely his type. He visualized running his hands down her back. Snapping his mind back to the task at hand, he didn’t have time for the fantasy. He had to hurry, move his car and get back to work.

So sad, no time for shenanigans, he thought. The band was getting ready for their first show and he had to make sure the stage was ready. Bubba got in his car and parked in the last spot way in the back.  

Damn you, Bobby, I hate parking this far away from the front, he muttered to himself as he ran back to the club.  

The music was loud, and the atmosphere was electric. He made his way back through the crowd, nodding as he politely shoved his way backstage where he saw Anthony talking to a group of young ladies. Bubba rushed behind him and grabbed his arm, Sorry ladies… watch yourself Junior don’t make promises you can’t keep young man …we got work to do. Anthony followed behind Bubba smiling back at the group of ladies. 

They stood backstage waiting for the band to wrap up and finish their last set.  It was the last call and as usual, the crowd waited for the lights to blast on before the last few diehards stumbled out. 

Damn man, it will be a mess in this club tonight, Anthony muttered to Bubba. 

Yeah, it sure will be and these folks are taking their sweet time getting outta here. After checking with the band members to make sure they were good, he left Anthony with the cleaners and went to the backroom to start his closing duties. 

After the waitresses and bartenders handed in their bar sales money, the remaining staff clocked out.  Another day, another dollar Bubba thought as he placed the bag of cash in the safe and spun the lock. He remembered back in the day when this amount of money was just pocket change to him. Now, here he was, managing a busy nightclub in Las Vegas and this cash was his responsibility. Having a fat bankroll meant nothing to him anymore if he didn’t earn it and having those morals made him feel good about himself. There was a time in his life when money dictated all of his decisions and that got him into a lot of trouble.

Hey, Anthony, you almost done? Bubba shouted. 

Yeah, just finished taking the last of the trash out. Damn these people were pigs tonight. An ashtray is for cigarettes, not frickin’ gum! Anthony tossed the last bag of trash in the bin. I’m ready when you are, he yelled back.

 Bubba made his final walk around the club checking the doors making sure everything was locked and in its right place. He swatted Anthony upside his head; turned the lights off and they left through the back exit door into the casino.

The casino was quiet this time of night. Only a few cleaners, some tourists, and a couple of local regulars. Bubba noticed the