Bruno Wagner strode into his ramshackle and small apartment, ready to kiss it all away. He wondered for a moment if he had a good enough razor to shave his head, then remembered yes indeed. Snapping his fingers, he strode into the bathroom with glee, not seeing his brother sitting on the threadbare couch near the door.
Gunther was patient…and even more drunk than the previous night. He had seen Bruno enter the hotel and briefly spied him and Whitney talking. It didn’t take a genius to see what was happening. This would be a pleasure.
What wasn’t a pleasure was seeing Bruno come out of the bathroom with…a bald head! What the hell! “Hello, brother,” he slurred.
Bruno was briefly surprised, then smiled. “Well well, look what the alley cat dragged in.”
“What the hell were you doing with Schuyler Whitney?”
Bruno’s grin was wolfish. “He offered me your job.”
“Oh really? DId you take it, you son of a bitch?”
Bruno spread his hands out. “When opportunity knocks…”
Gunther stood and swung at Bruno, catching him in the chin. Bruno reeled back into a chair and rubbed where he was hit. “What, you think you’re gonna fight your way back into your job? Don’t brother, I don’t think he likes you anymore.”
Gunther started after him again, but stumbled.. He looked down, then chuckled, looking at Bruno again. “No, you and Sky Whitney can rot in hell together for all I care. After everything I did for him, he kicked me to the curb. Well, here’s something he doesn’t know about you, dear brother. You always took my leftovers and still are.”
This time, Bruno came at Gunther, but Gunther, just a little stronger, caught the swinging fist. “Face it, Bruno! My Christmas presents, in the circus, my woman!”
“I didn’t take that crazy lady!”
“No, that I gotta give you credit for.” Bruno stopped pushing, so Gunther let go of the fist. “What was funny was, you found a crazy broad named Roxanne! My lady wasn’t really Roxanne, her real name was Nora.”
Bruno shrugged. “Just a name.”
“Yeah, just a name. But the point is, you always wanted what I had, like I had it so good. But what you grabbed, you could never hold on to. Everything floated away, even Roxanne.”
Bruno’s face broke into pure rage and lunged at his brother again, this time connecting to his cheek. Gunther reeled back into the couch. “Hit me all you like, but you know it’s true. Not just me, you want what everyone else has.”
Bruno stayed angry. “You’re wrong about Roxanne! I loved her!”
“You loved her, you loved her, you loved her into the psycho ward!”
Bruno looked like he was going to strike again, then thought better of it, smiling again. “You know, you can say whatever you want, Gunther. I am going to be better than you ever were when it comes to taking care of Schuyler Whitney.”
Gunther mulled that over for a moment. “Hmm. Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah, ok. Just know he’s a spoiled kid and isn’t likely to change.”
“He didn’t seem like a kid when I talked to him. He seemed like a man who knows what he wants.”
Gunther looked at him and then remembered something. “The money.”
“Huh?”
“Before he and his punk friend Brown went on that plane, Schuyler Whitney was set to get his whole fortune. I guess he did.”
“So?”
“So…nothing.” Gunther stood, not rubbing his cheek, probably not feeling it. “Well, the ship is yours…if you’re smart enough to hold on to it.” With that, Gunther turned and left.
Bruno watched him leave, then cursed loudly. Why can’t he be jealous of ME for a change? Why can’t I win one over him? He turned back to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. But this time, brother, I’m gonna win, and have everything you lost. And, best of all, I'll be you!
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