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The bar stank of alcohol and sweaty peasants burning their minimum wage on cheap beer. Seriously, it must’ve taken about 6 glasses before Kendall could get even slightly buzzed and being 6 months off the powder didn’t exactly help him get as riled up as he hoped. Still, Connor insisted this was the best place to celebrate and he figured he couldn’t say no.
Except Connor was four hours late and his other two siblings were pestering about the karaoke song.
“Hey, c’mon, man! What, you’re telling me you’re not enthusiastic to belt out some fuckin’ Taylor Swift?” Roman’s face was already blushed, his hair mussed up and, although he won’t realize it until he wakes up, he lost a shoe somewhere around the pub. He held on to his older brother for stability, while practically shouting in his ear. “What, you think your overpriced Lavanila wearing ass is too masculine to sing Taylor fucking Swift?”
“Lay off, Rome, let the new Co-Chief of Operating Officer decide what he wants to sing.” Shiv, meanwhile, was the most sober out of the three siblings. “However, if you do decide to sing Taylor Swift, I will take out my phone, record you, and post it everywhere on the internet. Just a quick FYI.”
Kendall tapped the book of songs, looking at one specifically. “Here, how about this one? We’re doing this one.”
Shiv laughed and shook her head left and right. “No, no, Ken, I will not be singing Bohemian Rhapsody.”
“Hey, it’s my night, Shivy. I’ve been an Operating Officer for about…” He looked at his watch, noticing it read 2:04 AM. “10 hours now. I want to celebrate it by showing everyone here how much you suck at singing.”
“Uh huh. Sure, Kendall. By the way, Mom called. She asked me if it’s 39 years too late to get an abortion.”
Roman snickered as he grabbed a glass of beer or whiskey or whatever the fuck was in his glass. He lost focus about 3 drinks ago and he could’ve been drinking milk of magnesia for all he knew. “Yeah, Mom called me as well. She said she doesn’t remember birthing a sad-eyed gerbil 39 years ago. Maybe you’re not really our brother, Co-Cuck of Oper-Whateverthefuck.”
“Believe me, that’ll be the best news I’ve gotten since this morning.” He laughed, accidentally spilling his drink onto his tuxedo. “So we’re fucking doing this or what? Flex the ol’ throat pipes like Roman did in the high school gym lockers or what?”
“Okay, okay, I got it,” Shiv said after pushing her hair back. “This one.” She pressed her finger on the book page once more, looking like she’s condemning Kendall to death and loving every second of it. “Sing this one.”
Kendall looked at the song before rolling his eyes and climbing onto the karaoke stand, just as the guy singing before them was leaving.
The intro music was playing and there were very few people actually clapping. Most people who stayed appeared to be already exhausted and bothered by the Roy sibling’s antics. Ken, whoever, kept his shit-faced smile as the first few lyrics came on.
“I don’t wanna taaaaaalk, about things we’ve gooone throooouuugh.”
Below him, he could hear his siblings chortling.
“Though it’s hurting meeeeee, now it’s historryyyyy. Roman Roy, everyone!”
He lowered the mic to his brother, who was shaking his head while trying to suppress his laughter. “Aw, fuck you, man. Don’t drag me into your shit show that we’ve set you up.”
“Get up on stage, Rome. C’moooon! I played all my caaaards. And that’s what you’ve done toooo.”
Roman yanked the mic from his brother. “This is how you fucking sing. Nothing more to saaay, no more ace to plaaaaaaay. The WINNER TAKES IT ALLLL!”
Suddenly, he chucked the mic towards Shiv, the speakers screeching as she caught it. She whispered “The loser standing smalll,” and began to reject her brother’s pleading to get up on the stage.
“My night, Shiv. The Executive Officer of Waystar orders you to,” laughed Kendall, as he continued to sing without the microphone.
Eventually, all three siblings were on the karaoke stand, singing and pestering the clientele.
I was in your arms, thinking I belonged there. I figured it made sense, building me a fence.
Building me a home, thinking I'd be strong there. But I was a fool, playing by the rules…
Two years later
Kendall opened the door and the first thing he noticed upon entering the bar was the empty space where the karaoke stage used to be. A million thoughts ran through his head, a million memories that just stung him every time they came up. He stayed for a while and he couldn't take his eyes off the empty space. Behind him, he could hear one of the televisions reporting news about Waystar’s new CEO, a name Kendall would very much rather not hear at the moment.
He won’t recall if he ordered something or if the news coverage was his trigger to walk down the docks, but something he’ll definitely never forget is every square inch of that bar’s vacant space.