I hurt myself thinking about the damage Morgan leaving, and their parents’ response would have done to Chad, especially if he’s actually reasonably younger than Morgan. I’m thinking a 9 year old Chad asking where Morgan’s gone.
“Mom, where’s Morgan? Shouldn’t they be back by now? Should we go find them?”
“Never mind that sweetie. Morgan’s just acting out. Your sidekick will come home when they get hungry, I’m sure.”
Follow that with not seeing Morgan for months. When a teacher at his school asks Chad what’s wrong he tells them, “My big sibling can go 78 days without food. Mom says they’ll come home when they get hungry, but at this rate I don’t know how long that’ll be.”
When he finally does see Morgan again, they’re in juvie. Morgan doesn’t respond when Chad calls at first, and thus starts
“Morgan! It’s me! Your brother, Chad?”
Morgan’s had a rough time of it and isn’t exactly thrilled to see their parents’ golden child witnessing them in jail, so more or less tells him to get lost.
Years later I would love for Chad to cry at Morgan, “You were my hero! Growing up, you were the person I looked up to the most, and then you left!”
