A Portrait of Emily (26 page)

“Bang on the head?” Jeff laughed wryly. “That’s a masterful piece of understatement if ever I heard one.”

“Well, you know what I mean.”

They both groaned simultaneously as they saw flashing police lights on the road ahead of them.

“Must be an accident.” Jeff sighed. “Damn, this will slow us down.”

“Can we go around?”

“No, look at the tail back. Everyone’s rubber necking trying to see what’s up.”

They slowed to a crawl and Peter’s impatience mounted as they seemed to be making no headway. The feeling of dread was now so overpowering he wanted to crawl out of his skin. He fell back in his seat, nauseated. Jeff glanced at him anxiously.

“Are you okay, Peter?”

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry. Why don’t we call Gloria? Maybe she can have Johnny get over to the house ahead of us. I think Emily and Jerry are there too.”

“Good idea,” Jeff said, handing Peter his cell phone. Unfortunately, no one was at home at the Pedersen residence. Peter listened to Gloria’s chirpy message on their answering machine. He left a message and his cell number just in case someone came home.

“Maybe Justin will get there ahead of us,” he said, closing Jeff’s cell. “God, can you imagine if nothing’s really wrong and we all show up pounding on the door. Anthony will think we’re all crazy.”

“Well, at worst, we’ll just look like nervous nellies. But from the looks of you, I don’t think it’s going to be a false alarm.”

The traffic ahead finally cleared and they picked up speed again, arriving at Anthony’s house about a half hour later that they had intended. There were no cars in the driveway as they pulled up outside the front door.

Anthony squirmed as Bob’s wet lips trailed down his torso and rested on his limp penis. Bob began to suck like a hungry child then grunted in disgust as Anthony failed to respond.

“Can’t get it up for me, eh? Well, let’s see how you like this.” He reached over and retrieved a tube of lubricant he had placed on the nightstand. He began to smear it on his cock and poked his lubed finger into Anthony’s anus.

“I’m going to fuck you like you’ve never been fucked.” He leered down at Anthony who gritted his teeth and glared at his assailant.

“At least use a condom for God’s sake.”

“Not on your life. I hate those things. Now, as they say, your ass is mine. I’m going to untie your legs so I can get to it. No funny stuff or you will definitely be the worse for it.”

Placing the knife on the nightstand, he leaned back and untied Anthony’s right ankle, then his left. He hoisted Anthony’s legs over his shoulders and with his hand on his rigid cock, he began to guide it between Anthony’s legs. He froze, as the sound of the door bell ringing echoed through the house.

“Help!” Anthony yelled. “Somebody help me!”

“Shut up, you little bastard,” Bob fumed, clamping a hand over Anthony’s mouth. But Anthony, taking advantage of the position he was in, tightened his legs around Bob’s neck and held him in a paralyzing head-lock. Bob grunted, pulling at Anthony’s legs while he tried to reach for the knife.

Anthony, using the cords that still bound his wrists as leverage, squeezed harder, and heard with satisfaction Bob’s breathe becoming labored. Then with all his strength he flung Bob sideways off the bed. The man crashed to the floor, dazed and momentarily unable to get up.

“Help!” Anthony yelled again. “Help me!”

Jeff and Peter stood outside the house looking around as they waited for an answer to their constant door bell ringing.

“Did you hear something?” Peter asked.

“Yeah, something. Did you?”

“Sounded like a shout, I think.” He walked around to the side of the house. “Look here, Jeff. There’s a broken window pane.”

“Shit. I knew that kid was in trouble.”

He pushed the window open. As they scrambled through, they heard a car turn into the driveway behind them.

“Anthony!” Jeff shouted, striding through the living room. “Are you here?”

From upstairs they could now both plainly hear the call for help. There was a pounding on the front door and Peter rushed to open it as Jeff sprinted up the staircase. Peter flung the door open and he and Justin stared at each other for a moment.

“You must be Justin.” Peter grabbed him by the arm and pulled him inside. “Jeff went upstairs to—” He stopped talking as Justin pushed past him and rushed upstairs “Okay…” Peter followed in Justin’s wake.

“The damned door is locked,” Jeff announced as they reached him.

“Let’s knock the damn thing down then,” Justin yelled. “Anthony, are you all right?”

“Justin?” They heard Anthony’s voice from inside the room. “Thank God. But no, I’m not all right. He’s got me tied to the bed. I’ve knocked him out I think. Oh—son of a bitch, he’s coming to.”

Justin slammed his shoulder against the door, but it budged not an inch. “Ouch!” He rubbed his shoulder ruefully. “That door is solid.”

“Wait,” Jeff said, “we need backup.” He pulled out his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1.

“Let’s try again.” Justin grabbed Peter by the arm while Jeff waited for an operator to answer. Together they put their full weight against the door, but again it refused to give.

“Hurry!” Anthony now yelled. “The bastard’s getting up. Hurry!”

Bob was on his feet and, snarling with rage, he advanced on Anthony, hands outstretched to grip his throat. Anthony kicked out with both his feet aimed straight at his assailant’s chest, and caught him a punishing blow on the sternum. Bob staggered backward then, arms flailing, he crashed to the floor again. Screaming with impotent rage, Bob jumped to his feet, his hands clutching his chest.

Outside, Justin was pale with frustration as he listened to the chaos within. “We’ve
got
to get in there.”

“I know—everyone calm down,” Jeff said. “Okay, we need a concerted effort. All three of us at the same time. That should do it. On my count: one, two,
three
!”

This time the door cracked under the weight of all three bodies and burst free from its hinges. Peter found himself sprawled on the bedroom floor, looking up at the naked hairy body of Bob Thomson, and just managed to dodge a kick to the head. Justin careened into Thomson and the two of them hit the floor, Thomson on top. Jeff grabbed him by the shoulders, yanked him to his feet, and delivered a punch to his jaw that sent him down again. This time he did not get up.

Justin sprang to his feet and rushed over to where Anthony lay, still tied to the bed. He loosened the cords then pulled Anthony into his arms and gave him a long and meaningful kiss.

“I’m naked, you know,” Anthony whispered. “And the effects of that kiss are definitely showing.” Justin smiled at him and covered him with the edge of the comforter to hide his arousal.

Peter and Jeff looked at each other and grinned. All was going to be well there.

Jeff hauled Thomson to his feet again. “Get your clothes on Bob, before the cops get here.”

Sullenly, Thomson began pulling on his pants. “How did you know to come here?”

“I just had a feeling you’d try something like this,” Jeff told him.

“Wait a minute,” Peter huffed. “I’m the one who had the premonition of trouble.”

“Well…” Anthony said from the shelter of Justin’s arms. “…Jeff did try to warn me earlier, but I wouldn’t listen.”

“We owe
both
of you our thanks,” Justin said diplomatically. “I can’t imagine what that bastard would have done if it hadn’t been for you two.”

“Well, I can,” Anthony said grimly. “And it wouldn’t have been pretty.”

Jeff pushed Bob toward the door as he heard the sirens followed by police cars pulling up outside. “Okay, Mr. Thomson. Time to face the music.”

Peter chuckled. “That’s a bit corny, isn’t it?”

§ § § §

“So, the man who killed my father did it out of revenge for what happened to his daughter?” Anthony said after listening to Jeff’s recounting of what McKenna had told him earlier.

Jeff nodded. “I don’t think he went there deliberately to kill your father. From what he said, it looks like he wanted to scare him—threaten to expose him I guess, but they got into a fight.”

The four men were sitting in the living room of Anthony’s home, drinking coffee and trying to wind down after the excitement of the previous hours. The police had hauled Thomson away and Jeff had called Joe French to let him know.

“And this doctor my father took the kid to…do they know who he is?” Anthony asked.

“Not so far,” Jeff replied. “The girl was a bit hazy on that part. I expect she was pretty scared and in quite a bit of pain. But I’m guessing whoever it was had to be an associate of your father’s.”

For a moment a hint of recognition glinted in Anthony’s eyes then he said, “God...My
father
. Even I couldn’t imagine he’d sink this low.”

Justin took his hand and squeezed it gently to comfort him. An awkward silence fell on the room as no one could think of anything to say for the moment.

Peter cleared his throat. “Well, at least it’s all over and you can get on with your lives.”

Anthony’s voice quivered slightly as he asked Justin, “How do you feel about being around the son of a monster?”

Justin squeezed Anthony’s hand. “You don’t have to worry about that. We might have just met a few days ago and there’s a whole lot I don’t know about you, that’s for sure—but one thing I’m pretty certain of—you’re not like your father.”

Peter looked at Jeff and signaled with his eyes that it was time to go.

“Okay…” Jeff stood up on cue. “We have to be on our way. You guys have a lot to talk about and you should call your mother to give her the news about Feldman.”

“Will do.” Anthony smiled at them. “And, again, thanks for everything. I owe you so much…including my life.”

“I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of each other,” Justin said, shaking hands with Jeff and Peter. “And let me add my thanks for saving Anthony from….”

“From a fate worse than death.” Anthony chuckled. “I definitely know what that means now.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Emily and Jerry stood on the steps of the registrar’s office and smiled happily for the photographer. Emily was wearing a white silk jacket and long skirt and, Jerry thought, as he gazed at her, had never looked lovelier. Their friends and families looked on as the happy couple kissed and Emily tossed her small bouquet into the crowd. Everyone laughed as a blushing Anthony caught it by accident.

“Oh, my God,” he yelped. “What do I do with this?”

Emily kissed his cheek. “Keep it, silly,” she whispered, “and you’ll get married next.”

“You just might be right, Sis,” he whispered back. They hugged each other tightly then he released her and held out his hand to Jerry. “I’m so happy for you both.”

Jerry ignored the intended handshake and instead put his arms around his new brother-in-law. “Thank you. At least
you
are here today,” he said, alluding to the fact that neither Emily’s mother nor sister had attended the wedding. Paula had sent congratulations but was just ‘too busy’ to come to her younger sister’s wedding and Patricia was still ‘in mourning.’

Anthony had soon found out that there were still some obstacles to be overcome before he and Justin could be happy together. His reunion with his mother had been less than joyful, particularly when he’d introduced Justin as his boyfriend. Patricia had simply ignored Justin’s presence and walked out of the room. Later, she and Anthony had a bitter confrontation. His mother had glared at him as he told her of his relationship with Justin.

“You are not the son I thought you were. I can never accept that kind of behavior. All my children are now the most profound disappointment to me.”

Anthony had attempted reasoning with her, but she would not be moved.

Justin had tried to console him by telling him his mother would eventually come around and accept her son’s sexual identity, but much as he would have believed that, Anthony knew his mother better. Any woman who could for years deny her husband was molesting her two daughters would now be able to deny her son’s very existence if it suited her to do so.

The day before Emily’s wedding he tried again to persuade her to change her mind about not attending.

She regarded him coldly and said, “There is no way I would ever go to that slut’s wedding.”

Anthony could not mask his shock. “Mom, you can’t mean that.”

“Oh, I mean it all right—and as for you Anthony, if you wish to continue seeing
Justin
you had better look for somewhere else to live. I certainly don’t want to see him here in
my
home again.”

Anthony tried to find a trace of the mother he loved and whom he thought would never turn her back on him, but what he saw now was a bitter faced shrew seemingly devoid of all maternal instincts.

“So, your love for me was as shallow as that?”

Patricia avoided her son’s glistening eyes. “My love was for the son I thought I knew. What you’re doing now confounds all reason. I don’t know who you are anymore.”

“Mom, I haven’t changed. I have been gay all my life. All the years you loved me, I was gay—don’t you understand that?”

“No, I don’t understand that, nor do I wish to discuss this any further. This whole
homosexual
thing is abhorrent to me.”

“So now, along with your daughters, you’re throwing me aside. It’s like my father’s reaching out from the grave and still manipulating you, just like he did when he was alive. If you’re content to let that happen, then God help you. You’re going to be a very lonely old lady.”

He’d turned away from her, strangely unmoved. He now knew where his destiny lay and he could not wait to embrace it.

As Jerry held him, Anthony shook his mind clear of those bitter memories and hugged him back.

“Thanks again for being here,” Jerry repeated. “It means the world to Emily, and to me.”

“Wild horses wouldn’t have kept me away.”

Justin walked over and put his arm round Anthony’s shoulders. “Has he told you he’s moving in with me?”

“That’s wonderful news.” Emily winked at her brother. “See? I meant for you to catch the bouquet.”