Omorphi (47 page)

Christy remained.

Roderick came around to stand in front of Christy. “Christy?”

Christy remained.

Michael went to Christy and cupped his face. “Hey, babe, you in there?” Christy abruptly launched into Michael’s arms, smacking the top of his head against Michael’s chin and causing him to bite his tongue and pain to shoot through his sore jaw. Michael stifled a cry and sucked his tongue for a minute. “You back with us?” Christy nodded against Michael’s neck. “Why don’t you try the same thing, but tell him to run to me this time?”

“You may not be there in a time of crisis.”

“Let’s get him to run first.” Michael set Christy on his feet and cupped his face. “This time run to me.” Michael backed up until he stood at the red line fifty feet away.

Roderick placed his hands on Christy’s shoulders with force and shouted again.

This time Christy bolted, running awkwardly and tripping just as he reached Michael. Michael caught him before he fell and lifted him into his arms. “You did it!”

At the end of the hour-long lesson, Christy had no trouble bolting when Roderick surprised him, the last time Christy bolting to the red line rather than to Michael.

“Excellent!” Michael shouted as he jogged to him and held a hand up for a high five. Christy slapped it hard. “Ow, man, you pack a wallop.”

Roderick walked up to Christy and put a hand on his shoulder. Christy flinched but didn’t pull away. “You did great, Christy. Wear gym clothes tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Roderick.” Michael extended his hand.

Roderick shook it. “Thank you, Michael.”

“W
OO
-
HOO
!
You did it!” Michael hollered as he drove. Christy blushed so fiercely it looked sort of neon purple in the twilight and the dim light of the guidance system. Michael only laughed. “Are you proud of yourself? Tell me that you’re proud of yourself.”

Christy wriggled his shoulders in a half shrug and nodded.

“All right! Let’s call Jake and tell him!” When Michael reached a stoplight, he dialed Jake and, having forgotten about the guidance system, nearly shot from his seat when the ring came through the car’s sound system.

Christy stared at him with wide eyes.

“Yo, bro. How’d self-defense training go?” Jake answered.

“Christy did fantastic!”

Jake chuckled. “That’s great, Christy. Did you like it?”

“Christy’s nodding.”

“You’ll have to tell me all about it when I see you.”

“Jake, you’re breaking up.”

“Do you have another call coming in? The guidance system gets a little freaky when another call comes in.”

“Hang on.” Michael stopped for another light and looked at the phone. “Yeah, it’s Stephen. Wait, it stopped. I’ll call him back. You still there?”

“Now Stephen’s calling me. I guess he’s really happy about his hookup. Let me call you guys back. Congratulations, Christy!”

Michael turned to Christy. “I’m sooooo proud of you. Send Rob a text message.”

Christy shook his head with a shy smile.

“C’mon. Send him a message saying ‘Michael says I did great!’”

Christy shook his head, bashful again.

“Okay, I’ll text him.”

The guidance system in the car rang and nearly sent Michael off the road. “I’m not sure I like this. Touch the green phone icon.”

Christy set his fingertip to the screen, and Jake sounded over the speakers.

“Michael.” Jake was serious.

“What?”

“I’m getting in my car. Meet me at Sage Willow Trailer Park. That bastard Duncan beat the crap out of Jerry. Stephen’s there and can’t deal with the police.”

Michael glanced at Christy, who looked utterly crushed by the news. “Is Jerry okay?”

“I don’t know. Stephen’s freaking.”

“I don’t know where the trailer park is.”

“Pull over. You can’t set a destination in the guidance system when you’re moving. Hit Destination, then Destination Name, and type in Sage Willow Trailer Park. When it comes up, hit Enter. It’ll map it.”

“You don’t know where it is?”

“No more than you do. Be calm. Pull over. I’ll be on cell.”

Michael swore as he pulled over and put the car in park. Christy was already typing into the system. In seconds, Christy had the destination entered. It was a little over a mile away. Michael found it interesting that, in a time of crisis that wasn’t his own, Christy was entirely in control. Michael studied the map and pulled into traffic again. He knew exactly where the trailer park was between the ravine and the railroad tracks.

Christy patted his arm. “Where is it?”

At the next light, Michael hit the overview icon on the screen and drew with a fingertip. “A little over a mile away. This little red triangle is us. You see it points this way? If we follow this road, make a left here and a right here, we’ll be there. Follow the little red triangle on the map as I drive.”

The light changed, and Michael moved on. “Remind me tomorrow to work with you on reading maps. It’s useless to learn how to drive if you can’t read a map.”

“Drive?” Christy croaked.

“Yeah, drive. I’m going to teach you how to drive.”

Christy looked panic-stricken.

Michael reached for his hand. “When you’re ready, babe. Not before.” Michael turned a corner single-handedly and cursed himself for not having both hands on the wheel. “Do they drive on the right or left in Greece?”

Christy raised his right hand.

“That’s good. I don’t think I could teach you to drive on the left. Okay, when we get there, I want you to stay in the car until I know what’s going on.”

Christy nodded.

Michael pulled into the trailer park and parked behind Jake’s SUV. Twirling blue and red lights danced a macabre tempo on the air, and a small crowd of seedily dressed onlookers had gathered behind the police car to gawk at the scene. “Stay here. Lock the doors when I get out, and don’t open them for anyone but Jake or me. The car is bullet resistant, so not even if someone points a gun at you. Don’t unlock the doors no matter what. Got it?”

“Okay,” Christy whispered softly.

One of the security SUVs filled the rearview mirror. “Look.” Michael pointed behind them. “Security is right behind us. I’ll be back as soon as I figure out what’s going on.”

M
ICHAEL
pulled Jake away from the crowd that ogled the cops as they tried to calm Jerry’s shouting parents. “What’d you find out?”

“Only that Stephen’s in the ambulance with Jerry.”

“Come on.” Michael led Jake to the ambulance and peered inside. Jerry’s head was wrapped in bloodied gauze, and Stephen sat beside him. “Stephen?”

“I’ll be right back, Jerry,” Stephen assured with a squeeze to his hand.

Stephen jumped down from the back of the ambulance and guided Michael and Jake off to the side near a stand of scrawny trees. “Thanks for coming.”

“What happened?” Jake asked.

“Duncan pulled him off the swing on his front porch and hit him with a baseball bat. He has a broken arm and probably a concussion.”

“Why isn’t the ambulance on the way to the hospital?” Michael asked.

“His parents believe in faith healing. They view modern medicine as rejecting God. Unless his parents consent, the EMTs can’t even start an IV.”

Michael’s jaw dropped. “Is that true, Jake?”

“That’s a question for my dad. I’m not a lawyer yet.”

Michael dialed his dad and put the phone to his ear. “Hi, Dad. Listen, we’re over at Sage Willow Trailer Park. A friend was beat up pretty bad. For religious reasons, the parents won’t let the ambulance take the guy to a hospital. Can they do that…? Even if the kid was hit with a baseball bat and has a broken arm and a concussion…? Oh. He can do that…? Okay. Thanks, Dad.” Michael hung up and turned to Stephen. “Is Jerry conscious?”

“Yeah.”

“How old is he?”

“He’ll be eighteen in a couple of days.”

“Okay, come on.” Michael walked back to the ambulance and tapped an EMT on the shoulder. “Hi. Is Jerry’s head injury life-threatening?”

“Who are you?”

“Michael Sattler. I’m a friend. Is it?”

“Why do you ask?”

“If it’s life threatening, you have to transport him to the hospital, and Jerry’s almost eighteen and conscious so he can consent to his own medical treatment.”

“You wouldn’t by chance be MacArthur Sattler’s son, would you?”

“Yeah, I am. Is it?”

“I can’t say either way.”

“But you can call the hospital and speak with the ER physician on duty, and he can decide, right?”

The EMT gave Michael a disparaging look.

“How bad would you feel if Jerry went to sleep tonight and didn’t wake up? Not to mention, he has a broken arm that needs to be set. Please call.”

The EMT gave Michael another irritated look before climbing into the ambulance and asking Jerry a few questions. The second EMT came trotting back and climbed into the ambulance. “Sam, we gotta—”

“He’s calling the ER. Jerry wants medical treatment,” Michael interrupted.

“Who are you?”

“A friend.”

“Well, the parents won’t consent.”

“Doesn’t matter. If Jerry’s injuries are life threatening, you have to transport him to the hospital.”

Sam elbowed the second EMT and nodded before speaking into his radio. “ETA fifteen minutes.” He clicked off. “Let’s go, Jim.”

“Sam, are you sure we can do this?”

“I’m sure. Let’s go.”

Stephen stepped up. “Can I go with him?”

Sam motioned him in. “No, but come on.”

Stephen hopped in. “Thanks, Michael, Jake.”

“Later.” Michael turned to Jake and high-fived him as the ambulance sped away.

“Hey! Where the hell’s he going?” a police officer shouted.

“To the hospital!” Michael shouted back as he and Jake headed back to their cars.

“You know, bro, I think you’re going to pay for this one.”

“You think God will strike me down?”

“I think Jerry’s parents are going to be furious with the gay boy.”

“Which one?”

Jake laughed. “Touché.”

Michael pressed the key fob and opened Christy’s door. “You okay?”

Christy nodded. “Jerry?”

“He has a broken arm and maybe a concussion. Duncan hit him with a baseball bat.”

Horror filled Christy’s eyes.

“He’ll be okay,” Jake assured.

“Duncan?”

Jake kicked the barren dirt beneath his foot. “Last I saw, the police had him and his pussies in cuffs. I don’t know whether they hauled them off or not. We’ll find out tomorrow.”

“You know, Jake, Lisa asked Detective Davis to ask patrol to watch the trailer park. This never should have happened.”

Jake’s brow creased. “She guessed this would happen?”

“She said Duncan would try to finish what he started at school today.”

“I guess patrol wasn’t here at the right time.”

“Guess not. Okay. See you at home.”

“Home?” Christy whispered.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. My parents decided we should stay at Jake’s house.”

Christy mouthed an, “Okay,” turned forward in his seat, put his seatbelt on, and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Ah, okay. You’re ready to go?”

Christy nodded as he looked out the windshield, the intermittent red and blue lights casting morbid shadows across his face.

“See you at home, Jake.”

“Later, man. Bye, Christy.”

“W
HY
are you upset?” Michael asked as he climbed in and started the car.

Christy shook his head, his silent “nothing.”

Michael lifted Christy’s hand to his lips and kissed his palm. “Try again.”

Christy pulled his hand away. Michael put the car in gear and backed out, careful of the lingering gawkers and barefoot children chasing each other over the barren dirt.

“Are you upset because I’m staying with Jake?”

Christy folded his arms over his chest again and looked out the window, silent, brooding.

“You have no reason to be jealous of Jake.”

“I am not jealous of Jacob.”

“Okay, then tell me what’s wrong.”

“Take me home.” Christy’s voice cracked on the last word.

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

“You didn’t tell me you were staying with Jake.”

“We only decided late last night.”

“You should have told me today.”

“You’re right, I should have. I forgot.”

“You chose not to tell me.”

“I didn’t choose not to tell you. You know I have an awareness problem.”

“You should tell me something as important as this! It should be a priority!” Christy’s accent had thickened, and his raised voice was hoarse and weak.

Surprised by Christy’s angry outburst, Michael quickly admitted his error. “I blew it. I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to keep you posted on my residential status.”

“Do not make this a small thing, Michael! If I didn’t find you or your family at your home, I would not have known where to look for you! I would have been left to wonder if Jason did something to you!”

Christy’s words made Michael’s heart twist with guilt. “You’re right. I screwed up.”

“It isn’t fair that I not know where you are at all times as you do me!”

“You’re right. You’re 100 percent correct. I won’t forget again.”

Christy released a string of Greek words that didn’t sound kind and kicked the dashboard.

Wow
. He’d never seen Christy strike out at anything. “Can I ask what you just said?”

“I can’t believe the man of my dreams is so… so…. What is the word you use? Unaware!”

“I’m sorry.” Michael reached for his hand.

A long moment passed.

“You don’t understand, Michael. You are all that I… all that I have.”

Christy’s words rent Michael’s heart in two. “I understand. You need to remember that sometimes I miss things. I told you that.”

“You did,” Christy admitted. “I wish you were with me last night.”

“I wish I was too, but my mom isn’t doing well. She won’t do well until the police catch Jason. I think it’s good for her to be around all of us.”