Whispers of Home (16 page)

Jaron tried not to miss him and get to weird over the brief separation, but the relationship was too new for him to feel completely comfortable. He refused to phone stalk the poor man and so decided to wait until sometime after dinner to call him. It would seem Travis had no such qualms about phone stalking Jaron though.

He let Bobby ride the bus for the very first time that morning. He thought Bobby would throw a tantrum for the morning ride but he just got on, waving goodbye with a smile on his face. It would seem the boy had started to like school and was making friends now. Jaron, for one, was grateful for the connections both of them were making here. He never thought to find even a smidge of acceptance in Pickleville, not to mention making lasting friendships and renewing old friendships like he had. He wasn’t sure if the world changed when he wasn’t looking or if he was the one that changed, but he was finding out that there were people he could rely on, who had his back.

Jaron’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He smiled when he saw Travis’ number. Talk about someone he could rely on. Never in a million years did Jaron think he would be in a loving relationship with Travis Heath and that Travis would be such a devoted boyfriend. “When are you coming home?” He didn’t mean to blurt that out but now that it was put out there he wanted to know the answer.

Travis chuckled. “I miss you too, baby. I’ll be home tomorrow sometime. Not sure when exactly.”

“Okay. How did the negotiations go?”

“It went better than expected. I now have to marry the guy’s daughter but I figure why not? If it gets me the cattle I want, right.”

Jaron could hear the teasing note in Travis’ voice. “That is not funny at all. Don’t even joke about that.”

Travis full out laughed. “It was funny.”

“I’m done talking to you.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll stop teasing you. You are such a jealous little thing.”

“I’m not little.” He wouldn’t argue with the jealous part. Hell yeah, he was jealous. Travis was hotter than hell and everyone who looked at him knew it. He had a confidence about him that drew people to him, even the little slutty whores.

“Yes you are. Little and cute and sexy. I can’t wait to be home.” Jaron could hear a car door close and maybe an engine start. “I can’t wait to be inside you again. To hold you close.”

“Oh God.” Jaron adjusted himself. “I want that too.”

“Where are you right now?”

“Standing at the end of the driveway. Waiting for Bobby’s bus.”

“Are you hard?”

“Yes.”

“Everyone passing by can see it, baby.”

Jaron gasped. Travis had deliberately made him hard just so it was visible to others.

“Call me tonight after Bobby’s sleeping.”

Jaron swallowed. “Okay.”

“Give Bobby a hug for me.”

Jaron was so engrossed in talking to Travis that he didn’t even see the truck that pulled up until a door closed. The alarm in Jaron’s voice as he sucked in a breath upon seeing Brad get out of the truck with a bat, must have alerted Travis. Jaron knew he was getting ready to say goodbye before that. Instead Jaron heard Travis say, “What is it?”

“Brad.” Jaron looked to the house, hoping Beverly was watching from a window or something. “He has a bat, Travis. Oh God, Bobby! Bobby’s bus! Please don’t let him hurt my son.” Jaron watched Brad swing the bat around casually as Brad walked toward him. Jaron backed up the driveway, knowing what was coming and trying to get away from it. He heard Travis talking but couldn’t identify the words. His mind was in a panic.

Jaron saw the swing coming and put his arms up to protect his face. He fell from the momentum, his phone crashing to the ground somewhere on the road. The pain in his arm exploded from the impact. Brad kept coming, kicking out at him, making an impact with his stomach. Jaron covered his head and curled up into the fetal position as best as he could.

There was an explosion that Jaron thought was all in his mind, but the blows stopped after that so Jaron wasn’t sure. The kid from the barn came into view, holding a shot gun in one hand and talking into a cell phone. Greg set something on the ground next to Jaron and Jaron thought it might have been the shot gun. “Where are you hurt?” Greg asked him.

Everywhere was what Jaron wanted to say. “Bobby’s bus.” Jaron knew he was bleeding in at least two different places. He felt the telltale warmth on his elbow from where he fell and made impact with the ground. He thought he probably had a cut or something on his lip because he could taste blood in his mouth. But the blood wasn’t the problem. The pain in his abdomen was almost too much for him. It was even worse than the throbbing pain in his arm.

“An ambulance is coming along with the police.” This came from Beverly. “I don’t know, Travis. Okay.” Jaron saw her hand a phone off to Greg.

Greg put the phone to his ear and listened for a full minute before he answered. “No. Just a couple scrapes. Broke his arm though, no doubt about that. Let me ask.”

“Where do you hurt, Jaron?”

“Stomach. Bobby’s bus,” he said again.

“Don’t worry. We’ll get Bobby off the bus.”

Greg must have put Travis on speaker because his voice rang out in all its angry glory. “Don’t move him. That could make his injuries worse if he has any internal bleeding.”

“Okay, boss.”

“Where did Brad go, Greg?”

“Took off, but I gave the police his license plate number. I shot over his head, just to scare him away boss.”

Jaron heard the breaks of the bus kick in and then the telltale sound of the bus door opening. Greg grabbed onto Brownies collar just as he was taking off toward Bobby.

“Why’s my daddy laying on the ground?” Bobby asked Beverly.

“He had an accident. He has to go to the doctor’s.”

Jaron had a hard time talking around the pain and emotion. It seemed the last few minutes caught up with him. Tears clogged his throat. Jaron tried to be quiet so as not to alarm anyone or make Bobby more upset than he probably already was.

“Daddy Travis will be here? Daddy Travis will make my daddy feel better.”

“I’m on my way.” Travis could be heard over the speaker phone.

Apparently Bobby didn’t know Travis was on the phone and able to hear him because as soon as he heard Travis’ voice Bobby started crying, “I want my Daddy. I want my Daddy Travis.”

Beverly said, “Your daddy’s hurt, Bobby. You have to be careful.”

Bobby came into Jaron’s view then. He patted Jaron on the head. Bobby lay on the ground facing him, petting his head with one hand and sucking the thumb on his other.

“Greg, put Bobby on the phone and take me off speaker.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

Bobby’s hand came away from Jaron’s hair. Jaron didn’t know what Travis said to Bobby, but listening to one side of the conversation was enough to calm Jaron down some. “Hm...I love you, too, Daddy...I will. To the hospital?”

After that the ambulance came and Jaron was in the hospital before he knew it. Luckily Greg and Beverly acted quickly and were able to keep Brad from hurting him too badly. Jaron had a couple broken ribs on his left side and a broken arm. The arm was worse than he had originally thought. It had to be reset, which hurt, but could have been worse if not for the drugs, which were wonderful. Although he didn’t have to stay overnight, Travis was able to drive all the way to the hospital before Jaron was released. When Travis came through the door carrying Bobby on his hip, Bobby’s little arms wrapped around his neck, Jaron started to cry.

“Hey now, don’t cry. Please baby.” Travis laid Bobby next to him on the small gurney, being especially careful of Jaron’s injuries. Not that he could really feel them too much, what with all the pain meds in his system. Bobby scooted in to Jaron’s side little by little, until he was as close as he could get. Jaron put his good arm around Bobby, holding him for the first time since the attack.

Travis ran his thumb through Jaron’s tears, sopping them up. “The cops have Brad in custody. You’re safe now.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt too.” Jaron was afraid Travis would go after Brad and get hurt in the process. He was well aware of Travis’ temper and how fiercely protective he could be. The cops in this town would probably let Travis beat the crap out of Brad and not say a word about it, too. “Don’t leave me.”

“I don’t plan on it.”

Jaron was released an hour later. He thought Travis had more to do with his release from the hospital than he was letting on based on the fierce look on his face as he talked to the nurse. When they got to the house, Jaron’s mom was already there. Travis handed her his keys, showing her which one opened the door. He then rounded the hood to Jaron’s side of the truck and lifted him out and into his arms. Jaron grunted at the twinge of pain the movement caused but otherwise leaned his head against Travis’ chest. It was the warmest, most comforting place he’d been all day. After the trauma he’d experienced he was reluctant to give up this comfort so soon. So when Travis went to lay him on the couch and pull away, Jaron tightened his good arm around Travis’ neck. “No. Just hold me.”

“Hey Jackson, would you go get Bobby out of the truck?” Travis said, sitting down on the couch, holding Jaron to him. Jaron moved around until his ribs were stretched out some, lessening the pain by a small degree.

“Greg already did. They’re going to get Brownie from the main house. They’ll be right back.” Jaron wasn’t sure when Jackson had arrived but he was glad the man was here for Travis’ sake.

After that, Jaron fell asleep in Travis’ arms, but when he woke up he was laying on the couch by himself, his pillow and a blanket tucked around him. He came awake in slow increments. He was facing toward the open room so immediately saw Bobby not two feet away from him, coloring a picture.

He could see Travis leaning up against the kitchen counter, facing him, but looking at Jackson who stood opposite him. Jaron could barely hear what Jackson was saying. “You gonna beat the hell out of everybody?”

“No, just the mother fucker that touched Jaron.”

“Look, you want revenge and I get that. All I’m saying is, you have a boyfriend and kid to take care of now. You can’t go off half-cocked.”

“I love them with everything I have.”

“No one doubts that and no one will doubt that if you let the cops handle Brad. They already have him.”

Travis ran a hand through his hair, worry lining his forehead and eyes. “How did I let this happen?”

“Hey,” Jackson said, taking a step closer to Travis. Jackson reached out a hand as if to sooth Travis with a touch but the hand fell short. “You didn’t let it happen. I mean sure maybe we should have anticipated it, what with the way we all treated Jaron in high school.”

Travis looked up at Jackson sharply. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Come on, you remember.”

“I know I never spoke to him in high school but I never got shitty with him either.”

“Well Brad did. And the rest of us teased him, cornered him in the bathroom a time or three. Thank God the little dude doesn’t hold a grudge.”

“You included?”

Jackson hung his head. “I’m sorry man.”

If Jackson saw the punch coming he never acknowledged it, nor did he return the favor. He just stood there and took it, his body turning about halfway around from the force of the blow.

“Get out,” Travis growled in a low tone that brooked no argument.

Bobby only looked up at the small commotion. He crawled on his knees around the corner of the table so that he could face away from them. He caught Jaron looking at him and said, “Hi Daddy.”

“Hi snuggle bear.” Jaron tried to sit up and winced, giving up quickly under the pain. Jaron lost his breath for a moment. “Go get Travis, Bear,” Jaron wheezed out.

Bobby scrambled up and ran over to Travis. “Daddy needs you.” Bobby’s words made Travis look over in his direction. Upon seeing Jaron awake, a look of concern crossed Travis’ face.

The front door closed softly, indicating Jackson’s departure. Travis knelt on the floor next to Jaron. He slid his fingers through Jaron’s dark curls. “How do you feel, baby? Need another pain pill?”

Jaron shook his head. “Bathroom.”

Travis dragged the blanket off him, then lifted him up with one arm behind his knee and another behind his back. Even though Travis was trying to be as gentle as possible the jostling still made Jaron lose his breath all over again. “Sorry, baby.”

Jaron rested his head on Travis’ shoulder as he walked them to the bathroom. He was a little wobbly when Travis set him on his feet. He leaned against Travis, trying to keep the dizziness at bay. He hated pain meds for this reason alone, they made him sick to his stomach and dizzy as all hell. He could swear he was allergic to them or something.

Travis walked him over to the toilet, keeping one arm wrapped around Jaron’s waist. Travis pulled down his sweats and his underwear just enough to do the job he needed to do. “You need me to stay in here with you?”

“I don’t know,” Jaron said honestly.

“I’m just gonna try and let you go, just to see if you can stand on your own.”

“Stupid pain pills,” Jaron mumbled under his breath. Travis released him and Jaron immediately braced himself with his good hand on the wall. Once he felt a little more stable he looked over at Travis. “Think I’ll be okay. Thanks.”

Travis kissed the top of his head before walking out. Jaron could hear Bobby talk to him as soon as he stepped out of the room. Bobby must have followed them. Jaron let out a big sigh. This whole mess would set his son back some. Bobby’s clinginess to Jaron had gotten so much better and so quickly that Jaron honestly thought Bobby had made progress. After Tracy died Bobby wouldn’t let Jaron out of his sight. At the time, Jaron had been uncertain how Bobby would react to the move to Pickleville. He hadn’t wanted to make Bobby more insecure with the move, but took a chance anyway, thinking the need for home would help them both. He had known, after even just a week moving back home, that he had clearly made the right choice.

But now Jaron wasn’t so sure. His poor boy was clingy again.

Jaron washed his hands and opened the door to the bathroom. Just outside the door Travis held Bobby in his arms. Bobby had his thumb stuck in his mouth and his head lay on Travis’ shoulder. Travis smiled, wrapping an arm around Jaron’s waist. “Think you can make the stairs? I thought we could just watch television up in our bed.”