Boy in the Rain
Chapter 5
Hey guys! Wow, I got a great response to the last chapter. I want to apologize for the rant, but I think that it really did need to be said.
I also want to thank you guys for all the emails that you sent me. Please keep it up because it really inspires me to write more.
The possessed cat is, surprisingly, actually starting to like you guys. This poses a big problem for me now as he refuses to pee on your pillows anymore. I decided to have him retire, and got a possessed sausage dog instead. Believe me guys, he is a mean fucker. He will tear your slippers to shreds if you don't comment. So do!
Woof! (That was the dog. I call him Mephistopheles.)
Fearfully, Jesse stared at the two men at his bedroom door. His hands started to shake and his bottom lip started to twitch. Their was a deathly silence in the room for what felt like several minutes, but was in reality only a couple of seconds.
`Jesse, were you going somewhere?' Dave quietly said, finally breaking the silence.
`D-Dave, I'm...' Jesse had wanted to say that he was sorry. Sorry for all the trouble that he has caused. Sorry for not being a good nephew. Sorry for being a flaming fag. But he stopped talking mid-sentence as Dave crossed the room in three steps and grabbed him into a tight hug. Immediately Jesse's whole body started to convulse. Dry sobs forced their way out of his mouth and his whole face felt like it was burning up; burning up with shame, but also burning up with relief, gratitude and even a hint of shock.
`Shhh, don't worry.' Dave cooed. `It's okay. Shhh. It's going to be alright.' He went on like this for quite a while before Jesse completely stopped shaking. Dave led him to his bed where they sat down. Dave then patted the empty space next to him, indicating that Darren should also sit there. Darren gave Dave a quizzical look but crossed the room anyway and sat down next to them.
Jesse had observed this exchange with interest and understanding was slowly starting to dawn upon him. He now understood why Dave hadn't had a problem with him being gay. He also suddenly understood why Darren had been spending so much time at his uncle's. Dave saw the look Jesse directed at him, and a small smile formed on his face.
`So you've guessed?' he said.
`Er...' Was all Jesse could utter. He was still trying to process everything.
`So obviously we don't have a problem with your sexuality,' Darren piped up. `Unless you have a problem with ours, that is.' He said, grinning. Jesse also broke into a grin. A wave of relief came crushing over him, and he suddenly had the incredible urge to start giggling.
That is, until Darren asked, `So where is Toby?' Jesse hadn't seen Toby at all that morning. Thinking of it, he realised that the boy should have still been in the very bed that they had been sitting on. Without a word he got up and walked out of the room. Darren and Dave quickly followed.
***
Darren could smell vomit as he entered the living room behind Jesse and Dave. They were both standing still as statues just inside the threshold, blocking his entire view of the room.
`Dave, babe, what's wrong?' Darren asked. Darren heard a retching noise coming from the general direction of the three-seater and then chaos erupted.
`Jesse, phone an ambulance NOW!' Dave shouted. Jesse just stood there, suddenly unable to move. `Jesse! Jesse, now!' Jesse shook his head as if waking up from a dream and quickly ran to the telephone. For the first time Darren could see what was going on. Toby was lying on his side on the long couch, vomiting a bluish fluid with what looked like half-dissolved capsules floating in it. His skin was a pasty colour and his black hair was plastered to his wet forehead. Darren immediately knew that this was a suicide attempt.
`Jesse! No time! Get your car! Run!' Darren yelled. He then scooped the boy up into his arms and hastened out of the door right behind Jesse.
***
The next couple of hours went by in a haze for Jesse. It felt like an eternity, but at the same time like just a couple of minutes. It was one of the strangest feelings he had ever had. When they arrived at the hospital Jesse insisted that he carry Toby into the emergency room. Darren protested at first, but Jesse didn't give him much choice in the matter. He just grabbed Toby and ran into the sliding doors.
After Toby was admitted, all Dave, Darren and Jesse sat in
the waiting room for what felt like an eternity. Only around four o'clock that
afternoon did a doctor approach them. At least he didn't look worried, Jesse
thought.
`Are either of you Mr. Summers?' The question was directed to Darren and Dave. Darren gave Dave a brief smile before getting to his feet. He stuck his hand out.
`Good afternoon doctor...'
`Roberts. Doctor James Roberts. I presume you are Mr. Summers?' Darren's face darkened slightly.
`No. My name is Darren Jordan and I'm with CPS.' He flashed the doctor his ID. `I am removing Toby Summers from his parents' care with absolute immediate effect and as of now he is a charge of the state. I will take full responsibility for him.' The doctor furrowed his brow and gave Darren a quizzical look.
`Aren't you the fella' who was involved with the Martins-Eksteen bust last year?' Darren immediately blushed.
Smiling, he said, `Yeah. `Fraid so. But how did you know?' The doctor's expression became grim.
`I was one of the post-mortem officials.' A look of understanding passed between the two men. Jesse had no idea what it was about, and he didn't care in the least. His irritation was growing by the second.
`I'm sorry for intruding on your conversation, but is there any chance that you can tell me how the hell my TOBY is doing?' He almost shouted the last couple of words. The three other men looked positively startled.
`Er...' Dave started, but the Doctor Roberts interrupted him.
`I'm so sorry. We had to pump out Toby's stomach and put him on an antibiotic drip for preventative measures, but otherwise he is awake and in a stable condition.' Jesse beamed.
`In what room is he?' he asked.
`Room number 667 in the E-Block, but...' The doctor didn't get to finish. Jesse was up in a flash and hurtling across the room to the stairs. Within seconds he had all but disappeared.
***
Jesse stood outside room number 667, suddenly dreading going inside. He didn't think that he would be able to stand seeing Toby being hooked up to wires and tubes and what-not, but when he finally opened the door he was pleasantly surprised.
Toby was lying in a white hospital bed with his head propped up against a thick, white pillow. The horrible image of Toby connected to all sorts of machines vanished when Jesse saw that he only had one IV line running into his right hand. The room itself was beautiful. Late afternoon sunlight streamed in through humongous windows, and together with the lush green pot plants in the room it definitely set the atmosphere for a speedy recovery.
As Jesse entered the room, Toby looked up at him and then immediately averted his eyes. His face turned red, then white, then red again. Within two steps Jesse was at his bedside and had the trembling boy in his arms.
`Shhh... It's alright. It's okay.' He softly said. All of a sudden he was faced with the question of why Toby had tried to commit suicide. Even though he was almost dying inside to find out what upset this boy as much he knew that it wasn't a good time. Hell, probably never would be a good time.
The two boys sat there for quite a while. The sun wasn't streaming in through the windows as much as it had when Jesse arrived. He knew that he had things to sort through. It was a day straight from hell for everybody and he felt a sudden exhaustion that wasn't there only a couple of minutes before. Toby had also quietened and Jesse realised that the boy had fallen asleep in his arms. Smiling slightly, he kicked off his shoes and got into the cramped bed next to the boy.
Nothing needed to be said now, he thought. Tomorrow is another day, and maybe it will bring with it some answers for him. He relaxed back against the plush pillow, and felt grogginess overtake him. His last conscious thought was to wonder exactly what the Martins-Eksteen bust was, and how Darren came to be involved with it.
Then, darkness and blissful dreams about the boy who lay in Jesse's arms, and for whom he very much, and very unexpectedly, came to care very deeply.
K, so are you guys less angry at me for the previous chapter's cliffhanger now? Pop me a mail!
Woo-woo-woooo-wooooof!!! (Meph again. Oh well, what can you do.)