Chapter
31
“Twenty-four hours, my kid is damn super star!
A celebrity! He could have been kidnapped!” Bob was yelling at the airport
security who had informed him that if he called the police any search for his
missing 12 year-old would begin after 24 hours. “What is wrong with you
people?!” He suddenly looked thoughtful, “Alright, how about if I pay
you. Yes, I’ll give you...”
“Sir, my advice to you is to let us do
our jobs. We will search the airport and find out if anyone has seen your boy.
You call your wife and let her know where you are. Maybe your son has
contacted her...”
“Of course!” Bob’s eyes were wild,
“He’s called Jane. She’s probably had someone sneak over here and
take him! She wants me to worry, she likes it when I’m upset!” By then the
airport personnel were looking at him strangely, “Um, sir? Do you still...”
“No, I have a pretty good idea of
where my son may be,” Bob’s eyes had narrowed, “Thank you for your help.”
He walked away from the puzzled personnel. He pulled out his cell
phone and rapidly punched in Jane’s cell phone number.
“Pick up woman, I know you’re there..
Laughing at me...”
“Hello?”
“Where’s Aaron?” Bob demanded into the
phone, “Who did you have come get him?”
“Aaron...? Bob? What are you talking
about? What the hell do you mean where’s Aaron? You lost him?! You stupid
moron how do you lose a 12 year old?!!” Jane’s voice vibrated through the
phone.
“Oh no, you’re not about to play this
game with me Jane. Where is he going?” Bob demanded into the phone. He
ignored the looks he was getting from people around him.
“I don’t know Bob, you had him this
week... He was your responsibility! Just wait till I get you back to
court, you’ll never be able to spend time with my kids again! How can you
lose...?”
“You really don’t know where he is do
you?” Bob was finally calming down, and his previous feelings of panic were
returning, “Damn.. You don’t think he was really kidnapped?”
“Damn it Bob, knowing Aaron he
probably just took off. You should have been watching him! But then paying
attention to your kids is exactly what you don’t do best!” Jane was yelling.
“Oh like you did any better Jane!
Nick spent more time with you than anyone,” Bob muttered angrily, then
sobered quickly, “Did you see him?”
There was silence on the other end as
Jane seethed over his words, then she replied, “Yeah, yeah I saw him. He
looked bad Bob, and you know what... He hates me... He hates me, but he hates
you more, I know it!”
“Jane must you be so childish! Ok, now
where would Aaron have...” he paused as he thought deeply about what he was
going to ask himself, “Jane, where is Nick?”
“I’m not telling you that,” Jane
snapped.
“Jane, wherever Nick is, is where
Aaron is going! Now where is Nick?” Bob demanded.
“I don’t have to tell you a thing, and
if Aaron went where Nick is then I’ll deal with him,” with that she ended
the conversation leaving a stuttering Bob disconnected in the airport.
“Damn that women. Fine if she wants to
play hardball, then I’ll just have to let her know just who and what she is up
against,” Bob narrowed his eyes as he muttered to himself. He gathered
his baggage and his rental car key, once he got to his hotel he had some very
important phone calls to make.
“The guys are going to kill me,” AJ
uttered cutting the engine, “Aaron wake up, get your bags.”
Aaron was wide awake sprawled out in
the backseat. He sat up in an instant and grabbed his two bags, “Will Nick be
asleep?”
AJ winced, “He may be...” I hope he
is, who knows how he’ll react to this one...
AJ approached the door slowly with
Aaron walking closely behind him. Slowly he put his key in the door and
turned the lock... Please don’t let them kill me.
“AJ, you’re back. Where’s my...
AARON!!” Howie’s eyes were practically bulging out of his head and his mouth
was scraping the carpet, “What... How... When?” He looked to AJ wildly for an
explanation, a good one.
“He came into town with Bob.
Bob’s looking for Nick, and Aaron wanted to get here and warn us before
he came.”
“Great, that asshole in town is all we
need. Bad enough Jane’s been here. I don’t wanna see how Nicky’ll
react to Bob,” Howie grumbled running his hands through his curls, “Aaron you
hungry? You need something to drink?”
Aaron shook his head, “I just wanna
see my sister and brother. Can I?”
“I.. I don’t think that’d be a very
good idea...”
“Howie bring up some more trash bags,
the kid’s pukin’ again,” Kevin announced jogging down the stairs. He
dashed past Aaron straight into his laundry room, never noticing him. He
emerged with fresh sheets and... and, “What the hell? Aaron?” his gaze turned
to AJ, “Alexander?”
“He begged,” AJ said lamely, “Here,
I’ll get the trashbags.” AJ ran into the kitchen, excusing himself from the
troubling scene.
“A... Oh forget it. This just keeps
getting better and better. Aaron, you want a drink, food?”
Aaron shook his head, and then looked
towards the stairs, “Are Nick and BJ up there?”
Kevin looked uncomfortable, “Yes, they
are. But Nicky’s sick right now, and it may not be a good idea for you to...”
“I came all the way here just to see
him! I don’t care what’s wrong with him, I just need to see him,” Aaron folded
his arms.
“Aaron, we understand, it’s just
that... that Nicky may not be ready to see you,” Howie said softly, “He’s in
bad shape Aaron, really bad shape.”
Aaron felt the tears building in his
eyes, “Then I’ll make him be ready.. Please... I have to see him.”
“Aaron..” before Kevin or Howie could
grab him, Aaron was dashing up the stairs.
“Shit.”
BJ was undressing the bed. She folded
the soiled sheets and piled them by the door. Brian sat rocking Nick who
cried lightly on his shoulder. “Kevin, did you grab some extra
trashbags?” BJ asked absently as the door to the room swung open and someone
entered, when she looked up she gasped, “Oh my God...”
“Hi BJ,” Aaron said in a small voice,
he offered her a weak smile, as she stared at him. All of the color had
drained from her face. She offered no reply back to him, she just simply
stared from him, to Nick. She was praying with all her might that
maybe Nick didn’t hear Aaron’s voice, but her prayer went unrecognized as she
saw Nick’s head raising. He turned to see Aaron standing in the doorway.
They stared at each other for the longest time. “Hi Nicky,” Aaron
began to make his way to Nick and Brian, “I’ve missed you so much, and I’ve
been so worried about you. How are you? Are you ok?”
Aaron reached Nick and tried to hug
him. He got no response, only the same tearful stare, “Nick, aren’t you happy
to see me?”
Nick hid his face behind his hands,
“Damn it I didn’t want anyone to see me! I didn’t want anyone to see....”
“Shhh...” Brian tried to soothe him,
“I didn’t know he was coming...”
“I didn’t want anyone to see...”
“You started this mess Aaron, so
finish it,” BJ hissed in Aaron’s ear. Aaron’s head jerked towards her, he
hadn’t realized that she had come so close.
“What?” to say he was surprised and
hurt by the nasty tone she had used with him was an understatement.
“Give him a hug, and let him know it’s
ok,” BJ said forcefully in his ear.
Aaron nodded feeling tears sting in
his eyes, his sister did not seem happy to see him, and neither did his
brother. Aaron slowly put his arms around his brother’s trembling frame
again and hugged him. He sat down on the other side of him and held him,
along with Brian, “Nick, it’s ok. I insisted on being here, I needed to see
you. I want to help you. I know you’re sick, and I want to help you get better.
I know you didn’t want me to see you, but I don’t care what you look
like, or what you’ve done. I love you no matter what.” Aaron laid
his head on Nick’s shoulder as his tears fell, soaking Nick’s shirt.
He looked up after a few minutes to see Brian looking at him, a small
smile on his lips, “Hi AC.”
“Hi Brian.”
The sound of people entering the room
made Aaron’s eyes travel to the door. Kevin was entering holding the sheets, AJ
was holding a box of trashbags. Howie stood behind them holding a heating pad.
He watched as Kevin and BJ began
remaking the bed and AJ began lining the trashcan with garbage bags.
Howie came to sit beside him, “Sorry you had to see all this AC.”
Aaron shook his head, “It’s fine. I
wanted to see it. I want to help.”
Howie nodded, “Of course you do.”
“Ok, bed’s ready,” Kevin announced,
“Get him over here.”
Aaron reluctantly loosened his arms
from Nick’s waist. Brian helped Nick up, and carefully led him to the bed. He
laid him down and he curled up on his side. Howie went to position the
heating pad under his back in the bed before BJ pulled up the covers and tucked
Nick in. She kissed him lightly on the brow and smoothed his hair back.
Then she straightened up and turned to Aaron. Her gaze on him softened
the longer she stared at him, and slowly she smiled. She held open her arms,
and Aaron rushed into them, “I’m so sorry Aaron, for the way I talked to you...
I didn’t mean it. I’m not mad at you, I’m just so worried about Nicky that my
nerves are shot... I’m cranky. Can you forgive me?”
Aaron almost laughed at her, “Well
Beej, I’ll have to think about it...”
“Aaron!”
“Seriously, you wounded me...”
“Aaron if you don’t...”
“Just kidding Sis, now show me where I
can put my stuff. Looks like I’ll be here for a while.” He cast a worried
glance at the slight figure buried under the blankets on the bed... a long
while...
***
