Omorphi (31 page)

Michael was flat-out shocked. There was no other word for it. “Christy, I don’t know what happened to you, but… but….” Michael was so far out of his league, he had no friggin’ idea what to say. “Whatever happened to you, Christy, it was wrong. Just plain wrong. You don’t beat people. You don’t whip people. That’s cruelty. It’s inhumane. I will never, ever hurt you! No one will ever hurt you again if I have anything to say about it!” Michael’s voice had risen, part in desperation to understand what had happened to Christy, part in incredulity.

Christy’s eyes turned suspicious. “No punishment?”

Michael closed his eyes and shook his head.
Un-friggin’-believable
. He opened his eyes to Christy again. “No, Christy. You are not to be punished, laced, beaten, or anything else. Ever again.”

“Never?”

“Never.”

Christy buried his face in his hands and began to weep. Michael brought him into his arms and held him as he cried. He wanted to show the son of a bitch who did this to Christy a whole new kind of punishment. “It’s over Christy. Whatever happened to you is over.”

Christy clung to Michael for the longest ten minutes of Michael’s life before his sobs died away to sniffles.

“It is true.”

Michael reached into the glove compartment and handed Christy several more napkins. “What is?”

Christy blew his nose again. “Rob said I was not to be beaten. He said it was a torture, and people are not to do this.”

“Rob’s right.”

“I didn’t believe him.”

Michael smiled ruefully. “He’s right, Christy. What happened to you isn’t normal and was very, very cruel.”

“What is the punishment when I do something wrong?”

Michael drew away. “Christy.” Michael stroked his curls again. “There is no punishment. I think you mean to ask what the consequences are if we have differences.”

Christy had trouble with this concept. “Do you mean to say the results?”

“Yes. We’ll have differences sometimes, and we need to work them out, just like we did two days ago.”

“We did not have a difference, as you say, two days ago.”

“Sure we did. I said something that upset you, and you ran from me. We worked it out, didn’t we?”

Christy shrugged. “I still do not wish you to know some things.”

“You don’t have to tell me anything, but if you ever want to talk, know that I’m here for you. Okay?”

The same hope and longing permeated by ancient distrust that he’d seen in Christy’s eyes before was back again. Christy would learn that he could trust Michael. Michael would make certain of it. He only hoped it would be sooner rather than later.

“I’ll always be here for you, Christy. What do you say we go to a barbecue?”

That earned him a small smile and a nod. Michael started the car and touched the CD button three times until Coldplay’s “Fix You” filled the air. It recently earned the number one spot on Michael’s mental playlist. He backed out of the space, shifted the car into drive, and reached for Christy’s hand. With Christy’s warm hand on his thigh, he headed to Wellington.

C
HRISTY
sat at the head of the long row of picnic tables with Sophia on one side and Darien on the other. Michael and Jake were at the other end of the tables at the grills barbecuing chicken, hamburger patties, and hotdogs.

Jake flipped a patty and nearly lost it through the grill. “Bother you a lot?”

“Yeah. I called Stephen. He gave me some crap about Christy acting interested until I explained the situation. Then he apologized. What was up with Sophia?”

“She thought Dad meant that Christy and Stephen had sex in the bathroom. I clarified it for her.”

Michael shook his head as he turned the chicken. “The detective asked if Christy was into deviant sex.”

“So I heard. Man, that’s harsh.” Jake clucked his disapproval as he set cheese slices on the patties. “The friggin’ cop should never have pushed buttons like that with a victim like Christy. That’s just plain cruel.”

“Maybe he thought Jason’s allegations were true.”

“Doubt it. I’m pretty sure he knew all about Christy before you guys ever made it to the station and wanted to see if he could get a rise out of him.”

Michael eyed Jake.

“Think about it. Jason’s been ranting about Christy since that night on DILF Street in the twink zone.”

Michael painted the chicken with barbecue sauce. “Why do you think the detective was such a dick?”

“No idea. Probably doesn’t like queers.” Jake filled a platter with cheeseburger patties and began plucking hotdogs off the grill.

“How are our chefs doing?” Rob asked as he approached.

“Good. The chicken is done.” Michael turned the last of the breasts.

“That’s great. Thanks for your help.”

“No problem.”

“I meant with Christy.”

“No problem,” Michael repeated.

“Christy told me the detective was rather discourteous.”

“Yep.”

Rob shook his head in dismay. “I’m sorry.”

Michael checked the chicken and began moving it to a platter. Jake joined in the effort to keep it from burning. “How long is Christy going to be in the United States?” Asking the question pained Michael deeply, and he worked to keep his emotions in check and his expression empty.

“That’s up to him.”

“How long can he stay here?”

“As long as he likes.”

“How long before you think he can leave Wellington?”

“I don’t know, Michael. He may never be able to be on his own.”

Michael glanced at Rob to see if he was serious as he covered the platter with foil. He was serious as a heart attack.

Rob called a couple of the counselors over to carry the food to the tables, and Michael carefully handed the platter of chicken to a counselor. “Did he tell you what happened with Stephen?”

“The detective did when he interviewed me about Christy’s mental capacity. I’m sorry you had to learn about it the way you did.”

“It’s handled. I talked to Stephen.”

Rob gave Michael an appreciative nod. “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

“Well, why don’t we eat?”

“I’m going to drop by seat twenty-three.”

“Ah yes, Kevin. He’s been waiting for you all day. I’ll have you know he drew three pictures this morning, earning the privilege of bringing the puzzle outside so long as he returns all nine cubes to the library at the end of the day.”

“Can he count?”

“No, but I’m sure you’ll keep him honest.”

“Right.”

“H
EY
,
Kevin, how are you doing?”

Fear flickered across Kevin’s face before recognition filled his eyes. “Michael! You came!”

“I did. I’ve been busy cooking our food.”

“You did?”

“Yes, I did. Do you want a burger, a hotdog, or a piece of chicken?”

“Burger.”

Michael assembled a burger on a paper plate. “What do you want on it?”

“Catsup.”

“Anything else?”

“No.”

“All right, here you go. One burger with catsup, hold everything else.”

“Macaroni.”

“Add a scoop of macaroni salad.” Michael reached over and put a dollop of salad on his plate.

“Green.”

“Green what?”

Kevin pointed.

“Green Jell-O it is.” Michael scooped wobbly Jell-O onto the plate, set it before Kevin, and tucked a napkin into the collar of his shirt. “After you eat, we’ll do the cube puzzle.”

“Okay.”

Michael prepared a plate for himself and sat on the other side of Darien and across from Jake.

“Who’s the kid?” Jake asked.

“Kevin. He likes me for some reason.”

Darien piped up with his mouth full of food. “He likes Christy too.”

Christy whispered something into Darien’s ear, and he covered his mouth with a hand and giggled.

“Michael, thank you for caring for Christy. I apologize for losing my temper,” Sophia said sincerely.

Michael winked at her. “Christy took care of himself. Thank you for taking care of Jake. He loves to go up in flames with people in positions of authority.”

“Only when necessary, bro,” Jake retorted.

“Up in flames?” she asked.

“Lose his temper,” Michael clarified.

“No, not my handsome Jacob.” She patted Jake’s cheek.

Christy said something softly in Greek, and she snarked good-naturedly in return.

“You know, English is always good,” Jake mock whined.

“He says not to call you ‘my Jacob.’ We are too new. I said this is drivel, you love me already.”

It was one of those moments, one of those rare moments Michael had only ever seen every twice in a while, when Jake wore his heart on his sleeve. Sophia had no idea how right she was, and Jake needed a save.

“Who couldn’t? I fell in love with Christy just by tripping over him.”

“Exactly!” Sophia exclaimed.

Christy looked incredulous.

“You love Christy?” Darien asked.

Michael looked from Darien to Jake to Sophia and finally to Christy before making the admission. “Yeah, I, ah, I do. Is that okay with you?” Michael couldn’t believe the words had left him. A week ago, no one could have torn those words from his lips.

Darien’s lower lip puckered and protruded in a full pout. “Nooooo!” The tears began.

“Why not?”

“’Cause then Christy will love you, not me!”

Michael lifted Darien into his lap. “Christy can love two people at once.”

“Uh-uh!”

“Ah-huh. Christy’s heart is very big. We’ll both fit in there.”

Darien reached for Christy, and Christy shook his head. “Listen to Michael,” he growled softly.

Darien half turned in Michael’s lap. “What?”

“I said Christy has a very big heart, and we’ll both fit into it. Christy can love two people at once.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“’Kay.” He reached for Christy again, and Christy pointed to his seat. Darien rubbed his eyes with barbecue-sauce-stained fists and climbed back to his seat.

“How are we doing here?” Rob asked. “Everything okay?”

“Darien was concerned that there wasn’t enough room in Christy’s heart for both of us,” Michael offered.

“And what did you learn, Darien?”

“Christy’s heart is big.”

“Anything else?”

Darien gave Michael a pouty once-over. “We both fit in it, but Michael’s bigger. He’ll take up more room.”

“Doubt it,” Michael said through a laugh.

M
ICHAEL
was working on the cube puzzle with Kevin, building the seventh happy face, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Thinking it was Christy, he covered it with his own.

“I must go soon, but I would like a word with you.”

Michael released Sophia’s hand quickly. “Sorry. I thought you were Christy.”

“Come. Let’s chat, shall we?”

“Where’s Christy?”

“He took Darien inside for a nap. Come, come.”

“Okay, Kevin, looks like you’re on your own. You did great.”

“’Kay. Will you tell Dr. Rob I did it three times so I can get a star?”

“You did it six times.”

Kevin looked up at Michael in awe. “I get two stars?”

“If six puzzles earns you two stars, then yes.”

“It’s six faces.”

“Right. Six faces. Why don’t you go tell Rob, and I’ll back you up before I go.”

“Back up?”

“Tell him the same thing.” Kevin looked at him blankly. Sensing Kevin’s need for the proverbial promise, he promised.

“’Kay!” Kevin jumped up and darted away.

“Wait! You need to put the puzzle away!” Kevin was gone. Michael gathered the cubes and put them into the plastic tray. He then led Sophia to a picnic table beneath a tree.

“I wish to say that the influence you have on Christy is very good. I would like, that is to say we, my mother and me, would like things to stay this way.”

“Thanks, I do too.”

“Then it is settled. You and Christy will be together. I can tell my mother this?”

“Absolutely.”

“Even after Christy’s mistake?”

“Yes.”

“Wonderful! Now, the next problem. Rob tells me that he told you that Yosef Sanna is here? One of the people who—”

“Yeah, he did.”

“Okay. Yosef’s father, Petros, is extremely wealthy and will make all resources available to Yosef. It is only a matter of time before he finds our Christy. It is important that you are careful.”

Michael rubbed his face in frustration. He wished someone would give him the whole story. “I’m shooting in the dark here, Sophia. Give me a clue.”

“The whole thing is very horrid.”

Obviously
. Michael rubbed his eyes with thumb and forefinger. “I already know to keep Christy safe.”

“Be very careful, Michael. Yosef will go to great lengths to have Christy again.”

Michael’s skin crawled, wanting to leave his body, the temple that housed his cruel imagination. “Who is this guy, and why is he so obsessed with Christy?”

“We’ve known the Sanna family since we were young. Separate from this, most men find Christy… attractive. Yosef has merely taken it to an extreme.”

“How could you not know he was a psycho?”

Sophia pursed her lips and gave him a disapproving look.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

“Petros not only allows Yosef to do as he pleases but also indulges him in the worst ways.”

“Why didn’t anyone protect Christy?”

She gave him a quizzical look. “We tried, Michael.”

“But what? Christy liked the guy?”

She was appalled by the question. “No, never! Christy has always hated Yosef. Michael, please listen to me. There are things you don’t know, and now is not the time to explain them. We only need to make certain that Christy is safe with you.”

“Don’t you think it would be smart to tell Christy that he’s here?”

“Certainly not! He would panic and flee back to Greece and fall squarely into Yosef’s hands. It’s the main reason he’s here. When he is well and strong, he will tell the stories to the authorities. Until then, nothing can be done.”

Stories. Plural.
“All I can do is try to keep Christy safe.”