“Holy shit,” Patton said and got up to pace around the small workspace. He began muttering to himself and kept looking over at Wes like he’d never seen him before.
“What’s wrong with you? Are you not going to boat school?” Wes finally asked, getting anxious that Patton hadn’t responded to him yet. He got up and stopped Patton with a hand on each of his shoulders. His boyfriend looked up at him and Wes noticed tears in his eyes.
Without warning, Patton threw his arms around Wes’s middle, nearly crushing the life out of him, and he wheezed as the air left his lungs and he was unceremoniously lifted off the ground and spun around in circles.
Patton laughed joyously and finally lowered Wes to the ground. He kissed him fiercely and said, “I can’t believe you! You’ve actually looked into this! Holy crap, Wes. You are the most amazing thing on Earth!” He kissed Wes again and they both laughed as their combined happiness bubbled over. “You’ve actually looked into schools for me and found out where I might be going all so you can come with me?”
Wes shrugged and smiled back at his bewildered boyfriend. “Of course. I don’t have any great love or need to go anywhere in particular but you do. You can only go certain places to learn more about boat building, so I figured I’d just go wherever you were going.”
Patton giggled and wrapped his arms around Wes’s neck. “Oh my God, baby! I love you, so much. I can’t believe you’ve already thought about this,” he said excitedly. He pulled back. “So you want to be a teacher? And a track coach?”
Wes shrugged again, running his hands up and down Patton’s upper arms. “I think it’s been really cool helping you, and despite popular opinion, Mr. Dunlap has been a huge inspiration for both of us. I think it would be really cool to do what he’s done for us and then I could move around and have a flexible job that would let me work pretty much anywhere and have weekends and holidays off to be with you.”
Patton beamed at him and Wes thought he’d never been happier to make someone so happy. Seeing the radiance shining out of Patton made his heart thump harder and beat quicker. Making Patton happy was something Wes was looking forward to doing for a very long time to come.
“You are incredible. You know that? Damn, I can hardly even believe that we’re talking about this right now,” Patton said and his boat was completely forgotten.
They spent the next hour talking about everything Wes had already looked into in regard to a school for himself and where they might live. Patton pulled up the website to the boat building school he liked and they spent the afternoon researching, planning, and dreaming about a future that they just might be able to hold in their hands.
It wasn’t until later that night, when Wesley’s phone rang, that they slammed headfirst back into reality.
“Yo, Riley. What’s up, man? Everything okay?” Wes asked as he looked at the clock in Patton’s room, noticing the late hour.
“No.” That one word spoken in a clipped and frantic tone set Wes up immediately. He motioned to Patton as Riley continued. “I need you to meet me right now. If you’re with Patton, bring him too. Something’s wrong with Ty. I’m heading to get him now. He called me crying from the gas station down on Twentieth. He wouldn’t say what was wrong, but he didn’t sound good.”
“Absolutely, Ry. We’re already getting our shoes on and we’ll be out the door. Have you talked to your parents? Do they know anything?” Wes asked as he and Patton grabbed their coats. Patton motioned that he was telling his dad and would meet Wes at the car.
“No. I wasn’t home when he called and don’t want to freak anyone out if it’s nothing and he just needs a ride. But he’s in trouble, Wes. His voice was shaking and he was gasping for breath. I need someone with me who’s not going to force the situation. I just need some backup.”
“We’ll be there. You know he’ll want Patton there. We’ll be in his car. Might take us ten or more with the bad roads, but we’ll be there. Where are you coming from?” Wes jogged down the stairs while shoving his arms into his jacket sleeves. Patton’s feet pounded down the stairs a moment later followed belatedly by his dad. Wes gave him a questioning look, but he shook his head indicating he’d explain on the way.
They headed out the garage door as Riley filled him in on his location. “Okay, Ry. We’re on the road. We can stay on the phone if you need us to.”
“No. I want to keep my phone clear in case Ty calls again. God, I’m freaking the fuck out, Wes. He sounded wrecked. Why are the roads so fucking icy?” Riley shouted and Wes could hear him gritting his teeth as he cursed.
“Try to calm down, Ry. We’re only a few minutes away. Get off the phone and concentrate on the road. We’ll see you there in five, okay?” Wes gripped the handle above his head as Patton took a turn faster than he should have, and they skidded a little on the ice.
“Okay. Fuck, bye.” Riley disconnected the call.
“What the hell is going on?” Patton asked immediately. “Is Ty okay?”
“I don’t know. He called Riley and sounded like he was in bad shape. Riley doesn’t know anything, just wants someone there with him to help out. Why’s your dad coming?” Wes asked.
“He insisted. I wanted to leave right away so I didn’t fight him. He won’t get involved if he doesn’t need to, but if things are bad, we may be glad to have an adult along,” Patton explained, and Wes figured he was probably right.
They’d been on the call for seven minutes, but thankfully, the drive was passing quickly. There weren’t many cars out since it was almost ten o’clock, but Patton was driving like a seasoned veteran who’d been driving in icy conditions his whole life, not someone who’d had his license less than six months.
As they drove down the main road past strip malls, restaurants, and big-box stores that were lit up with Christmas cheer, Wes caught a glimpse of Riley’s truck several cars ahead of them in the same lane. He bounced his leg up and down anxiously, knowing they only had about half a mile to go to reach the gas station and Patton gripped his hand quickly, giving it a squeeze, before focusing back on the road.
If something was really wrong and Ty was in trouble or hurt, Patton was going to lose it. Those two were peas in a pod. Although Wes had suspected for a while that Ty secretly had a crush on Patton, if Ty was hurt, Patton was going to need Wes’s support to get through the next few minutes so he could be there for one of his best friends.
They watched from a distance as Riley made the turn into the parking lot of the Shell station, and after he slammed to a stop in a stall, he was out of the truck before Patton even had a chance to turn in.
They lost sight of Riley as he barreled through the front doors, but an agonizing moment later, Patton was finally able to make the turn, and he pulled his car up alongside Riley’s truck.
They were out of the car immediately, and Wes grabbed Patton’s hand as they ran for the doors of the convenience store.
“Riley? Ty?” Patton called out the moment they entered, and the clerk pointed toward the back of the shop where Wes suspected the restrooms were.
They split up, each taking a separate aisle, and Wes saw the restrooms up ahead. He pushed the door but ended up banging his fist on the metal when he found the door locked. “Riley? Ty? Are you guys in there?”
A long heartbeat later, the lock clicked, and Riley ushered them in with one arm wrapped around a crying Ty.
“Oh, shit. Ty? Are you okay? What happened?” Patton asked as they took in the shaking, crying state of Ty.
Ty sobbed and immediately latched himself onto Patton, and despite their location, Patton gently spun them around so his back was to the wall and slid down to sit with Ty in his lap. Patton wrapped his arms around Ty’s back and they held each other, Patton quickly losing his battle to remain composed. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he hugged Ty close and looked up, searching out both Wes and Riley for answers.
Patton’s phone chimed indicating a text message, and he quickly dug it out of his pocket and handed it to Wes. I
t was Tim letting them know he was outside if they needed anything.
Patton was murmuring soothing reassurances to Ty and stroking his back and arms in a comforting way and when he looked up again, Wes mouthed, Your dad is outside. Patton nodded and Wes turned to Riley.
They crouched down next to the pair of huddled figures and Riley laid his hand on Ty’s shoulder.
“Ty? Can you tell us what happened? Are you hurt?” Riley asked.
Ty shook his head but otherwise didn’t answer. Wes wasn’t sure what he was saying no to, but other than giving him some time to compose himself, they didn’t need to press Ty for answers just yet. Just seeing him safe and having him in their presence was enough to ensure them the worst of whatever had happened to Ty was over.
Wes looked at Riley and although he looked troubled and worried, he shrugged his shoulders, indicating he had no idea what was going on. Wes whispered into Patton’s ear. “I’m going to go tell your dad we’re okay, but I’ll have him wait anyway. He can follow us wherever we end up going.”
Patton nodded, but his attention stayed on Ty. Wes got up and quietly left the bathroom.
“Your friend okay?” the clerk asked as Wes neared the counter.
“Not sure. He hasn’t said much. Did he say anything when he came in?” Wes asked, trying to get any new information from the clerk that might help them understand the situation better.
“He just asked if he could use a phone. He looked freaked and was totally shaking. He was out of breath like he’d been running from something or someone. I didn’t know what to do but he was obviously scared out of his mind so I let him use my phone. Should I call the police or something?” The clerk’s name tag read Andy.
“No. We’ve got him. My boyfriend’s dad is outside so we’ll figure out what’s going on, and we’ll be out of here in a few.” Wes left without waiting for a reply and found Tim parked in a stall next to Patton’s car. He had the engine running, but climbed out when he saw Wes approach.
Pulling Wes into a hug, Tim asked, “What’s going on, Wes? You guys go tearing out of the house late on a Saturday night saying one of your friends is in trouble. Is anyone hurt? Who are we talking about?”
“It’s Ty. I don’t know what’s going on, he hasn’t said anything. He locked himself into the bathroom and has been crying since we got here,” Wes replied.
Tim gripped Wes’s shoulder and asked, “Do we need to call the police? Is he hurt?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. We asked and he shook his head, but we still don’t know what’s wrong.”
Tim squeezed his shoulder once more then quickly shut off the truck. He guided Wes back toward the entrance. “Let’s head back and see if we can get some answers. If Ty needs a ride or somewhere safe to spend the night, he’s welcome at our place. Why would he call Riley and not his parents? Are things okay for him at home?”
Wes shrugged. “I know his parents are super conservative and really religious. He’s not allowed to listen to anything but religious music at home and is homeschooled by their church. I’m not sure if his parents are abusive in any way, but I know Riley is sort of his safe haven. They’re really close, and Riley tries to act as a buffer between Ty and his family. But I will say, if he called Riley and not his parents, I wouldn’t think it would be too far of a stretch to say something probably went down at home.”
Tim gave him a concerned look but nodded. “Alright. Let’s see if he’s up for answering some questions.”
“If anyone can get him to talk, it’ll be Patton. Those two are as close as brothers.”
Tim nodded again and Wes reached for the restroom door handle. It clicked open after Wes jiggled it, and Riley waved them in. Patton and Ty were pretty much as he’d left them although the crying seemed to have passed.
Both heads swiveled their way, and Ty’s red-rimmed eyes widened when he noticed Tim standing there. He clutched onto Patton and buried his face in Patton’s shoulder.
“Shh. It’s okay. It’s just my dad. We left the house in a rush to get here and he was concerned. You’re fine. We just want to help,” Patton soothed.
Wes went over and rubbed Patton’s shoulder. His boyfriend gave him a grateful look and Tim finally asked as he crouched down nearby, “Ty? Can you tell us what happened? You’re not in any trouble here, and we just want to make sure you’re not hurt or in danger. I’m not going to do anything without your consent, so if you’re worried about telling me and something happening to you, just know that I won’t jump to any decisions without all the facts and without doing what’s best for you, okay? We just want you safe for now, and we’ll sort out the rest later.”
“Is this about your parents?” Riley asked and Ty peeked his face up, looking first at Tim then over to Riley. “Did something happen at home?”
Ty trembled and Patton stroked his back, reassuring him with quiet words about being safe and telling him they were all there to help. Ty sniffled and wiped his nose on the back of his hoodie sleeve. Wes belatedly realized Ty was only wearing slippers and a hoodie. Definitely not appropriate attire when leaving the house in early December. Whatever had happened to him, he’d left in a rush in hadn’t had time to dress for the icy conditions outside.
Wes stripped off his coat and draped it around Ty’s shoulders. Patton looked up at him with his heart in his eyes and helped Ty pull the coat tighter around himself. Ty seemed to gain a small amount of security from having the coat as an added layer of protection and loosened his hold on Patton to sit with his hands twisted together in his lap.
Ty was similar in size to Riley at only about five feet eight inches, but probably only weighed about a hundred and twenty pounds. Seeing him sitting in Patton’s lap made him seem like a small child who was seeking comfort from an older brother or parent. Wes’s heart broke for his friend at whatever had pushed him to this state.
Ty swallowed and looked like he might try to speak but swallowed again.
“Just a sec,” Wes said and darted out of the bathroom again. He grabbed the first bottle of water he found and called out, “We’ll pay for this in a minute.” He pushed back through the bathroom door and twisted off the cap, handing the bottle to Ty.
He took it gratefully and drank down about half the bottle in one go. He wiped his face down with his sleeves and sniffled again. Riley grabbed him some toilet paper and he uncaringly blew his nose.
Ty seemed to feel better having those small attentions paid to him and finally cleared his throat. He looked at Tim again but dropped his eyes and studied his hands. “My dad—”
“Did he hurt you?” Riley interrupted in volcanic proportions. Ty flinched back, but Riley went on undeterred. “If he hurt you I’ll go over there myself and beat the crap out of him. The entire family will come down on him if he so much as laid a finger on you.”
Ty shook his head. “He didn’t hit me, but I’m sure he wanted to.” His eyes watered again and he buried his face in Patton’s chest. A sob tore from his throat and he hiccupped out, “He kicked me out of the house.” No one said anything, but they all exchanged worried glances. They waited a few moments for Ty to gather himself and continue. His voice shook as he spoke into Patton’s chest. “He came into my room and started yelling at me about something he’d seen in my search history on the computer. I’m always so good about clearing the history when I go online, but I didn’t have time and he found out. He was screaming and yelling and calling me names and I honestly thought he was going to hit me or start throwing things or something. Then he’s yelling at me to get out of his house, saying that I’m not his son anymore and I’m not allowed to live there. He practically frog-marched me out the front door and told me never to come back.”
Ty’s voice cracked and Wes saw tears in Patton’s and Riley’s eyes. Tim looked pissed but was also obviously concerned for Ty and what had happened to him.
“I don’t have anything,” Ty continued on a sob. “He didn’t let me grab anything, just lifted me up and marched
me to the door. I left my phone, my wallet, all my things… Shoes… I walked here in my slippers.” He paused and Wes figured he was crying too hard to continue because his shoulders were shaking again. Patton rubbed his back for a moment. “I don’t have anything. He kicked me out. What am I going to do? I have no place to live.” Ty hiccupped as he lost it again.
“Shh. We’re all here, Ty. We’re going to figure out what to do, and we won’t let you go through this alone. You’re not alone. You’ll come home with me if that’s what needs to happen.” Patton wrapped his arms around Ty and held onto him while he cried. He looked up at his dad and Tim nodded.
“He’s right, Ty. If you can’t go home, you’re welcome at our place for as long as you need to stay there. I’d like to maybe talk to your parents and see what’s going on, but we definitely don’t need to do that tonight,” Tim said.
“He can come home with me,” Riley stated and that seemed like the logical solution to Wes, at least for the night. Riley was his cousin after all.
“He knows I’d call you, Ry. He knows I’d go to you first. He’s probably already called your parents and told them not to let me in.”
“You know they would never turn their backs on you. They love you, Ty, and have always thought your parents were too overbearing. Once you explain what happened, of course they’ll let you stay,” Riley said.
Ty looked away. “You know I love you, Ry, but I’d rather not go to your place. If he comes around or calls, I don’t want to be there.” He visibly shivered and pulled Wes’s coat tighter around himself.
If what Wes suspected was the root cause of all this had actually happened, he didn’t want Ty anywhere near his father either if that was going to be the man’s response to the news.
“I’d feel better having you at my place,” Patton said and looked to his dad. Tim nodded as Patton continued. “Your parents don’t know me or know where I live. Riley could come over too and stay the night if that would make you feel better, but I think for the night, let’s just head back to my place and we can all get some rest. We can talk more in the morning and figure out what the best plan is then.”
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