The pain evident in TJ's voice was too much for Danny. He had intended to tell him to stop worrying about him. He could take care of himself, and didn't need him or Mitch interfering with his life. All that came out was, “I'm sorry.”
“ Why, Danny? I thought you liked it here?”
“ I can't stay forever,” Danny answered with his head down, not daring eye contact. “I told Mitch I didn’t want to see my mother. He wouldn't listen.”
“ Sometimes you have to accept that other people know better. He was only trying to help.”
“ Yeah, well, I felt his help, and I don't want it!”
“ I missed you.”
Danny was disarmed by the sincerity of TJ's words. It took the heat out of his temper. “I wasn't gone that long,” he said feebly.
TJ smirked. “No, you weren't, thanks to Mitch.”
Danny gifted him with a weary smile back before shaking off his pants and crawling into bed. Despite the pain in his backside, his bed was comforting. He fell asleep hard and fast.
Danny had slept through dinner and all of the night. Still sleepy, he could hardly hear the faint voice of Antonio who was shaking him lightly and calling his name.
“ Wake up, love, it's time for breakfast.”
“ Breakfast?” Danny was surprised it was the next morning already. He was accustomed to waking up several times during the night, and could not remember falling asleep or getting up since early Tuesday morning.
“ Yes, I made pancakes, and it's getting late.”
“ I'm not hungry.” Danny rolled over onto his other side not ready to face the day.
“ Hungry or not, you missed dinner and it's important you eat."
Danny groaned and sank deeper into his pillow.
“ Get up,” Antonio encouraged with a tap to his hip. “You slept long enough, and there are things we need to talk about.”
Danny carefully eased out of bed. Although most of the heat had left his backside, he was still sore. At the breakfast table, Danny's resentment was evident on his face as he tried to find a tolerable sitting position. Mitch informed Danny of his mother's transportation plans to initiate the conversation about her visit. “We won't need to pick her up. She will be renting a car and driving out from the airport by midday.”
“ My mother is driving out here on her own?”
“ No. I believe she mentioned something about being accompanied by a friend.”
“ A friend? You mean a boyfriend?”
“ She didn't specify. She only indicated that a friend had business in the area, and he would be coming along.”
“ Figures.”
*****
Danny waited anxiously. He resigned himself to the idea of seeing his mother for the first time in a year, and wondered what she could possibly have to say to him. What should I say to her? Nothing very pleasant came to mind. When the doorbell eventually rang he stayed back in the living room and left Mitch and Antonio to greet her at the door. Mitch did not expect to find such a genial and soft-spoken woman to be standing on the other side. Although she was not as petite in stature, she had Danny's slender frame, and could easily be his female double. She was a pretty woman with delicate features. Bouncy brown curls framed a youthful face with big eyes and long lashes.
“ Hello, Ms. Young. Is that your friend in the car? He's welcomed to come in.”
“ Thank you, but I think it’s best if he waits in the car for now. Are you Mitch?”
“ Yes, and this is my partner, Antonio,” he confirmed, while shaking her hand.
“ I hope your flight went well,” Antonio said, extending his hand in turn.
She shook it briefly and said, “Yes, it was fine, thank you. Is Daniel here?”
“ He's waiting for you in the living room.”
Mitch and Antonio escorted her to the spacious room in the center of the house. Danny was slumped in the couch biting his nails. He did not stand up or even acknowledge his mother when she approached him.
“ Danny, be polite, and say hello,” Mitch warned.
Danny looked up from under the fringes of his hair. “Hey,” he muttered, with a deliberate lack of enthusiasm.
“ Hello, Daniel. It's good to see you.” She stood unsure if she should reach out and hug him. Danny offered no sign that a hug would be welcomed or reciprocated.
“ Have a seat, Ms. Young,” Mitch offered.
“ Please call me Amy. Thank you.” She chose a seat directly across from Danny. “It's been a long time," she began apprehensively. "How have you been?”
Danny gave a slight nod in agreement, and said, “Fine.”
“ I'm glad to hear it. I've been worried about you.”
Danny didn't want to act like a sulky teenager, but he couldn't help it. He refused to respond to her comment, and continued to bite his nails.
“ Could you take your fingers out of your mouth and talk to me?”
Danny dropped his hand and frowned at her. “What do you want to know?”
“ Well, for starters, where have you been, and why are you in New York?”
Danny shrugged his shoulders.
“ Dan, as your mother, I believe I deserve a better answer.”
“ Perhaps it would be helpful if you had some privacy,” Mitch suggested.
“ Yes, please, that would be nice.”
Danny watched as the three men left the room, and suddenly felt as if his safety net was being taking away. He turned scornfully towards his mother and asked, “What do you want?”
“ It's been close to a year since I've seen or heard from you. What the hell are you doing here with these people?”
“ I needed a place to stay,” he answered defensively.
“ In New York? Who are these men to you?”
“ Friends.”
“ Friends? Their grown men!”
“ So?”
“ So, what kind of relationship do they have with you? Where the hell did you meet them?”
“ What difference does it make to you?”
“ I see I'm not getting anywhere with this. I want you to come home with me.”
“ What! Why?”
“ Because I am your mother, and...”
Danny laughed sarcastically. “I'm not going anywhere with you,” he said, not giving her a chance to finish.
“ Please, Daniel, you can't stay here. I'm buying you a plane ticket and we're going home.”
Danny shook his head and rolled his eyes.
She dismissed his silent protest, and continued, “You have one more year of school, and when you turn eighteen you can move wherever you want to.”
“ I haven't been to school in months.”
“ We can work that out once you get home.”
“ We?”
“ Dan, I am your mother.”
“ Stop saying that!” Danny jumped up in agitation.
“ Daniel!” Amy shouted back.
She stood up matching Danny in height, refusing to be intimidated by her son. She had a strong desire to slap him despite the promise she made to herself to keep her cool.
“ I don't understand. I have a job. I like it here. Why do you even want me? Why now?”
Amy had forgotten how stubborn her boy could be, and was trying hard to keep her temper in check. She was hoping that after living on his own, Danny would have been more open to coming back home.
“ Calm down, son. Things are different now. Stan and I have worked things out. We have a new place, and we want you with us.”
“ Stan?!”
“ He's out in the car waiting for us.”
Danny backed up shaking his head. “Are you fuckin' crazy?!”
“ Is everything all right in there?” Mitch asked, stepping back in the room after hearing the elevated voices.
Embarrassed by her son's outburst, Amy turned to face Mitch with the same blush her son was known to wear. "I appreciate your concern, but this is between me and my son," she snapped. Danny tried to ignore the presence of the three men who hurried back into the room. He instinctively edged closer to them when his mother took a step towards him.
“ Daniel, listen to me,” she urged.
“ No! Stay away from me!”
“ Please be reasonable. Stan wants a chance to talk things out with you.”
Danny pointed a shaky finger at his mother and yelled, “You keep him the fuck away from me!”
“ Danny, calm down!” Mitch reprimanded, in an attempt to deescalate things.
“ No fucking way!” Danny screamed, bolting out of the room.
“ Wait up!” TJ yelled, as he darted after him.
Danny shoved past TJ and cried, “This is all your fault!”
A stunned TJ watched as Danny ran out the door. Danny stopped short when he saw Stan step out of the car. He had thought up until a few moments ago that he would never have to see that man again. Except, here he was of all places, in New York City. It was as if he had awoken from a nightmare only to find he was not dreaming.
“ Hey, boy, where do you think you're going?”
Danny sidestepped him as he got nearer, and tore off down the street recklessly dodging traffic and pedestrians. Mitch was fast on his heels leaving Antonio behind to console Amy and TJ. As fast and agile as Danny was, he was no match for Mitch's extraordinarily long legs and lengthy arm reach. Mitch soon caught up to Danny, hauling him off the ground from behind.
“ Let go!” Danny cried out frantically.
“ Okay, Danny, relax,” Mitch tried in a more soothing tone.
Danny struggled to get free, but Mitch held tight. The human tree was too damn strong, with his muscular arms branched around Danny's slim body, making it difficult to budge. For a little thing, he fought hard, and Mitch was afraid he'd hurt the kid as he thrashed about. But, he wasn't going to let him down to run off while he was still in a panic. Mitch lugged the cursing kid back up the street to both jeers and hoots of approval of bystanders. Back in their driveway, he stopped to catch his breath, and readjust his hold on Danny.
“ Calm yourself, stop struggling, and I'll let you down.” Mitch repeated his request a few more times. Danny finally accepted defeat, and stopped.
“ Good boy,” Mitch praised.
Danny turned red. He tried to take a deep breath, but Mitch was holding him too tight. When Danny complained he couldn't breathe, Mitch set him on the ground. He watched cautiously as Stan started to approach. The second Mitch let go of Danny's arms he took off again. Mitch had mistaken Danny's still body as resignation, but he was ready for him.
“ Oh, no you don't!”
Danny was stopped from going far. Mitch snatched him by the arm, pulled him back, and swatted his backside in another attempt to calm him down. Regrettably, Danny was too worked up to heed his warning. Afraid the teen would yank his arm out of the socket in his relentless effort to wrestle free, Mitch scooped him up under his arms like a toddler, and carried him back to the house. Being carried sideways, snug like a football against Mitch's side, made any resistance difficult. Danny's equilibrium was off; he was embarrassed by his position, and how effortlessly he was toted.
Wasting no time for discussion, Mitch swiftly carried him back into the living room. This time, after setting him down, Mitch made sure not to let go. He sat in a large chair, but held Danny securely around his waist as he pulled him in to stand between his knees. Everyone else followed in behind, and situated themselves to sit facing them. Danny hung his head in shame.
“ When you are ready to have a civilized conversation, you may have a seat on the couch.”
Everyone waited in silence for Danny to make the next move.
“ If you want to be released, you need to show me you are in control first,” Mitch reminded him.
Danny set his jaw firm; he tested Mitch's hold on him. Realizing he wasn't going anywhere, he relaxed his posture in defeat.
“ That's better,” Mitch encouraged. “Now, I am going to let go, and you are going to sit on the couch and behave. But I'm warning you, if you run, there will be consequences.”
Danny had no doubt this time what those repercussions would be, and he was not taking that risk. Amy marveled at the way Mitch handled her son, and how meekly he took a seat at the end of the couch. Danny buried himself into the corner of the cushions refusing to give anyone eye contact. Maybe he was being childish, but he didn't care, not after the way he was treated.
“ Thank you,” Amy said to Mitch. “He's always been headstrong and difficult to manage.”
If anyone could have seen Danny's face, they would have noticed his eye roll at his mother's predictable comment. As far as he was concerned, she was forever making excuses and vying for sympathy.
“ You have come a long way. What is it you would like to say to Danny?” Antonio asked, giving Amy the first opportunity to speak.
Despite her appreciation, Amy found herself resenting how these men called her son Danny. Who were they to be so familiar with him? She hadn't been able to call him that in years. “Danny, I love you, and it is time for you to come home.”
Danny frowned, and rolled his eyes again at hearing his mother call him Danny. Who was she kidding with this act? Danny refused to answer her.
TJ turned anxiously to Antonio hoping he would speak up.
“ Sweetheart, isn't there something you would like to say to your mother?” Antonio asked with compassion for the hurting boy and his flustered mother.
Danny shook his head.
“ Enough of this nonsense, Danny-boy . You are coming home with your mother and me whether you like it or not!”
Danny's ears burned red at hearing Stan's voice. He would not acknowledge him, or his comment.
“ Please, Daniel, look at me. I'm sorry if I wasn't the perfect mother, but things will be different now. Stan and I are together, and we want you back home where you belong.”
Danny stayed curled up in his couch corner. He couldn't believe her treacherous words. She was just as clueless as she ever was.
“ Please,” she pleaded, reaching over to Danny.
Danny jolted as if her touch stung. "Fuck off!" he yelled, startling everyone in the room. Amy was about to burst into tears, catching Mitch's sympathies. He had enough of the teen's dirty mouth. "Do you want another spanking?"
Afraid he'd get one right there in front of everyone, Danny blushed and muttered, “No, sir.”
“ Then I suggest you put a civil tongue in your mouth, and sit up and talk to your mother with respect.”
Amy was taken aback. She wasn't sure if she was more upset at the threat, or that her son had reacted so deferentially. She looked over to Stan for support.
“ Enough of this bullshit,” he ordered. “Stand up, Daniel, we're going.”
“ I'm not going anywhere with you! And, I...” Danny turned to Mitch in desperation. “I'm not talking to her with him in the room.”
Mitch surveyed Danny intently, and saw true anguish in his face. He was not just being an unruly adolescent. His eyes held pain and fear.
“ Fair enough. Stan, I think it's best if you wait in your car while Danny and his mother talk things out.”
“ I'm not leaving without them.”
“
I'm afraid you don't have a choice. I'm asking you to leave my house.”
Danny's heart leaped a little. For the first time that day he felt slightly optimistic. No one had ever defended him against Stan. He almost grinned at the way Mitch dismissed him.
“ Please, Stan, give us some time. We'll be out shortly.” Stan was unmoved by Amy's request, but used it as a way to save face as he sized up Mitch, and realized he was no match.
“ If you're not out in twenty minutes, I'm calling the police. We'll have them drag your son out of this place.”
Mitch ignored the threat as just that, and stood up to make sure Stan found his way out.
“ Why do you have to make things so hard?” Amy asked Danny once Stan left the room.
“ Me? Why is he even here?”
“ He only wants what's best for us.”
“ Yeah, right, I forgot how much he cares."
“ I don't understand. He was never that bad to you.”
“ How the hell would you know? You were always drunk.”
“ Daniel, that's not fair!”
“ Not fair?” Danny snorted in disgust. “Since when do you care about being fair? Why the f...” Danny stopped himself from swearing out of respect for Mitch. “Why are you even here?”
“ I've been worried about you. I didn't know where you were, or what even happened to you.”
“ Really? Because I haven't exactly been hiding.”
“ How can you say that when I find you here in New York?”
“ I've only been here for two months. I was living with Molly, and going to school for almost a year before I dropped out.”
“ I didn't know that. You didn't have the courtesy to tell me.”
“ How hard could it have been to figure out? You didn't care then, why do you care now?”
“ I do care. I've always cared about you.”
“ Just not as much as your booze.”
“ Danny...”
“ Don't call me Danny!” For some reason he couldn't stomach hearing his mother call him that.
Bringing Home Danny Page 15