by Kris Sawyer
“Stop laughing, dude. I’m serious, it’s embarrassing. The way she looks at me … I know she’s made up her mind that I’m into dudes. You ruined my chance with her.”
Aidan patted his brother’s back as he tried to control his laughter. “Oh God, Aaron! You’re imagining it. I’m sure she isn’t judging you at all.” He chuckled. “I can’t believe you have a crush on Rick’s sister.”
“Can you blame me? She is so fucking hot! It should be a crime to be so fucking hot and still be available.” His grin faded in that moment. “Wait, she is available, right? Or am I jumping the guns here?”
He didn’t know how to answer that. “It’s complicated. I don’t want to get into details but … she is in the middle of a divorce. You may want to tread carefully here if you like her so much.”
“Oh, that’s tough.”
“In all honesty though, she’s super nice and she deserves a better person than her ex.”
“Like me, maybe?” He asked eagerly.
Aidan chortled. “Yeah, yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “But even though we’re brothers, I wanna say this. If you hurt her, like ever, I’d hunt you down and kick your ass.” Aaron started laughing thinking his brother was kidding. A raise of his right brow set things straight and Aidan watched his brother compose himself before nodding. “Anything that ultimately hurts my boyfriend will have to face me. And I don’t care who it is.”
“Chill, bro.”
“No, I’m saying this because those two in there have suffered enough and I’d hate it if my little brother was the reason to cause them more pain.”
“Okay,” Aaron said and pulled him into a hug. “Okay. I won’t do anything stupid. Don’t worry.”
Aidan sighed and they both got back in. “Is everything okay?” Rick asked as they took their seats opposite him. He must have noticed the long faces and the changed mood in both of them.
“Oh yeah.” Aidan smiled and looked at his brother to nod at him. “Everything’s cool. Just some work stuff that Aaron needed my opinion on.”
He cleared his throat and noticed the missing person next to Rick. “Where’s Jenny?”
“I’m here!” Jenny appeared from behind them and went around to get to her seat. “I had to use the ladies room. What did I miss?”
As the music grew louder, everyone welcomed a couple of Go-Go boys with an exciting cheer. The two took their positions by the pole and entertained their crowd for the rest of the night. The trio listened as Jenny narrated a story of one of her friends who worked at a shady strip club once and got ripped off by the employer who never paid for six months.
Aaron didn’t miss an opportunity that evening to flirt with her for the rest of the evening. He slipped in some cheesy jokes in the middle of their conversations and she apparently found them funny too because she couldn’t stop laughing. Either that, or the girl had mastered in fake laughing so much that it sounded very genuine. Aidan doubted that was the case though.
As he observed her more closely, Aidan could see why Aaron was so smitten by Jenny. It was a surprise he hadn’t noticed it before but Jenny and Rick had familiar features. Blonde hair, blue eyes, long lashes. Unlike Rick though, his sister looked sun-kissed and had a button nose. All in all, she looked like a model out of a fashion magazine with a slim waist and well-endowed breasts. Awfully good genes, he thought to himself with a smile looking between his cute boyfriend and his hot sister.
“What’s that smile for?” Rick looked at him slightly confused.
Aidan looked back as the curious eyes were now all on him and he blushed. If only he knew what I was thinking. He chuckled. “Nothing, I just remembered a funny thing my client said today.” He lied.
“Care to share?” Jenny probed.
He shrugged. “Later, maybe.” Aidan turned to his brother and said, “Why don’t you ask Jenny for a dance? They’re playing some really good songs tonight.”
“Oh yeah, Jenny? Would you care for a dance?”
Jenny was caught off-guard and she stammered when she said, “Oh, I don’t know about that.”
Aaron stood up ready to hit the dance floor. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
She glanced at her brother sitting beside who gave a huge grin. “Go!” He said. “I know you love dancing to these beats and you’ve got an enthusiastic partner in Aaron. In fact,” Rick turned to Aidan and said, “Why don’t you go and join them as well?”
“Believe me, you do not want to see me dance.” Aidan laughed.
“Yeah, I’m with him on this one.” Aaron said with a straight face. “Aidan dances like a dad dancing at a prom. It’s actually embarrassing.”
Jenny laughed out loud and Aidan narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m sorry but I can’t help imagining it.” She explained.
“Oh well… a man cannot be good at everything.” He pouted.
“Aww,” Rick said reaching for Aidan’s hand on the table. “I love you no matter what, you know that.” The wink that followed gave him goosebumps and he smiled softly.
Aidan took hold of Rick’s hand and brought it up to his lips. “I love you, too.” He said before kissing it tenderly.
“All the more reason now to go dancing, Jenny.” Aaron said grabbing their attention again. “We should leave them alone for a while.”
“You’re probably right.” Jenny ruffled her brother’s hair and followed Aaron to the dance floor.
Aidan and Rick ate the rest of their dinner in silence, enjoying each other’s company and occasionally checking up on the dancing couple on the floor. They seemed to be having a good time too. Aidan smiled as he saw Aaron leaning closer to Jenny’s ear whispering something and whatever he said made her laugh too. It pleased him to see her happy like that. And it made him happier knowing that his brother was the reason behind it.
“Is it just me or is Aaron actually hitting on my sister?” Rick asked, looking amused.
Taking a bite, he said carefully. “I don’t know. Why? Does it bother you?”
“No, not at all. I just find it … weird, maybe? A little bit. But anyways, I know he is a nice guy.”
Aidan took a sip of his beer and cleared his throat. “That’s actually what we talked about earlier when he pulled me away. He likes Jenny, that’s for sure.” He gave him an uncertain smile.
Rick nodded. “That’s sweet. But… with all that’s happened with her, I don’t know if she’s ready to start seeing other men. I don’t want him to end up hurt because my sister doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, you know?”
A chuckle forced itself out from Aidan and he shook his head.
“What?”
“Nothing, it’s funny how you are more worried about him getting hurt than her.”
“What’s so funny about that?”
“Because when we were talking,” Aidan said pointing back toward the door, “I actually threatened to kick his ass if he ever hurt Jenny.”
Rick laughed. “You did not!”
“Did too.”
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary, though. Aaron is a sweetheart.”
“So is your sister.” He gazed at the dance floor again and smiled. “But yeah, he is the best brother in the world. I cannot imagine my life without him.”
After a moment of watching the two, Rick finally broke the silence. “There’s no point worrying, I guess. They’re both old enough to make the right decisions.”
“I can’t agree more.”
As they left the bar, Aidan couldn’t help but notice how Aaron and Jenny couldn’t take their eyes off each other. That hour-long dance had definitely worked in his brother’s favor. He exchanged looks with Rick who smiled at him secretively.
At least, it wasn’t bothering him.
They were heading toward the parking lot when Aaron suddenly announced holding Jenny gently by her forearms, “Hey guys, listen.” Rick turned his wheelchair looking curiously at him. “Rick, do you mind if I drive Jenny home in my car?” he asked cautiously.
Aidan looked
down at Rick who obviously was speechless. Jenny seemed baffled too by that. She opened her mouth to say something but not a word came out. She instead turned to Rick, begging for advice. However, an awkward silence prevailed. Aaron expectantly looked at each of them for a reply. Aidan came to their rescue. “You know what Aaron, it’s getting late and I’m sure Jenny has to rest. Maybe …”
Rick held his hand to stop him mid-sentence and said, “I think we should let Jenny decide what she wants to do. I trust Aaron will bring her back to your place safely.”
It took Aidan by surprise and he turned to Jenny curious to know what she’d say. Aaron smiled at her. “Jenny?”
She nodded slowly and said with a hesitant smile, “Okay.”
“Cool.” Aaron’s grin couldn’t have been any bigger at that moment. “I’ve parked on the other block. We’ll see you guys back at Aidan’s then.” He waved and guided her in the opposite direction.
As they walked together down the street, Aidan realized how perfect they looked together. He smiled down at Rick as they both turned around continuing on their way to Aaron’s car. Rick kept stealing glances up at his boyfriend while pushing his wheelchair keeping up with Aidan’s pace. It made Aidan wonder. Did they look as perfect to others when they went to places together?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Aidan hadn’t missed the odd looks some people gave them when they went out together. Did it bother him? Not really. But initially it did make him feel a tad bit uncomfortable. He hadn’t forgotten how his best friend Corey had frowned at him for dating Rick. But that was when he’d realized that none of it mattered because he loved his boyfriend so much that he couldn’t care less what anyone else thought about them. Rick became a part of his life before he knew it. None of it seemed weird. It felt good; it felt so right to take Rick in his arms going to sleep together every night. That feeling was incomparable.
He opened the passenger door and began to settle Rick in. Aidan found it hard to take his eyes off the guy. Rick blushed and averted his eyes. The guy was adorable. He didn’t even know how beautiful he was - inside and out. Aidan always thought his first love was the guy he’d met in high school – with whom he’d had his first time. Thinking back now, it now came off as only an infatuation to him. Because he knew deep in his heart that he’d never loved anyone as much as he loved Rick. No matter what anyone would think, Aidan was certain that they were perfect for each other because no one else mattered to him more than the guy in his arms.
He leaned closer and brushed his lips against Rick’s cheek. “I love you so much,” he whispered. Rick looked up smiling shyly but his eyes stopped to look at something behind Aidan and the sweet smile was soon lost.
Aidan followed his gaze and saw a bulked up African American man standing in front of his car. He had his hands in the pockets on his hoodie and he stared between them with dark eyes. The man was huge and everything about him screamed danger. Suddenly, a tall, lanky dude appeared behind him.
“Can I help you?”
“Where the hell is his fucking sister?”
Jenny! Aidan looked at Rick and he looked pretty freaked out. Probably, he knew this man. He turned to the guy again and said, “Obviously, she isn’t here with us.” Suspicion grew within him by the second. Something about this was terribly wrong. He watched the two men exchange looks – the big guy looking daggers at his friend.
The skinny guy seemed as if he’d shit his pants. He stammered as he replied, “She came with them. We saw it.”
Fucking hell! Aidan realized they were being followed the whole time and they’d been waiting there in the parking lot expecting Jenny to tag along with Rick and Aidan.
“Where is she?” the big guy asked. Impatience was apparent in his tone.
Aidan refused to let the man’s size and demeanor intimidate him even for a second and asked, “What do you want from her?”
“We got some dues to settle with her. She and this punk put my guy in prison.” He must have picked up the perplexed look on Aidan’s face because in the next moment, he clarified, “Victor. I’m telling you, he was one of my trusted guys but if he starts talking, it would be the end of my gang.”
“Hey, nobody put him in prison.” Aidan raised his voice realizing the whole deal now. “He got arrested because he tried to kill his own wife.”
He smirked. “Do you think I care about any of that?” The man exchanged a funny look with his skinny accomplice and said, “Listen, why don’t you just let me talk to Vic’s girl?”
Aidan closed the passenger seat’s door and ignored the light call of his name from Rick’s mouth. He bent and started to fold the wheelchair down as he said, “Sure. Whatever you say man. But the next time you decide on a meeting place, pick an appropriate time and place. We can have my lawyer around and you can say whatever you want to Jenny and …” He put the folded wheelchair in the back. “And by the way, also let us know in advance, so there are no surprises, okay? G’night!”
His head was boiling in anger by the end of it and he literally pushed the man-giant to get to the driver’s seat. It was too late to realize what a big mistake it was because it ticked the man off and he put his arm on his shoulder, made him turn swiftly and punched Aidan’s face. It happened so fast that Aidan had no time to think or act. Due to the impact, he fell backwards, his head first hitting the car hood and then hard on the floor. His vision blurred for a few seconds and a sharp pain erupted. He didn’t need to check to know that his nose bled. His fist flew that hard.
“Aidan!” He heard Rick’s terrified scream echo through the secluded parking lot, followed by the sound of his car door unlocking.
The man above him bent over and held him by his shirt to pick him up. “You little shithead, do you even know who I am? I’ll blow off your head and dump your body in some trash. Nobody will even find out.”
“Let him go!” Rick begged and Aidan looked at his boyfriend trying to get out of the car.
“Or what?” He spat out. “You crippled bastard, you can’t do shit.”
The offensive language against Rick triggered Aidan’s anger and he threw his fist across the thug’s face with all the energy he could coax. Before he could take another shot, though, the big guy punched him back. This time, he did not stop. The fist kept coming at him. The guy swore loudly and kept calling him names as he hit him. He could hear Rick’s begging over the name calling.
After a while, he hardly any sense left. Aidan was thrown against the car and the man banged his head against the hood so hard that it left an obvious dent. Suddenly, it all came to a stop. “Zig, someone’s coming.” He heard someone say. The last kick to his belly made him cough up blood on the floor and he moaned.
He blinked hard and found Rick on the floor, dragging his weight across the floor toward him. Aidan grunted, coughed again and felt a bit light headed. He knew he was about to lose consciousness. But he had to make sure his boyfriend was safe.
Rick called out as he sat near Aidan’s head and helped him to rest it on his lap. “You’re going to be okay. I’ve called for help. Stay with me. Please, Aidan.” He turned his head up to look at his boyfriend’s face. His cheeks were wet and he shook uncontrollably. Aidan wished he could hug him and tell him it was going to be okay. He brought his hand up, wanting to touch Rick but he couldn’t. But Rick took the hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed it and said, “I’m here, Aidan. I’m here.”
Aidan opened his mouth to say that he loved Rick. However, he couldn’t find his voice to utter those words. His throat hurt because of the hit it had endured. All that came out was a grunt and it all suddenly began to fade away.
Rick kept repeating “No, no” over and over again in his state of panic. The last thing Aidan heard was his man yelling out his name before it all turned black.
That’s odd.
It took Aidan a few minutes to understand what exactly was happening when he woke up on the hospital bed. He looked around and the room was empty. His eyes felt heavy
imposing on him the need to go back to sleep but his throat felt dry. He needed some water.
As soon as he moved to reach for the button, his body ached. Aidan groaned, wincing at the sharp pain he felt.
Right then, his mother entered and noticed his struggle. “Aidan, honey…” she called out rushing to his side and said, “I’m here. What do you want?”
“Water.” His own voice sounded strange to him. Aidan let his mother help him sit up. She placed a few cushions behind his back and handed him a glass of water. He drank it as though he’d been thirsty forever.
His mother sat beside him stroking his arm gently. When he was a little more relaxed, she leaned over to kiss his forehead. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Aidan,” she said, her voice cracking a bit but she remained composed. Aidan always admired how his mother could keep calm even in the time of great distress. He knew her heart was breaking inside; he knew her too well. She was a strong woman and he loved that about her.
He smiled at her. “I’m okay,” he assured. His voice still felt a bit strained but he could still manager small sentences. He troubled his forehead. “Is Rick alright?” His boyfriend wasn’t in the room and it freaked Aidan out thinking something bad had happened to him.
“A bit shaken up. But he’s doing better now. Jenny took him home for the night.”
Feeling a bit disappointed, he blurted out without thinking twice to ask, “He just left?” It was silly but he yearned to see his face at that moment. Knowing that he abandoned him like that while he was in the hospital, hurt Aidan a bit.
“Oh no, no, no!” She shook her head vigorously. “I know what you’re thinking but it’s not like that.”
“It’s fine.”
“Aidan!”
“It’s fine, mom.”
She rolled her eyes. “Such a dumbass.” He’d never heard his mom say anything like that and it took him aback. When he recovered from his initial shock, he broke into a fit of laughter. His mother slapped his thigh but probably couldn’t help the smile on her face. “Stop laughing. That guy has been here twenty four seven for the past two days. He refused to leave until the doctor told him this morning that you were doing much better. And even then, we had to literally force him to go home and get some sleep.” A sense of guilt overwhelmed Aidan and he looked down at his hands. “Aidan,” his mother continued in a much softer voice this time as she said, “Rick loves you so much. I bet he thought he was going to lose you. In fact, we all did. But that guy … he looked so scared.”