by AKM Miles
They all nodded, confused.
“I’m thinking they need really nice, big tree-houses in them. Who wants to help me build ‘em?” Soldier asked, looking at the faces turned up to him.
Lots of “I do’s” met this question. They started a discussion on how the tree-houses should be built and what they should have in them. Should they have a ladder or just a rope to get up to them? Soldier got them going and then settled Ben against J. and tried to put Gom down by Jack, but the little boy clung and whimpered, so Soldier just stood up with him.
He left them discussing the new project and went to find Dillon and Daniel. They had some talking to do.
He found them in an office. Dillon looked as shell-shocked as Tommy had. He could see guilt and remorse all over Dillon. Soldier wasn’t having any of it.
“Gom, go to Daniel for just a minute, okay? I’ll be right back to get you. I’m just going to take Dillon in the hall for a minute.” Soldier passed Gom over to Daniel and reached down to take Dillon’s hand and pulled him out of the chair. Dillon looked surprised and tried to pull his hand back. He pushed Dillon out the door and turned back to Daniel, who gave him a thumbs up sign.
He closed the door and moved down the hall a little way and pushed Dillon up against the wall. Dillon tried to look down at the floor.
“Look at me,” Soldier said sternly, and waited for Dillon to comply. “Don’t you dare try to tell me you feel responsible. There were four workers here tonight with these kids. The doors were locked. It could have happened if we’d been here with them. You are not going to think it’s your fault. I already went through this with Tommy.” He used the same argument here.
“I asked him if he wanted me to leave. I asked if he thought it was my fault for letting my guard down and not being here? He said no. It’s all his fault cause they want him back because they made money off him. We both know it’s not his fault.” Soldier put his hand on Dillon’s cheek and kept eye contact with him.
“You, Dillon Marsh, are not going to take this on yourself and end up regretting anything we did today. It was not irresponsible. We covered our bases. It’s their fault. We’ll handle it. Now look at me and tell me you agree with me.” Soldier was scared he wouldn’t be able to get it across to Dillon that it wasn’t because they took the time for themselves that this happened to Tommy and Gom.
“You called me Dillon Marsh.” Dillon’s eyes were wide.
“I did. I told you, in my mind, you are. I won’t say it in front of others, but I need you on the same page with me. I’ve got the boys calmed down and they’re talking about the two tree-houses we’re going to build in the backyard. I’m not leaving until these creeps are caught. How about you?”
“I can swing a hammer.”
“That’s not all you can swing, you sexy thing, you.” Whew. Soldier had him back. “You swing that sweet ass like you want me to have at you again. Don’t let them take anything away from us. Not our love, not our making love, and not our boys.” Soldier took Dillon fully into his arms now. “We’ll be there from now on, every minute, 'til they’re all safe. Then we relax. You with me?”
“I’m sorry. Of course, I’m with you. I just got to thinking I had been selfish and had such a wonderful time with you and they were being scared and hurt and...” Dillon’s voice trailed off at the look on Soldier’s face.
“Shhhh. Got it. Been there myself. But I had to explain to Tommy it wasn’t his fault and when I did, I realized it wasn’t mine either. If we’d left them with just Daniel, I might feel bad. But they had plenty of coverage. It was just dumb luck on Dickbrain’s part that he got in. He’s the one at fault.” Soldier went on to tell Dillon about how brave Tommy was being. “Tommy’s talking to the police now. Maybe he can help. It’d be good for him if he could in some way. Give him a feeling of power.” He was so proud of Tommy. “We’ll handle it together. That’s how we do things now. As a nine-member unit. Love you.”
“Love you, too. Soldier Kramer.” Dillon laughed at the look on Soldier’s face before he, too, laughed out loud. They turned back to Daniel’s door. Gom was resting on Daniel’s lap, but as soon as Soldier came back in, the little boy reached up his arms for Soldier to take him back. Soldier picked him up and Gom put his head on Soldier’s shoulder and patted his cheek, and off to sleep Gom went.
Soldier headed out to the front room to see if it was okay for Gom to sleep all night or if the paramedics were worried about his head. He was told it was not bad enough to worry about that. They smiled when they saw Gom sacked out totally on Soldier.
“Man, these kids love you. You’re all they could talk about,” one of the paramedics said, smiling. “This one kept saying you’d be here. You and Dillon needed a date tonight, but you’d be here 'cause they needed you. He has complete faith in you. That’s rare.” The paramedic was obviously impressed with the love he saw between all of them. “How long have you all been together?”
“I’m not sure. A few weeks.”
“That’s all? To be that closely bonded in so short a time. Amazing.”
“When it’s right, it’s right,” Soldier said and smiled. And it was right all around.
He went to a chair and sank down with Gom, waiting for the police to finish with Tommy so they could all go home. He heard the boys talking about being hungry and tired. He thought maybe he’d fix some pancakes when they got back. He always made sure there were all the fixings for those at the house.
Before long, the police were finished with Tommy, and Soldier went to talk to the officers.
“Tommy, can you tell us where they live? Do you know any of the places Ross usually liked to hang out, drink maybe?” one officer asked.
That was the guy’s name, huh? Soldier thought "Dickbrain" suited him better.
The police took as much information as they could and Soldier told them to find those two, so his boys would be safe. He told them he’d be checking in and they would press charges and do anything the police needed him to in order to get Ross and Tommy's mother sent away.
Home. Pajamas. Pancakes. Hugs. And Soldier would be sleeping in the chair tonight with Gom. No problem. He didn’t really want to let the boy go, anyway. What if Gom had been hurt worse? It made Soldier sick to think of it. Tommy had bruises on his arm where Ross had dragged him toward the back.
Soldier heard a sound and looked up. Dillon was at the rail above. Looked like someone else couldn’t sleep on their own. He stood up with Gom and headed up the stairs. They’d do a repeat of the first night. He’d sit and hold them both while they slept.
He went in and settled on the big bed, pillows behind him, and stretched his legs out. He settled Gom on one shoulder and pulled Dillon in to the other one. Soldier leaned down and kissed the top of Gom’s head and then turned to do the same for Dillon. Oooops. He met Dillon’s upturned face and got a sweet, sweet kiss instead. He took it gladly. He pressed Dillon’s face to his chest and sighed, his arms and his heart full of love.
Epilogue
One tree-house was finished and they were working on the other. The first one was for the older boys. It was higher and they had learned to use a big knotted rope to climb up to the door of it. The boys were getting strong, and Soldier loved working with them. They played and ran and did exercises with him like they were in the Army. The dogs were in heaven. They were growing and they loved the boys. It was a mutual admiration society. The boys lavished love on the two mutts.
Today, Soldier and Gom were working on the house for the smaller ones. This one had a ladder up to it and it wasn’t quite as high. The floor was in and two walls were standing. They were working on a window in the third wall when they heard Dillon yelling for them. He and Tommy were running out the back door toward them. The other boys came scrambling out of the other tree.
“What in the world?” Soldier helped Gom down and they met at the bottom of the ladder. “What?” Soldier was anxious. They still hadn’t found the two criminals who’d tried to get Tommy.
> “Officers Bradford and Jansen are on their way over here with some news for us. They wouldn’t tell me over the phone. They should be here any minute.” Dillon looked around at all the children avidly listening to the news. “Should we see them alone? What if it’s bad news?” Dillon obviously didn’t want the boys to have to deal with any more trauma.
“What about it, guys? You want to hear what the officers say? Can you handle it? Even if it’s bad news?” Soldier believed they should deal with things, good or bad. He and Dillon were there for the boys if it was bad. If it was good, they had a right to hear it. They’d lived through all of it. They deserved to hear the end of it. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too bad.
Soon, the two officers that the boys were now becoming familiar with, were in the front room and the boys were all gathered around.
Officer Bradford began, “I don’t know how to say this. Are you sure you want all of them in here?”
“So it’s bad?” Soldier asked, taking Gom’s hand.
Jansen spoke up. “Depends on how you look at it. They’re gone. They’ll never bother anybody again.” He looked at Tommy, and there was compassion in his eyes as he went on, “We got a lead, and two cars showed up there. He saw us coming and tried to run. That would have been fine, but he had a gun and he turned to shoot, and one of the officers shot him. He’s gone.”
Tommy had no expression whatsoever.
“Another officer went to the house to apprehend the woman, uh, your mother. When she saw that Ross had been killed, she shot herself. I’m sorry, son. They’re both dead.”
Soldier watched Tommy closely to see what the boy needed. He watched Tommy get up and go to Officer Jansen and put his arms around him. Jansen looked stunned.
“Thank you, sir,” was all Tommy said. He then went and hugged Bradford, too.
Officer Jansen cleared his throat and looked around the room. All the boys were smiling, happy for Tommy. They didn’t know all the horrible things those two had done to him; they just knew Tommy had been scared of them and now they would not hurt him again. Considering the things they’d been through, seen, heard, and had to do before they'd come here, death didn’t bother them.
Soldier could tell that Jansen thought it weird that everyone was so pleased at these people’s deaths. Officer Jansen just didn’t know. Soldier went to Tommy and whispered in his ear. Tommy looked at him and nodded solemnly.
Soldier drew the two officers outside and told them just a little of what had been done to Tommy since he was about seven or eight. Four or five years of sexual, physical, and mental abuse capped off by kidnapping attempts, burning his house, and hurting his friend. The boy had no feelings for the couple and now the officers understood. Soldier hadn’t liked them thinking that Tommy or his boys were just bloodthirsty. They were loyal, was what they were.
The police left and Soldier went back inside. Tommy came to him and hugged him.
“Why do I want to cry when I hated them?” he whispered to Soldier.
“Because you’re not like them. You wanted them gone and punished, but you never wished them dead. You’re a good person. They were not. That’s the difference.” Soldier looked down into Tommy’s face, seeing relief warring with anger on the boy's face, knowing Tommy was having a hard time figuring out how he should feel. “You’re relieved that it’s over, but you think you should be sad and you’re worried that you’re not. You’re just fine, Tommy. Relax. Feel whatever you need to and don’t worry about it. You’re a good person. You just remember that. You’re safe, now, son. All of you are safe.”
“I like when you call me son.” Tommy whispered that, too.
“I like it, too.” Soldier kept his arm around Tommy and they went to join the others.
***
Later that night, Soldier and Dillon were in bed. They lay holding onto each other, both quiet. They were so relieved that all was right with their world. The boys were safe and happy. Tommy would be fine. Gom was improving all the time. The others were getting along fine. They needed to get Bart to a doctor next and see about him not talking. They made compensations for him, but if it was a permanent thing, then they needed to find out and learn to deal with it.
“I’m so glad I’ve got you. You make everything all right.” Dillon finally broke the silence
“Same here. I couldn’t get through the day if I didn’t know I had you. Come here, this calls for a kiss of epic proportions. I want to fall asleep with your taste on my tongue and your body all over me.” Soldier expressed his desire, leaning to take Dillon’s mouth.
They kissed and it led to sweet, hot sex. No one knocked on the door and they fell asleep just like they’d planned. And there were pancakes for breakfast... and lots of juice.
End