Prodigal Son (Jensen Family Series)

by Michelle Day

  “My son would never have knowingly caused himself further pain.” Michael stepped in “And I cannot believe that he would be outright rude to anyone, he simply isn’t that kind of boy, as for sleeping naked, well, that is personal preference and, in my opinion shouldn’t be imposed.”

  “What about his repeated fraternising with the girls and masturbation?” Principle Baxter snarled.

  “He’s fourteen years old, those things are a natural part of growing up, and surely you aren’t so old as to remember what it was like to be a teenage boy?” Michael mocked.

  “I stand firm to my belief that he was punished accordingly.”

  “Would you like to see his wounds for yourself?” Monica now, the man nodded “Then I suggest you meet us at the hospital tomorrow where these matters can be discussed with Paul, his doctors and social services, in the meantime, I suggest you send someone to fetch Matthew and have both of my son’s things ready for collection in the morning, Matthew will be coming with us now.”

  “I really don’t recommend removing either boy from the school, while Paul has certainly challenged us, Matthew has been a model student, I would suggest keeping them here but putting them in the same dorm and on corresponding timetables.”

  “I have no interest in your suggestions, now are you going to get my son or do I have to walk through the school shouting his name?” Monica raised a questioning eyebrow.

  “Very well, I will have Matthew summoned here, you are making a rod for your own back Mrs Jensen, your boys will become unruly hooligans.”

  “That’s quite enough.” Michael’s stern tone stopped the teacher dead “Kindly wait outside until our son is returned to us.”

  Once Principle Baxter had left the office Monica turned to her husband.

  “Thank you for sticking up for Paul.”

  “I may not see eye to eye with the boy Monica but he is my flesh and blood, I won’t allow him to be mistreated. I dish out the punishment in our family; this institution has gone way too far.”

  “You aren’t going to punish him further are you?”

  “No, I think he may have learnt his lesson.”

  The following morning, the three members of the Jensen family and Principle Baxter met at the hospital to discuss Paul’s injuries. Matt was banished from the doctor’s office when a representative from Social Services arrived to question the Principle further.

  Nurse Cindy was doing her final checks before handing over to the day shift when Matt entered Paul’s room.

  “Hey Matt.” Paul grinned at his brother. His blood transfusion complete, he was feeling stronger and was sitting on the edge of his bed in a pair of pyjama trousers while Cindy applied ointment to his back and re-fixed the temporary stitches.

  “Dude” Matt grabbed Paul’s outstretched hand and they bumped shoulders “You are a fucking legend at the school.”

  Paul laughed “I didn’t do it for the notoriety; I just wanted to get home.”

  “I owe you; we’ve been pulled from the school, we’ll be going home and back to normality when you get out of here.” Matt looked at the nurse “Hi, I’m Matt, Paul’s brother.”

  “Hello Matt, I’m Cindy.” she smiled at the cute blonde boy then turned back to her patient “I’ll change the dressing on your arm before I go.” she gestured for Paul to stretch his arm over the small treatment table she had rolled over to his bed and cut the bandage off.

  “Ah cool, you are going to have some awesome scars.” Matt said as Cindy peeled the bandage away to reveal two lines of stitches stretching from the inside of Paul’s elbow to his wrist. Cindy tutted and proceeded to clean the wound.

  “Let me know if I hurt you.”

  “It’s fine, just a little sore.” Paul answered her “I did a good job of ripping my arm up didn’t I?”

  “You certainly did, you have dissolvable stitches holding the muscle layers together, the one’s closing your skin will only stay in about ten days, you are very lucky you didn’t damage any nerves.”

  “Yeah, I was stupid; I can’t believe I forgot about the barbed wire.”

  “Apparently, the vault you did over the fence was impressive until you got hung up, the whole school is talking about it. Mum and Dad are going nuts at the school; they have social services involved, the whole shebang.”

  “And so they should,” Cindy put in “No one should be beaten like this, the practices at that school need a close looking at.” She gestured to Paul’s back, Matt walked around the bed to see for himself.

  “Holy shit, I didn’t know they did that to you.”

  “They held me down Matt otherwise I would never had stood still long enough to take a beating like this, there were two other boys who got more lashes than I did yet I seem to have come off worse than them.”

  “You need to tell social services about the other boys, they may well need treatment and aren’t getting it.” Cindy told him “Right, that’s you done, take it easy today, no dancing in the hallways ok? I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Thanks Cindy, see you later.”

  Paul spent a further five days in hospital as infection raged through his body and his temperature soared. The wound on his arm had become so swollen that it threatened to burst the stitches leaving the doctors no choice but to re-open it and clean it further, letting the swelling subside before replacing the stitches.

  Monica sent Michael and Matthew home as there was little point in them all sitting in the hospital especially as Paul spent most of his time asleep.

  With the school under investigation and the other two boys who had also been beaten at the same time as her son now receiving treatment, Monica had time to meet with the families of those boys and together they were pursuing the school and the local education authority causing the school to be closed temporarily while the investigation took place.

  The doctors meanwhile, assured Monica that allowing Paul to sleep was a good thing and she really needn’t worry, her son was young and strong and would make a full recovery. The nurses were in regular attendance, waking Paul in the morning to change his sheets then carrying out their observations every half hour along with regular sponge baths to keep the sweat from his body.

  Cindy was surprised to find that Paul was still her patient when she returned from her two day break. She took over Paul’s care from her colleagues and encouraged Monica to take some time away from the hospital assuring her that she would take good care of her son.

  Over the next few days Paul’s temperature started to come down as the antibiotics began to fight the infection and he began to spend more time awake.

  “Hey, you’re awake.” Cindy smiled as she put the bowl she was carrying on the table. She came to Paul’s side and took his temperature. “And your temperature is almost back to normal.”

  “I feel fine.” he told her “Do you know when I’ll be able to go home?”

  “Well, you’ve had a few bad days.” she soaked the sponge “Now that you are over the worst, I expect we will let you home by the end of the week.” she had folded the sheet down to his waist and now picked up the sponge.

  “What are you planning to do with that?” he asked.

  “You’ve spent the last three days bathed in sweat, we’ve had to wash you every couple of hours.”

  “I’m probably capable of getting to the bathroom and washing myself.” he told her.

  “Don’t be daft.” Cindy laughed “You haven’t eaten for three days either and you do still have a slight temperature so you are not getting out of bed, besides, you haven’t got anything I haven’t seen a hundred times before.”

  “You may have seen hundreds Cindy but you haven’t seen mine.”

  Cindy slapped the sponge onto his chest “Think again. Look, to save your blushes, I’ll let you wash yourself but just so you know I have been the one washing you for the past few days” she patted his shoulder. “Boy, you are going to be a lady killer when you get older” she winked.

  “Maybe I already am.” he
grinned.

  “Please you are just a boy, you know nothing.”

  “I’m a quick learner.”

  Cindy laughed “Shut up and get washed, I’m going to get some clean sheets and some PJ bottoms. I want you clean by the time I get back.”

  Paul was released from hospital three days later. By the time he left the hospital, the scandal of the school had hit the papers and the youngest member of the Jensen family had his first encounter with the press in the hospital car park.

  “Mrs Jensen, would you care to comment on the role you have played in the closure of the school.”

  Paul stopped a couple of paces behind his mother as she turned her brilliant smile on the journalist.

  “As you are well aware the investigation is ongoing and as such I am unable to comment at this time.”

  “Paul, how are you doing?” a female journalist jostled through her male colleagues.

  “I’m fine, pretty much healed” he replied after glancing at Monica for guidance.

  “Looking forward to going home?”

  “Absolutely, I’ve missed my brother and sister and it will be nice to sleep in my own bed.” he answered honestly.

  “Have all your injuries healed?” Sadly Monica and Michael hadn’t been able to stop the publication of the goings on at the school or the information of their son’s injuries from reaching the papers.

  “I still have stitches in my arm but only for another few days, once they come out I should be able to go back to school.” his confidence growing, he stepped around Monica to get closer to the female journalist as trying to hear her soft voice over that of her male counterparts was difficult.

  “You has us all worried when the infection set in and your temperature went up” speaking quietly now, twenty four year old Antoinette Savage was taken with the boys dark good looks and the attention he paid her.

  Paul smiled “It’s run its course now, as you can see I’m back on my feet, thank you for your concern.” he grinned.

  “No problem.” she blushed, he really was breathtaking.

  “What’s your name?” he asked.

  “I’m sorry, I should have introduced myself, I am Antoinette Savage.”

  “Right name for your career choice” he commented, Monica touched his arm, it was time to go “It was lovely meeting you Antoinette, I plan to keep my name in the headlines so I expect we’ll meet again” he winked then followed his mother to the car.

  Paul was quiet during the journey home, very unusual for him when he was alone with his mother. When Monica questioned him on his silence, he pointed out that he had been stuck in a hospital bed for the last week and didn’t actually have anything to talk about.

  “Your old school agreed to take you back if you promise not to fight.” she told him.

  “I’ll behave.” he answered “Matt’s more than capable of taking care of himself and Tessa’s left now, I have no reason to fight.”

  “Actually, Tessa is re-sitting her A levels so she will be there for the next year.”

  “She failed?” Paul asked stifling a smile.

  “She got lower grades than expected even after a re-mark so your father and I have insisted that she re-sit them. She’ll only be doing three days at school, the other two day she will be doing work experience with your father.”

  “Huh, sitting in his office reading magazines all day.” he commented.

  “Paul” Monica warned “You just said you would behave.”

  “Sorry, can we stop for something to eat? I’m starving.”

  Paul was to start school after his stitches were removed. Matt had already joined Tessa at their previous Secondary School and been reunited with his friends.

  Monica was pleased with Paul’s new attitude but couldn’t help but wonder how long it would last, even Michael was for the first time enjoying his son’s company, expressing his appreciation for the boys quick sense of humour and take on life.

  Paul personally was going stir crazy being stuck in the house, his only trips out so far had been to have his stitches removed and a visit to a physiotherapist who gave him a list of exercises to do to prevent the damaged muscles from becoming atrophied. He did the exercises religiously as his right arm had started to look weedy in comparison to his left through lack of use.

  Midweek and only a few more days until the weekend and then returning to school. Monica had readied herself for her weekly shopping trip to the supermarket giving Paul the choice of accompanying her and meeting with her friends for coffee and a gossip before doing the shopping. The thought horrified Paul so much that he opted to stay at home and even offered to make a start on dinner.

  The doorbell rang as he tipped pasta into a colander. Leaving the pasta to drain, he went to open the door.

  “Hi.”

  Paul smiled and stepped aside. “Hey Suzie;”

  “I’m meeting Tessa here when she gets home from school, thought I’d drop by early and keep you company.” She strolled by him and made her way to the kitchen then hopped up onto one of the stools at the breakfast bar.

  “It’s good to see you.” He told her, turning back to the pasta and continuing the dinner preparations, “Are you staying for dinner?”

  “Yep, you’d better do some more pasta.” She watched him as he worked, she could watch him for hours. Already tall and broad shouldered although nowhere near as developed as he would become a few short years from now, his movements were fluid and graceful.

  “When do you go back to school?” She asked.

  “Monday,” he answered “Tessa said you’d left.”

  “Yeah, got the results I expected so figured it was time to move on. I think I’m going to have to start looking for a job soon though, Mum and Dad are really pissed off that I don’t want to go to college.”

  “So what will you do?” He asked as he leant on the breakfast bar beside her.

  “I don’t know. Personal shopper would be my ideal job right now, you know, getting paid to do someone else’s shopping and spend their money. Hell yeah” she laughed.

  “You don’t actually plan on working then?” he grinned.

  “Cheeky,” she nudged him “Let me see your arm”, she reached for his hand as he pulled the sleeve of his sweatshirt up past his elbow and turned the inside of his arm towards her revealing the raised red scars.

  Suzanne bent her head and pressed her lips to the top of the scar on the inside of his elbow then she moved to kiss its end at his wrist. She heard his sharp intake of breath and tightened her grip on his hand as she pulled him towards her lifting her lips from his wrist and raised her face to him. He didn’t hesitate to kiss her, moving closer to cup her face and slide his tongue along hers.

  As quickly as it started, the kiss was over, Pauls released his grip on her and stepped back;

  “I can’t.” He shook his head.

  “Why not?” she asked “We’re alone.”

  “I told Mum I’d behave, Tessa’s due home within the hour and I don’t know when Mum will get back.”

  “It’ll be fine, come on Paul.” she moved towards him.

  “Suzie, no, I have to at least try to make an effort after all the trouble I’ve caused.”

  “So I was just a holiday fuck?” she demanded, hands on hips.

  “No!” he frowned “Not at all, I just need some time Suzie, all eyes are on me at the moment, they are all watching to see what I’ll do next, getting caught with my pants down buried in you isn’t a good move right now.”

  “By the time you’ve finished justifying yourself we could have had a full on session, be dressed and decent before anyone came home. Why don’t you just admit that you used me and don’t want me anymore?” she shouted.

  “I didn’t use you, I wouldn’t. I can’t tell you how much I want you, not a day goes by without me thinking about you, just having you this close is torture but things are good right now, I have the opportunity to do the right thing, please just let me do it.” He thrust his hands into his pock
ets and looked at her through his eyelashes.

  Suzanne melted, the puppy dog look had worked, she huffed “Don’t take too long to do the right thing.” She softened “I won’t wait forever and you will have a whole lot of making up to do.” She warned.

  A slow smile spread across Paul’s face as his mind played all the possible scenarios of making up with her “I’m sure trying to be good is just a temporary condition, once that’s over I will do whatever you ask of me.”

  Paul had his final physio session on Friday then spent most of the weekend with Matt and his friends playing video games, swimming and hanging around in the local park watching girls and kicking a ball around.

  As soon as the Jensen twins walked onto the school grounds on Monday morning, Paul was summoned to the head teachers’ office for a pep talk on the behaviour expected from him. He agreed to all the terms implied and gratefully accepted the late note he was handed for his History teacher.

  Paul received somewhat of a heroes’ welcome from his friends and a fair few of the other students as Matt had loudly told the tale of his brothers’ rule breaking and daring escape. He found himself surrounded by people waiting to see what he would do next which he found largely irritating, the up side being lots of attention from some very pretty girls.

  By his third day back at school, he was becoming more than a little irked by the group of students following him around watching his every move. He removed himself from his friends and sought the company of his sister who wholly disapproved of his actions and would make a welcome change from the fawning adoration he currently received from a majority of the student body.

  Sitting opposite his sister and moaning about his supposed heroics he actually felt better when she laughed and said:

  “Not so much a rebel without a cause, more like a rebel without a clue.”

  “Exactly,” he replied “I could smack Matt for opening his mouth but as I’m being a good boy I’ll just give him an evil stare instead.” He grinned at his sister.

  “You aren’t fooling anyone with this good boy act you know. You are one of those people who will always do things your own way Paul, you might give the impression of towing the line but I know you, I can see your thoughts turning to just how much you can get away with.” She chided.