Something MORE for Santa

by AKM Miles

  Derek hurried to pick Michael up, knowing that bending over would probably be more than Max could handle right now. He turned to face the others. Tears trickled down Max’s face too. Derek didn’t know if it was relief or pain or both. Moving quickly to stand close to Max, Derek held Michael so that Max could reach out to touch him, and cup the back of his son’s head. Derek saw what the migraine was doing to Max and he knew that the man needed to be horizontal and quiet as soon as possible. Max was shaking and sweat beaded on his forehead.

  “I’m going to hold onto you for a second,” Derek said, carrying Michael out of the closet. “Daddy has another really bad headache. This is Officer Sinclair.” He pointed to the man, and then to the woman. “And this is Officer Kilgore. They helped us look for you.” Derek pointed out the set of keys to Officer Sinclair. Using a pen from his pocket, the policeman hooked them and picked them up, and put them into another evidence bag.

  Derek knew Max needed to hold his child, but he looked as if his migraine was steadily getting worse, and Derek didn’t want to add to his strain. Besides, Officer Kilgore stepped forward just then.

  “Michael,” she said gently, “we need to take that tape off your mouth. I’m sorry, honey, but it’s going to hurt.” Holding one side of Michael’s head, she ripped the tape off all at once.

  Michael yelled. He grabbed his face as more tears sprang from his eyes.

  “I know, hon, but that was the only way to do it,” the officer said. “If you take it off slowly, it just hurts longer. You’re a very smart little boy, aren’t you? You left us clues to help us find you. Do you know where the lady went?”

  Michael sent a silent appeal to his daddy and Max reached for him. Michael was so good, so keenly aware of Max’s pain. He wrapped his legs around his dad and laid his head on Max’s shoulder, putting one hand up to pat his cheek tenderly.

  “I love you, Daddy.”

  “I love you, too, Michael,” Max whispered. “I was so scared.”

  “It was Tawna. She was mad and she said you were hurt and I should go with her, that you needed me to make it better. How did she know you had another headache?”

  Max took a deep breath and swayed a little.

  “Whoa, Max, give Michael back to me and let’s get you to your bedroom so you can lie down. We’ll all pile on the bed and be really still and quiet. Michael, Tawna didn’t know about your daddy’s headache. She lied to you. His migraine came on while we were looking for you.” Max let Derek take Michael, a clear indication of how badly he was hurting.

  “You did a good job leaving clues for us to follow. That was very smart of you. The hat and the pieces of gum you left behind helped us find you. Your dad and I are very proud of you. Now, I need you to help me take care of him.”

  Michael nodded his head, then dropped it to Derek’s shoulder, peering over to watch his father. Derek turned to see how pale and shaky Max looked. Worry for Max and relief in finding Michael had Derek nearly shaking himself.

  The two officers each supported one of Max’s arms as they reentered the elevator and rode it up to the penthouse. The officers asked Max if he was sure he didn’t want to go to the hospital. Max told them unequivocally, no. With Max and Michael settled on the bed in the darkened room, Derek walked the officers to the door.

  “What will happen now? I can look in the files and find her address for you. Her phone number and any information we have. Max and I have already talked about this. We want to press charges.”

  “You and Mr. Martin?” Officer Sinclair’s eyebrows went up. “Are you a couple? You can speak for Max?”

  “Uh…” Derek paused, uncertain what to call their relationship. “We’re a couple, but I won’t speak for him. We did talk, and I was under the impression that he definitely wanted to pursue charges. Can we talk about that when you find her and his head isn’t splitting? I really need to check on him.”

  “We’ll contact you as soon as we find out anything. I’m glad we found young Michael and that he wasn’t hurt badly. We’ll be in touch, Mr. Campbell.” Officer Kilgore reached to shake Derek’s hand.

  After locking the door behind the officers, Derek hurried into the kitchen to grab a banana and some juice for Michael and a bottle of water for him to share with Max. Derek felt like he and Max could both use a good stiff drink, but Max’s migraine took precedence right now.

  When he walked into the bedroom, he stood for a second taking in the scene on the bed. If he believed in mystical occurrences, he would swear a spiritual aura hovered over the bed, steeped in colors of love. Max lay on his back very still, and Michael sat cross-legged beside him, softly stroking Max’s head while humming a slow version of “Jingle Bells.” This kid was a keeper!

  Michael looked up when he saw Derek. Sadness shadowed his eyes. “Will you do it? I don’t do so good like you. He hurts a lot.”

  “I know, sweetheart. I’ll take over. I brought you a little snack. You sit on the other side of him and hold his hand like before. I think that helped him last time. It gives him something good to focus on. He loves you very much.”

  “Is it ’cause of me his head hurts this time?” Michael asked, getting onto his knees and crawling around Max to the other side of the bed.

  “No, baby,” Derek whispered. “It’s because of Tawna and how mean she is. He was scared to death we wouldn’t find you and he’s mad that she took you. Did she say why she did it?” Derek handed Michael the banana and set the juice box onto the table by the bed.

  “She said Daddy was supposed to be hers. I guess she didn’t know he would like you better, huh?”

  Derek marveled at how, without realizing it, Michael had just hit the nail on the head. But Derek wasn’t going to pursue that line of thought with the child. Instead, he asked about something that had been puzzling him.

  “Did Tawna say anything about the keys she left by you? Do you know why they were there?”

  “She just threw them down and said they were worthless. How can keys be worthless? Don’t they open stuff?” Michael tilted his head and waited for an answer.

  “They do, indeed, hon, unless the locks have been changed. She was upset that she couldn’t get into the offices any more. Too bad about that. Let’s forget her and think about your dad right now. You’re going to help me make him feel better, huh?”

  “Yeah, I don’t like it when he hurts so bad.” Michael patted Max’s chest gently.

  “Do you know if you all have a heating pad, Michael?”

  “It’s in the closet in the hall by the extra bathroom. Sometimes Daddy uses it on my tummy if it hurts,” Michael said around a bite of banana.

  Derek found it along with an extension cord. He plugged it in by the bed and turned it on to Medium. Then he went to the bathroom, ran cold water in the sink, and pulled out about six washcloths. He hurried to the kitchen again for some ice cubes, which he placed in the sink with the washcloths. He put a towel by the sink and brought another to the bedside table.

  He placed the now very warm pad on Max’s feet and covered it with the end of the comforter to hold it in place. The heat would draw blood away from Max’s head, relieving some of the pressure. Next Derek wrung out one of the wet, cold cloths, dried his hands, and brought the cloth to the bed.

  “Max, I’m going to put a cold compress over your eyes. It will help with the pain. Just relax, hon.” Then Derek began the soft stroking motions with his fingers.

  “Aren’t you going to hum to him like you did before? I think he liked it,” Michael said.

  “If you think so, then I will. You’re done with your snack. Just drop the peeling into the trash by the bed and lie down beside your dad. Feeling you close to him will help, I promise.” Derek thought for a second, and began to very softly hum Lambert’s slow version of “Mad World.” He thought the title appropriate for the occasion. He watched Michael move very slowly as he settled beside Max. Max raised his arm a little and Michael slid closer, laying his head in the open space Max provided. Max en
closed Michael in a soft embrace and Derek’s heart melted. He kept humming and stroking.

  Reaching up, Derek flipped the cloth over to put the cool side down. For the next hour he moved back and forth to the bathroom, getting cold compresses and replacing them as needed. He saw that Michael had gone to sleep and that Max’s arm lay relaxed around his son. He could tell that Max’s pain was easing. The tension had all but drained from his shoulders and the tightness around his eyes had lessened.

  Derek leaned and pressed a gentle kiss against Max’s forehead. How he hated seeing this strong vibrant man brought so low by pain. Max sighed and turned his head a little toward Derek’s lips. Derek smiled and placed more soft kisses along Max’s forehead, his nose, his cheek, and his chin. He didn’t interrupt his humming, though he was growing awfully tired.

  “Shh, rest now. Lie down with us,” Max said to him.

  “Better?” Derek asked.

  “Mmm-hmm, need you. You really help,” Max murmured, raising his other arm for Derek to snuggle closer. Derek put his head on that perfect spot where Max’s shoulder and neck met and felt himself giving in to sleep too. His last thought was of what a sweet picture they must have made.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Derek woke to the sound of the cell phone on the bedside table. Max and Michael were both sound asleep. Sliding off the side of the bed, he grabbed the phone and headed out of the room with it.

  “Mr. Martin?” asked an authoritative voice.

  “No, this is Derek Campbell. Mr. Martin is indisposed right now. May I help you?”

  “This is Officer Sinclair. I’d really like to speak with Mr. Martin. I know he had a bad headache, but we’ve apprehended Tawna and we’d like to have Mr. Martin come in.”

  As far as he was concerned, Tawna could cool her heels at the police station until Max felt better, but he said, “Just a moment, Officer. I’ll see if he feels well enough to come down.”

  Derek returned to the bedroom to find Max leaning on the doorframe, a question in his pretty teal eyes.

  “They found Tawna and want you to come down to the police station. Do you feel well enough? How’s your head?” Derek handed Max the phone. “It’s Officer Sinclair.”

  “Hello, Officer Sinclair. This is Max Martin. Where did you find Tawna?” Max raised an arm, inviting Derek to his side. Derek snuggled against him, trying to listen to the explanation, but unable to hear the other side because of the difference in their height. He relaxed when Max gently squeezed his neck then moved his fingers on the base of Derek’s skull, tunneling through his hair.

  “Yes, sir. I can come down. I’m not sure what you can charge her with. I don’t know about kidnapping, since she didn’t take him off the premises, but some kind of malicious intent. I don’t think she should get off without some kind of punishment.” Max’s fingers tightened on Derek’s neck, but he realized what he was doing and eased up, smoothing over the area. “That was wanton endangerment. What if Michael had been so scared that he threw up with his mouth taped like that? Yes, sir. I’m sure she’s full of remorse. Sorry, about the sarcasm, but I don’t believe it.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll be down within the hour, with my lawyer.” Max hung up and said to Derek, “I’m going down to the station. I want her charged. I’ll have to see what they’ll do, but she’s not getting away with scaring my child.” Max was quivering with renewed anger.

  “Hey, relax, hon. You’ll get your headache back. Do not go down there and get so upset that you undo all my good work. I’m about hummed out,” Derek teased him. If Max came home with another headache, Derek would hum and stroke until he couldn’t hold up any longer.

  “Yes, sir. I’ll be calm, but firm. I want her to be punished, Derek.”

  “Daddy?” Michael’s voice was right behind them. He was looking up at Max with a worried expression on his face.

  “Hey, buddy. Are you okay?” Max bent to pick Michael up. Michael’s head went right to Max’s shoulder in a gesture of need that Derek understood.

  “Um-hmm. Are you gonna hit Tawna?” Michael asked quietly.

  “Hit her? No, what would make you think that? You know I don’t hit,” Max said, pulling back to see Michael’s face.

  “You said you were gonna punish her. She always told me that she would punish me if I didn’t sit quiet, and if I told you what she was like. I was afraid to tell you.” Michael raised his head from Max’s shoulder. “She always raised up her hand like she was gonna hit me when she said it.” Michael drew his hand back to show Max what he meant.

  Max froze. Derek saw his effort to keep his dismay from showing on his face. “Did she ever hit you?”

  “No, not really. She grabbed me sometimes and pulled on me if I didn’t hurry enough for her, but she didn’t punch me. Don’t let them hit her, Daddy.” Michael rested his head next to Max’s neck. Derek understood the comfort Michael found in that spot.

  “Honey, I don’t think they’ll hit her, but grown people have to be punished when they’re bad, just like kids do, but in different ways. She might have to spend some time in jail or something like that.” Max tried to relieve his son’s mind.

  “But she’ll miss Christmas,” Michael said, jerking his head back up to look from Max to Derek.

  Oh, crap. Michael didn’t want Tawna punished. Personally, Derek didn’t care if the bitch missed Christmas and a few other holidays. What would Max say now?

  “I tell you what, Michael. I’ll go down there and see what the police want to do. I’ll make sure no one hits her, but I promise you, they don’t do that kind of thing. But honey, she can’t be allowed to get away with what she did to you, to all of us. Derek was frantic when you were missing and I was so scared I got sick. She took you out of meanness. She wanted to hurt us all, and she did. That’s not fair, is it?” Max looked intently at Michael.

  Michael looked at Max, and then turned to look at Derek, his eyes very sad. “I’m sorry you all were scared. I was, too, really.”

  “That’s all over now. You stay here with Derek. How about I bring back supper for all of us? We kind of missed it, and we need to celebrate you being back with us and safe. Besides, I’m hungry. Derek, I’ll call when I leave the station and see what you all decide you want. That okay?”

  “I have a better idea,” Derek said. “How about Michael and I go shopping and we’ll fix supper here for us. I promise it will be great, something special for each of us. If you still trust me with him?” Derek could hardly meet Max’s gaze.

  “Of course I do. This was aimed at both of us, Derek. Michael, you feel safe with Derek, don’t you?” Max asked.

  Without answering, Michael reached his arms out for Derek, and the transfer was made smoothly. Derek hugged Michael close, so happy they’d found him relatively unharmed and not traumatized by the events of the day. Michael hugged Derek’s neck tight and Derek returned the embrace, looking over Michael’s shoulder at Max, who was smiling at the love in front of him.

  § § §

  They soon headed out; Max to the police station, and Derek and Michael in another direction. They would grab something for supper, but that wasn’t the reason for the outing. He spent so much time with Michael and working for Max that he hadn’t had a chance to shop. He knew what he wanted to get for Max, and he wanted to help Michael find something too.

  They were both bundled up for the cold weather, but there was no snow to contend with today. Nothing could dampen his spirits right now, with Michael’s hand in his and a goal in mind.

  “I’ve got a secret, Michael. You and I are going Christmas shopping. Do you know what you want to get your dad?” Derek held tight to Michael’s hand as they walked along the crowded sidewalk, filled with a frenzy of holiday shoppers.

  “Oh, Derek, that would be fun. But, I don’t got any money.” Michael’s brows furrowed.

  “I’ve got your back, little man.” Derek stopped and held out his hand for Michael to smack. They had a plan.

  Derek knew what he wanted to bu
y for Max. More than once during the past week he’d seen Max’s eyes light up when a commercial came on the TV about vacation spots in the tropics. Max seemed to love the sun and the water. He always commented on the colors in the waves.

  There was a wonderful bookstore that Derek loved to visit in his spare time, and he had seen a set of large coffee table books with accompanying DVDs about the Caribbean islands. Derek figured Max would just get lost in them. Maybe one day they could plan a vacation together and see some of the places themselves.

  “In here, Michael.” Derek held the door open, standing aside with Michael as a couple of men walked out, their arms around each other. They seemed so obviously a couple that Derek wished he and Max were further along in their relationship. Despite his telling the officer that they were a couple, he and Max really hadn’t talked much about it. That needed to be remedied soon.

  “Derek, are you comin’?” Michael squeezed his hand to get his attention. Derek had been watching the two men walk down the street, bumping hips and laughing together. Wasn’t envy supposed to be a bad thing?

  “Sure, bud. Sorry. Come look over here. I want you to see these books. They’re really big and have gorgeous photos of the islands. I think your dad would like them. You sit in this chair and tell me what you think.” Derek selected a book and set it on Michael’s lap. He sat on the arm of the chair and turned a few pages.

  When Michael looked up at Derek with his bright eyes shining and a big smile on his face, Derek knew he’d found the perfect gift.

  “Daddy always sits up and scoots closer when the travel shows are on the ocean stuff. He says he likes the big turtles and he’d like to see them.”

  Decision made, Derek bought the whole set of books and DVDs and had them wrapped before they left the store.