Trucker and Pup

by Drew Hunt

  “I dunno,” Greg said, not sounding convinced. “It just don’t seem, well, er, natural.”

  Joey’s muscles tensed.

  “No, mate,” Greg put a reassuring hand on Joey’s shoulder. “You knew what I meant. Sex with a bird wouldn’t seem natural to you, would it?”

  “Last time I was with a woman,” Joey shivered “Her cunt was all loose and flabby. And the smell!” He pulled a face. “How the fuck can ya cope with it?”

  “You saying you’ve done it with a woman?”

  “Sure.”

  “Really?”

  “It’s not always easy being gay ya know. I tried for years to convince myself that I was just like all my mates, but doing it with a woman didn’t seem as exciting as my mates made it out to be. But the first time I messed about with another boy, I knew that I’d found what I liked.”

  Greg scratched his grey beard absently. “Just, oh, I dunno, I don’t think it’d be for me.”

  “Goldman, get in here, now!” Jerry Parker yelled, pushing up the window to his office.

  Joey bristled at being addressed like that, but something in Parker’s tone convinced him not to argue.

  Running into the office, Joey was met by absolute chaos. A chair, table and a filing cabinet had been overturned. Briggs was laying into someone in the far corner, Jerry trying ineffectually to pull him off. It took Joey’s mind a second or two to make sense of everything.

  When comprehension hit, Joey’s blood ran cold. Clenching his fists, he launched himself across the room and rugby-tackled Briggs to the carpet. Blind fury drove Joey onwards, although everything seemed to be happening in red-tinted slow motion. Joey was only vaguely aware he was on top of Briggs, delivering a series of punches to the man’s face. All he could hear was the blood pumping in his ears, as well as his elevated breathing sounds.

  Joey paused to wipe away the blood from his face. Cal had got in a couple of decent punches before he was subdued. When he raised his fist to resume his tirade, a series of whimpers somehow managed to register in Joey’s rage-fevered brain. Dropping his hand to his side, Joey tried to determine the source of the piteous moans. His eyes found Kevin’s bruised, battered and blood streaked face turned towards him.

  Returning his gaze back to the unmoving figure beneath him, Joey remembered something Kevin had said previously. You’re right, Pup, Joey said to himself. Though the evil bastard piece of shit deserves to die, he isn’t worth going to prison for.

  Rolling off Cal, Joey crawled towards Kevin, who had curled himself up into a foetal ball under one of the desks. “It’s all over now. It’s all over.” He said softly.

  When he laid a hand on his lover’s shoulder, Joey could feel Kevin’s small body shaking violently. Joey felt terrible. He’d failed. He’d promised he’d protect Kevin if Cal threatened to hurt him because of the investigation Kevin had been forced to undertake.

  “I’m sorry, so sorry. I promise, Pup he won’t ever get to hurt you again. You’re safe, you’re safe.”

  Joey watched as Kevin stared unblinkingly at him. Eventually recognition seemed to spark. A flood of emotions washed through Joey. He knew full well his pup was hurting both emotionally and physically, but thankfully his words had managed to penetrate whatever hell Kevin was going through. Holding out his arms, Joey beckoned to his lover. Slowly and painfully Kevin crawled out from under the desk.

  Once Kevin had emerged, it took every ounce of Joey’s self-control not to crush his pup to his chest.

  * * * *

  When the ambulance arrived, Kevin was reluctant to be examined. Showing infinite patience, the female paramedic knelt down beside Kevin, and after reassuring him she’d be as quick as she could, Joey loosened his grip on his lover, but Kevin remained within touching distance.

  As Kevin was being checked, Joey happened to glance over to where Cal had lain. The bastard had got away! Painfully lifting himself to his feet, Joey made for the door. Kevin cried out in alarm.

  “Where’s Briggs?” Joey demanded of Parker.

  “Another ambulance crew took him away on a stretcher a few minutes ago.” Parker had been walking up and down the office, wringing his hands uselessly ever since Joey had barged in.

  The news settled Joey, who went back to kneeling next to Kevin.

  “I think you might have a concussion, so I want to take you to Accident and Emergency,” the woman said after she’d performed her tests.

  “No, I don’t want to go to hospital, I’m okay,” Kevin protested.

  “Pup, you’re going. And when they’ve patched you up, you’re making a statement to the police about all of this.”

  “No!”

  “Pup.” Joey stared at Kevin, and despite being in public, he bent down and kissed his swollen lips and said, “I love you, and I’m not going to argue with you about this. You will do what I say.”

  Kevin tried to get up, Joey putting a hand on his chest to stop him.

  “Listen to me,” Joey said more softly, “I’ll be with you every single step of the way. Remember you’re not facing any of this alone.”

  “Okey-dokey then, can you get into this wheelchair by yourself?” the male ambulance man asked, no doubt a little surprised at the interaction between his patient and his friend.

  Kevin shook his head and gripped Joey’s hand tighter.

  “Look, we’re not gonna get anywhere doing it your way. So I’m gonna carry him to the ambulance.”

  “That’s highly irregular,” the paramedic said, scratching his head.

  Kevin began to shake. Seeing this, Joey, not knowing if Kevin had any other internal injuries, carefully picked up his lover, and with a gentleness that surprised even him, carried him outside. Although he’d smelled the urine earlier, somehow it hadn’t registered before. Once out in the daylight, Joey was able to see the large wet stain on Kevin’s jeans. Oh, Pup.

  Continuing his walk to the waiting ambulance, Joey realised he’d have to give up his charge and hand him over to the ambulance staff. “Pup, I’ll follow you on my bike, okay?”

  “Nooo,” Kevin said, tightening his grip around Joey’s neck.

  “They probably won’t let me travel in there with you.”

  “Then I’m not going! I can’t, I’m sorry.” Kevin’s teeth began to chatter, it was quite chilly outside, and Kevin wasn’t wearing his coat.

  Looking up at the female paramedic who was standing inside the ambulance, Joey set his jaw and advanced towards her. She moved further inside, allowing him to climb the steps into the emergency vehicle.

  When the staff tried to get Kevin to lay on the stretcher, he clung ever tighter to Joey.

  “He’s not gonna co-operate with you unless I’m here, so you’re just gonna have to work around me.” Joey sat down on the bed, treated the ambulance woman to a defiant stare before turning his attention back to his pup, gently rubbing his back and talking softly to him.

  The ambulance woman shrugged her shoulders, leaned out of the van and pulled the doors closed.

  * * * *

  “Where’s that bloody doctor!” Joey got out of his chair and began to pace Kevin’s curtained-off cubicle. He hated hospitals.

  At first the medical staff had tried to keep Joey in the waiting room, but his persistence, combined with Kevin’s pleas not to be separated, had persuaded the nurses to keep them together.

  “He’s probably with another patient. They seemed very busy,” Kevin said through his thickened bruised lips. He closed his eyes, his head sinking back to the pillow of the trolley he was lying on. “I don’t know why I’m here, I’m okay, I told those paramedics that I was okay.” His voice was becoming more agitated.

  Joey moved to Kevin’s side, lifted his lover’s hand and kissed it softly. “We need to make sure that you really are okay, that there’s nothing happening inside you which could, um, you know.” Joey shuffled his feet. He knew his agitation was contributing to Kevin’s unease, but hospitals gave him the willies.

  “Thanks, S
ir. I don’t,” Kevin swallowed, “I don’t know what I’d have done without you. I…” He started to cry.

  “Pup.” Joey reached for a tissue in his pocket. He wanted to dab at Kevin’s tears, but his lover’s face was such a mass of bruises, he feared he’d either hurt Kevin by touching his face, or maybe the tissue would cause an infection or something. Joey hated not knowing what to do. However, his thoughts were interrupted by someone pulling back the curtain.

  “Hello,” consulting her clipboard, the tall white-coated woman continued, “Mr Lawrence. I’m Dr Perry. I understand you received a number of blows to your head this morning.”

  “Yes, that’s right.” Kevin sniffed, reached for and received Joey’s hand, giving it a squeeze.

  The doctor glanced at their joined hands, but made no comment. Joey was ready to blast her if she’d said anything. He knew he had to settle down; being so agitated wasn’t helping his pup.

  The doctor shone a light in Kevin’s eyes, tested his strength, reflexes and countless other things. Then came the questioning.

  “Do you feel nauseous?”

  “No,” Kevin replied.

  “Headache?”

  “Um, yes.”

  “What about dizziness? Is your vision affected at all? Would you sit up for me?”

  Kevin complied. “I feel a bit unsteady.”

  Joey’s jaw tightened, but he was determined to keep a lid on his emotions.

  “Can you hear any ringing in your ears?”

  “Just a bit,” Kevin replied.

  That fucking bastard, Briggs! Joey forced himself to stop grinding his teeth.

  The doctor made a few more notes on her clipboard, then came the questions about the attack. Kevin immediately clammed up.

  “Pup,” Joey stroked Kevin’s arm, “You’ve gotta tell her what happened.”

  With great reluctance, Kevin told how Cal had burst into the outer office and just started laying into him without provocation. He tried as best he could to chronicle the various blows he had received. Joey’s anger started to rise again; he wished he’d finished Briggs off while he had the chance.

  The doctor checked Kevin’s story against what Joey knew. After writing a few more things down, she capped her pen and looked down at Kevin, who still held on tightly to Joey’s hand.

  “Mr Lawrence, as you know, your head has received several blows. I’m afraid the bruising that is currently visible will get worse before it gets better. But all that is on the outside and will no doubt heal given time. I want to talk about your internal injuries. You have suffered a mild concussion. When you receive a blow to the head, your brain, which is a bit like a ripened fruit, bounces off the hard bony surface of the inside of your scull.”

  Joey felt Kevin’s grip on his hand increase.

  “Try not to be too alarmed. We doctors are a cautious lot, but I am optimistic that you’ll make a full recovery given plenty of rest. However, I want to keep you in for observation for a few hours, just to be on the safe side.”

  “Do I have to?” Kevin pleaded.

  “Yes,” Joey told him firmly but kindly.

  “If you don’t present with any further symptoms for the rest of the day, then we’ll see about discharging you tonight.”

  “Thanks, doc,” Joey said.

  “I’ve written up a script for Acetaminophen, so that should help take care of your headache. I’m afraid you’ll be in for some pain over the next few days.”

  Kevin’s expression grew more sullen.

  “Unfortunately there’ll be a bit of a wait until we can find you a bed in our observation ward.” The doctor put her hand on the curtain and drew it back, “So please try and make yourself as comfortable as you can.” Turning to Joey, she said, “I’ll ask one of the nurses to come in and clean up your face.”

  * * * *

  Kevin’s head hurt. The soreness seemed to go down deep. But there was another hurt, too. One which Kevin thought he’d managed to conquer. However, the events of that morning proved Cal still had a frightening mental hold over him. Turning his head to the side, Kevin saw his sir having the cuts on his face attended to. Kevin knew Joey was strong and tough; therefore he found it strange, and slightly amusing to watch the tortured expressions which flitted across Joey’s face as the nurse patched him up.

  Kevin had to close his eyes. He felt weary, the pain draining him of his energy. But each time he thought he was about to drift off, someone would come round and shine a light in his eyes, take his temperature and check his pulse. Kevin knew all the tests were necessary, but he just wished they would go away and leave him and his sir alone.

  The afternoon dragged by with leaden slowness. At about 2 pm, a couple of plain clothed policemen came into the cubicle and began asking questions. They kept asking him the same things over and over again, Kevin growing ever more tired and confused as their interrogation continued. Eventually Joey, his magnificent protector, made them stop. But all they did was turn their attention to his sir instead. The older of the two, Kevin remembered him identifying himself as a detective sergeant, tried to suggest Joey had used unreasonable force when he hit Cal.

  Joey started to become angry; Kevin realised such a reaction could be counterproductive, so he reached out and gripped Joey’s arm. Kevin then tried to send his lover calming thoughts. It seemed to work. Joey settled down and told their inquisitors he’d come across Cal brutally attacking his friend, “And what did you expect me to do, stand back and watch?”

  “No, Sir, but you managed to cause Mr Briggs several severe injuries. He may be within his rights to press charges against you,” the detective sergeant said.

  “He can try,” Joey responded. “Just look at what he did to Kevin’s face. No jury would convict me, and you know it.”

  The detective didn’t answer. After more questions, the policemen left, telling Joey and Kevin they’d be in touch later. Kevin worried his sir might get into trouble for what he’d done, but thought it best to stay quiet. If it were up to him, Joey would be given a medal.

  * * * *

  Knowing he wouldn’t get any rest, and his head hurt way too much to read, Kevin used the seemingly endless time just to stare at things in the drab cubicle.

  When the clock finally dragged its way round to 4 pm, Kevin spoke up. “Sir, please go home. There’s no point in you sitting around here all day. When they finally release me I could call you.” He then realised he was being presumptuous. “Or I could get a taxi to take me home.”

  Joey, who had been dozing in the chair, opened his eyes and looked over at Kevin. “I ain’t going anywhere. Got it?”

  Kevin swallowed. “Thank you, Sir.”

  A warm sensation of love washed through Kevin. He’d hoped Joey would stay, but something within him—that old insecure nature of his—kept telling him Joey would want to leave just as soon as he could. Kevin knew there was no foundation for his fears, but he had them nonetheless. His thoughts were interrupted when Joey stood up and stretched.

  “I wish they’d get that bloody bed sorted. It’s not right you being stuck on a trolley all day.”

  “I don’t mind. It isn’t that uncomfortable.” I don’t care where I am, so long as you’re with me, Kevin told himself. “You must be hungry, Sir. You haven’t eaten anything since this morning, and you’re still full of cold. Why don’t you go and get yourself something to eat, there’s bound to be a cafeteria or something nearby.”

  Joey stretched his huge arms up into the air and farted loudly. “Suppose I ought to get something. You want me to bring you anything?”

  Kevin shook his head. He wasn’t hungry.

  “Will you be all right on your own?”

  “Yes, Sir, I’ll be fine. But could you give Peter a ring for me please? If I don’t tell him what’s happened, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

  * * * *

  Joey stood in the corridor, while Peter and Terry were in the cubicle with their friend. Peter had been at work, so Joey had called him on
his mobile phone. After he’d talked Peter down from the panic of finding out that his best friend was in hospital, Joey had to answer a barrage of questions, all the while thinking that Peter would be able to get all the answers he needed if only he’d get off the bloody phone and come to the hospital.

  Once the call had been made, Joey grabbed a sandwich from the visitors’ snack bar. He had wanted to be back in plenty of time to make sure Peter and Terry didn’t overtire his lover.

  “Oh, Kev, you look terrible,” Peter’s high shrill voice carried through the curtains.

  Fuck, that’s just what he needs to hear, Joey groaned to himself.

  “Thanks,” Kevin said, “But Cal’s in a much worse state than me. I’ve not managed to find out what’s going on with him.”

  “What happened?” The much more measured tone of Terry’s voice asked.

  Kevin began to relay the events of that morning. Joey itched to get back into the cubicle when he heard Kevin sounding distressed.

  “How long have you been in here, why haven’t they found you a bed? Are they gonna keep you in overnight?” Peter asked, not giving Kevin time to answer.

  “Whoa, slow down,” Terry said.

  “Um, I was admitted first thing this morning, and I’ve been in here ever since. They reckon they’ll let me out this evening.”

  “You’re coming to stay with us,” Peter said, brooking no argument.

  That was it. Joey had to intervene. He pulled back the curtain and stepped into the crowded cubicle. “No, he’s going back with me.”

  “He can stay in our spare room. It’d only take me a minute to make up the bed. You’d be able to get all the rest you needed then,” Peter said.

  Kevin lay on his bed, his blue and blackened face moving from one speaker to another.

  “I’m more than capable of looking after him,” Joey said before sneezing.

  “Looks like it,” Peter observed.

  “Stop it!” Kevin croaked.

  Everyone turned to face him.

  “Please, it’s great that you’re all concerned about me, but I’m not up to any of this. I just wanna go home and sleep.”

  “I’ll stay with you, there then.” Peter said.