Always and Forever: Rugby Brothers, Book 3

by Tiara Inserto

  But Mano did, and rejection was the last thing she felt when he kissed her goodnight. Instead, his last words to her before leaving was an apology for hurting her with his answer. That wasn’t his intention, he said. And with those simple words, she knew she was a little closer to falling in love with him.

  Eden looked at the clock again and groaned.

  The college pool would be open… No! Sleep in! You’re done!

  Fifteen minutes later, she flung the covers and changed. Biting a banana quickly, she scribbled a quick note to Aidan. When she pushed through the doors to the swimming pool, she stopped and took in the scene. The two end lanes were already occupied, a lone swimmer in each of them. The sound of their clean strokes barely discernible over the continuous hum of the invisible air filter.

  Any questions about whether she made the right decision to quit the Berkeley club disappeared. This was right. Swimming here, as a Beaver, was right. She wasn’t from the world of “all-or-nothing anymore. Her life was bigger than that.

  With no swim plan to follow, she luxuriated in the first streamline off the wall, consciously breaking away from the now automatic movements of the past months’ schedules. She took a deeper breath than necessary as she broke through the water, then reached further and kicked harder than she was supposed to.

  No rhythm; no plan. Just follow the black line.

  She expected to see the face waiting for her in the next lane when she took a break.

  “Welcome back,” Linda Wellens said.

  “Good to be back.” Eden raised her chin. “You know already? It just happened last night. Who told you? Tommy or Jordan?”

  “Tommy. Want to talk about it?”

  “No.”

  Linda nodded then—more out of habit than functionality—pushed hair strands up her swim cap before disappearing under water.

  An hour later, Eden returned home to see the scribbling next to her earlier note to Aidan:

  * * *

  Matt and I are having extra practice with Mano. Aidan

  * * *

  She smiled then frowned. When it was time for Mano to leave, it wouldn’t be only her heart that would be broken.

  Eden sighed.

  If only the heart would listen to the brain more often. But all the best things in her life had come from listening to her feelings, and she wasn’t going to change that philosophy just because loving Mano could be hard.

  Nope.

  Loving him, she decided, was going to be the easiest part of this whole relationship.

  She reached for her phone and messaged Aidan:

  * * *

  Mom: Let me know when you’re at school. Have a good day, bud. Love you.

  Mano looked at his watch again, uneasiness pooling at the pit of the stomach. Nine minutes and twenty seconds.

  Even if they had taken a break, they should have been back from the sprint. He silently cursed himself for not running with the boys. But it was supposed to be an exercise in explosive speed, just between the two of them. To the aged bench before the trail curve.

  Mano walked back to his porch. Patty usually glanced out of the window every five minutes while they practiced. Used to annoy him, but now that he’d had spent more time with his neighbors, he knew her presence was more to watch Matthew than him.

  He glanced at his watch again then looked around. Eerily quiet. Even the squirrels were absent from the trees. Instincts propelled his walk toward the trail. Then something in his gut made in run.

  They should have been back by now.

  He turned the corner and slowed his pace. He heard yells in the creek that paralleled the trail part of the ways and moved toward the embankment. He spotted backpacks thrown at the start of a track that would lead down to the creek. A couple of bikes laid flat.

  He peered down; his heart stopped.

  Matthew laid face down on large flat section of rock, a large boy on top of him. Matthew’s face grimaced in pain as his captor twisted Matthew’s arm into his back.

  “You think playing rugby’s going to stop us? You little yellow-skinned…You people come here and take our jobs! Get back on the boat you came from!”

  “I was born here! I’m an American, just like you!” Matthew cried out.

  “Let him go!” Aidan screamed; his arms held behind him by two other boys. Veins strained in his neck, in his face. He pulled and pushed, desperate to break free. “Matt!”

  Anger flashed through Mano’s body. He ran down the steep hill; his only goal was to get to Matthew and Aidan.

  He must have yelled, as the boy holding down Matthew looked up in his direction, fear erasing the anger from his face. “Let’s get out of here! Run! Run! Go!”

  Now released, Aidan rushed to Mathew’s side, pulling his friend close to him. By the time Mano reached them, the three attackers had nimbly climbed up the other side of the embankment. They obviously knew the terrain, and their voices were less desperate when they recognized they weren’t being followed.

  Mano knelt next to Aidan. “Aidan? It’s me. Let me help.”

  But Aidan was focused only on the sobbing boy in his arm. Tears rolled down Aidan’s flushed face as he rocked his friend. Mano gritted his teeth when he saw the scratches on Aidan’s neck and face. There were going to be bruises.

  Whatever pain Aidan felt didn’t seem to register. Instead, his focus was only on Matthew. Aidan rocked this friend back and forth, Matthew’s face hidden in Aidan’s chest. “I’m sorry, Matt. I’m sorry, Matt. I’m sorry. I should have done more…it’s my fault. I promised you I’d protect you. I’m sorry…I’m sorry.”

  Matthew’s quiet cries could barely be heard above the moving water. Looking up, it’d be easy not to be spotted. They were less than a few meters from a busy footpath, but in the age of earbuds and headphones, would anyone have looked over the bushes?

  Mano stayed by Aidan’s side. “Matthew? Mate? It’s Mano. I want to check if you’re okay. Could you look at me, please?”

  Matthew’s arm grew tighter around Aidan.

  “Mate, I have to call your mom—"

  “No!” Matthew pushed away from Aidan, scrambling backward before being stopped by the side of another large boulder. “No! She’ll be so angry! Don’t! I don’t want her to know!”

  Mano held up his hand. “Okay…okay. No worries. But can I just please check you? I’ll touch you gently. Just to see if you’re hurt.”

  Matthew looked at Aidan who nodded. “We trust him, remember?” Aidan held out his hand. “I trust him.”

  Mano stepped forward while holding his hands up. Matthew met Mano’s eyes briefly then nodded. Mano released his breath. “Matthew, mate? I’m going to first check your face and neck. If you don’t like what I’m doing, or if it hurts, let me know. I’ll stop. I will listen to you. You’re in charge here, yeah?”

  Careful to let Matthew know when he was touching him at every point, Mano gently patted along Matthew’s face, watching to see if the latter reacted to his touch. Then he’d gingerly squeeze Matthew’s arms and legs. But Matthew didn’t react or say anything. He just sat there, his eyes now flat and distant. He’s going into shock.

  “Aidan, we have to take him home,” Mano said. “Then we’ll call mum, yeah?”

  Aidan bit on his lower lip and nodded. Mano squeezed Aidan’s shoulder, wishing he could erase the pain in eyes that trusted him. He inhaled deeply, forcing himself to focus on what he could do then turned to Matthew. “Mate? I’m going to carry you. You all right with that? On a count of three.”

  Relief spread through Mano at Matthew’s slight nod but the latter’s body remained limp in his arms. He made quick work of climbing up the steep hill. He glanced over to make sure Aidan was close, extending his arm to pull the latter up the final stretch as the ground gave way slightly to Mano’s weight. Then he ran, one arm holding Matthew close, the other urging Aidan along as fear rather than conscious effort propelled him toward Patty’s.

  Patty opened the door before they actually
reached it, as if she had been expecting their arrival. The horror in her face stunned Mano momentarily. She swallowed the cry that was half voiced but her training as a physician kicked in. She assessed the situation quickly and directed Mano to the living room sofa to lay Matthew down. Seconds later, she appeared next to him with an icepack and a first aid kit. “What happened?”

  No emotion passed her face as she heard Mano’s brief account of what he had witnessed, her hands moving deftly as she checked her son. Questions posed to Matthew were unanswered. But if she were alarmed, Mano didn’t see it. She was a doctor—not the mother—at this moment. At one point, Matthew turned his head away, hiding deeper into the sofa. Silent tears ran down his cheeks. Aidan pushed past Mano and Patty and reached for his friend’s hand.

  “I’m sorry, Matthew. I’m sorry. I wish I had been stronger.”

  Patty gently covered the boys’ hands with her own, and kissed Aidan on his head. “I know Matthew’s very, very lucky you’re his friend, Aidan. That won’t change after today.” She looked at Aidan. “I want to check you over. Will you be okay with that? I’m sure it’s something your mom would want me to do.”

  As Patty examined Aidan, Mano stepped into the hallway and reached for his phone. His hand paused briefly over Eden’s name, regretting that it fell on him to tell her that her son had been in danger. He inhaled deeply then pressed the “CALL” button.

  He’s fine; he’s fine. Mano said he’s fine.

  She should have driven over but her instincts were to run the short distance from home to Patty’s. She’d be faster this way. No red lights. No one to stop her movement. She was fast. She could be faster. Her son was hurt…

  He’s fine; he’s fine.

  Mano waited at Patty’s front door. His figure was unfamiliar in the environment she knew so well. He reached out for her hand and repeated the words she had been saying.

  “He’s doing all right, Eden. Patty’s checked him. Just a couple of scratches.”

  She bit on her lips as she moved determinedly to the living room. She needed to see Aidan, to hold him. When he was finally in her arms, fear of what could have been overwhelmed her. Trembling, she rubbed Aidan’s back, needing the reassurance that he was really there, that he was standing in front of her, that he was in one piece. No relief came until then.

  In the back of her mind, she recognized that Aidan allowed her that moment. There was no struggle to break free, just a silent, tight, strong embrace that said more than words ever could.

  When her shaking became manageable, she looked over to her friend. Patty hadn’t moved since her arrival, her figure seemed smaller as she stayed still and focused on Matthew. Aidan’s wide eyes met hers. “He hasn’t said a word, mom,” Aidan whispered. “He won’t even look at Mrs. Yuan. The police are coming. I’m going to have to talk to them, won’t I?”

  “Let’s take a minute here, bud. Are you okay?”

  Her insides tightened as Aidan’s eyes welled up. He nodded. “I’m fine.”

  “You sure? Want to tell me what happened?”

  Feigned detachment kept the cries of horror from leaving her lips. How could kids do that to other kids? They were all babies. She wanted to ask why this was the first time she was learning about the bullying, but she didn’t know if her voice would remain calm when everything inside was burning and sharp. Anger, fear, disappointment, resentment…the emotions were tightly interwoven. She wasn’t sure why they were there. She knew she had to be grateful. Her son escaped being hurt. But rage simmered inside. “I’m going to call your dad now, okay?”

  “No, it’s okay. I don’t want you to bother him. He’s at the studios right now. I’m fine.”

  “Aidan, you’re not, nor have ever been, a bother. You are important. He needs to be here. He will want to be here.”

  But it was Charles Yuan who arrived next. Usually the quieter parent who would defer to Patty’s “rulings” in the house, Eden finally understood why he was considered one of the most respected prosecutors in the County. He took control of the situation, monitoring the strangers that were suddenly coming and going. Standing guard over his wife and son, Charles’ quiet presence was unexpectedly calming.

  When Brandon arrived, he pushed through a police officer whose arms only fell back at Charles’ nod. Wild and angry eyes caused Eden to rear back instinctively. Relief flooded his face only when Aidan was in his arms. A woman appeared out of nowhere, flashed her ID at Charles who pointed to Mano. Mano squeezed Eden’s elbow before leaving her side. Wrapping her arms around herself, she moved to the corner of the room.

  The detective that Mano had been talking to introduced herself to Brandon and asked if Aidan was able to speak to her. After glancing at his father, Aidan nodded. They began to move away before Brandon stopped and surveyed the room, his gaze resting on her face. “Eden, come on. You should be here.”

  “Aidan, do you want me there?” Eden asked.

  Aidan shook his head. “If dad’s going to be there, I’m going to be fine.”

  Eden swallowed hard, reminding herself that her heart wasn’t going to break into pieces. Charles smiled kindly at her before directing the detective, Aidan and Brandon to his study. The sound of the door shutting seemed to silence everything around her.

  Anger threatened to crack her shield of numbness. She had to do something; her next words were aimed at no one in particular. “I’ll boil some water and get the coffee maker going.”

  A weak excuse but it allowed her escape. None of this was normal; Patty was usually in charge; the boys were never quiet; police shouldn’t be in her friend’s living room.

  Trembling hands managed to get the electric kettle going and avoid making a mess as she ground fresh beans, then added them to the coffee maker. She knew Mano was in the kitchen before his strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. She leaned against his body easily, wanting to disappear into his strength.

  “He’s fine, Eden.” His voice soft against her ear.

  “Yes. For now. Those kids still go to school with them!”

  “Patty and Charles will be on top of this. You and Brandon will also make sure Aidan’s all right. Look, you can’t fight enemies you didn’t know existed. Until an hour ago, none of us knew about these boys, these bullies. Now we do.”

  She walked out of Mano’s hold, braced herself against the countertop and hung her head. “But why? Why didn’t we know earlier? I was worried about drugs, about porn…” She turned around and pointed in the direction of the living room. “…of him being the one getting in trouble. I never once thought he could be a victim.”

  “You heard him. They targeted Matthew. Aidan was trying to protect his friend. That’s why they wanted to play rugby.”

  Eden blinked. “What?”

  Mano crossed his arms. “It was Matthew’s idea that if they both got on the rugby team, they’d be safe. Because rugby players stick together.”

  Eden raised her fingers to her lips, the tears no longer containable. “I thought I had a good relationship with my son. I don’t understand why Aidan anything. I just don’t get it. Why didn’t he talk to me?”

  Mano pulled Eden into his arms again, gently molding her head into the crook of his neck. He didn’t give an answer; he wouldn’t give her false pretenses. Whether she liked it or not, she had to accept that her child didn’t want her to know parts of his life. He kept this a secret by choice.

  When they returned to the living room, Brandon and Charles were in quiet conversation with the detective. Matthew was nowhere to be found. Patty was by the window. She took Eden’s offer of the mug of tea, her blank stare unchanged as she sipped the hot liquid.

  Neither woman turned when the police announced they were leaving. Eden watched Charles and Brandon as they followed the detective to her squad car. The two fathers continued to talk on the street after the cars left. Brandon’s wild gesticulations only ceased when Charles placed his hands on Brandon’s shoulders.

  “You know,”
Patty began, her face still toward the street. “This is my fault. I wanted the suburban life. If we had stayed in the city, like Charles wanted, Matthew would have been surrounded by a lot more Asian kids. But I wanted the good schools; I wanted trees and a garden and hills and…swim club and soccer….”

  Eden blinked away tears when Patty’s voice broke, unable to find words that could offer comfort. Maybe there weren’t any. Seconds later, Patty left her side, and Eden remained frozen to her spot. Any desire to say something or to follow her friend evaporated at the final look Patty gave her. “Thanks for the tea, Eden. I hope Aidan’s okay. We will always welcome him here, but I’m keeping Matthew home for the time being.”

  Patty didn’t wait for a response, and suddenly Eden found herself alone in a room that was void of the energy and warmth she had always associated with it.

  Brandon drove them home. She sat in the back, half listening to Aidan arguing with his dad about whether he should skip school the next day.

  “I’ve a test to make up, dad.”

  “Your safety is an issue, Aidan. You’re not going.”

  “I want to go. I’m not scared of seeing those guys.”

  “Look, Mr. Yuan and I want to talk to the principal first.”

  “Isn’t the deal that mom is in charge of the stuff that happens here? You’re in charge of what goes on in the city.”

  Brandon met Eden’s eyes in the mirror. She cleared her throat. “Stay home tomorrow. Your dad’s right. Your principal needs to know what happened today first. Then we need to know if it’s a safe place for you.”

  “It’s just a couple of kids! I’m not afraid!”

  “Aidan, you’re not going to school tomorrow.”

  Aidan slumped deeper into the front seat. “And you wonder why I don’t say anything to you both? No one listens to me,” he muttered.