[B][U]Chapter 23: They Don’t Have Hearts
As I kissed Jacob passionately, police chief O’doyle cocked his head to the left. There stood a familiar, shocked face; holding some kind of beverage inside of a white Styrofoam cup. Fortunately enough though, the chief swiftly removed her from the entrance of the room. He walked her down a few hallways, passing many patients rooms before stopping in a hallway that could only be described as dead.
“Rebecca…” He started.
“It can’t be true! He’s supposed to be in love with-with me, right?” She cried softly. She clenched the Styrofoam cup in her hand a bit tighter. Gavin placed his hand on her shoulder.
“It’s not up to you lass.” He stated. He kneeled down a bit.
“Then who’s is it?! God’s?” She questioned. “Yours, Jacob’s? Tell me and I’ll make myself worthy and better than them!” She cried.
Being a man of faith, Gavin couldn’t answer. As much as he believed; he still questioned the morality and theology of ‘god’.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with God.” He stated, but more so rather spoke it as an intellectual query. “It’s a matter of the heart.”
“Don’t give me that crap!” Rebecca demanded angrily and defiantly. “Fags like Jacob don’t have hearts! They just make others fall in love with them because they’re selfish! Tristian doesn’t love Jacob, Jacob loves Tristian!”
“Young lass.” He started. “Tristian is one of the brightest and bravest young men in this world. He has lost his father, fought his friend and watched simultaneous deaths over a six month time frame. If you ever say he, or Jacob do not have a heart because of who they are? I will write you up for a hate crime.”
His eyes filled with a cold, yet fiery stare. He was gentle by nature, but this stare made the chief of police look like a hell bent killer. Or maybe, it was just the lighting of the cold, dusty hallway. Rebecca stayed silent; her breathing was loud and in obvious distress.
“Gavin…” She spoke. “I hate you.”
The chief then stood up. He looked down at Rebecca. “No, you hate that I don’t agree with you lass.” Without another word, he turned and walked off, back the way he came.
Rebecca didn’t cry. She didn’t scream. She didn’t even storm off after gavin. She just stood there. Once out of sight and earshot, she couldn’t help but smash the cup that contained steaming hot chocolate milk against the wall with a hard throw, causing the lid to fly off and the milk to splatter against the wall. She then needed someone to console her. The one person she believed would agree with her; her father, Justin.
Justin sat alone in a barren cafeteria. A mug of coffee graced his hand. He sighed slightly after taking a sip of his warm beverage. The emptiness greatly helped his thought process. His ability to think was better alone, or with John. But since the latter was no longer living, he had to make do with a mental solitary confinement.
He felt tapping on his shoulder. He spun around in a way that was quick, but also didn’t cause his coffee to spill. He saw his daughter crying. Instinctively he set down his coffee and hugged her.
“Rebecca, what’s wrong?” He asked.
“Stupid boys…” She explained.
“Is Tristian awake now?” He queried.
“Yeah, along with his stupid boyfriend…”
“Oh, well…” Justin said. “Why do you say that?”
“Because the stupid fag was kissing Tristian!” She cried. “And freaking Gavin isn’t doing anything about it!”
This wasn’t that shocking to Justin. Since Jacob and Tristian had met, they both seemed to look at each other in a way that blatantly showed that the boys had a deep interest in each other. Justin was easily able to pick up on this. He himself knew love. He was in love, once. His wife had died in child birth of complications, but out of it; he got his baby girl Rebecca.
“Love is love, Rebecca.” He stated. She shuttered.
“How can you call THAT love dad?! It’s… GROSS!”
Justin sighed. He wasn’t exactly for gay marriage, but he also wasn’t against gays being together.
“Have I not taught you better than that?” Was all Justin could say before standing up with his mug and taking a swig of it. “It’s late, we should probably get home. You have school in the morning anyways.” He explained, putting his arm around his daughters shoulder, walking her out of the hospital. “Don’t worry, things can always get better.”
Gavin paced his walk carefully. He braced himself for the talk he was going to eventually have to have with myself and Jacob. By any stretch of imagination, Gavin was not a full father figure; at least not yet.
He walked into the door, seeing me and Jacob sitting there, just staring at him.
“You two okay?” He asked.
“Yeah, we’re fine.” I said, choking on my words. “Just peachy keen!” He blurted out. Gavin raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
“Right, peachy keen. Physically, how do you two feel?”
“I feel okay, I guess.” I stated.
“My head feels like it got kicked off my body.” Jacob said a little sarcastically. Gavin laughed a bit.
“Yeah, having your best mate bonk your head and hitting a trampoline would do that to you!” He laughed. Both Jacob and I couldn’t help but giggle at his joke. Before we could say anything else, my mother walked into the room.
“M-mom!” I jumped. I got up and hugged her. “Hey.”
“Hi Tristian.” She said, her eyes a bit teary. “How are you Jacob?” She asked, looking to the white haired boy.
“Alright, all things considered.” He said, rubbing the back of his head.
“Good, good… The doctor was wondering where you went. You should probably get back to bed.” She stated.
“Not gonna happen.” I stated coldly. “I’m staying here with Jacob.” I said matter-of-factly. Gavin and my mother looked oddly at each-other.
“What did you say?” She asked, backing off a bit.
“I’m staying here, with Jacob.” I said. my mind was made up. The only thing that could make me leave this room was dark, cold death itself.
“I don’t think-“She started, getting cut off by Gavin.
“Alright.” He stated simply. “Just no funny business.” He warned. The two of us nodded. He guided my mother out of the room, just as the doctor entered.
“Woah, looks like I came a little late to the party.” He joked. The doctor was blond and a bit scrawny. He wore glasses and had a college ring on his right ring finger. Extending a hand to me, he spoke.
“I’m doctor Salvatore.” He said, introducing himself.
“Tristian, Tristian Hawk.” I stated, grabbing his hand. He then extended his hand to Jacob, who grabbed it.
“I’m Jacob Hawk.” He curtsied.
The doctor took out two charts, and read through them. “Well, you two got a couple bumps and bruises, but you should be okay…” He commented. “You’ll have to stay in the hospital till tomorrow afternoon, but you also have to be on bed rest for the school year.” Both mine and Jacob’s mouths fell agape.
“The rest of the year?!” We said simultaneously.
“Yes. Jacob, your head will need a while to recover, and Tristian, your body is pretty beat too. After all that has happened to you this year.” He read through some more papers. “I’m going to suggest bed rest for both mental and physical recuperation.”
Jacob and I couldn’t help but smile. The same thought hit us at exactly the same time. Absolutely, positively; no school at all!
“Alright doc, I’ll have to take your word on that!” Jacob joked. The doctor smiled.
“Well, I’ll start filing those release papers now. You two be careful, and just relax. Bed rest!” He chided. We both nodded, and he left the room. As he left, I closed the door behind him.
“Tristian.” Jacob called softly. “I need a change…” He blushed. I nodded, and looked around. After some searching, I found a large green hospital diaper in a cupboard drawer. I held it up to him.
“Not exactly a cute one, but I think it’ll do.”