4.10 Complications and Promises

Struggling against him Andrew brought his hands up to Blake's toned chest. He pushed against  him but the more he pushed the more Blake pulled him closer. He tried to move his mouth away from the crushing kiss Blake was forcing upon him. The more he struggled the more insistent Blake became bringing a hand up behind Andrew's head so that he couldn't move away.

Lungs burning Andrew didn't know how much longer he could fight off Blake's advances. He couldn't believe the guy was doing this to him in an aisle of a busy hardware store. Blake's crushing weight was alleviated when he was grabbed from behind. Upon his sudden release Andrew slumped to the floor gasping for air. A pair of jean clad legs stepped into his field of vision causing him to tense. "Are you alright?" a voice asked in equal parts concern and anger.

Nodding he gasped for air. He never realized that being kissed against his will could leave you with burning aching lungs, a racing heart and legs so weak he couldn't stand.

"Come on let's get out of here," the voice said reaching down to help him up.

"Charlie," he choked feeling somewhat lightheaded from the ordeal he just went through. His eyes grew large as he looked behind his savior "watch out" he screamed as a force knocked into Charlie sending him sprawling.

Blake stood panting over them while Charlie shook his head stunned from the impact into the metal shelves behind him. Breathing hard Blake turned to Andrew and roughly dragged him to his feet.
"You're coming with me."

Eyes wide staring Andrew turned to Charlie as he leaned weakly against the shelf. Blood seeping through his fingers from a gash on his cheek. "Charlie" Andrew mumbled trying to break free from the man's grip on his arm. Instead of loosening the pressure increased as Blake relentlessly dragged him forward oblivious to the gaping horrified stares of the curious onlookers. A couple of burly middle aged men blocked one end of the aisle, arms crossed muscles bulging. "We've called the police," one of the men informed them.

The shock of their announcement was enough of a surprise for Blake's grip to loosen enough for Andrew to pull free and run back to Charlie. It was a stupid error in judgement he soon realized as a fist collided with his nose. He fell backwards as a weight landed heavily upon his chest. Several blows later Andrew lay still on the cold, dirty tile of the hardware store. A female voice speaking above him saying "he's coming to."

Blinking his eyes Andrew tried to sit up despite firm hands attempting to force him back. "Just lie still," a deep comforting deep voice commanded.

"Charlie?" 

"Yeah babe it's me," he murmured "just lie there and be quiet."

Closing his eyes reassured that Charlie was nearby. As he felt himself relax he closed his eyes as images of the days events bombarded  him. Blake attacking him. Charlie hurt, bleeding. He forced his open struggling to sit up "are you alright?"

"I'm ok don't worry," Charlie assured him.

"Blake he's he's...."

"He's been arrested" Charlie informed him "he can't hurt you anymore."

"I'm sorry," he cried looking towards Charlie "I should have been able to handle things better."

"Shh it's not your fault," Charlie told him.

"But I..."

"We really need to get him to the hospital" a woman's voice interrupted them.

Hospital? Andrew's eyes flew open fright clear in his deep gray eyes "no no I'm alright."

Charlie put a reassuring hand on his shoulder "babe go to the hospital. Please. For me."

Sighing Andrew glanced up at his friend. Saw the worry in his light blue eyes "alright I'll go. For you."

***

Indira scowled at her accommodations. It had been a week since she left her parents house. A week she had put up with these squalid conditions. Some friends she had. They expected her to be thankful for this closet they dared to call a bedroom. 

She looked around her in disgust. The rusty bed frame that creaked whenever she moved. The mattress that smelled of mold and other foul things she was loathe to name. The threadbare carpet she wouldn't touch on pain of death with bare feet. 

All her possessions still occupied her luggage that served as her wardrobe. She hated this room, this house and the friends that grew more annoying by the day. How could they think she'd be happy living here under these conditions? They had the audacity to accuse her of being ungrateful. As if she was supposed to be grateful for these deplorable living conditions.

Turning from the small square that served as a poor excuse of a window. The sooner she found some place else to live the better. She couldn't take living like this any longer. Not to mention the spiteful looks her roommates have started to give her when they thought she wasn't looking. How could they expect her to keep quiet about the atrocities she had to live with?

She emerged from her room once she was positive the others had left. Not once had anyone bothered to check on her to see if she was alright or see if she wanted to go with them on any of their pointless excursions. Feeling somewhat hurt at their callous treatment of her feelings she sat at the rickety table careful not to touch the crumb ridden sticky surface. Slobs she muttered as she opened the newspaper looking at the for rent adds.

The page stuck to the table as she filled the page with angry red X's. Not one apartment was appropriate for someone with her refined standards. They were either too small, on the wrong side of town, not close by any amenities or came with built in roommates.

Scowling she pushed herself from the table leaving the paper where it stuck. She paced the dingy, dirty, fly infested kitchen. She muttered a few choice words to describe the inhabitants of this mess and walked outside ignoring the fact the last one up and out in the morning was the one who was supposed to do the cleaning. There was no way she was going to clean up after a bunch of pigs.

She pulled her phone out, found the number she wanted. Her displeasure increased as her call went to voice mail. "Call me," she barked before she crumpled to her knees.

***

Emmaline stared at her brother "what does the other guy look like?"

"Not as bad as me unfortunately," Andrew mumbled eyes fixed to the floor. His parents stood silent where they had come into the room. He knew what was coming. He felt Charlie squeeze his hand for moral support. A moment later Drew ran across the room crying "my poor baby" as she reached up to inspect the damage to his face.

"Mom" Andrew tried to turn his face away "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," she protested touching his bruised and battered face.

Caleb came alongside his wife turning to Charlie he noted the stitches along one side of the boys face. "What happened?" he demanded.

"It's nothing," Andrew growled jerking his head free from his mom's concerned inspection. "I'm going to bed," he announced making a beeline for the stairs.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of for losing a fight," Emmaline called after him.

"It's not that," Charlie said following Andrew with his eyes "he needs time to process what happened. Leave him alone."

"I only want to help," she said ignoring him as she moved towards the stairs.

"Emmie please don't," Charlie implored her "give him some space. I'm sure he'll tell you in time."

Fine," she screamed running up the stairs. A moment later her bedroom door slammed shut.

Silence fell upon the adults still in the entry way. Charlie shuffled towards the door mumbling "goodnight."

"Son what happened?" Caleb asked halting the boy at the door.

Turning Charlie slowly turned to face them "I'm not the right person to ask."

"Did you and Andrew get into a fight?" Drew wondered aloud her tone accusatory.

"No of course not," Charlie protested "how could you even think I could hurt him like that."

"Calm down son," Caleb said his voice devoid of emotion "it's a valid question under the circumstances. You left this morning for paint and return twelve hours later both with cuts and bruises. What else are we to think?"

Shrugging Charlie crossed his arms "anything but that."

"Fair enough," Caleb nodded "then tell us what happened."

Sighing Charlie followed the older couple into the living room. When everyone was seated, Drew gave him an expectant look prompting Charlie to say "it started off as a good day. We were discussing paint. Joking and kidding around until Blake wanted to talk to Andrew." He stopped rubbed a hand across his face "I should have went with him but someone had to stay and pay the sales clerk for the paint we just ordered." He squeezed his eyes shut hands curling into fists "I should have made them wait. I should have been there. None of this would have happened if I had been there."

***

Several hours later Indira picked up her phone "it's about time" she hissed.

"Sorry I was working."

Rolling her eyes Indira let out a dramatic sigh "I need your help" she said as if it was a given that he would drop everything to help her.

There was a long pause before the caller responded "can't your friends help you?"

"What friends?" she snorted "the living conditions are intolerable. They stuck me in a closet. They expect me to pay rent to sleep in a closet. To clean up after them. I'm not going to do that."

The caller's lips twitched with a combination of amusement and annoyance listening to her list of complaint "welcome to the real world." He held the phone from his ear as she shrieked. "what do you want me to do about it?"

"Don't be so obtuse," she snarled "have you found a roommate yet?"

"Um huh" he stuttered as he debated whether or not to lie or tell her the truth. He should never have mentioned he was looking for a roommate. "No I...I'm showing the place to someone tonight. They're real interested and will probably take it..."

"Tell whoever it is you've found someone," she told him.

"I couldn't possibly do that," he tried to think of something to say to dissuade her "why would you want to be my roommate? You don't even know my name."

"What difference does that make?" she asked "wouldn't you rather share your space with someone you know instead of a complete stranger."

He stared at the phone in his hand mouth hanging open. Who calls someone they haven't even bothered to get to know and ask to live with them? He ran a hand through his hair stalling for time. Hoping for inspiration on how to tell this most irritating of girls no. The only thing this would accomplish is make his job of watching her easier. Everything in him was screaming for him to tell her no even as he heard himself say "alright we can see how this goes."

"Great," she said "I knew I could count on you. So when will you be here to get my stuff?"

***

"He what?" Caleb growled "he assaulted my son. He's..."

"In jail," Charlie supplied "I don't think he meant for things to progress to the point he was using Andy as a punching bag but..." he shrugged "things got bad real quick."

"I'm glad you were there," Drew said coming to sit beside the young man "none of this was your fault."

"I should have gone with him," Charlie persisted "I had a bad feeling. I shouldn't have let him go alone."

"You had no way of knowing any of this would happen," she pulled him close as he broke into tears.

When Charlie calmed down Caleb put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry son. You did the best you could under the circumstances. I appreciate that. So will Andrew once he calms down."

"I know" he sat up wiping his eyes dry "he's upset right now. I just wish I didn't feel like I let him down."

"You didn't," both of Andrew's parents said simultaneously. He looked up startled "your still blaming yourself," Caleb said gently "no one here feels that way."

"Aren't I to blame?" he wondered "if I hadn't pushed him away he would never have gone out with Blake."

"Maybe," Drew replied "you can't live your life looking backwards. All of us have had to make choices. All of us have moments where we wonder what would have happened if I had taken the other road." She cupped his face in her hands "that kind of thinking will drive you crazy."

"What do I do?" he looked towards the older couple "how do I help him deal with what happened? He's so sensitive."

"Son don't let him block you out," Drew told him "he's hurting. He needs you."

"He needs me to do what?" he asked "I can't undo what happened. Blake's already in jail so I can't beat his ass. I..."

Shaking his head Caleb tried not to laugh "those are all admirable ideas but he doesn't need you to fix what happened." He looked directly into the younger man's eyes "he needs you to hold him. To tell him you love him."

"Is that all?" he looked from one adult to the other.

"It sounds easy I know," Drew looked over at Caleb "believe me it's sometimes the hardest thing to do; especially when the person who needs you the most  wants you to go away."

***

The door swung wide open "it's about time," Indira said by way of greeting. She grabbed his hand and drug him upstairs. Opening a door she pointed at the bags littering the floor. "All of this needs to go."

He stifled a sigh as he picked up a couple of bags. As she stood and watched. "You're capable of helping."

She put on a wounded expression "you don't expect me to carry all these heavy bags do you?"

"I didn't say all of them. I said help," he set the bags down by his feet. Leaning against the wall crossing his arms "if you don't help I'm not either. I'm not your best of burden."

They stared at each other neither one ready to be the first one to give in. Several minutes later Indira made a dramatic show of picking up two of the lightest and smallest bags from the floor. "Fine I'll help."

He nodded approval saying "and you'll help with each trip both here and at my place."

She gave him a withering glare as she heard several snickers from her ex-friends gathered around enjoying the show. "Alright," she agreed through gritted teeth "just don't expect me to do dishes."

"You'll do dishes if you expect to eat off of clean plates. It's my house. My rules," he said picking up the bags "take it or leave it."

She gave him a challenging look as she said "we'll see about that but for now it'll do."

***

After talking to Andrew's parents Charlie made slow progress up the stairs. He shouldn't have let Andrew barricade himself inside his room alone. He should have followed him or at least let Emmie follow him. He should have reassured him. He brought his hand up to knock when his doubts had him hesitating. Freezing in his tracks. What's the worst thing that could happen?

That thought had him knocking, calling out "babe can I come in?"

A muffled response reached his ears. He opened the door to find Andrew lying on the bed with his back to him. "Babe I'm sorry," he said softly as he sat on the edge of the bed beside him. 

"It's not your fault" Andrew said between sniffles.

"It wasn't yours either," Charlie said lying down putting his arms around him.

"I shouldn't have let him kiss me," Andrew cried his anxiety causing his voice to raise a few octaves.

"Did you know he was going to kiss you?" Andrew shook his head in response. "Did you want him to kiss you?" again he shook his head no "Did you give him any indication that you wanted him to kiss you?"

"No" he almost shouted "I wanted him to go away. To let me go." He rolled over burying his face on Charlie's shoulder "I feel dirty. I can't get the feel of his lips off mine."

Squeezing him tight Charlie gently kissed his forehead "I love you" he said as he peppered Andrew's face with soft gentle kisses. He could taste the salt from Andrew's tears on his lips as he kissed the tears away. "I love you. I'm going to keep telling you that until all the bad memories go away." He bent down and gently lifted Andrew's face up to his before bringing his lips down to Andrews. He could feel Andrew stiffen in his arms as he kissed his soft lips "I'm going to kiss you until the only feeling you have are mine. I'm going to help you through this. I promise I'm never going to leave your side."