Hell Week, Chapter 12 “He’s going to be fine, Mr. Kinney.” The emergency room doctor looked at the X-rays that were up on the view box and said, “Nothing is broken. He’s just going to have a nasty bruise, and he’ll be sore for a few days.” “Can I play tomorrow?” Gus asked. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” the doctor said. “Please,” Gus begged. “My team is counting on me.” “You’re risking another injury you know. If you get hit in the same spot, your rib could crack.” “Please,” Gus asked again. “Well, I’ll let you play if you let me tape you up to protect your rib cage. That should help a little bit, but you’re going to be very sore tomorrow, maybe too sore to lift that arm and throw the ball. If you are, you should let someone else start.” “I’ll be fine,” Gus said, with a determined look in his eye. Brian stood there listening to the entire exchange, wondering where this kid came from. He was seeing so many different sides of Gus this week, sides he never knew existed. The one facet of Gus’ personality that was becoming more and more apparent was this steely determination he had, this desire to excel at the task at hand. The fearlessness was another side he was displaying more and more. It wasn’t just a question of being stoic and brave; Gus was not going to cave to intimidation. Despite Kevin O’Riley’s best efforts. In many ways, Gus reminded him of Justin as a young man. It was funny that he would, because Justin wasn’t his biological father, but they shared so many traits, it was uncanny. Brian remembered all the times Justin had gone ahead and done what he thought was right, despite everyone’s opinion. His loving him and being with him for one thing. Anyone else in their right mind would have given up on Brian after the first thousand rejections. But not Justin. He just plowed ahead, knowing that eventually he would get what he wanted. His going to PIFA, against his parent’s wishes, joining the Pink Posse, ignoring Brian’s warnings. Standing up to Stockwell and not giving in to the pressure to let up and let things just take their course. This determination, this knowing what he wanted at such an early age was a quality that Brian had always admired in Justin, even though it had caused him so much grief and anxiety in the past. And here he was, looking at this one aspect of Gus’ personality that was so similar and being revealed more and more. As his thoughts moved back in time, he looked up and saw that Justin had arrived and was walking through the doors of the emergency room. He raised his hand to signal him and Justin quickly came over to be with him and Gus. “Hey, Baby,” he said to Gus, reverting to his old pet name for him, “how are you feeling?” He bent down towards Gus who was lying on the bed. He kissed him on the forehead, smoothing back his hair and caressing his face. “I’m fine, ‘DJ’, Doc said I’m good to play in tomorrow’s game.” “Really?” Justin said, looking up at Brian. “Don’t you think he should rest after today’s injury?” “No, I want to play tomorrow,” Gus said stubbornly. Brian raised his eyebrows and looked at Justin. “I know. I agree with you, but he wants to play. My only consolation is that tomorrow will be a real game and O’Riley will be on defense. He and Gus won’t even be on the field at the same time.” “I wanted to talk to both of you about that,” Justin said. “What about it?” Brian asked. “I was walking back to the car and I happened to overhear a very loud and angry conversation between Lisa and Joe O’Riley. It wasn’t very pretty and I’m sure they didn’t want anyone else to know about this.” “Tell us, ‘Daddy J’, what did you hear?” Justin started to tell them what he saw and heard between the O’Rileys. As he explained, Brian’s facial expression changed from curious to angry to disbelieving. “You mean to tell me this is all about Lisa O’Riley’s delusions for her son?” “It seems that way,” Justin remarked. “And it has nothing to do with what happened at the party?” Brian asked. “What party? You mean the Gentry’s? Dad, what happened at the party?” “Oh, nothing Gus,” Brian said. “What happened at the party, Dad?” Gus asked Brian, looking him straight in the eye. “I need to know.” “You tell him, Sunshine. I’m going to check us out and get the car,” Brian said, not wanting to deal with anymore of Gus’ third degree. Justin looked at Brian and then at Gus. So much alike, yet so different! “It seems that Lisa made a pass at Dad while we were at the Gentry’s the other night and he told her he wasn’t interested.” “A pass? What do you mean, ‘Daddy J’?” Brian was gone and at the main registration desk by this time. Justin looked at Gus and said, “She followed him into the rest room at the Gentry’s house and basically offered to sleep with him. He turned her down.” Gus looked at Justin, stupefied, and said, “But he’s gay. Doesn’t she know that?” “Gus, if I had a dollar for every straight woman that’s wanted your father, I’d be richer than the Google guys.” Gus looked at Justin, surprised to hear this. “No kidding? So, when he turned her down, did she get mad at him?” “Yeah,” Justin replied. “She was very upset. You know how your Dad can get sometimes. He didn’t hold anything back. He told her in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t interested. When all the incidents started happening with you and Kevin out on the football field, your Dad assumed that she had said something to Kevin that would set him off and make him go after you.” “So, all this time, Dad’s been thinking this was his fault?” ‘Yeah. He’s been queening over this for days now. It’s been making him quite miserable, thinking this was all his doing.” “Well, that is bullshit!” Gus said, looking and sounding exactly like the Brian Kinney Justin knew and loved. “It may be bullshit, Gus, but so many decisions that have been made throughout our lives had to do with people’s reactions to our being Gay, this really was just one more incident. It never occurred to either one of us that it had nothing to do with that.” “I guess not,” Gus answered. “You know ‘DJ’, I didn’t know Kevin till this week, but a lot of the other kids have known him for years, and have played ball with him on other teams. They told me that his mom has always wanted him to play quarterback and never let the coaches forget it for a minute. Last team he was on they tried him out for the spot but the coaches thought he’d be better as a linebacker. I guess she wasn’t happy about that. She made everyone miserable with her interfering.” “What about his father though? I understand he lives with him?” “He does, but she always hangs around to watch him play. She’s at all his practices, even when his Dad is there.” “And Kevin listens to her, obviously,” Justin said. “I suppose. He’s wanted to be quarterback too, from what I’ve been told. So whatever she says to him just helps fan the flames.” Gus replied, speaking words that were well beyond his years. Justin couldn’t help but respect the way Gus was handling all of this. He seemed to be thinking the whole thing through and wanting to do the best thing. He wasn’t just reacting to a situation or flying off the handle like his father would have done. Brian came back from signing Gus out and signaled to them that they were good to go. In the car, Gus asked Brian if he thought it would be a good idea if they went to the O’Riley home and had a talk with them. Brian turned to Justin and asked, “What do you think?” “I don’t know, Brian. I’m not sure they will be very receptive right now.” “Well, I’d like to go,” Gus said from the back seat, “and since I’m the one involved here, I think I have a say.” Brian and Justin exchanged looks again. It seemed that they’d been doing this a lot since they got here. After thinking about it for a minute, Brian said that he wanted to go home first so Gus could change and grab a bite to eat. “If there’s still time after all that, maybe we’ll go over there. We’ve got to call first, Gus, we can’t just show up at their house, okay?” “Plus it’s late,” Justin interjected, “It’s almost ten o’clock. They might all be asleep by now.” “Whatever,” Gus said. “First, we need to call your Moms,” Brian said. “If I don’t let them know what’s going on there’ll be hell to pay.” He dialed Lindsay and after a few rings she picked up. “Hey, calling to let you know that we’ve just come from the hospital because Gus had a bit of a shake-up at the game earlier this evening. No, he’s fine, nothing serious, just a big bruise. Yeah, he’s playing tomorrow.” Brian passed the phone to Gus who reassured his mother that everything was alright and not broken. She was relieved and passed the phone to Mel who also asked all the appropriate questions to make sure all was okay. When they got home they were surprised to see a few cars in front of the house with people waiting for them. Coach Barton and his family were there, as well as Austin and his parents. “Hey, guys,” Brian said, after he stopped the car and was helping Gus out. “Gus,” Coach Barton said, “Is it good news or bad?” “Good news, Coach. Nothing is broken, I’m taped up and the doc said I can play tomorrow.” “That’s great news Gus, but I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. I don’t want you to get hit again and this time, get really hurt.” “I know what you mean, Coach,” Brian said, “I basically said the same thing myself but the boy is stubborn as hell. Don’t know where he gets that trait.” He was looking at Gus and smiling as he said that, so proud of him. “I second the motion,” Justin said. “I would prefer that he not play tomorrow, but I know he will. Why don’t you all come in,” he said, “I’ll call for some pizza to be delivered. You’re probably hungry from waiting around here.” “Actually, Justin,” Brandy Lehigh said, “We brought some food with us. We knew you’d be getting in late and wouldn’t have time to cook. If it’s okay with you, we’d like to come in and help with dinner?” Surprised at this unexpected kindness, Brian said, “That’d be great.” He put his arm around Gus’ waist and helped him into the house. Once inside everyone got busy setting up the impromptu meal. Brandy and Justin were in the kitchen taking the fried chicken out of the buckets they came in and setting up the side dishes of coleslaw, baked beans and biscuits. Finally when everything was ready they called the rest of the group into the kitchen and started to eat. Justin insisted on bringing Gus a plate, making him sit on the sofa and not move around anymore than he had to. He had been given a mild pain killer at the emergency room so he was comfortable and feeling no pain. As they sat and ate, Brian asked Coach Barton if he was aware of the history of Kevin O’Riley and his mother. “I’d heard a little bit about them before the season started, but honestly, I forgot all about it until she started coming up to me during practice, wanting to know why we wouldn’t let Kevin try out for quarterback.” “Well, we obviously didn’t know anything about this,” Brian said. “Are you going to say anything to his father, or even bring this up to the rest of the coaching staff?” “The coaches are all aware of what’s going on after today’s game. We’ve already spoken with Joe O’Riley about Kevin.” “And?” Justin asked. “At first we thought we’d take him off the team, but after speaking with his father, and getting the whole story, we decided not to do that.” “That’s all well and good, Coach, but how do I know that this won’t happen again?” Brian asked. “We don’t think it will. I really can’t say more than that Mr. Kinney, I have to respect their privacy, but I want to reassure you that nothing like this will happen again, if we can help it.” “That’s not very reassuring Coach, the ‘if we can help it’ part,” Brian said. “I know, but it’s the best I can offer at this time,” Coach Barton said. Gus wants to go talk to Kevin and his Dad,” Justin said. “Do you think that’s a good idea?” “I don’t see how it would hurt,” the Coach said. “Well, I’d like to try,” Gus said. “We’ll do it tomorrow morning, okay, Dad? Daddy J?” Brian and Justin looked at each other, for the umpteenth time today and reluctantly said, “Okay”. TBC