Chapter 18
Old Friends & Family
part 1
Even though no one was supposed to know I was here, this was Grandma's show. Grandma was Grandma, so nothing was a secret for long. It was the same routine having the officers come in to do their basic strip search, more gently than Dad. Taking pictures and confirming that I wasn't marked in any way and searched the house and the property. All we could do was grin and bear it. Soon as I was dressed in my old comfortable clothes and had a hot breakfast. Grandma spilled the beans asking me if it would be alright that I saw my old friends today. We knew she was breaking the rules a tad bit, but I jumped out of my chair giving her a great big hug.
Grandma was aces in my book when everyone showed up at her house just to see me. It was so good to see Mr. Stringum, Dave, and all the Whitmores. It was a great big party filled with my favorite foods, snacks, and most of all friends. Grandma had one other surprise. I don't know how she did it, but Aaron arrived with my aunts Mary and Lizzy. I didn't question the hows, nor did I want to know, I just watched him bring in a small suitcase sitting next to mine in grandma's closet. I didn't want to ask as I waited for my parents to walk in the door and the dream would be over.
Grandma kept her end of the bargain stating Aaron was invited to spend the weekend with his aunts to give my parents a break. Nothing more needed to be said as I hugged the stuffing out of him even though he smelled really, really bad and was covered in the most disgusting rags I had ever seen. I didn't care. I couldn't stop hugging him and letting him cry against me and I him. Just knowing he was alive was all the reason in the world I needed.
Nobody cared and let me and him have a few moments alone. Grandma ran him a nice hot bath while we caught up on only things brothers understand. I grew angry quickly, watching him undress and seeing burns, bruises, and marks all over his eleven-year-old body. If I had a knife or a gun at that particular moment. I could have murdered my parents in cold blood and bathed in it.
I pulled myself together even though it was a hard thing to do, I needed a new goal and focused on the reason why I needed to live through anything the Rothwells would put me through. I memorized every mark that I saw on him and swore to God that they would see justice for all the atrocities that they had done to Aaron and me. Even though Grandma didn't need my help giving Aaron a bath, she didn't say a word seeing me climbing in the tub with him like we used to do when were younger. She wiped a tear and kissed us both and handed me the soap and a washrag leaving us to our privacy.
By the time Aaron and I were done, and he was dressed in clean new clothes and the party was just beginning. It was like having two Thanksgivings. Hearing Don growl and complain about setting up the table in the living room and part of the small room in the back. It wasn't like he wasn't going to do it anyway later that night, and he did have lots of help washing chairs and polishing dishes and silverware stored away for the big event of tomorrow. For us, it was a good day to have a rehearsal dinner for all those who truly mattered in my life before the real event. It was sad seeing them all go home, but a least I had my brother by my side once again, and that's all that really mattered.
I couldn't have wished for more as I climbed into bed with Aaron and held him in my arms. I closed my eyes feeling his warm breath against my bare chest. I knew we were both safe and no one was going to harm us while we stayed here in grandma's house. With a full belly and all the comforts of home, I wasn't quite out cold as I was the night before. Like I have said earlier, sometimes the sleeping tonic doesn't work, feeling my brother jerk up and scream, calling out my name. I personally knew how he felt seeing him relive the same nightmares that we have both shared because of our parents.
Grandma was there in two shakes of a lamb's tail thinking it was me, but it instead it was Aaron. It didn't take long to bring him down as it does me, but the dream was as real as it is in real life each and every night, we re-experienced it. Like Pa and Ma, Grandma took the time to relieve our fears and make us feel safe in her arms. Unlike me, Aaron quickly went back to sleep huddling closer to me. I spent the night crying as I held him in my arms afraid of what he could be facing in the coming years.
I missed Jeff the most at times like these having a friend to talk to. I missed the Downings as my heart broke in two, knowing I would never see them again, for I could never leave my brother behind to face the wolves in sheep's clothing or the monsters that would become a part of his life if I left him to live without me. I wondered how many times I was going to have to give up my happiness just so I could protect my brother and keep him out of the system, only to end up like me. Having, no chance to live your dreams or have someone truly love you for who you are. I would gladly sacrifice my life and my happiness if it meant keeping my brother safe.
As I lay there holding my brother in my arms watching the dawn peek through the windows. I could hear Grandma putting the turkey in the oven and preparing us a hot breakfast before the mayhem would start. When she checked on me, I quickly closed my eyes and pretended that I was asleep. I didn't need my grandmother to worry any more than she had to. Letting her have the illusion that I and my brother were safe together in each other's arms. It was nearly seven before she woke us to begin our routine that we had planned to keep me and my brother safe throughout the day. It wasn't long before the Whitmores came and my dear friend Brother Niles.
The plan was to surround me with the toughest men and friends that I could trust to keep me and my brother safe as if mine and his life depended on it, and it did when it concerned my parents. Even though I had to go through the humiliation of each day spent here having to be stripped and searched with a gentle hand and photographed. Having my brother with me made the ordeal bearable.
My scars were fading compared to his bruises and burns that I had seen and memorized so I could see them with my eyes closed. I heard my brother gasp seeing the ones on my back. The long strips of white skin were as if had been ripped with razor wire. I could feel him touching them as I lied, saying it was from a skateboard accident. I felt the need to keep him in the dark on what my life truly was and I didn't need to add that to his nightmares or his waking dreams.
No one corrected me or said that was a bald-faced lie as I redressed while they searched the property. Giving the ground rules that must be followed or they would hold me in some cell until my caseworker retrieved me. Grandma and my protectors agreed to state that no harm would come to me, and extra precautions have been taken to ensure that. They noted that there would be a strong police presence from the time my parents arrived and by the time they left.
The rule was my parents upon arrival and departure would be searched for weapons of any kind that included his belt, their person, and their car. For some reason, I didn't think my parents were going to take it to kindly, but the thought did amuse me and caused me to smile. Grandma smiled too when they mentioned it and that caused everyone to laugh even though it wasn't funny, but it was, and it lightened our hearts to know it.
Unlike a fourteen-year-old boy, grown-ups needed their privacy when it came to a search. The whole world didn't need to know their business, even though the neighbors would call or come over asking what was going on here, seeing the police come and go from her house. Grandma gave the biggest whopper of a fish tale. Saying they were told a criminal was on the loose and had been seen hanging around the property. Grandma didn't waste time asking if they wouldn't mind doing the same thing to all her guests and family so that my parents wouldn't feel singled out. It was agreed that a light pat down would ease the situation and would be fun. Grandma strung a curtain across the door frames of her room.
I should note that when Grandpa built the house in 1947. According to the cement he marked in the basement fruit room when he poured the foundation. The house they lived in while they built this one used to be a shed-type temporary one-room house, was used and now is a garage. He didn't believe in doors inside the house except for the bathroom when they remodeled it with indoor plumbing when toilets replaced the outhouses. He didn't believe that new toilets would be a lasting faze at the time but was grateful for not having to go outside in his "Long Johns" (winter underwear) freezing his ass off in the cold and bathing in a nice hot tub that needed no boiling of water on the coal stove.
Grandma emptied a trunk where she could place belts, pocketknives, or anything that could be used as a weapon when you are facing a madman like her son and my father. It was times like these that we missed Grandpa, but life goes on. While we watched everyone's faces seeing the blacks and whites in front of the house and being escorted to her bedroom either by a female officer for the women and girls and a male officer for the men and boys. Grandma explained the rules of the house and why they were treated this way. No one complained and thought it was a game and went along with it.
Brother Niles and Mr. Whitmore sat me on the couch placing me in the middle. Aaron was sent outside to play with the other kids in the back of the lot. We all thought it was better that he wasn't discovered or seen until it became necessary to make it look like he had just arrived with his aunts. I was getting antsy waiting. It didn't matter how safe I was, it still terrified me each moment that passed as we waited for my parents to arrive. I trusted Brother Niles and I trusted Mr. Whitmore, but I have seen what my parents are capable of when going after giants. The only good thing was having the police on hand for my protection and everyone else's in case things got out of control.
The moment of truth finally came as I watched my parents park their car and took one look at the police car. I could see the anger in my parent's eyes as they opened the door, nearly taking it off the hinges. My father growled asking his mother. "What the hell are the police here for?" Then turned his head and spotted me. His eyes were filled with hate. I froze and began to panic.
My mother stood still right beside my father and then pointed to me and demanded by asking why I was here. My father reached for his belt and the moment came, I closed my eyes waiting for the strike, but it never came. Instead, the rooms changed in an instant after hearing the officers come into the room. I peeked under my eyelids seeing my parents frozen in time watching him take his hand off his belt.
My mother gasped like a fish out of water feeling a hand on her shoulder turned to find another officer right behind them. I would have killed for a camera or a cell phone. For the picture was worth a thousand words. The officer instructed them either they go back home, or they volunteer to be searched. My father growled stating this was far from over when he looked at me with such hate in his eyes and was about to refuse, my mother whispered in his ear, and he nodded to whatever plan they were cooking up. My father turned and walked to the bedroom while my mother took a seat across from me staring daggers at my protectors and me.
It was like watching the eye of the storm standing in the middle hearing the airy quiet. The furry that would soon be released as it picks you up and strangles the very life out of you. I could see my mother's hands shaking and then tighten into a fist then let go trying to master calm, but never finding it. Our eyes locked as I whispered my phrase hoping to prevent a panic attack. I froze when Brother Niles put his arm around my shoulder. Telling me no harm would come to me or Mr. Rothwell will kill him and have every right to do so.
It wasn't hard to imagine Dad and the monster that was inside of him. I closed my eyes placing myself in the calm darkness of the hot box. Feeling the raging monster as he beats the crap out of me, somehow, I was more afraid of him than my own parents. Took the courage that I had been storing up inside of me and stood up and crossed the room so I could stand right in front of her and said to my mother. "You will never harm me or my brother again. I will become stronger and older and will be equipped to protect me and my brother or you will die if I find one more mark or hear about it."
I turned around and left the room. No one said a word, but I could feel their eyes on me, and I didn't care. Inside I was shaking with fear, but I also felt calm opening the back door and joined my brother. I knew it was far from over, knowing sooner or later I was going to have to back those words, but for now, the world was no longer on my shoulders.