”And then a hero comes along….With the strength to carry on…And you cast your fears aside…And you know you can survive…”
“Hey Flynn. Kyle…”
Both of them froze in their tracks and the hair raised on the back of their necks. That voice. Neither one of them thought they would ever hear that voice in person again.
— Flynn —
I just froze and I felt Kyle freeze too. Why would he be freezing hearing Craig’s voice and how does Craig know his name?
— Kyle —
I heard that voice say Flynn’s name and then mine and I froze. Not many voices these days can make the hair on my neck stand up but this one….fuck this one made it stand up tall and made the fire of hatred burn inside me. I wasn’t sure how he knew Flynn’s name but once I got a better look at him and then Lewis and Adam walking our way….it all clicked. There’s no fucking way…it can’t be.
“Hey thanks bro for bailing us out…” Lewis said grinning at myself and Flynn while talking to Craig. Fuck! I should have known, the same cocky demeanor and now seeing them together. How did I not put two and two other that they were brothers!? No wonder my hatred for Lewis is more than normal. The way he treated Flynn and after what happened…
— Flynn —
I just saw Kyle staring at Lewis and Craig with this death stare that if looks could kill…we’ll both would be dead in a heartbeat. I needed to figure out exactly how Kyle knew Craig. I know Kyle is seven years older than me and Craig is about nine years older than me so maybe from school or something. I’ll ask later….
“Kyle. Kyle. Babe let’s just go. Let’s get Bryan and we just leave. Let’s not waste another minute with them.” I grabbed Kyle’s hand and turned to Bryan who was next to me just as guarded as Kyle was. “Ok you’re right. Let’s go.” We turned and started to walk away. “Should have know you’d walk away like a pussy. Just like your daddy…” Kyle stopped but Bryan and I grabbed him. “Let’s go! It’s not the time or place. You’re better than that Kyle!” Kyle shook his head and grabbed my hand and we walked away ignoring them. We got to Kyle’s truck and I asked him for the keys. “I’m going to drive. You’re a bit shaken up and I want to make sure you’re ok…” He smiled looked at me and hesitated for a minute and handed them over. “Now let’s hurry and go get Bryan’s ride and get the fuck out of there.”
I drove us to Adam’s apartment complex. We found Bryan’s car still parked there. Bryan got out “thanks you two see you guys later?” “Yeah see you later bro.” I smiled back. Bryan got in his car and drove off.
“Now where to?” I asked Kyle. He was staring out the window. Quiet. With a strange look in his eyes. I saw tears starting to form and fall down his face. I put the truck in drive and got us down the road. Away from that place. I put the truck in park and there my knight in shining armor was crumbling before my eyes. Now it was my turn to pick up some pieces and put him back together like he’s done for me. “hey babe…are you ok? What’s bothering you?” Kyle looked at me and half smiled and reached for my hand. I took it and squeezed him back. He took a deep breath and exhaled. “You know how I told you how my dad died right?” I shook my head yes and he continued. “And how I told you a drug dealer or wanna be drug dealer was the reason my dad is dead…” The wheels in my head started turning….the pieces were coming together. “Oh…ohhhh…Kyle?” He kept crying silently. He shook his head yes. “Craig…was the one that’s responsible for my dad’s death. He’s the one who took my dad from me when I needed him most. I had just recently come out to my parents and like most dads…he didn’t take it that well. He didn’t hit me or yell…what he did was worse. My hero…he stopped talking to me for a while. Only spoke when he had to talk to me. For weeks it was like this. I was like you…I was already drinking and being careless. That hurt so bad he couldn’t even speak to me for weeks. And finally we had slowly started talking to one another. He finally was coming back to me. We were going to hang out that next day….he went on shift that night and we had planned to have a day to ourselves like we had done when I was a kid that following day. Just me and him. Except that day never came. I fianlly had my dad back and then he was gone. Taken away from me by some low life piece of shit wanna be gangster….” The look on Kyle’s face was something I had never seen before from him. And honestly for the first time in these weeks we’ve known one another and been together I was actually scared of him. He continued. “That piece of shit got away with it. He got sent to prison. But for a lesser charge of intent to distribute to minors and some other stupid shit. Not for killing my dad. No. He got away with it. And that look he gave us earlier when he called both our names outside the station. Was the same smug cold look he gave me that day in the courtroom when he got away with it. He knew what he did and he got away with it. Another reason I became a cop. Not only did I want to be just like my dad…I wanted to put pieces of shit like Craig away for good so no one else could feel the pain I felt knowing he took him away from me!” By now Kyle was still teary eyed but he was mad. I grabbed his hand and squeezed tighter. He was in pain and it all made sense now. I’m not one to believe much in fate….i mean see what happened in my life. But I strongly believe it was fate that brought myself and Kyle together the universe and a higher power knew we needed one another.
“Flynn. There’s some place I need to go now. Can you come with me?” He turned and looked at me, his beautiful eyes wide and bloodshot from tears. My strong man needed me and damn if I wasn’t going to be there for him like he’s been here for me! “Yes anything. Anywhere. Tell me and we are there!” He smiled and gave me directions to the place he wanted to go.
We pulled up and I took a deep breath. It was one place I knew I had needed to visit myself but never had the courage to. That is before today. He looked at me and by now he was calmer and the crying had stopped. He wiped his face. “So…I know we haven’t really talked about this before…but…will you…” I knew what he was asking and I finally for once wanted to go in myself and before he could finish asking me… “Yes. Yes I’ll go in with you.” He smiled and leaned across and we had the most passionate kiss we had ever had. He pulled back. “Thank you. Thank you Flynn.”
We got out and walked inside. Kyle lead the way and said hi to a few people he knew. I stayed back and watched him for a few minutes. Then it was time to go inside. I was nervous and he could tell. He didn’t want to grab my hand and that was fine with me. Here wasn’t the place for that. He patted me on the shoulder. “Thank you for coming. You have no idea how much this means to me. That you’re here.” I smiled back. “Of course. And…” I stammered a bit. “ I’ve been meaning to come myself.” He smiled and we sat down.
We went around the room and everyone told their stories. Some eye opening to me and some not so much. Kyle got up and he spoke and I was in awe of him. He spoke and everyone in the room supported him while he spoke and when he was finished. He said thank you. Everyone applauded and he shot me a quick smile. The director asked if anyone else wanted to go and I hadn’t gotten up the courage to do so yet and I was the only one left. I took a deep breath and raised my hand. “I’d like to go.” Kyle smiled at me. I got up and went to the podium.
I took a deep breath and began.
“Hi I’m Flynn.” “Hi Flynn” everyone responded. I continued.
“Hi. I’m Flynn…” and words I never thought I’d hear come out of my own mouth ever… “and I’m an alcoholic..”
