Accidents Happen - 19. Chapter 19 - Filling in the Blanks

Chapter 19 – Filling in the Blanks

“Uncle Charlie, what I’m about to tell you even Grandma doesn’t know,” Rick began softly. He paused a moment and looked over at Wade. Wade nodded and Rick sighed.

“You know you two don’t have to tell me anything, Rick,” stated Charlie as he took a seat across from the two of them.

“We have to tell someone and after talking about it, I decided I wanted it to be you.”

Charlie looked at both of them. He could see the bruises, bandages, and how bad both looked. He couldn’t begin to guess what was going on but he could see they were both worried.

“Uncle Charlie this is Wade.”

“You told me that a moment ago, Rick”

“No, this is Wade, my friend. His full name is Wade Benjamin.”

Charlie looked over blankly at Wade. Was he supposed to recognize him from somewhere? Maybe it was the family name of Benjamin he was suppose to know. Damn, I can’t think of a single family I know of with the last name of Benjamin. In fact the only time I have heard of a Benjamin …oh lord.

“I see you understand now, Mr. Wagner. My name is Wade Benjamin. I hate my first name and everyone calls me Ben.”

“First off, Wade, just call me Charlie. Second, you mean you are Ben, as in Rick’s Ben?”

Wade turned to look at Rick and blushed. In doing so it made his bruises stand out even worse and Charlie couldn’t help but wince in sympathy.

“Yeah, Uncle Charlie this is Ben. Here is the thing you’ve got to understand. When the fight was going on I didn’t know it was Ben they were picking on.”

“Wait a minute. How could you not know it was him? I mean I know you said it was dark, but you couldn’t figure out it was him?”

“Actually, if I can just tell this,” Wade said shakily. He looked down at the ground and seemed to choose his words carefully. “Since Rick and I … split up … I guess I have been in a slump. I haven’t exactly been worried about a whole lot. The night of the fight….” There was a pause and Charlie heard the hitch in Wade’s voice as he fought not to cry. “The night of the fight I went out dressed in an oversized hoodie. I just wanted to go get some fresh air. I didn’t notice the guys following me or realize the danger when they began to push me. I thought... I thought…” The sounds of sobbing slowly began to fill the air. Rick leaned over and pulled Wade into his arms. Charlie felt uncomfortable but knew that the guys weren’t done telling him what was going on.

Charlie got up and carefully sat on the other side of Wade. He gently rubbed Wade’s shoulder as the young man sobbed into Rick’s shoulder.

“I just kept thinking I should do as Ben had asked me and stand up for someone. Then I saw how those guys were going after the small one. They had him surrounded and were calling him every name in the book. I swear to God, I thought they were going to kill him. I just waded right in, pulled the biggest guy off him and decked him. Before I knew it I was also a target and while battling one on one wouldn’t have been too hard, fighting the six of them wasn’t going to happen.”

“Christ, Rick there were six of them?” Rick nodded and kept holding onto Wade. Charlie could see how much Wade leaned on Rick for support. Even with his bruises he was holding on to Wade tightly and not letting go.

“No one else but the arresting officer knows that Ben and I were together. I didn’t even know it was Ben until the cops arrived and began pulling the bastards off us. One of the cops pulled back the hoodie but his face was so swollen and bloody, there was no way to identify him. To be honest it was when they lifted his arm to check his pulse that I figured out it was him. I mean if it hadn’t been for the bracelet I saw on his arm I never would have known. The cop who came to take our statements had seen the look of surprise on my face when I spotted the bracelet and asked if I knew the other victim. I told him I thought it was Wade. When they checked his wallet a moment later they confirmed it. He had been kicked in the head and knocked out for part of it, Uncle Charlie.”

“Rick what is it you need me to do? You know I will help you any way I can.”

“We haven’t told anyone yet we were dating outside the cop who helped us.”

“Okay, but I don’t think you will be able to keep that a secret for long.”

“We don’t plan to. However, Uncle Charlie, we just don’t know how to tell everyone. I mean I wasn’t comfortable before telling a soul. Now it is Ben who doesn’t want everyone to know how badly he was beaten.”

Charlie looked at both of them with sympathy. There would be no easy answers for this.

“Guys, to be honest I don’t know what to tell you. Wade does your family know you are gay?”

Wade had pulled himself into the crux of Ricks arm and now sat drying his eyes. He looked at Charlie and nodded. “I came out to everyone including my family in my senior year. They know.”

“Rick you know everyone in the family is going to support you. The only real problem here is going to be your father.”

“I know.”

“You are going to have to tell him. I mean, Rick, can be a pain in the ass but I can’t see him abandoning you after all you have gone through. Your father isn’t that type of man, or I have never imagined him to be. Besides if he gets too out of control you know your grandmother will step in.”

That brought a sort of sad smile to Rick’s face. Wade leaned in and kissed Rick’s cheek. Charlie felt like he was intruding on their space.

Charlie began to stand up when Wade tried to grab him with his injured hand.

“Owww. Damn.”

“Are you alright, Wade?” asked Charlie

“Babe, don’t overdo it, please,” Rick begged.

“I pulled the muscles in my hand again,” Wade managed to spit out between gritted teeth.

“Shit. He is a swimmer, Unc. We are afraid they may have done permanent damage to his hand. They are waiting for the swelling to go down and although the x-ray didn’t show any broken bones in his hand, they have his wrist immobilized due to a fracture they found in it. The doctor wants the swelling to go down so they can check on nerve damage and mobility. His hand is so swollen right now. He is one of the top three swimmers in the state and has a chance at going national. Next week there was going to be another scout for the Olympics.”

“Doesn’t matter, Rick,” Wade said very softly. “I just want this over with.”

Rick seemed to tuck Wade closer to him. Charlie sat back seeing how the two had mended whatever had been wrong between them. I hope I find that as well. Someone I can rely on so totally. I wonder though what is it they want from me? I mean they told me this but not what they wanted.

“Guys, I’m glad you have found each other again. It looks like you have come to depend on each other. So again what can I do to help you?”

Wade looked over at Charlie. His face was still pale but he looked determined as well. Rick held him protectively in his arm and finally broke his gaze from Wade’s face to look at him as well.

“Unc, we want you with us when we go in for the rest of the discussions. We have to go to see both families. That means Dad and Mom have got to be told … everything about us and that night. Grandma told me she would be there but we want you there as well. Please.”

“I’m flattered but why me?”

“Unc, I watched you today. You had my problems dumped in your lap, Ted showed up, and then Scott at the door. You just kept rolling with the punches and when everyone pushed you took charge. I’ve never seen you like that. I know you won’t let anyone walk all over you. “

“Besides Mr. Wagner … I mean Charlie, we know you are going through something yourself. You have family that are gay, friends who are bisexual, and friends who are straight. You don’t discriminate and you come in to help those you see in trouble. We just want someone we know will be there to support us as we tell everyone what happened.”

“I can do that for you both. I’d be happy to.”

“Uncle Charlie, could you … could you also go with us when have to go to the lawyer?”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have your parents with you?”

“I think a lot of it comes down to how dad takes it, Uncle Charlie.”

“My parents will be going anyway you look it. My father might have to be restrained as it is. He wants to go rip the guys apart for doing this to me.”

Charlie nodded. God, please don’t let Rick screw this up. Let him be there for his son or he might end up losing him forever.

“I’ll leave you two here to finish talking. I’ll be available any time you need. Just ask guys.”

“Thanks Unc. I really appreciate it.”

Wade smiled at Rick then turned to Charlie. “Thank you for helping us. We can’t stay much longer. My parents are expecting me home shortly. Before they were happy I was spreading my wings, but now my mother is panicked when I leave the house, and Dad is ready to go out with a baseball bat to make sure I’m okay.”

“Okay. Will you guys get something to eat? Do you want me to make you something?”

“No, thank you. My parents are actually making dinner for the four of us. My mom is kind of sweet on Rick.” Wade blushed again as he told this. Rick just smiled contently and held onto Wade’s good hand.

“Alright then, as long as you two are going to have something to eat. I’m just going to grab a drink and I’ll head into the bedroom to finish cleaning up. I’ll see you later then Rick.”

Charlie walked to the kitchen and grabbed a mug out of the cabinet. While he poured himself a glass of milk, he saw Rick lean over and gently kiss Wade. It was a tender moment and Charlie felt like an intruder. He hurriedly put the milk away and rushed into the bedroom closing the door behind him. He felt like he had just sat down when he heard the sound of his apartment door close. Charlie carefully got up to look out and saw that he was once again alone in the apartment.

Feeling very much at loose ends, he decided he wouldn’t cook for dinner. Instead he grabbed his menu for a Chinese restaurant and put in an order to be delivered. Then he turned on the television and curled up to await his food. As it was, he had found a murder mystery and just as the killer was about to slaughter his fourth victim the doorbell rang. It ended up being his food so Charlie quickly paid and took the bag of food into the living room to finish his movie.

It had been a week since the ‘grand disaster’ as Charlie called it. Rick had stayed with him till Wednesday. Wednesday afternoon Rick Senior, Tonya, Rick Jr., Kristy, Barbara, Joe, Wade and his parents, and Charlie ended up seated around the table at Charlie’s parents' home. Things had started well enough. Rick Sr. had been proud of what his son had done to help; at least until he found out that Wade had been involved with Rick at one time. Then all hell had broken loose. Rick Sr. had threatened to disinherit Rick Jr. He had been a storm in the tiny room. Wade looked scared and seemed to shrink into his chair. Wade’s parents moved to their son’s side and as Barbara got ready to stand up, everyone was surprised to hear Tonya.

“Rick, shut the hell up and sit down,” Tonya said with conviction

“Excuse me? What did you say?”Rick stood looking stunned at his wife.

“I said sit down and shut up. Our son risked his life to help out another human being. Now he has gone on to probably do another hard thing and tell you the truth of who he is. Now instead of supporting our son you begin to scream and yell. I’m telling you now, shut up, sit down, and if you speak another word I’ll hand you divorce papers. Do you understand? I am not going to have our family broken up because you have sudddenly decided to become a bigot. None of your family or mine is, so get the hell over yourself! Understand?”

The silence that filled the room only added weight to what Tonya had said. Holy shit, she stood up to Rick. I don’t think she has ever said more than ‘Yes, dear’ the whole time they have been married. Who knew she had it in her?

Barbara sat down and smiled widely at her daughter-in-law. Rick stood making fish faces. His lips opening and closing before he collapsed into a chair.

“Good. Now then Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin my deepest apologies for not having met you sooner, however I am glad you could meet us here tonight. I’m sure if Ricky had felt more comfortable telling his father and me about his relationship we would have met before this incident. I only regret it had to take something like this for my son to feel that he was finally able to tell us.”

While his mother spoke Rick grabbed my hand and looked happily across to Wade. I could only guess that his mother was going to be taking a much more active role in the family from now on. Rick Sr. sat in stunned silence. He looked from his wife, to his son, to his mother and found no support for himself. Mom and Dad were able to sit back and not have to deal with the disaster they expected.

The rest of the evening went smoothly. Rick sat quietly and brooded while everyone else got to know one another. Before the night was over plans had been made that they would all meet for the appointment the boys had with the prosecuting attorney. Barbara and Joe even told them that a friend of theirs was a lawyer and would be with the boys as well to help make sure everything went as smoothly as possible. Soon everyone was heading out to their various vehicles and Barbara put her hand on Charlie to keep him back. A little while later, the house was empty but for the three of them.

“Charlie, are you okay?”

“Yeah, but sort of surprised how I was asked to sit on this.”

“You shouldn’t be, Charlie,” Joe began. “I mean, they all look up to you. You know you end up being the favorite Uncle. Bobby might be laid back and give them fun gifts, Rick is there but usually he is also control freak, and then there is you. You are about their age, you know them, you talk to them, and you are one of them.”

“Besides,” Barbara chimed in, “you don’t judge them and you treat them as an equal. They see you go through problems and handle them so they feel comfortable talking things over with you.”

His parents had led him back to the living room. He knew while they were talking about Rick they were also trying to get him to talk too. I suppose I should just get this over with. Dad isn’t usually one to pry but I can bet Mom is just dying to know all about Scott.

“Okay, so now that you are done with the simple things are you two going to get to what you want to know?”

Barbara looked immediately innocent. Joe looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Charlie looked at his father and began to laugh.

“Barb, I think our son knows us too well.”

“Well he is our son after all, Joe.”

“Dad, you really have to work on your poker face. I swear you wouldn’t last a moment in the things Mom tries in order to get information out of us.”

“Okay, so you called us on it. Are you going to tell me about this man, Scott, your mother has been talking about?”

“Yes, Charlie what is going on?”

“What is there to tell? We went out for lunch. He is a really nice man.”

“And?” Barbara sat leaning forward. Charlie and his father both laughed out loud.

“God, this is why I have better luck with pumping the women around all of you boys. You have no sense of what a woman wants to know.”

Charlie and his father laughed even harder at Barbara’s comment. Before he left, he did let his parents know that he had called Scott and that they had a second date set for Friday. As Charlie explained they were taking things slow and he hoped that everything would work out in the end. His parents simply beamed as he pulled away and headed back home.