Finding love - 15. Chapter 15

“Uncle Ted, what are you doing here?”

“Happy to see you too buddy,” Uncle Ted responded sarcastically.

“I’m happy to see you but I wasn’t expecting you. Mom and Dad are in Pennsylvania.”

“I know Mattie; I’ve talked with your Mom and grandparents before I left TJM.”

“So you know what’s been going on?”

“Yes and I know Emerson and Jeff are going to be able to help your brother. You must be the famous Brody.” Uncle Ted said and reached out and shook Brody’s hand.

“I don’t know about famous but yes, this is Brody my boyfriend.” Brody smiled at that even though he or I never officially asked each other.

“Nice to meet you Brody, let me get my stuff into one of the guest rooms and then we can talk.”

Uncle Ted had a lot of bags with him and he wouldn’t accept any help.

“Why does your Uncle look so young?” Brody questioned.

“He’s mom’s much younger brother. My grandparents had difficulty having children and were told after Mom that was it. Imagine their surprise when Grandma got pregnant mom’s senior year of high school. Before you ask, he’s only 5 years older than Noah.”

“A young, hunky, single uncle? Yum.”

“Ewww. He’s my uncle and I would never think of him that way.”

“If he’s only 5 years older than Noah, how come I never met him?”

“My great-grandparents Tristan and Xander raised him as they were retired from the family business. He spent a lot of time in New York and rarely came here.”

“So you have any other good looking family members?”

“Should I be worried?”

“No, I don’t know why but now that I’ve finally come out of my shell, I am a bit more comfortable. You’re the only one I want.” Brody said and then kissed.

“I better be.”

We heard Uncle Ted descending the stairs and he was on the phone. He immediately locked the front door and started checking all the windows and doors in the house. I couldn’t tell who he was talking too and I was getting nervous. Brody must have sensed it because he grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Boys, we have a problem.” Uncle Ted said as he sat in Dad’s recliner.

“What would that be?” I asked.

“Jonah; I don’t think it’s my place to tell you but your mother insisted you be made aware. Long story short, Jonah raped Nathan over a period of several years.”

Both Brody and I gasped and looked at each other shocked.

“He had Nathan living under fear and he was using it against him. Your parents and Emerson seem to think you could be his next target.”

“What about Nick? He is the youngest.”

“Fair point; I tend to agree that you’ll be his target since he’s visited you. I also checked Nick’s room and everything checks out.”

“You checked his room?” Brody asked perplexed. “What were you looking for used condoms?”

“He doesn’t know does he?” Uncle Ted laughed.

“Know what?” I asked.

“Oh crap, your mom didn’t tell you either? Well, not my place to explain it but I will inform your mother that she needs to spill the beans.”

“You’re not getting off that easy.” I said.

“That’s what she said,” Uncle Ted said with a laugh.

“Uncle Ted!” Nick shouted when he came through the door.

“Hello Nickolas; bring me any presents?” Uncle Ted said with a laugh.

“Very funny Teddy Bear. What brings you here?”

“Family and why is everyone suspicious of me visiting my nephews?”

“I don’t know,” Nick began. “For starters, you weren’t at Noah’s funeral.”

“Oh baby boy, I was there. You just didn’t see me.”

“I saw everyone and you were not there,” I chimed in.

“You’re just not as observant.”

“Could Brody and I go out tonight? We were planning to before you showed up.”

“I don’t see why not as long as I can tag along given the current situation.”

“What situation?” Nick asked.

Uncle Ted launched into the recent developments and was interrupted by a phone call that he had to take.

“I googled your great-grandparents; I didn’t know you are related to President Michaels too.” Brody said.

“Yeah, that is my great-grandfather’s older brother. Mom said he helped make a lot of things possible for the LGBTQIA people. You hear of Matthew Shepard building in New York?”

“No.”

“Well it’s been in the family for a bit when my uncle bailed out some businessman who owned it. My great-uncle turned it into a center for LGBTQIA and eventually they turned the family property in Pennsylvania into the same thing.”

“The Michaels Foundation? Whoa, look your mom is Chairman. Someone named Edward is her co-chair.”

“That’s Uncle Ted, his legal name is Edward but no buddy in the family calls him that. Well, Grandma does when she gets angry.”

“The Michaels Foundation was started by Tristan and Jackson (Nee Craft-Woolery) Michaels. Based in East Manhattan the company runs hundreds of LBTQIA Centers around the Globe.” Brody read. “Megan Michaels Jacobs is the current co-chairman and President of Black Hawk Operations. That’s the big security firm in Northern Virginia.”

“Yeah, my Grandpa works there too. He’s retired but Mom said he never left.”

“Brody did you not know what our parents do?” Nick asked.

“I know your Dad is an Architect and has a construction company.”

“Mom’s job is top secret and we don’t know 100% of what she does. We just know she has an important job.”

“I’ll say,” Brody said and turned his tablet around, “Look at all the Government Contracts they hold.”

Uncle Ted came back in the room and I changed the conversation.

“How long are you staying for?”

“I’m not sure but I won’t be leaving until things are settled down here.”

“I wish you could stay permanently.”

“I know buddy, but my life is in New York.” He was quiet for a bit before speaking. “I’ll try to visit more.”

There was a knock at the door and that’s when I noticed that Uncle Ted had a gun holstered to his belt. It was just Asher and Brandon coming to get us to go out.

“I forgot I asked Asher and Brandon to take us.” I said.

“No your mother arranged that but I need to go and so does Nick.”

We all piled into Mom’s Yukon and Uncle Ted drove and he kept checking his mirror when we got on Belair Drive.

“What kind of car does Jonah have?” Uncle Ted asked.

“I’m not sure. Haven’t seen him since before the accident.”

“I think he has a mustang.” Asher spoke up.

“Everyone buckle-up.” Uncle Ted said as he sped up and took the curve for the on ramp to Route 3/301 at a high rate of speed; I though the truck was going to flip but Uncle Ted wasn’t fazed at all. Who ever was driving the mustang was keeping up with us despite the maneuvers Uncle Ted made as we were heading East on Route 50 towards Annapolis.

“Should I call my dad?” Brandon asked, “or better yet 911?”

“No, we have reinforcements coming.” Uncle Ted said.

I grabbed Brody’s hand and was in awe as Uncle Ted weaved around the cars like they weren’t there. I’ll admit I was scared too. I could hear what sounded like helicopters and sirens approaching us.

“Take this exit, it’s for the mall,” Asher said.

“Sounds more like a jail,” Uncle Ted said. I did have to agree since the sign said Parole.

We took the exit and the mustang was hot on our tail. We made the right onto Jennifer Rd and Uncle Ted blew past the mall towards the Anne Arundel Medical Center. As we approached the main hospital intersection I could see more cops. Uncle Ted swung the Yukon around like it was nothing and we came to a stop.

I could see Jonah in the mustang and Uncle Ted ordered us to the floor of the Yukon.

“I love you Brody,” I said and took his hand.

“I love you too,” he replied.

“No one’s dying on my watch,” Uncle Ted said. “Stay here.”

He got out of the truck and I could hear tons of shouting for Jonah to exit the car. He was saying something like do you know who I am?

Uncle Ted came back and told us Jonah was in custody. He made a call to my parents and told them we were safe and Jonah was now a Eunuch.

“What’s a Eunuch?” I asked.

“Someone who loses their balls,” Asher replied.

“How did he lose them?”

“Our signature family move,” Uncle Ted said with a wink.

“Like a nut buster? Like what my dad did to the principal?”

“Much worse, they are permanently gone.”

“Who removed them?” I was totally confused.

“I did,” Uncle Ted said and stuck out his chest.

“Edward Matthew Michaels, what did I tell you about boasting,” Grandma said coming out of nowhere.

“Sorry mom,” Uncle Ted said sheepishly.

“Now that Jonah is in custody, I think the boys should go have a proper date,” Grandma said.

“Is dating ever going to be easy?” Brody asked.

“Never,” Grandma and Uncle Ted said with a laugh.