Tyler - 8. Chapter 8

Tyler - Chapter 8

Tyler did not go back to the Henderson’s until Sunday night. The Henderson’s were home and Mr. Henderson met him at the door. He pulled Tyler in by the arm, slammed the door behind him, and then slapped him sharply in the face.

Tyler stumbled back and put his hand up to his stinging cheek, wondering what in hell he’d done that for.

“You were supposed to watch the damn house this week. How dare you take off and leave it unguarded.”

Tyler shook his head in confusion. “You didn’t say I had to watch the house, you just said I couldn’t go with you.”

The man’s hand nailed his face again and he stumbled back more. His eyes widened in horror as he saw him pull his belt from its loops. Anger roiled through him as white hot anger filled his sights.

The lash of the belt caught him across his hand then down his leg. He stepped sideways and it came down again across the back of his thighs. He pulled off his back pack and swung it out blindly, hearing it make contact, and Mr. Henderson cry out, he walked back to the door. The belt hit him two more times, before he managed to open the door and flee.

He ran down the front step and out onto the sidewalk where he kept running, as tears of rage poured down his cheeks. He ran to the store on the corner then bent over and put his hand on his knees to catch his breath and calm his crying. Once he’d regained some sense of composure, he crossed the parking lot to the pay phone and pulled two quarters out of the front pocket of his back pack. He shakily dialed the phone, his whole body shaking from adrenaline. The phone rang four times before it was picked up.

“Hello?”

“It’s me. Can you come and get me please.”

Knowing by the sound of his voice that something was very wrong, Robert held the phone closer to his ear. “Where are you?”

“At the store by the Henderson’s, do you know where the Henderson’s live?”

“No idea. What street are you on?”

Tyler looked around. “I don’t know,” more tears came out of his eyes, as his voice broke.

“What’s the number on the pay phone Tyler?” Robert asked, knowing his friend was close to losing it all together, which had happened before and scared the hell out of him that it may happen again.

Tyler turned his head to the phone itself. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand, and then shook his hand out as it hurt too much from where the belt had hit it. “555-2931"

“And what’s the name of the store?”

Tyler peeked past the sides of the phone and looked up above the door. “CJ’s.”

“Okay Tyler. Now you stay right where you are. I’ll be there if ten minutes. You understand?”

“Yes,” he nodded vigorously, though his head was still shaking.

Robert ran out of his house after checking for a CJ’s in the yellow pages. He’d been very thankful there was only one which meant he didn’t have to spend five minutes fighting with information to find out where the number of the payphone was.

He started the car then gripped the steering wheel tightly, as anger soared through his body. He never understood how anyone could be mean to Tyler, as to him Tyler was the sweetest guy he’d ever known. He knew though without even asking that, that was exactly what happened as Tyler did not get that upset without reason.

He got mad, but when he was upset enough to actually call for help, it had always been because he’d been beat up by either his parents or one of the damn foster parents. His mind flashed to another time when Tyler had called him from his school, he’d gone and picked him up and found his nose bloodied and two black eyes. That time he’d been beat on by kids in school after he’d been outed to the entire school.

His mind flashed to Connor, and he prayed Tyler’s current state had nothing to do with him, as he’d really grown to like Connor on the day before Thanksgiving. He’d never thought anyone was good enough for Tyler, but Connor, was by far the one to come the closest to fitting the bill.

He sped through the nearly deserted streets ‘til he reached CJ’s market, where he pulled into the parking lot and scanned it with his eyes. Tyler appeared out of nowhere beside the car and quickly opened the door and dropped down into the seat. He slung his pack on the floor, then lay across the front seat putting his head in Robert’s lap and curling his legs up onto the seat.

Robert reached down and stroked his fingers through Tyler’s hair. He put the car in gear and backed out of the driveway, knowing from experience Tyler would not be ready to talk about it for a while yet.

Instead of going back to his house, where things were usually real chaotic with his parents constant fighting, he pulled into the parking lot of a motel. “Tyler you stay here okay. I’m just gonna go get us a room.”

Tyler nodded his head once up and down then picked his head up off Robert’s leg. Five minutes later Robert was back. He eased Tyler out of the car, who’d stopped trembling but was now listless. He grabbed his bag off the floor and they walked to the nearest door, where Robert pulled out a key and unlocked it. He guided Tyler inside and eased him down on the bed.

He walked back over to the door closed it securely, set the lock in place then flicked on the light.

Turning back to Tyler, he dropped his head to one side seeing his fat lip and bruising cheek. Going to the bed, he got down on his knees and put his arm around his best friend. “Who did this to you?”

“Mr. Henderson.” Tyler answered quietly, as he put his chin down on Robert’s shoulder.

“How bad?” he asked, pulling back a little so he could see Tyler’s face.

“Not bad. I ran out.”

Robert smiled and squeezed his arms. “Good for you.” Tyler had always just sat back and took it, and this news was truly exciting to him. “Here,” he said standing up, he took off Tyler’s jacket and lay him back on the bed, “you just relax okay. I’ll take care of you.”

Tyler smiled up at him as he lay rigid on the bed. Robert disappeared into the small bathroom for a minute and came back with several cold cloths. He sat down next to Tyler’s stomach and pressed one into the side of his face and down so it covered his lip. “Did he get you anywhere besides your face?”

Tyler lifted his hand, where an ugly welt had risen and was already bruising. “My legs too.”

Nodding Robert took another cloth and wrapped it around his hand. He then unbuttoned his pants and slid them off. A welt had risen on his thigh, curling around the back of his leg where, as Robert turned it, he saw two more angry red and bruising welts. “Belt?” he asked, knowing from years of experience with Tyler’s wounds what mark each weapon left.

He applied more cold cloths then looked back at Tyler’s face. “What was his excuse?”

“I guess I was supposed to watch the house.” Tyler shook his head, as fresh tears seeped out of his eyes. “He never said I had to.” he sniffled and wiped at his eyes. “He just said I couldn’t go. He never said I had to stay there all week.”

“I know,” Robert said squeezing his knee. “It’s not your fault Tyler. You didn’t know and you didn’t do anything wrong.”

He whimpered and wiped more feverishly at his leaking eyes. “I don’t know why I can’t do anything right. I don’t know what I do, that makes everyone hate me.”

Robert crawled over him, then laid down beside him and put his arm over his chest and wrapped his hand around his side. “It’s not you Tyler. Please don’t think that. It’s just these people you never seem to get put with any good ones.”

Tyler rolled into Robert, pressing himself deep in his arms. Robert ran his hand gently over Tyler’s face and through his hair. “I don’t hate you Tyler. I in fact love you very much. And I can tell Connor loves you two. I couldn’t have picked a better boyfriend for you myself.”’

“But now I’m gonna get moved again and I’m never gonna see him again.”

“Not true at all Tyler. Connor has a car. And even if he didn’t, he wouldn’t let that happen. You may not go to the same school but that doesn’t mean you won’t still see each other all the time. Look at us we don’t go to the same school and we are still together a lot.”

“Because we work together.”

“No, not just because we work together. If we didn’t see each other at work, we’d find other ways to see each other. You and Connor will still see each other I can guarantee it.”

Tyler fell asleep shortly after, but Robert continued to hold him close long into the night ‘til he drifted off to sleep himself. He woke up early the next morning and stirred, Tyler awake beside him. “Come on you gotta get up, we have to go to school.” His face was swollen and the bruises had set into a dark and ugly purple.

“I don’t want to go.” Tyler said groggily, as he stretched causing his hand to press against Robert’s chest.

“Yeah and when social services shows up there today and find you not there they’ll be more apt to side with Mr. Henderson. They’ll think you are a runaway, which I’m sure it the tale he’s weaving about now.”

Tyler slowly sat up and nodded as he rubbed his hands down over his face. “I guess you are right.”

“Okay then, just do me one favor and don’t look in the mirror when you go take a shower.”

Tyler shook his head in annoyance, then got up and walked into the bathroom. He walked back out a minute later, put his hands on his hips and glowered down at Robert. “I’m not going.” He said sternly.

Robert smacked himself in the forehead. “I told you not to look.”

“And you know I always look when you say that.”

Sitting up Robert shook his head. “You have to go, you’re only gonna get in more trouble if you don’t.”

“Then just take me to social services. That won’t be running away. I’ll turn myself in. I don’t want to be seen like this.” he said, gesturing with his hand flippantly to his face.

Robert shook his head. “They’ll just think you did something wrong and are showing up to cover your tracks.”

Tyler put his hands on his head, looking like he was gonna pull his hair out and feeling like he wanted to. “God dammit.” he swore before he stalked back off to the bathroom slamming the door behind him.

They were standing by the car while Robert stuck his key in the loc,k when they heard a squealing of tires. They both looked up as a car screeched to a halt beside them. Tyler’s face lit up seeing it was Connor’s car, but it quickly fell as Connor flew out of the car with an incredibly pissed off look on his face.

“I shoulda fucking known.” He screamed, pointing in Tyler’s face. “I shoulda known you two were fucking around. How could you do that to me Tyler?”

Tyler could only shake his head, not even close to be able to find the right words to say.

Robert put his hand out to Connor but it was quickly smacked away. “Boy you two must have been laughing your asses of at stupid ole me.” Tears spilled down his cheeks as he screamed. “Was that whole sob story about your parent’s even true Tyler, or is that part of your scheme.” He eyed Tyler then eyed Robert. “You guys get your Jollies off by breaking other people’s hearts?”

“CONNOR PLEASE!” Robert yelled out. Connor’s eyes blazed he drew back his fist and sent it flying into Robert’s face.

“FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU BOTH.” He cried out, then turned around and stalked back to his car, punching the hood with all his might before he got in slammed the door and peeled back out of the parking lot.

Still holding his throbbing nose, Robert put his hand up on Tyler’s shoulder, as Tyler watched Connor speed off silently, his only movement was the wind blowing the top of his hair up. “Come on.” He said opening the door and easing Tyler in. He hurried around the car and got in the driver’s seat.

“I’m not going to school Robert. Just take me to social services. I don’t give a shit what they do.”

Robert opened his mouth to argue but quickly closed it knowing it would do no good. He could not force Tyler to go to school, and after what just happened did not think it was the best idea anymore. He started the car and pulled out on the road going left instead of right.

He walked him into the social services building where Karen spotted them, almost immediately she hurried over. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Ma’am please.” Robert said, holding his hand out between her and Tyler. “Give him a break. He’s had a bad twenty four hours.”

“And it’s only gonna get worse I’m afraid.” she said taking Tyler’s arm and pulling him to her.

“What do you mean?” Robert asked, his eyes narrowing as he cocked his head to one side.

“Mr Henderson has pressed charges. The only way Tyler will not face those charges is if he goes into a mental eval program.”

“But he didn’t do anything!” Robert filled with frustration and clenched his hands into fists. He looked at Tyler, whose eyes were wide with fright though he was not even trying to defend himself or break free from her.

“Robert.” Karen said, shaking her head. “Tyler needs to go. I was thinking on it anyways. The therapist he’s been seeing says he needs it to. The eval is only thirty days and as long as he cooperates, he should be out in thirty to sixty days. No one is gonna hurt him in there. In fact he’ll probably be treated better then he ever has. Please don’t make me feel bad about this and please don’t try and stop me.” She continued to hold Tyler’s arm gently, seeing the boy was in great pain, she wanted to make this as easy on him as possible as he was the one she was most concerned with.

Robert looked at her desperately, pleading with her with his eyes to do anything else. He let out a long sigh. “Can I see him in there.”

Tyler’s head snapped up and he looked at him, looked at him in surprise, his dark eyes looking totally betrayed.

“Of course.”

Robert looked back at Tyler and shook his head. “I’m sorry buddy.” He said stepping forward and putting out his arms. “but it’s only for a little while and she’s right, you will get treated good in there.” he went to put his arms around him but Tyler quickly stepped back, shaking his head and lashing out at him with his free arm.

“HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!” he screamed as tears raged down his cheeks. “I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND.”

Robert stepped back putting a trembling hand over his mouth. “Tyler, I am your friend. Please you have to believe me.”

Tyler shook his head violently back and forth as he sobbed loudly. “No,” he whimpered walking off behind Karen. “Go away.”

Robert walked forward again and Tyler immediately started screaming at the top of his lungs. Karen reached out and put her hand on Robert’s arm. “Just go hon, he’ll calm down. You can see him tomorrow.”

“Where will he be?” Robert asked, his voice breaking several times during the one sentence.

“Crestwood, right here in town. It’s by the hospital.”

Robert nodded. “I can really see him tomorrow?”

“I’ll talk to the doctors and make sure they let you in. Don’t worry okay?”

“Of course I’m gonna worry.” He said miserably, as he turned his back on them and walked out of the building. Once in his car he put his head down on the steering wheel and cried like a baby. He felt like he was throwing Tyler to the wolves. That he was giving up on him. Deep down though he knew Tyler needed more help then he could give him. No matter how little he wanted to admit it. Too many things had happened and were still happening for any one’s mind to deal with, no matter how strong that mind was.