Gabe Darby - 4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Brad’s eyes popped open as he wakes from a dream. He is not sure what it was about but was certain he didn’t want to go back to it. That is when Brad realized Gabe has him wrapped up in his comforting arms. Sighing Brad relaxes into Gabe’s embrace and thinks back to the first time he came to this house. He was eight and in third grade, and Brad had been invited to Gabe’s ninth birthday party and sleep over him, and four other of Gabe’s friends slept in sleeping bags in the big family room with the Franklin stove.

Brad’s mind skipped forward to the first time Gabe had held him in his arms. It was in this very room, and Gabe had crawled into bed next to him, in the lower bunk below Gabe’s bed trying to comfort Brad. That awful night, that awful, awful night. The images of that night came flooding back to him.

As Brad was setting the table for dinner, after he got home from practice and had done his homework. Someone was knocking on the door. Brad remembered looking out the window and seeing his basketball coach standing on the porch, but he was dressed for his other job. Opening the door to his Coach /State Trooper Sergeant Connelly looking very solemn.

HI Coach, Mom, and Dad won’t be home for another thirty minutes, but you’re welcome to wait inside.

“Hey Brad, thanks,” Trooper Sergeant Connelly said, stepping in the door, “is Sandy home?” he asked.

“No, she’s at college, she went back Sunday night, Why?” replied Brad.

Just as Brad was closing the door, Mrs. Frolich the next door neighbor stepped onto the porch.

Mrs. Frolich and her husband were the the neighborhood Grandparents, always watching out for the families around them. Passing out cookies to the children and lending a hand with any projects that the neighbors had going. They also could be counted on as last minute babysitters when the need arose.

“Is there a problem, Sergeant Connelly? She asked

“Ah. Mrs. Frolich glad you are here” said Sergeant Connelly. “Lets sit down a minute can we.”

The three went into the living room and sat down. Sergeant Connelly gently explained that Brad’s Parents had been murdered in the robbery of their Gas -n- Go convenience store near the interstate. Brad just sat there; he didn’t cry immediately, but just sat and stared at his coaches shiny patent leather uniform shoes. Brad felt Mrs. Frolich put her arm around his shoulder and the sound of her quiet sob got his mind moving. Then through the fog of shock the sound of his coach's voice asking if Brad had any other family he could call, or a place to stay. Brad did not answer, but got up almost mechanically and walked to the kitchen phone he called the only person he could think to call. The only person Brad could think of was his Dad’s best friend, AJ Darby.

“Hello, Mr. Darby this is Brad Jacobs... ah… there’s a problem… my Mom and Dad, have been killed… OH GOD! They’re Dead... THEY’RE DEAD...!!!” That’s when the phone dropped from his hand, and Brad collapsed against the wall sobbing uncontrollably.

The next thing he knew Carol Darby was hugging him sitting on the floor of the kitchen and AJ was talking with the Trooper Connelly. Brad could hardly remember the drive to the Darby house. But Brad did remember all the warm, loving hugs that came from every member of the Darby Family that was there. Brad’s memory flashed forwarded... Brad was laying in the lower bunk under Gabe’s bed quietly sobbing. Raphael, Gabe’s older brother, was sleeping across the room. As Brad laid there crying quietly, scared of the uncertainty of the things to come. The next thing Brad felt was Gabe crawling in next to him and Gabe wrapping him in his arms. Gabe spoke softly to him whispering that he was safe, and he was part of Darby family now. Gabe held Brad tight to his chest, as his hand slowly caressing the back of Brad’s head as he sobbed into Gabe’s chest. For the next two weeks, it was the only way Brad could relax enough to sleep. With his best friend Gabe, arms wrapped around him, keeping him safe and warm.

Lying there now in the early morning, wrapped in Gabe’s arms again. It was that feeling of Gabe’s loving and reassuring embrace that Brad had cherished then and relished in now.

Finally, the need to relieve the pressure in his bladder drew Brad out of his reverie. Brad slowly extricated himself from Gabe’s embrace and stepped into the bathroom. After taking his morning piss, he went to the couch and retrieved his and Gabe clothing from the previous night. He quickly dressed and then went to the kitchen to start the coffee. Brad had just got the pot going when AJ walked into the kitchen.

“Good morning,” said AJ. “Gabe not up yet?”

“No, I was going to let him sleep till the coffee was ready” answered Brad.

“Oh, OK... how does pancakes and sausage sound this morning? AJ asked.

MMM YES!... that was always one of my favorite breakfasts.” replied Brad

“I remember that why I suggested it,” AJ said with a smile.

Brad poured two cups of coffee and carried them downstairs. As Brad entered the bedroom, he found Gabe in his socks only.

“Coffee great, you are such a dear.” said Gabe, as he took the mug from Brad and sipped the streaming liquid and relishing in its warmth.

“Pops is making pancakes and sausage for breakfast, so it will be ready shortly,” said Brad

“Let me get dressed then we can head upstairs,” Gabe said as pulled on his jeans.

As Gabe stood up, Brad stepped in front of Gabe and pulled him into a warm hug, kissing gently on the lips. Looking into Gabe’s hazel eyes, Brad sighed deeply.

“Thank you for last night,” he said, “It was very special and something I think we both needed.”

Gabe kissed Brad again, then laid his head on Brad’s shoulder. The feeling of Gabe’s warm body against his own made Brad almost shudder. He loves this man in more ways than one, he was his lover and is his best friend, but most of all he was his brother. Gabe was getting attached again, and Brad was not sure that was the best thing or even the right thing to happen. Brad looked down at this handsome man in his arms and sighed; he hated what he was about to say. Brad cleared his throat and held Gabe away so he could look at him. Gabe saw the sadness in Brad’s eyes.

 

“Ahem... Gabe... about the... “WE” thing,” Brad said haltingly. “I… think... this is going way too fast... I’m not so sure... is what should be happening right now? You... and Darla... just broke up and... well... we aren’t kids anymore... we are not just experimenting any more… we left that behind in college... you’re my best friend and brother... I adore you... But... I’m not sure it's right.” Brad said questioningly.

“Wow!” was all Gabe said for a few minutes as he processed what Brad had said.

“I adore you to Brad... and maybe you’re right…. This could be moving way too fast,” said Gabe with sadness in his voice.

Then Gabe hugged Brad tighter. Brad smiled and stood there returning Gabe’s warm hug for several minutes until a gurgle from Gabe’s stomach brought a giggle from them both.

“OK, I think maybe we should see if breakfast is ready,” said Gabe as he stepped back from the warm embrace of Brad and patted him on the chest as he did so. Gabe grabbed his coffee and led the way up the stairs.

“I was just going to yell down to you boys that breakfast was ready,” said AJ smiling at his two… sons? yes they are my sons. One by blood, and one foster, but both still my sons he thought.

The three men sat around the kitchen table and ate breakfast together, sharing the paper and chatting idly about things they saw in the paper or heard on the news. Gabe got up and started clearing dishes and then started to pour more coffee for them all, but AJ declined.

“No more for me, thank you, I have to go to work, while you two get to loaf all day. I still have to put in at least a half a day before I go and sit with Carol.” chided AJ

He watched as Gabe put the coffee pot back, then step to the sink and start doing the dishes.

“Thank you,” he said and winked at Gabe. As AJ started for the door, he stopped and looked back at Gabe.

“I’ll call Charlie Fredricks today and have him get the paperwork started on the loan from the trust.” he stated, “If we are lucky he can have it all ready to go by about 4 pm today.” AJ continued.

“Wow, that’s fast, do you really think Mr. Fredricks will have it ready by this afternoon Pops?” Asked Brad using his pet name for AJ that always made AJ cringe.

“If I know Charlie, he has the forms already put together and only needs to fill in details like the amount and the address of the house and such,” said AJ.

“Oh... Brad and I were going to drive over to Arlowe and look for things for the new house, and maybe a self-propelled snow blower like you have. We weren't planning on being back till later tonight about 8 or 9 pm” Gabe responded.

“I see... well, why don’t you check in with me just after lunch and by then I should know if Charlie will have things ready.” said AJ

“I have a Mobile-phone that I use for work I can give you that number and then you can contact us if Mr. Fredricks gets the paperwork done early,” said Brad looking over at Gabe.

“Then we can plan on a time to meet and maybe get Mr. Kelty and his lawyer to join us, and we can get the whole thing settled before I head back to the city,” said Gabe

“Sounds like a plan, talk to you boys later, ” said AJ as he headed out the door.

Gabe and Brad finished the breakfast dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. They went downstairs and showered and were on the road by 8:30 am. They took Brad’s Bronco again and headed out over the main roads to Arlowe, the largest city in the county. The roads were not cleared completely; the road crews were still working to keep the main roads from drifting and icing over. They hadn’t even got to the secondary roads yet. They had heard on the radio that schools had been closed because of the seven inches of snowfall overnight.

The drive was taking longer than usual because of road conditions. As Brad and Gabe followed the line of slow moving vehicles ahead of them, it began to snow again. Nothing heavy, just a slow, steady, light snow that the wind seemed to fling about. Creating areas of almost white out conditions, and areas of clear visibility, but a road surface made slick as, oil on glass as the fine snow blew speedily across the road surface.

To Gabe, it seemed almost like a slow-motion scene in a movie. The minivan in front of them lost traction and spun out of control. The minivan made two complete revolutions before crossing the opposing lane striking the guardrail, then rolling over several times back across both lanes coming to rest on its roof in the ditch on the right hand side of the road. Brad quickly started pumping the brakes and brought the Bronco to a halt just before it slammed into the minivan as it crossed back in front of them rolling over and over. He grabbed a black bag from the center console compartment of the Bronco and handed it to Gabe.

“Dial 76 then 911 tell them where we are and that there has been a possible injury accident. Tell them that there is an off-duty Sheriff's deputy badge number 234 on the scene that needs assistance. Then bring the blankets from the back to where ever I am.

Gabe zipped open the heavy black bag about the size of a brick and found the phone receiver with a keypad in the back. He quickly dialed the number that Brad had given him and listen for the mobile phone to connect. Once the operator came on the phone, Gabe gave the operator the location of the crash, that there were possible injuries and Brad’s badge number. Gabe tucked the phone back into its cradle in the bag and zipped it up. Gabe then exited the Bronco.

Meanwhile, Brad quickly exited the Bronco and trotted to the back hatch. He opened the hatch and leaned in to grab a blue bag with a red Medical insignia on it. Brad dragged the “jump kit” as it was called, to him, pulled out latex gloves, and put them on then grabbed another pair as Brad lifted the strap of the jump kit to his shoulder. As Brad passed by Gabe getting out of the Bronco, he tossed the extra pair of gloves to Gabe.

“Here, put these on” Brad called to Gabe tossing the gloves into his chest as he passed by. “Go grab the two extra blankets from the back and follow me,” he continued as he jogged toward the overturned minivan.

As Brad neared the van his breath caught in his throat. There are kids in the minivan. He thought to himself. Brad could hear the crying of several children and the slap of the small hand against the window of the overturned van. As Brad neared the van, he assessed the scene his trained eyes taking in the important details about the van and its surroundings. The rear of the van rested the far side of the ditch, holding it firmly in place. There was blood on the driver's side window. The women in the driver’s seat had a head injury and seemed to be unconscious, as she hung upside down. Brad did a quick scan of the back seats there were three car seats. The first two seats had kids in them ages about two and four; they were crying but still held in place by the car seat restraints. In the third car seat, Brad could see it was partially dislodged from its restraints a boy about seven hanging from the straps his feet entangled in them, his hands pounding on the window crying in pain and fear. Brad grabbed the side door handle and tried to open the door it was either locked or jammed.

As Gabe arrived with the blankets, Brad told him to try the passenger side doors. Gabe tried the front passenger door it too was locked. The side-sliding door was ajar but was wedged by the edge of the roof crushing in on it. But this door had a gap large enough for Gabe to get his hand through and unlock the front door. Gabe pulled his arm out and opened the front passenger door to his surprise out tumbled a boy about Nine years old. The face of the boy was streaked with tears, but the look of determination, his face struck Gabe’s soul.

“Hey!” yelped Gabe in surprise. He reached down for the boy “are you hurt?” Gabe asked.

The boy shook his head no as Gabe helped him up, then asked the boy his name.

“I’m Justin Barrett,” replied the boy, “is my mom ok? I can’t wake her up,” asked Justin.

‘We will check on her,” said Gabe while steadying Justin to his feet. As Gabe did this, he noticed that Justin wasn’t putting any weight on his left leg, and he held his left arm close to his chest. Gabe wrapped a blanket around Justin’s shoulders. Gabe then lifted and carried Justin to the top of the ditch about twenty feet from the minivan.

As Gabe was doing this Brad had come around the front of the minivan and crawled inside. Just then a pick-up with a red-light bar on it pulled up and block the roadway to stop traffic. Out stepped two persons pulling on their fire gear. The taller of the two grabbed a large red bag and headed for Gabe and Justin. The other headed towards the minivan. The taller firefighter steps up to Gabe and Justin.

“I’m with the fire department are either of you injured?” asked the firefighter.

‘I’m not but the boy seems to be,” replied Gabe

“May I check you for injuries?” the firefighter asked Justin.

Justin nodded yes, but he held on to Gabe’s hand not letting him step away.

“It’s OK Justin I won’t leave,” said Gabe

“Justin is that your name?” said the firefighter “I’m Jason,” he continued as he gently ran his hands over Justin’s arms and legs, Jason noticed that Justin flinched a little when he touched the boys left wrist and ankle.

“Does that hurt?” Jason asked, and Justin nodded his head yes. Then he then checked Justin’s pulse and respirations. Then Jason noticed a cut on Justin’s head, he quickly pulls a four by four from the medical kit and pressed it to the small bloody patch in Justin’s hair

“Hold this, please,” Jason said to Gabe as he grabbed a roll of gauze and wrapped it around Justin’s head as Gabe held the bandage in place. Jason then took a splint from the kit and placed it around Justin’s wrist.

“Can you please gently hold this while I secure it?” he asked Gabe.

“Sure” replied Gabe as he took Justin’s splinted wrist into his hands. Gabe smiled reassuringly at Justin.

After Jason was done securing the splint, he looked at Justin’s ankle said that it looked to be a sprain or a bruise.

Looking over to Gabe. Jason asked, “Can you please stay with Justin while I see if I can help the others?”

While Gabe and Jason tended to Justin, Brad had pulled his jump kit and blanket that Gabe had dropped into the minivan and wiggled his way into the back seat.

He did a quick visual scan of the two younger children still strapped into their car seats.

Other than being scared and hanging upside down, they showed no visible injury. So, Brad then checks out the boy about seven dangling by the legs from the straps of his car seat. The boy had a cut on his head and one on his left arm the head wound was bleeding a lot, but Brad knew that was very typical of head wounds. Brad opened his jump kit and pulled out the trauma shears and prepared to cut the boy's leg free. He lifted the boy to take the strain off the straps.

“Hey, I got you I won’t let you fall,” Brad said to the boy, the boy seemed to relax as Brad lifted him up, he quit screaming Brad could see the foot was not badly entangled, so he dropped the shears and gently freed the boy’s foot. As Brad started to back out of the van with the boy in his arms, he felt movement behind him and heard a voice say “Here hand him to me.” Brad shifted around and saw a firefighter half way in the passenger door taking off their helmet. Brad was shocked to see a bright red ponytail emerge from under the helmet. As the face of the firefighter came into view, he was amazed at its beauty. The firefighter was a very good looking, woman, as he handed the boy to her he smiled broadly.

“Thanks for the assist, there are two more in car seats, and the driver yet,” Brad reported

As Jason reached the van door, the other firefighter was backing out, and two more emergency vehicles arrived.

“I’ll take him, Logan,” Jason said to the redheaded firefighter. “You go in and check the driver and tell that guy in the back to leave the kids in the car seat and take the whole seat out if he can.”

Logan handed the boy off to Jason, who carried him up to the ambulance that had just arrived.

Jason returned and helped another firefighter force open the side door to the minivan with a Halligan tool. Then he ducked in and assisted Brad with the removal of the remaining two kids in the car seats.

Logan quickly assessed the driver; pulse was 100 and weak respirations were 20 and labored, She gently took the driver by the head and neck and held it steady holding the drivers head and neck in place.

“I need a C collar” she yelled

Just then Gabe appeared at the shattered driver’s side window on his hands and knees.

“What can I do to help,” said Gabe.

“Here gently place your hand were mine are and hold her (the driver’s) head and neck very still,” said Logan. “While I get the C collar on her.”

Gabe laid on his back half in and half out of the smashed window. He carefully replaced his hands were Logan was slowly removing hers. Gabe’s face was very intense as he tried to calm his own nervousness and not allow his hands to shake.

Logan reached back a grab the collar and opened it up and started to place it around the woman’s neck.

“Lift your left hand slowly and replace it on the outside of the collar, then do the same with the other hand, as I bring the collar around, then hold it till I get the collar secured” Logan instructed Gabe.

As the two worked together to stabilize the woman’s neck and head Jason called for a backboard and additional help to get the driver out. He then came around to where Gabe was.

“OK, let me in there so I can help Logan get the driver on the back board,” he said to Gabe

Logan gently kicked Brad as he was getting out of the back of the minivan.

“Hey you,“ she called, “I need you to release the seat belt when we lift the driver up so that we can get her on the backboard and out of here.”

Brad nodded yes and slid back into the gap between the front seats. Brad released the seat belt when he was told, and the driver was slowly sliding from her restraints and onto the backboard.

The firemen carried the woman up to the second ambulance that had arrived and placed her on the gurney.

“Moooommm! MOM! MOM!” Justin shouted, along with his younger brother, as she was placed in a different ambulance than they were in.

Gabe and Brad walked up the short incline of the ditch, and Gabe went to Justin.

“Hey, calm down, it's going to be OK,” he said comfortingly to Justin as Jason stepped up to the ambulance.

“Can you go with me and my brother?” asked Justin looking at Gabe.

“I would like to, but I don’t think they would let me,” Gabe said reassuringly “how about I stop by the hospital later and check on you and your family.”

“Could I ride with you to the hospital while your Mom and the little ones go in the other ambulance?” said Jason to the two obviously upset boys laying in the back of the ambulance.

“Will we go to the same place as they take Mom and Tommy and Erika?” asked Justin.

“Yes, you’re all going to the County Hospital in Arlowe?” said Jason. Smiling at Justin, “who’s your friend here?” he asked, pointing to the boy on the gurney.

“That’s Connor, my brother, is he going to be ok? Justin asked

“I think he will be okay judging from the amount of yelling he just did,” said Jason smiling

Jason turned to Gabe “Thanks for jumping in and helping like that; most bystanders don’t get that involved” offering his hand to Gabe and patting him on the shoulder.

“You’re very welcome Jason,” replied Gabe “I was with Deputy Jacobs when we saw the rollover happen.”

“I’m sorry I never asked your name,” said Jason looking questioningly at Gabe.

“Gabe Darby is my name.”

“You are very cool in a stressful situation Gabe, have you ever thought about being a paid-on call firefighter?” said Jason

“No, not really, ” said Gabe his expression showing the gears grinding in his head.

“Well, you should,” said Jason as he climbed into the back ambulance with the two boys as a pretty redheaded firefighter shut the doors.

“Did I hear you say your friend is a Deputy Sheriff?” said Logan

“Yeah... he is,” replied Gabe smiling as he watched Logan’s eyes shift to Brad, who was speaking with another Deputy and a State Trooper. “His name is Brad Jacobs if you’re wondering?” Gabe continued with a slight chuckle.

Hearing the little chuckle, Logan quickly brought her eyes back to Gabe. “Er… thanks again for all your help, you really should think about being a Firefighter, I think you would make a good one from what little I’ve seen,” she said with a small smile. “Jason and I work out of the Indian Creek West sub-station. Jason is one of the full timers; there I’m just a paid-on call.”

“Paid on call what’s that?” asked Gabe

“It’s what they call volunteers now since we are trained and get a small amount of money for answering calls when they need extra help or when we do Station Time” answered Logan

“Well, I have better get going to the hospital to get Jason; then we still need to get Groceries for the guys on shift today. That’s was what Jason and I were doing when the call came in,” she continued with a grin.

As Logan climbed into the driver’s seat of the pickup, Brad walked up to Gabe “gawd… she’s cute,” said Brad, just loud enough for Gabe to hear.

Gabe smiled at Brad and agreed. They walked back to the Bronco and got in.

“She works out of the Indian Creek West sub-station,” said Gabe looking at Brad out of the corner of his eye.

“Yeah, I know,” said Brad “and her name is Logan Campbell,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows, making Gabe laugh.