Indiana Summer - 10. Return

Disclaimer: This story includes sexual and romantic situations between consenting individuals. Any allusion to illicit or illegal activity, sexual or otherwise, is used only for enhancement of the story line and not promotion thereof. Remember AIDS, HIV and other STDs are a very real threat, please always practice safe sex.

I can prove copyright on this story so please don't copy or remove this story for personal use without my permission.
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Indiana Summer 10: Return

This was a bad idea, I knew that but I didn't care. Billy wouldn't talk to her, or me, or anyone else.

I did though, I wanted answers and I was going to get them.

I double checked the address on the mailbox as I stepped up onto the small deck, weaving around flower pots and planter boxes 'til I reached the door.

After knocking I waited. I didn't know who to expect, not knowing who lived with Sam or even if she was home.

I really hadn't thought this through, I was too pissed to think rationally; but that wasn't anything new.

I held my breath as the door opened to reveal an older, shorter, plumper version of Sam, wearing the Sam scowl she so often gave me, I damn near smiled.

"Can I help you young man?" She asked blankly and damn, she even SOUNDS like Samantha.

"Yes Ma'am, I was wondering if Samantha was home?" I asked with the best gentlemanly voice I could find.

"That depends on who in the world you are." She said with a bite.

"Sorry Ma'am, I'm David Baily; a friend of Billy Templeton. I'm working on the Templeton farm over the summer. I just thought I would come down and see if she was busy." I gave her my best innocent, sweet heart smile.

"Billy is a fine boy. I'll tell Samantha that you are here." She gave me a small smile as she closed the door on me.

'Well she's politer then her daughter at least.' I thought to myself as I stepped down off the deck to wait.

I turned to the door as I heard it open and was met with the death glare from Sam.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked and I saw her mom peaking out of the window behind her.

"Now Sam, don't be like that. I just wanted to go walking with you for a bit." I said with a cheesy smile that I aimed over her shoulder.

Sam glanced over her shoulder and turned back to me with a large, fake smile.

"Sure. I can't be gone long though; I have to help momma with supper." She replied sweetly as she stepped off the deck and wrapped her arm around mine, deepening the charade.

I let Sam lead the way as we walked but kept an eye on things. If this went how I thought it would I'd be walking home alone.

Sam turned us off the gravel road and into the woods, I had misgivings about this until we pushed through into a small clearing, where she promptly let go of my arm and all but threw me against the trunk of a tree.

"I repeat, what the hell are you doing here, City Boy." Sam said with venom, City boy, the bitch was back.

"Why in the hell do you think I'm here? I want to know what the hell is wrong with you."

"That is none of your damn business." Sam turned away and tried to walk off. That wasn't going to happen; I gripped her shoulder and spun her around.

"None of my damn business? I think considering it was ME who was trying to console him after you ripped out his heart that makes it my business." I was doing my best not to shout at her...I had some anger issues.

"You consoled him?" Sam asked quietly and the fear in her eyes made me recoil, I was still pissed but I'd keep it in check.

"That’s all I've been doing since I found out Sam, talking to him, helping him, consoling him." I was exasperated, and she was stalling

"I didn't know." She said quietly.

"That's a damn lie and we BOTH know it. Billy told you point blank I'd been helping him. Right before he told you he was gay and you turned your back on him." Once again had to wrangle the urge to shout, the whole woods didn't need to know our business.

"I didn't turn my back on him." Sam hissed angrily.

"Bullshit, you walked away. You wouldn't even let him touch you, afraid it might rub off on you? What happened to not being prejudice, to being Billy's friend and helping him. What part of you fucking walking out, without a word, without a backward glance; ripping him apart in the process, validates EITHER of those sentiments?" I asked, this time my voice went up a few notches, I was officially furious.

"You don't know a damn thing about me, about Billy, or about how life here is." Sam said without much conviction, she was still deflecting.

"I don't want to know anything about you Sam, I don't want to know you period and I've got a pretty good idea as to what life here is like, Billy's opened my eyes to that. As for knowing him, I think I know him a hell of a lot better than you do. Maybe that's what burns you so bad, that I found out first." I said sarcastically.

I must have stepped over a line with that comment because Sam suddenly landed a harsh slap across my face.

"You listen to me you spoiled, pampered little beach bum. Don't you DARE think that you know Billy better than I do. I've know him since we were in diapers. I was there for him after Seth left; I've stuck by him through everything that bastard who calls himself a father can throw at him. I am his best friend, NOT you." Sam said severely and something clicked into place.

"Do you love him?" I asked quietly and Sam looked like she wanted to slap me again.

"God you're pathetic. I just said we've been friends since birth, practically brother and sister. Just thinking about him like that makes me nauseous." Sam said derisively.

"Then why the walk out Sam?" I asked quietly and Sam looked a little worried.

"I was shocked...upset. I may have suspected but that's no substitute for certainty. I admit...I was a little upset that he hadn't told me." Sam wouldn’t look at me as she spoke.

"Look I know you're not telling me everything. You've got some deeper reason than what you're telling me. Honestly I don't care but whatever it is, you need to resolve it and talk to him. You all but killed him Sam. He won't talk about it, about anything." I said and Sam looked upset.

"He's not talking to you anymore...about his issues...he said you were helping him." Sam said quietly.

"I was helping him. At least I thought I was. I don't know anymore. I told him you would be OK with him, that you would accept and understand him. You've kind of screwed my credibility. He's barely said three words to me since Wednesday. Given that I can only guess that he's mad at me for it. I fucked up Sam, I made a promise I wasn't sure I could keep and it blew up in my face and I hurt Billy because of it." I said as I turned away from Sam, I wasn't sure I could keep from tearing up.

"You...you've got to get him talking to you again David. As much as I dislike you...you've been good for Billy. He's been different since you got here, especially these last few weeks...Since you've started helping him it's a little like having the old Billy back...before Seth left." Sam’s words were soft.

"Take care of your problems Sam. I'll work on mine." I said as I pushed my way out of the clearing and headed back toward the farm.

Thankfully Sam didn't follow me.

                                                                      *      *      *

I looked at the picture in my hand, just a small wallet sized photo, nothing special to most people but for me...it was priceless. Looking up at me was a smile I hadn't seen in over three years...since Seth graduated from college.

Seth looked a lot like mom. His face is wider than mine or dads, more rugged too but he smiles like mom and his nose is short like hers too. His hair is brown like hers, only it's darker. The shadow of a beard he's got now is definitely something he's gonna get made fun of for in my next letter.

"God I miss you big brother. I wish you were here...you'd be able to tell me what to do." I whispered as I ran my thumb over the face smiling up at me.

For a second I try to think like him, try to figure out what he might say if he knew what was going on in my mind, how messed up everything has become.

I couldn't come up with anything though, Seth may be my big brother and I love him but I never could guess what he was thinking, until he told me.

The sound of footsteps snapped me out of my thoughts. Too heavy to be moms and dad is off somewhere.

"Hey David is that you?" I called out quietly as I stare at the picture; I know one thing he'd tell me to do.

"Yea it's me, where you at?" David's voice echo's through the barn.

"Up here." I stomped on the floor of the hay loft to further my point. A minute later I saw David's head peak above the ladder. He looked confused and a little wary. I'm not surprised, or upset. I've been out of it the last three days, caught up in my issue with Sam.

"You want to see what Seth looks like?" I ask with a small smile as I held up the picture, making sure he couldn't see Seth.

"God, is that a trick question? I've been hearing about this guy for damn near a month, I don't WANT to see a picture, I NEED to see it." David said with a wide grin as he finished climbing the ladder and snatched the picture out of my hand.

"Damn..." David said with an exaggerated wolf whistle.

"He's married you jackass, to a woman, with a kid on the way, remember?" I asked with a smile.

"I wasn't whistling about that...well not just about that. I mean I thought you were big but damn...Seth looks like one and a half of you." David said as he passed me back the picture.

"It's all that protean, Seth is a true carnivore. If it's a meat product he'll eat it. He's always been big." I said with a smile.

"Billy I'm sorry. I...I promised you something and it didn't work out. Sam...I never thought she'd act like that." David was looking sad but I waved his apology away.

"Don't be sorry David. It's not your fault, not really. I didn't watch what I said, if I had paid more attention then Sam wouldn't have been able to push me like she did. Sam...Sam means a lot to me...and I want her in my life...but if she can't handle me being gay...I can learn to live without her." I said quietly, and it cost me a big chunk of my heart to do it.

I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders and without even thinking about it I lay my head down on David's shoulder and let the tear's flow. I didn't sob like I did the last time we were together. I had gotten all of that out of my system when Sam walked away. This was just what was left, the consequence of my admission.

I don't know how much time passed but when my feelings cleared up I detached myself from David and wiped the residue of the tears away and pulled Seth's letter out of my pocket.

"Seth replied to me...I told him about you before. He asked what you're like and how we've been getting along with each other. I don't like lying to my big brother, but telling him I'm gay through a letter isn't what I had in mind. I don't know what to tell him though David. I don't know how much to tell him, how much to give away in this. I need your help here." I said and David looked stunned...and sheepish.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea there Billy...my advice wasn't so helpful before." He said and I smiled at him, an insecure David was something different.

"David...it's not like that this time around. I have no intention of telling Seth about being gay or about the issues I've been having, at least not in graphic detail. I want to be honest with him though.
Every time I've ever talked to him since he left I've lied to him. I've told him I'm doing OK and that dad, while an ass, isn't too bad. I want to be honest with him now. I want him to know that things here haven't always been easy for me, that I've got some issues that I'm working on.

I want to tell him all that without making him feel bad about leaving, I know my big brother; he'll blame himself if I come off as miserable. We both know that I'm not very tactful, that I don't express myself very easily. You've helped me with that...I need you to do it again. Please." I said and David looked thoughtful.

"Don't do it all up front. Address some of the other stuff first. Tell him about some of the fun you've been having since your last letter. When you tell him about me...tell him that we're friends, and that I've been helping you with some of the problems you've been having. That's when you ease him into it.

You tell him that you've not been totally honest with him. You tell him that things haven't been easy here, that you've had some problems and some pains. You tell him that they're not his fault and that you would have struggled even if he had been here. Tell him that you can't say everything in a letter, that you're not ready to do it anyway; but that you will be when you see him next." David said all this quickly but quietly, as though he was afraid of being heard.

"You think I'll be ready..." I said as I sat down next to him on the hay bale.

"Yea I think you will be. Especially with me here." He said with a smile and I promptly slugged him in the shoulder, knocking him off the bale of hay.

"OK that was a cheap shot." David said as he looked at me from the hay strewn floor.

"Yea it was. I bet this will make it better though." I said as I pulled another letter from my pocket and threw it to him.

"What this?" He asked as he flipped over the envelope.

"A letter from Davis, California, I'm assuming it’s your uncle. He and my brother must be on the same schedule." I said and David's face lit up.

                                                                     *      *      *

'Hello Nephew,

It was really nice to get your letter. I hope you are still doing well. I'm glad that you're taking your banishment in stride, just like I knew you would.

I'm glad that you're somewhat enjoying yourself at least, I hope the scenery keeps you involved.

I know despite the attitude that you are a good kid and I know that you're worried about this Billy kid and how his dad treats him but I want you to be real careful here, not just because of William but Billy doesn't seem too stable either.

I know, even if you didn't say it when you wrote me your letter that you've been trying to help this kid, that you've stuck your nose so far into something that it'll be lucky if you still have it at the moment.

Be careful with what you get yourself into and remember that you won't be there for very long.

Don't get in too deep David.

I'll be in Indiana June 30th and I want to come and visit you. Get the approval from the Templeton's and I'll take care of your dear old dad. I've enclosed a money order that I want you to cash in. It should be more than enough to express out your next letter since I've only got about a week to plan.

I expect you to use the excess from the money order for something frivolous and completely non-essential.

I'll be expecting your reply as soon as possible.

Love,

Uncle Scott.'

I read the letter through a couple of time and smiled, my uncle knew me too damn well. He knew that I wouldn't stop poking around until I got to the bottom of Billy's problems

I pulled out the money order from the envelope and just shook my head. Uncle Scott had sent me a money order for three hundred damn dollars, more than enough to send him an overnight letter.

"Hey Billy...I need some help of my own now." I said and Billy looked up from his brother's letter looking confused.

"What do you need David?" He asked with a smile.

I told him about my Uncle wanting to come see me and his face fell, I could tell what he was thinking.

"I know what you're going to say, that your dad is gonna say no...But do you think there is anything we can do to convince him? I’d really like to see him." I said and it looked like Billy understood.

"OK...first thing, talk to mom on your own and see what she says. She might be able to help. Then talk to them together if she thinks it could work. Your best bet with dad, and you're going to hate hearing this, is to grovel. Tell him how much you miss him, and how much you'd like to see him, basically act sad and pathetic and hope for the best." Billy said with this evil little smile.

"Well...I suppose I could wait till I go home...I mean I've not seen him in three months...another two won't hurt..." I said as I ran my hand through my hair.

"No way, you're not getting out of this now. It won't be that bad." Billy said as he stood up and held his hand out to me.

I took Billy's hand and let him pull me to my feet. Once I was up though he didn't let go. For a second we stood there, pretty much holding hands till I pulled away. I didn't want to though, I wanted to press him up against the railing and kiss the cherry red lips that were smiling at me.

Billy didn't even react when I pulled away; still smiling he turned and climbed down the ladder.

                                                                     *      *      *

We were still eating when David looked up from his plate and looked at my dad, he looked hesitant, even a little worried. Sincere or fake it was a good effect.

"Mr. and Mrs. Templeton, I was wondering if I could ask you something." He spoke a little quietly as he looked between mom and dad.

He had already talked to mom earlier and she supported the idea but didn't know how dad would respond.

"Well, get on with it. We don't have all night." Dad said as he gave David that same scornful look he usually saved for me...I shrunk back a bit out of habit.

"Well Sir...I was wondering...you see I got a letter from my uncle today. He is going to be in town about the 30th...he was wondering if he could come by for a visit.
He wouldn't want to spend the night or anything like that...probably just to see how I'm doing and maybe go out for a bite to eat." David made sure to keep his voice amiable and hesitant; he even let his eyes fall a few times as he spoke. Maybe it was just me but I bought the whole 'meek seeking approval' thing he was going for.

"Well, I don't see anything wrong with that. What about you William?" Mom asked but Dad didn't seem to hear her.

"I understand my dad didn't want me to get off the farm un-escorted, this isn't a vacation after all and if you say no then I understand. I just...he's always really busy and I don't get to see him much. It would really mean a lot to me if I could be allowed to have him visit." David said with earnest and for a second I wondered if it was really just a ploy.

Dad took his time in answering; he ate some more of his stew and drank down nearly all of his beer before he looked up at David.

"I suppose he can come by. The 30th is yall's day off anyway. So long as he has you back here by curfew there won't be a problem." Dad replied gruffly and I had to admit, I was surprised, Dad relenting.

"Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Templeton. I really appreciate it. He sent me the money to overnight him a letter, would it be possible to go into town to the post office to send it?" David asked and dad nodded.

"I need a few things from town anyway, you and Billy can go tomorrow morning and pick them up and send your letter." Dad replied and I was still a little shocked.

We finished our supper and went upstairs. As soon as David sat on his bed he smiled at me.

"So was all that real or was it just a put on?" I asked but David just shook his head and lay down.

                                                                     *      *      *

Billy and I had just finished unloading the new supplies when Walker's rusted old pick up pulled into the driveway. He and Chris got out of the cab and someone else hopped out of the bed, someone I recognized.

"Julian?" I called out as the tall, lanky, whip cord strong form of Julian Paulson walked up to me with a cheesy smile on his face.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" I asked and Julian grabbed me around the waist and swung me around in a hug before sitting me back on my feet.

"I'm here to visit my cousin Walker." He said as he patted Walkers back, who beamed at me.

"That's cool. Walker mentioned you guys were related." I said with a smile.

"It's good to see you again Julian." Billy said as he stepped forward and raised his hand.

Julian didn't shake his hand though; he did the same thing to Billy as he did to me. Though Billy smiled a little less than me.

"It's good to see you again too Billy. It's been too damn long." Julian said as he tossed an arm around his shoulder and the five of us walked up to the house.

We all filed into the kitchen, still talking and laughing but suddenly Billy froze in front of the dinning room table.

The four of us crowded around him to see what he was looking at. On the table was a long and dusty instrument case.

"Mom..." Billy said as she walked into the dinning room, a hesitant smile on her face.

"Open it." She said and Billy reached for the metal clasps that kept it closed.

Once the case was open we craned forward to see what was inside. Billy's hands trembled as he lifted the delicately crafted violin from its casing.

"It's been so long...I didn't think we still had it." Billy said as he sat down in a chair, cradling the violin like it was his first born.

I was confused but it all became clear when Walker held a note out to Billy.

"Yea...just before Seth left was the last time I played it." Billy replied as Walker slipped the note into his pocket.

The four of us just stood there, unwilling to interrupt the obvious reunion between Billy and the instrument. We watched as he ran his still trembling finger tips over the taught strings and caressed the curves of the lower and upper bout.

We stayed like that, letting Billy loose himself in something so important, but not for long.

The slamming of the screen door from the living room brought us all around. Before the dinning room door swung open Walker and I moved to stand behind Billy's chair. Maybe Walker knew something I didn't but I felt like I needed to be behind him when William came in.

Billy knew it was coming, if the frozen look on his face was anything to go by, but he still jumped when William came into the room, his disdainful glare touching everyone in the room before settling on the violin.

"It's good to see you again Mr. Templeton. You might not remember me but I'm Julian, Walkers cousin." Julian had a wide smile on as he walked up to William and held out his hand.

I knew what Julian was trying to do but it was still a really stupid thing to do, coming to stand in front of William with that look on his face.

"I'm old not senile." William gave Julian and his hand an evil glare.

Julian's smile became very fixed as he stepped back next to Chris, who had the grace to look uncomfortable.

"I thought that old thing was long gone." William nodded at the violin clasped protectively in Billy's hands.

"I found it when I was rooting around in the basement. I thought Billy might like to see it again." Annie said but even she looked a little uncomfortable.

"He's seen it. Now it can go back to where it belongs." He said with finality as he turned away. Before he had gone too far though Billy spoke up.

"No. It's not going back to the basement," Billy said just loud enough for us all to hear, making William turn around in the process, "I'm going to start playing it again. I'll buy the strings with my savings and take it off the farm to play and practice so you don't have to hear it but it's not going back to the basement." He finished and I have to admit I was surprised.

Billy was standing up to his dad, with an audience.

I waited for the hammer to fall as Chris and Julian moved to flank me and Walker, surrounding Billy and blocking Annie from view. Nothing happened though; William glared at each of us in turn; his look daring us to say a word against him.

After a few more death glares and one particularly vicious look at Billy William turned and stalked off through the house and back outside.

Once we heard the door slam all of us breathed a collective sigh of relief. I looked to the others and was surprised that none of them looked surprised by what had happened. It seemed everyone knew what William was like toward Billy; they kept quiet about it thought to save Billy the feeling of shame.

'I've severely underestimated these folks.' I thought to myself.

"Play something for us Billy." Julian said cheerfully as he smacked Billy on the shoulder.

Billy smiled but shook his head.

"I can't, these strings are ancient; they'll probably snap if I tried. Besides, I haven't played in years. I need to practice first before I can give a concert." Billy replied with a smile.

"You should take it upstairs for now. We need to get back to work." I said and Billy nodded as he laid the violin reverently back in its case.

"Walker says that we'll stick around and give you two a hand." Chris said as he read off the little notebook.

Billy smiled and nodded his head as he cradled the violin case in his arms and left the room.

The four of us left the kitchen, leaving Annie with a self satisfied smile on her face, and made our way back to the barn. Once we were inside Walker and Chris went to grab Shadow and Speckle from their stalls and Julian pulled me off to the side.

"It doesn't look like William has gotten any better since I left." Julian said in a low voice.

"Not a bit. From what Annie says he's gotten worse since Seth left." I said and Julian nodded.

"Look, I dunno what William thinks of gay guys but it's probably best if he doesn't find out about you. Knowing him he'd probably shoot you if he knew." Julian said and I nodded in agreement.

It wasn't any secret back home that I was gay, it wasn't an issue. I would have really liked to fill Julian in on the issues with Billy. Him, I knew would understand at least but that would really be pushing my luck. I couldn't guarantee he wouldn't tell his cousin or Chris either.

Before I could say anything else I saw Billy coming from the house and met him halfway across the yard.

"So where did you hide it?" I asked as we walked to the barn together.

"How did you know I would?" He asked looking curious.

"Just a hunch, you held that thing like it was your kid." I said and Billy blushed a bit.

"It's in the very top of my closet behind some boxes of old clothes. It's probably the first place dad would check but it's the best I could do." His was low as we walked into the barn.

"We'll take Shadow and Speckle down to the corral, you can bring Elder." Chris said as he glanced sideways at the black stallion still in his stall. Maybe it was just me but it looked a little like Elder was giving him and Walker a death glare, as if insulted he had been left in the stall but his brothers got to get out.

Billy just laughed as the two of them walked past with Shadow and Speckle before he went to Elder's stall and let him out. I pulled a confused looking Julian up against the wall of the barn as he and Elder passed us.

"What in the HELL was that about?" Julian asked as I picked up some lumber and took it over to the work bench. I would be making a new ladder for to the hayloft.

"Elder doesn't trust people, only Billy. I learned that the hard way my first week here. Elder backed me up against the wall and Billy had to calm him down off me." I said as I started to set the wood up.

"Hmm, a horse with trust issues. Interesting." Julian said with a bemused smile.

"Yea, he's a good horse though, I mean you saw him. He trusts Billy, loyal to him. He follows Billy without halter or lead. He's protective of him too. I think at least." I told Julian what Annie had told me about the scar on William's arm.

"If I had to guess I would say he tried to hurt Billy with Elder around and Elder did something to him." I said as I turned to Julian and saw Billy and the others coming back toward the barn.

"Not a word Jules." I nodded at the others over his shoulder.

"Not a word...you call me Jules again though and I'll beat you with a two by four." He said as he hefted a large piece of wood and brandished it at me.

“Oh Bite me.”

“In your dreams.” Julian said and we both laughed.

I went back to work on the ladder as Billy and the others made it back into the barn.

“You guys don't have to stick around. Dad's not going to come in and kill me just for getting my fiddle back." Billy said and the others immediately went into protests, well, Chris and Julian did. Walker just went and picked up a pitch fork and started mucking out Elders stall.

"Dude the only reason we're sticking around is to get away from Aunt Caroline deploring how thin I am. She thinks just cause her son is built like a brick shit house that we all have to be." Julian said and Walker flipped him the bird over his shoulder. That was one thing we didn't need a note for.

"Alright guys." Billy said and set to giving Julian and Chris things to do while the two of us worked on construction.

Billy climbed the existing ladder up to the loft and started to finish what we started on the floor of the loft.

The five of us worked over the rest of the morning, taking a break around noon to tuck into a heaping plate of sandwiches that Annie made us for lunch. We were able to get the construction and Billy’s chores done in what Billy said was record time. By three we were all done.

"So how long are you going to be in town for Julian?" I asked as we sat around the back porch.

"Probably the rest of the summer. Mom and dad are on a cruise; some sort of second honeymoon. They gave me the option of staying with some friends back home but I wanted to come out and visit Walker." Julian said as he swigged his water.

Billy looked as though he was going to say something but Walker passed a note to both me and Julian before he had a chance.

'There is a dance on the 30th. You ARE coming to this one.' I looked up from my note and looked at Walker skeptically.

"I dunno Walker, it' not really my kind of crowd..." I said and Walker handed me another note.

'YOU are OUR kind of crowd. You can deal with the hick music. You might even like it.' I read and before I could respond he handed me another note.

'You can come willingly or I can climb the ladder, knock you out, and drag you there.' I smiled at this one and looked at Walker, who looked dead serious.

"Alright, alright I'll come." I said and looked at Julian.

"He threatened you too?" Julian said as he looked over my notes.

"Yep he sure did." I said as I handed them over to him.

"Don't worry David, I'll be there. Won't let them eat you." Billy joked as he patted my shoulder... leaving his hand there for a little longer than most would think normal.

                                                                     *      *      *

Billy and I were sitting in his room; Billy was sitting cross legged on his bed with his violin on his lap. After dinner we had come up and Billy dug it out of the closet. For a while he just sat staring at it before he went downstairs and came back with a rag and some wood polish.

"Tell me about it." I said as he took the old strings off of it.

"Originally it was Seth's. He couldn't do it though, he sucked. I used to sit and listen to him and Mrs. Mason as she tried to teach him. One day I asked if I could try. I was just a little thing but we found out I could play better than Seth could, not by much though. It took weeks but we convinced mom to let me learn instead.

I picked it up real fast, I loved it. I'd practice everyday after school and as long as I could on the weekends between my chores...play it 'til my fingers would bleed...God that pissed mom off." Billy was smiling from ear to ear as he stroked the bridge of the violin.

"Why did you stop" I asked and the smile vanished.

"Why else...Dad; he hated it. Complained day and night about Seth learning...then about me. I was never really sure why he hated me playing it. With Seth he said he was so terrible that the noise hurt his ears.

But me... I'll say it, I was good. But he hated it, said it was a waist of time. He'd bully and bitch at me everyday. Say how useless it was and how dumb I was for doing it. It got to be too much. I came home from school everyday torn up inside...I wanted to play my fiddle...but I knew that if I did dad would start in and it hurt to hear him talk to me like that.

The last time I played it was for Seth before he left. I played him this classical piece that I had been working on, it wasn't that it was difficult or anything I just liked how it sounded. When Seth left I packed it up and set it on my parents’ bed and never asked about it again.

They knew what it meant, at least dad did. He knew he'd won...that I'd given up. I always assumed that he had gotten rid of it, trashed or burned it. I remember having to keep myself from rooting through the trash or burn bin for weeks afterward...I guess mom got to it first though, hid it away. It hurt like hell...losing two things I loved so much in such a short amount of time." Billy said and I wondered if he realized how tightly he was holding the violin.

I sat up and gently wrenched his hands off of it and held it up.

"It doesn't matter now what happened to it Billy. It's back now; this...this is a reward. You stood up to him today, telling him that he wasn't going to take it back. If that doesn't point to the progress you're making I don't know what is.

You should be proud of yourself. I know I am and I know your mom is too. I bet Walker, Chris and Julian are too." When I handed the instrument back to him, his eyes were misty.

"Thanks David...you don't know how much it means to me to hear that ..." Billy said with a thick voice.

"Yea I do Billy; I can see it...hear it." I said and without thinking I reached over and laid my hand on his knee...and Billy put his hand over mine.

I tried to ignore the heat of Billy's hand as it pressed mine to his knee. Neither of us said anything.

Billy just looked at me misty eyed with a slight smile on his face.

I knew it was a dumb thing to do but I smiled back and slipped my hand from under his and lay back on my bed.

"I'm going to get some sleep Billy. Hit the light when you're done OK?" I said and couldn't fight the smile on my face.

"Goodnight David." Billy said, still smiling at me as he turned back to his violin.

I rolled over and pulled the blanket around me, thinking about how good he was doing. Sam walking away had hurt him...set him back but he would rally and get better.

I closed my eyes and the image of him smiling at me came to me and I remember the sensation of his hands running up my legs and the weight of his hand on my shoulder and felt my chest get tight.

'God I'm in trouble.'

To be continued......
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I hope you all enjoyed the chapter; I will have more to you soon. As always I love to get your thoughts and opinions so feel free to email me at allenarcane88@yahoo.com, drop me a PM, write me a review or visit the discussion forum.

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