Whispers of Home (14 page)

He started to head out of the barn when the man stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Some of the other guys, they don’t agree with the Boss’s choices. Anybody who sits all night and day with a dying horse that isn’t even his, is a man I’d like to call friend. I don’t care what some of the others say about it. I think you’re good for the boss.”

“Thanks. I’d like that too.” Jaron had no idea there was bigotry around the ranch. Except for the car ride the other day, none of the guys that milled around the farm on a regular basis really gave him even a second glance, much less looked at him with disapproval. “Does Travis know how the others feel?”

“Oh yeah. He fired Tom and Vince last week.”

“Last week?” Last week Jaron and Travis weren’t dating.

“Oh yeah. They made some smart ass remark, I guess. Never saw a man so angry before. He laid into them pretty good. After that the others learned to keep their damn mouths shut.”

“Thanks.” Jaron made his way outside the barn. He turned to the man. “Hey, what’s your name?”

“Greg.”

“See you around, Greg.”

Jaron made his way up to the main house. He entered from the back door, taking his shoes off as he went. He still had on sleep pants and a red t-shirt from last night, having never gone home. He had fallen asleep on Travis’ lap and stayed that way until Travis woke him sometime this morning. Jaron came into the big house once to get breakfast for both of them and went right back to his vigil. A couple hours after eating breakfast, Travis packed some clothes and left. It had been late morning at that point, a lot later than he originally planned to leave.

Jaron looked for Beverly throughout the house and found her in the living room, reading on her e-book reader. Beverly smiled at him when he walked in. The smile turned into a frown the further into the room he came. “You are not sitting on my furniture smelling like that, young man.”

Jaron chuckled. “No ma’am. I’ll only be a minute. Then I have to go home and shower.” Beverly set her reader on the side table and gave him her full attention.

“Trick passed away.”

“Travis will be very upset.”

“I know. I feel like telling him over the phone would be rude.”

“You could go to him.”

“I think I will. I just have to call my mom. Make sure she can keep Bobby and Brownie.”

It didn’t take long for Jaron to get ready. He was in a car Beverly loaned him and was dropping off Brownie to his mom before he knew it. “I’ll be back tomorrow,” he told Bobby, expecting the kid to throw a fit at his leaving.

Bobby just said, “Okay Daddy.”

“I will miss you, but I’ll be back in time to pick you up from school tomorrow. I promise.”

“Okay Grandma’s taking me to get ice cream down by the beach today. Then tomorrow she said she would spend the day at school with me.” Bobby gave Jaron a hug then.

Jaron stood with his son in his arms. “I’ll miss you, snuggle bear.”

“I’ll miss you, daddy bear.”

Jaron walked them over to his mom, who just smiled at their exchange. Jaron hugged her, Bobby was off to the side of them both. She put an arm around Bobby and her other arm around Jaron, taking them both in. “Thank you, mom.”

“Well it’s no hardship. I love having him.” She released him. While Jaron was putting Bobby back on his feet she said, “Now, go take care of your man.”

He stopped once to get gas and food, so the four hour trip took only three and a half hours to make. All in all, it was a boring trip. The land was flat with row after row of corn and only corn. Once he got into the town he decided to text Travis, find out where he was at so that they could meet up. He stopped at a strip mall and parked the car. As cities went, this one was relatively small. It had more of a suburban town feel to it, with all its chain stores and hotels.

Jaron figured it must have a rural area to it still, if Travis was here looking at cows. Or whatever he was talking about in his meetings.

How are u?
He sat waiting for a response for a good half hour before texting again.
Hope u r ok. Pleez call.
When a response still didn’t come he didn’t know what to do. He tried one more time.
I love you. I’m here in town.
The tension in his stomach grew exponentially. Please, let Travis be okay.

He started the car up again and headed to a hotel. The hotel had a restaurant and a bar in it, which appealed to him. A drink wouldn’t be such a bad idea at the moment. It might calm down some of his worries.

He got a room for the night and after dropping his bag off to his room, he made his way to the bar. As bars went this one did a good business, which was why he didn’t see Travis right away amongst all the people. What were the chances of being in the same hotel as Travis in a city as big as Indianapolis? He had found an empty bar stool and had ordered a drink by the time he spotted him through the crowd, on the dance floor, getting way too cozy with some blonde slut with big tits and a small black dress. He had his hands low on her waist and his body was way too close to hers for Jaron’s comfort.

Fucking shit. No wonder he wasn’t texting Jaron back.

Jaron downed his drink in two swallows. He had come here for a reason. To give Travis a message. He also wanted to give him comfort but it looked like someone else had that job. He would deliver the message and get the fuck back home first thing in the morning.

Jaron made his way onto the dance floor and tapped his finger on Travis’ shoulder. When Travis looked up, he looked surprised to see Jaron. “Oh my God. You’re here.” Travis released the woman he had been holding and went in for a hug.

Jaron stopped him with just a hand up in warning. He could not be touched by this man right now. Not after he had his hands all over that slut of a woman.

He started to walk away, waving for Travis to follow him. Jaron was a little surprised when he turned and found Travis standing right behind him. What didn’t surprise him was that the woman followed them out of the building and was standing next to Travis. Jaron glared at her. Stupid slut.

Travis cupped his face. “What has that look on your face, baby?”

“Don’t touch me. Don’t you fucking ever...” Jaron stopped, he took a couple deep breaths to calm down.

“What the hell?” Travis looked at him in astonishment. Then he looked at the woman beside him and recognition crossed his face. “No, baby. That wasn’t what it looked like. Amber and I are—”

“I don’t care what your fucking excuse is for fucking some slut of a whore.”

Travis’ eyes nearly popped out of his head. In all fairness, he had never really heard Jaron curse like that before. After having Bobby, cursing was a habit he had to drop. He was so angry at the moment he couldn’t begin to censor his mouth, though, even if he wanted too.

He had to calm down. He took a couple more deep breaths.

“I understand you’re angry.” The woman began. “But Travis and I have never been anything but friends.”

“That’s why you’re here right. With your slutty hands all over him.”

“I’m gonna forgive you for the slut remark, for Travis’ sake. Because he loves you so much. Once this is all straightened out you’re gonna feel like shit.”

Everything she said made Jaron want to hit her. His head was going to explode and he was developing a headache just behind his eyes. Probably from holding back the tears. He didn’t even fully process her words. “Just stop fucking talking.” Jaron had had a long day and everything that had happened was catching up with him. He needed to calm down enough to get the hell out of here. Jaron shut his eyes so that he didn’t have to look at them. He took a couple more deep breaths before he was able to open his eyes again. Thankfully neither one of them said anything else. “Trick is gone. He passed away around four this afternoon. I realize that animals can be members of the family and can make better friends than people sometimes. I truly am very sorry for your loss.” As he said this he never looked at Travis’ face. He couldn’t stand the pain that he knew was etched there.

He walked away after that. One of the hardest things he ever did was not look back at the man who broke his heart all over the place. He waited for the elevator to come down to him. When it did he entered and punched in the number for his floor. As the door was closing he could see Travis running to him. The pure anguish on his face was something Jaron would never forget as long as he lived. Jaron had never been so close to anyone as to fall in love, until Travis.

The door closed before Travis could get to him.

He couldn’t sleep most of the night and at around four the next morning he decided to pack his stuff and head home. He felt comatose, numb the entire way back home, not even remembering some of the drive, as if he was in a hypnotic state. Instead of going to the home he rented from Travis he went to his mom’s house. He still had a key so he let himself in.

He looked in on Bobby who slept in Jaron’s bed. Stripping down to his boxers, he pulled out the sleep pants he had packed for the trip and put them on. He crawled into bed, moving Bobby over. His son never stirred.

He was making lunch for himself, when his mom came in the room. “What happened?” she asked immediately.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“If you do, I’m always here to listen.”

Jaron blinked back tears. He didn’t know he still had some left, he had cried for hours in his hotel room. “Thanks.”

“Bobby called Travis, Daddy Travis yesterday at bed time. He said he wanted daddy Travis to tuck him in.”

Oh God. That did it. Jaron couldn’t hold them in anymore. He left the room, heading for his bedroom. “Are you okay?” Gloria yelled as Jaron left the room.

“I’m fine, mom,” he yelled back, trying to keep the tears out of his voice. He didn’t succeed at all. Jaron sat on his bed. He snatched up his phone. As the phone lit up he saw he had twenty-three texts and seven voice messages. He figured they were all from Travis, but he just couldn’t bring himself to read them right now. He needed a shoulder to cry on first. He found Brian’s number and dialed. “‘lo” The man sounded asleep. The fact that Brian was still sleeping at noon was not surprising.

“It’s Jaron. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“So’k. What’s wrong?”

“He cheated and now I don’t know what to do. I love him so much. Even though he’s a cheating man-whore. Can you come please? He sent like a thousand texts and I just can’t read them alone. What if I can’t live without him but he’s a cheating, lying pig who fucks slutty whores?”

“I’m getting dressed now.”

“Can you meet me at Beverly’s? I have to work a half-day today, but she doesn’t mind if I have guests.”

Brian didn’t disappoint Jaron like some other people had, as he was at the Heaths waiting in his car even before Jaron arrived. When he saw Jaron pull up, he got out of the car. Jaron hugged him briefly. “Thanks for coming.”

“You look rough, man.”

“Didn’t sleep well.”

Jaron led the way into the house, through the kitchen. Beverly was already there making food for herself. She looked startled to see Jaron. Jaron must have looked really bad because she instantly enveloped him in a hug, asking him what happened, and she refused to let him go until he told her, which he did. Every last sorry detail.

“You need to talk to him. He has a perfectly good explanation for this. The Heath’s are huggers, dear. We always have been.” After that she left the room, taking her food with her, leaving him to ponder her cryptic hugger comment.

“You want something to eat?” he offered Brian, who accepted.

“So let’s see these messages,” Brian said, holding out his hand. Jaron dug his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Brian. Jaron had to take a couple deep breaths before he read the first texts as Brian opened them.

She’s my cousin.

I swear it to you.

I love you

Please. I need you right now.

The messages were all variations of this theme. Until the last one, which read
This is Amber. I should beat the crap out of you. I would but then Travis would beat the crap out of me. He loves you and the least you can do is hear him out when he gets home. And for God’s sake work on your communication skills. Men, blah. That’s why I prefer women.

“You fucked up, dude.”

Yeah, no shit.

He decided to go to the home he rented from Travis after finishing some of the cleaning at the main house. He would call him from there. Brian hung around with Jaron, making sure Jaron was okay. Jaron appreciated his thoughtfulness, however it was unnecessary. At dinner time they walked to Jaron’s house together.

Brian was making sandwiches in the kitchen when Jaron made the call to Travis while he was sitting on the front porch. He sat on the porch swing and brought up Travis’ number. He was mildly surprised when Travis answered. “Jaron?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh Thank God. I’m only ten minutes from the house. Please just wait for me to explain. Please, baby.”

Before Travis could say anything more Jaron started babbling. “I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you. I should have trusted you. I love you so much. I never thought I would love someone the way I love you. I was just waiting for you to break my heart. I expected you to at some point. When I saw you dancing with her and you were holding her so close I just knew that was it. The other shoe dropped.”

“I wasn’t holding her that close. She’s my cousin, so eww.”

“Why was she there with you?”

“She lives about an hour south, so I never get to see her. She came to reconnect. She’s one of my closest friends and one of the only sane family members I have.”

“Oh.”

“You and Bobby mean everything to me.”

“Mom told me Bobby called you Daddy Travis last night.”

Travis chuckled. “Really.”

“Yeah.”

“I need you.”

“Okay.”

“I want you.”

“Oh God.” Jaron adjusted himself in his jeans, at Travis’ sultry tone.

“When I come home be ready for me.”

After that Jaron went back into the house. The smile on his face must have told Brian just how well the conversation went. “Kissed and made up?” Brian chuckled.