Chapter Twelve

Steve buckled his seat belt then shook Jacky awake. "We're comin' in for a landing, bub," he said, watching as Jacky woke up and looked around dazed at first then realized where he was. Steve smiled then showed Jacky where the seat belt was since he was still out of it. He helped him buckle up then patted him on the arm and settled in for the landing.

Jacky looked out the window, clearly impatient with getting home. Steve would be, too, if he had received a voice mail like that one. "Have you ever been to the city?" he asked, looking back at Steve.

"I haven't been anywhere other than Riverton," Steve said. He leaned over, across Jacky, and looked out the window. "But, I'm not an idiot. I know what cities look like." He turned his head and looked at Jacky. "Glad to be back home?"

"Seeing as how I've come home to bad news..." Jacky shook his head, looking back out the window. "I'm not exactly thrilled with being home."

"Everything'll be fine."

"Sure," Jacky said, not believing him. Steve opened his mouth to say more, but then the plane touched down. A few minutes later, they were getting off. They grabbed their luggage and Steve got to meet Jacky's brother, Clark, who was giving them a ride to the apartment. Steve hadn't gotten much of a description of Clark, but Jacky had told him that Clark had been taking care of the grandparents. And he seemed like a really nice guy, though he didn't talk that much. But, then again, right now wasn't the best time to get to know each other.

They arrived at the apartment about twenty minutes later. Steve felt a bit awkward as he followed Jacky and Clark upstairs. He felt like intruding, but then Jacky would give him a look that said he was glad Steve was there and Steve forgot about that awkward feeling. He was going to try his best to help Jacky out with whatever needed to be done.

"They're here," Clark announced as he led the way inside. An older woman came out of the kitchen and immediately went to Jacky, throwing her arms around her son. Jacky returned the embrace. Silence fell until Steve cleared his throat.

"Oh," Jacky stepped away from his mom and gestured to Steve. "This is Steve. I told you about him on the phone." He looked at Steve, looking away when Steve gave him a 'didn't tell me that' look. "Steve, this is my mom. And Dianne's in the living room...with a baby?" Steve leaned around Jacky and saw the woman sitting on the couch, rocking a baby in her arms and ignoring everyone else.

Mrs. Twist turned and walked into the living room. "Dianne's news is the only good news right now," she said then turned back. "She and Gary got married two days ago and adopted a baby." She smiled and looked at her daughter and granddaughter, but it was obvious she had other things on her mind.

"Congratulations, Dianne," Jacky said then walked over to his mom. "Where's Dad?"

"He stayed at a hotel last night," Mrs. Twist said. "He said he'd be over any minute." As soon as those words were out of her mouth, the door opened behind Steve and a big man walked in. Steve looked up at him and was a bit intimidated. Especially when the man looked at him curiously then walked past Steve and Clark and into the living room.

"You wanted to talk?" Mr. Twist asked. He didn't seem to be aware of Jacky standing there.

"Honestly," Mrs. Twist said then shook her head. "No, but I thought it was the right thing to do. After all, we are a family and you're just tearing it apart!" With tears in her eyes, she moved across the room, her back to everyone.

"Why is this even happening?" Jacky asked, looking at his mom then at his dad. Steve noticed that Clark and Dianne both looked at Mr. Twist. They knew why the divorce was happening. And from those looks, Steve had already guessed it.

"Your father's having an affair," Mrs. Twist said. She turned back to them, glancing at Steve once and he wanted to tell her that he didn't want to be here as much as she didn't want him here. "And I...caught him." She buried her face in her hands.

Jacky looked at his mom then at his dad. And what happened next surprised everyone. He punched his father, knocking the bigger man backward against the wall. No one said anything and Mrs. Twist ran out of the room sobbing. Jacky watched her go and that made him belt his father a few more times. Mr. Twist didn't try to stop him and it looked like he knew he deserved it. Steve knew how close Jacky was to his parents.

Watching Jacky beat the crap out of the man wasn't what Steve had come for. He set his suitcase aside then stepped past Clark and grabbed Jacky, yanking him away from his dad. Both Jacky and Mr. Twist were crying and Mr. Twist had crumpled to the floor, bruised and bleeding. Steve kept his arms around Jacky until he settled down and accepted the comfort.

Dianne took the baby to another room and Clark went in the direction Mrs. Twist had gone. Steve didn't really know what to do, but he let go of Jacky when Jacky pushed away. Jacky looked at his dad once more then turned and walked off. A moment later, Steve heard a door close. Mr. Twist pushed himself up to his feet, looked at Steve once, then quietly left the apartment.

Jacky couldn't understand why this was happening to his family. He tried to think of a reason why his dad would have an affair, but he and mom had been happy together. Could two people who were so in love drift apart so fast? Jacky had only been gone for about a week. He didn't know how to ask them because Mom wasn't talking to anyone and he didn't really want to see his dad anymore.

He got up from his bed when there was a knock at the door. He unlocked the door and opened it. Steve stood there, his shirt stained with Jacky's tears. Jacky stepped aside, gesturing him in. Steve walked in and Jacky closed the door behind him.

"You okay?" Steve asked, looking around the room once before he turned to face Jacky.

"I knew my family was screwed up, but I always thought that we'd stick together," Jacky said. He walked back over to his bed and sat down. "Dianne's proof of that. She walked out on the family and now she's back."

Steve walked over and sat down beside him. "There's always a possibility that your parents'll work things out," he said. "Your dad knows he did wrong. Maybe he's trying to make it better."

"Or just walk out on us for his new wife."

"Your dad loves you," Steve said. "And you may not believe it, but he still loves your mom. I could see that in his eyes. He let you hit him because he knew he deserved it. And you, specifically, givin' it to him is the punishment he needed."

"But I can't forgive him."

"He knows that," Steve said. "That's why he's so torn up."

Jacky looked at him. "How do you know so much?" he asked. "Did you go through something like this before you lost your parents?"

"Not exactly," Steve said with a slight shake of his head. He looked away from Jacky for a moment then turned back. "I have to tell you something I've never told anyone. Not even Emily." Jacky nodded his head, staying silent. "My parents aren't dead. Well, as far as I know."

"But..."

Steve raised his hand for silence. "I had a boyfriend when I was sixteen," he said. "Secret because neither of us were out of the closet. After about a year of dating, we decided to make the relationship official because we couldn't take the secrecy anymore. We were both gonna tell our parents. When I told my parents, they kicked me out and disowned me then took off to God knows where. His parents took the news the same way, but just kicked him out with nothing. He ended up killing himself."

Jacky didn't know what to say and the first words that came to his mind spilled out, "How does that explain how you know my parents still love each other?"

"That look says everything," Steve said. "It's the complete opposite of the look my parents gave me that night. I may not be the affectionate type, but I know what love is more than a lot of people do." He placed his hand on Jacky's shoulder. "Your family's gonna be fine."

Jacky nodded then threw his arms around Steve, feeling Steve's arms around him also. "I'm glad you're here, Steve," he said. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't."

"Probably woulda sent your dad to the hospital."

"That's not funny."

"Sorry."

to be continued...