18. Jaxon
The sounds of clinking glasses and silverware fill the ballroom as I devour the fuck out of this chicken. Listen, I don't know what has gotten into me tonight, I’m just in a good mood. Despite the momentary shitshow that happened when Alex’s parents showed up, we have been joking around and having a good time. The things you are supposed to do with the people you love.
Seeing Alex not back down from those people who have no business even being parents, my chest filled with pride, so much pride that I wanted to envelop him in it like a blanket.
I was lucky to have amazing parents who loved me, supported me, and were in my corner with every road block. Even without all that love and support, Alex never wavered, he made something of himself .
There is no way that Alex is happy that his parents showed up, tonight of all nights. He said he needed air and that makes complete sense, but if he's not back here soon I’m going to go looking for him. I'm assuming his parents were long gone by the time he got out there.
Annnnd, what if they weren’t? Fuck!
I’m trying to give him some space. There were a lot of eyes on him tonight. I understand needing a minute.
Grabbing a napkin to wipe my greasy hands and face, I accidentally knock Alex’s phone onto the floor. I pick it up and notice a few missed calls from the shelter.
Oh, please let it not be Chester. I’m pretty sure that would gut him, especially with how devastated he looked before we left.
“Psst….Psst…”
I look up to see Trent staring at me, wide eyed.
“Where did he go?” he whispers.
“I’ll go find him.”
Shoving his phone in my pocket, I excuse myself from the table and make my way downstairs.
As soon as I push through the giant double doors, they should really have people for this , I'm pelted by tiny chunks of ice and a brutal gust of wind.
Shit! It looks like the weather is turning sooner than they predicted.
I shield my eyes as I look around. Something catches my eye by the cars lining the drive.
“Is that… Ms. Brandy?”
I make my way to the car as she peels away.
“Fuck!” I curse, looking at tail lights, and is that Alex flailing his arms in the back seat?
Umm, did he just get kidnapped by the old lady brigade? What the hell is going on?
My phone vibrates in my pocket. I pray for it to be Alex until I remember I have his phone.
I frown when I see its Mira. I quickly duck back inside, out of the weather, before I answer.
“Hey Mira, what’s up?”
“Hey boss, I don't mean to bother you on your big night.”
“It's fine, I know you wouldn't have called if it wasn't important. What’s going on?”
“Umm, it's Jasper.”
It's only then I hear the panic in her voice.
“What’s Jasper? What happened?”
“I don't know, he was working, you know, being his Jasper self, and the next moment he was on the floor.” She chokes back a sob.
“I called an ambulance. Jasper says he fainted, and they think he may have hit his head, so the EMT’s are checking him out for a concussion. Dom is sitting with him right now.”
I take a couple of deep breaths. Ink Me is not just a tattoo shop, it's a family. My family. And I’m worried.
“Mira, everything is going to be okay. I’m leaving right now, I should be there in 15 min. Have you called….”
“No, he was going to be my next call.”
“Okay, I’m on my way… and Mira, he's going to be okay.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll see you soon.”
I hang up the phone and run back upstairs, quickly walking across the ballroom.
“Marcus, sir…” He turns to look at me, no doubt seeing the panic in my eyes.
“One of my employees had a medical emergency and I’m afraid we are going to have to leave.”
“Of course, go! And tell Alex not to worry. The deal is already done. We will be in touch.”
“Thank you,” I say, before sprinting across the ballroom, no longer caring if I make a scene. I brace myself for the tiny ice daggers about to pelt my face when I open the door and run smack dab into… Cookie.
“Oh, Jaxon, I'm glad I found you.” She grabs my arm and starts pulling me along. “You're with me. Oh, and don't worry, Alex is with Brandy.”
At this point I’m just going to let her drag me along because I need someone to take me to Ink Me, now. We reach her car and she opens the car door, she is about to push me in when I narrow my eyes and she holds up her hands .
I slide into the back, and as soon as she is behind the wheel, I let her know the change in plans of whatever kind of fuckery is going on.
“Listen, I need you to tell me what is going on with Alex but first I need you to drive me to Ink Me. Something happened to Jasper and I need to get there right away.”
She looks at me in the rearview mirror, her eyes etched with concern and I nod my head. “He will be okay.” The more I say it the more my heart will believe it.
She steps on the gas, squealing the tires as the backend fishtails when she exits the driveway. I grab my seat belt and hold on. Once we hit the highway and she stops dodging in and out of passing cars, I finally ask, “Now, what is going on with Alex? And why are you old ladies trying to kidnap us?”
“Well, I don't know all the logistics, but after she dropped you two off at the fundraiser, Ms. Brandy ran into Marge, who said that Chester wasn't doing too well. You know, the dog from the shelter that Alex should have adopted a while ago.”
My brow furrows. “How do you know about Alex and the shelter?”
She looks at me in the rearview mirror and winks.
How the fuck did everyone know this but me?
“Anyways, Ms. Brandy just couldn’t leave well enough alone and demanded we go pick up Alex and bring him to the shelter so that he could be with his dying dog.”
I gasp, “He's dying?”
“Well, no, I mean I don't think so, Ms. Brandy is just being overly dramatic.”
She waves her hand around in the air, and I would feel much better if they were both planted firmly on the wheel, the driving conditions are not the greatest.
She continues, “I talked to Sam, you know, the local vet?”
I just stare blankly at her.
“Well anyways, she said that Chester is not dying, he's just really, really sad. But because of his old age they get a little worried if he stops eating.”
“Okay, so Alex is at the shelter?”
“Well, that's the part I dont know for sure. You see, Ms. Brandy said something over the walkie talkie about stopping at your house.” Cookie takes a deep breath before shaking her head. “No matter how many times we tell her she doesn't need to practically make out with the damn thing, she still talks with it right up to her lips.”
I have no words for the townspeople of Camden, Maine. I love them, but they are nuts. And why are they using walkie talkies?
We finally pull up to Ink Me and I quickly jump out before she even comes to a complete stop. “Thanks Cookie!” I yell as I shut the door. The ambulance is still parked out front, so I choose to take that as a good sign.
As soon as I walk through the door I see Mira pacing back and forth. She sees me and her shoulders sag, her eyes red rimmed, telling me she has been crying.
I walk over to her, kissing the top of her head and giving her a tight hug.
“How’s he doing?”
She shrugs, “He says he’s fine.”
“It will be okay,” I say again, trying to give her some reassuring comfort. “I’m going to go see what the status is.”
She nods into my chest, just as Spencer and Finn come through the back door, worry clear on their faces.
“I'm going to let Mira tell you what happened, I just got here and need to see how he's doing,” I say.
“Yes, of course,” Finn says. “Is there anything you need me to do?”
“Yeah actually, once the EMT’s leave can you lock up the front?”
He nods his head, “I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks,” I say. My heart expands at the knowledge that I have people around me who I can depend on.
I walk into Jasper's workstation and let out a soft gasp when I see the state of the room. A stool is flipped over in the corner and a tray that was holding his piercing supplies is scattered across the floor.
My eyes land on Jasper, sitting on the piercing table, his legs hanging over the side. His black ripped jeans and white tattered shirt match his demeanor. His head is lowered as he chews at his fingernails, a blood pressure cuff still wrapped around his arm.
I clear my throat, and as soon as Jasper’s eyes meet mine, my stomach coils tight. His face is pale and he has giant dark circles around his eyes. He looks weak, too tired to hold up his body as he slouches .
“I’m fine really,” he says, his soft, calm voice sounding anything but fine.
Jasper is our constant body in motion. He's fidgety and never sits still. He's quirky with an air of dramatics around him. He will walk around wearing a boa like it's an everyday clothing item. And this completely still man before me is a haunted version of the friend I know.
I peek a quick glance at Dom who is standing off to the side and he shakes his head.
I hear the bustle of noise coming down the hall before Olly pushes his way past me.
“Oh my God! What happened?”
Jasper gives me a look and rolls his eyes. I just shrug, sorry buddy .
I don't know what is going on between those two, but he needed to know.
“Olly, I’m fine, really!”
Olly slaps his arm, “The hell you are. Jasper, you look like shit.”
“Gee thanks,” he grumbles and Dom and I stifle a laugh. Olly can be the shy and quiet one, except for when it comes to Jasper, and then he's like a bull about to take charge.
“I’m sorry, that was harsh of me, but Jasper…”
We all turn as one of the EMT’s walks into the room.
“Okay, I think we are all done here,” he says, taking the blood pressure cuff off of Jasper's arm.
“Since you refuse to get checked out at the hospital, you need to follow up with your doctor in the next couple of days.” Olly scoffs at Jasper's refusal and Dom and I share a look.
“And you need to take it easy for the next couple of days, too. Don't do any strenuous activities, and try to keep your heart rate down. And because you hit your head, it would be smart to have someone stay with you tonight.” He gives his arm a squeeze, “And call your doctor,” he says before picking up his bag and leaving.
“I don't need a stupid babysitter,” Jasper says.
“The hell you don’t!” Olly says, frustration clear on his face.
Jasper flinches and Olly softens his tone. “You don't have to take risks all the time Jasper, please… I’ll stay with you.”
For a moment I think he's going to fight him on it. Jasper has always run his own one man show while we all wait on the sidelines ready to catch him when he finally realizes he can just be. Because Olly is right, Jasper will always take the risk.
When Jasper finally looks at Olly he simply says, “Okay,” then hops off the table with a slight wobble before righting himself.
“I don't want to see you back here for at least three days,” I say, going in for a hug.
“Jaxon, I’m fine. Really. I just didn’t get a lot of sleep the last few nights.”
I pull back looking him in the eyes. I try to think back to how Finn looked when he was not sleeping.
“Fine, two days. I don't want you back here for two days.”
“Okay, fine, two days.”
“I’m parked out back,” Olly says, following Jasper out of the room.
I turn to Dom, who is righting the stool and placing Jasper's things on his tray stand. “Hey can you drop me off at my house? I need to get my car and go find my boyfriend who may have been kidnapped by the old lady brigade.”
Dom snorts, “Yeah, come on.”
All the lights are off up front, so I head to the back, flicking switches as I go before locking the door and hopping into Dom's truck.
“Why can’t the weather man ever be right? It was supposed to hit after midnight,” he says, pulling out onto Main Street. The sleet is now turning into snow.
“Truth,” I say, but my mind is in a million different places.
“Do you think he will be alright?” I ask Dom.
He's quiet for a moment.
“Yeah, I think he will be. I know he hasn't been sleeping, he has made a few comments about it over the last few weeks. But I’m concerned about the fact that he passed out. The EMT said his blood pressure was all over the place but it could be because he lost consciousness.”
“He's just always living life on the edge, it can't be good for his health. I’m worried about him.”
“Yeah I know, me too,” Dom says.
“Well, at least he will be in good hands for the next two days. ”
Dom shakes his head in laughter, “Fuck, those two.”
“I know, right.” I snort.
“God, what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall when they finally figure it out. How can they be that clueless?”
He looks over at me, “Wait, never mind.”
I scoff, “I was not clueless, just cautious.”
“You mean scared.”
I sigh, “That too.”
Dom points over his shoulder, “I still have the stuff in the back seat you asked me to get. Want me to bring everything in?”
“That would be perfect. Cookie said that Ms. Brandy said Sam the Vet…” Jesus! I dont have the energy. “Something might have happened to Chester.”
“Oh, the dog he has been wanting to adopt?”
I rear my head back, nowhere close to hiding the shock on my face. “No, just no… How the fuck did everybody know but me?”
“It seems you were clueless.”
We pull into my driveway and Alex’s car is not there. The roads are getting worse and he's in that very unreliable but emotionally bonded car.
Dom puts on his hat and gloves, before getting out of the truck.
“Why don't you change out of that penguin suit and I’ll get your truck started and windows scraped.”
I toss him my keys, “Thanks.” I’m not going to turn down that offer. This tux feels tight and uncomfortable, and it has nothing to do with the fried chicken.
I quickly run upstairs, changing into a pair of thick sweats and a hoodie. I really hope he's not in a ditch somewhere and I have to dig him out, or worse, hurt.
Why did I just go there? Everyone is going to be fucking fine. I hold on tight, fighting the memories trying to pry themselves to the surface. I’ve been doing so well at fighting them with better memories. I know that it takes time to heal, and I’m healing, but after a night like tonight, they are hovering.
I just need them both to be okay .
I take a couple more deep breaths, and try to center myself before slipping on my hat, gloves and snow boots and heading out the door.
While backing out of the driveway, I give Dom the up nod in thanks as he grabs bags out of the backseat of his truck.
Trying to stay in the sweet spot of not driving too fast for the weather, but getting to Alex quickly is proving difficult. Intersections are slippery, and now just outside of town on the roads less traveled, the snow is starting to stick to the surface.
Scanning the side of the roads on my drive for a possible car in the ditch, I’m relieved when I pull into the shelter parking lot and see Alex’s car. But my heart immediately sinks when my headlights shine through his windows and I see Alex is just sitting there, shoulders slumped and hands and forehead resting on the steering wheel.
I pull up next to his car before getting out and knocking on the window. Alex jumps at the sound, eyes wide.
When he realizes it's me he scrambles out of his car and into my arms.
“Baby, what’s going on?” I pull back so I can see his face. His cheeks and the tip of his nose are red from the cold, and he has tears streaming down.
“I can't get my car started and I forgot my phone, so I couldn’t call you. Did you get my note? I’m sorry I just left like that, I basically got kidnapped by Ms. Brandy and… and… Chester.” his shoulders wrench on a sob.
“Shhhh, baby it's okay.” I pull him back in to me, cradling the back of his head with my hand. That is when my eyes flick over his shoulder and I see him… Chester, laying in the back seat.
The wind starts to whirl around us, and I feel Alex trembling, from the tears or from the cold, I don't know.
“Let's get you and Chester in my truck and out of the cold, then we can head home.”
“I’m sorry, I know you said we would talk about it but I…”
I chuckle, if he only knew. I give him a quick kiss. “It's okay, trust me. Just get in the truck and I’ll grab Chester.”
He nods his head, and gets in the truck while I go over and figure out how I’m going to move Chester. He's not a small dog. Thankfully, he stands and clumsily hops down before slowly walking over to my truck, like he already knows. I help him get his back legs up and in the back seat before he lays back down.
I hop into the driver's seat and immediately reach over the console and wrap my arms around Alex, taking him in a slow and sweet kiss.
“I was worried about you,” I say, resting my forehead on his.
“I’m sorry, it all went sideways so fast.”
I chuckle, “Tell me about it.”
“Oh, God!” He pulls back and slaps his hand to his forehead. “Mr. Withermore must think I’m a flake.”
“No, not at all. He told me to tell you it's a done deal and not to worry. But Alex, something happened.”
He cocks his head and his brows crease. “What happened?”
“When I went looking for you and saw you being driven away by Ms. Brandy, I got a phone call from Mira. Jasper fainted at the shop and they think he might have hit his head and gotten a concussion.”
He reaches out and threads his fingers through mine. “Oh my God! Is he okay, please tell me he's okay?”
“Yeah, he is. They wanted him to get checked out at the hospital but Jasper declined. Olly was pissed!”
The corner of his mouth upticks, and I ache to turn it into a full smile. “I bet he was, when are those two just gonna figure it out?”
“When they are ready, just like how you and I finally figured it out.” And there is that smile I’ve been searching for.
“I mean technically,” he says teasing, “I figured it out first, I had a crush on you for over a year before you even noticed me.”
“Oh, baby boy, I’ve always noticed you, it just took me a minute to clear the fog.
I take him in a kiss that's deep and powerful, and filled with all the love that I have for him. He captured my heart a long time ago. I just never realized it.
I hear the whimper in the back seat, “Shoot, is he going to be okay?”
“I think so, I talked to the vet.” He reaches into the back seat, giving Chester some scratches. “Let's just get him home.”
I pull out of the parking lot onto the main road. Visibility is starting to get low so I take my time as I navigate through the streets in town. By the time we turn into the driveway, my knuckles are white from gripping the steering wheel so tight. I pull my truck into the garage.
“I’ll get Chester.” I say, and Alex nods.
When I open the door to the back, Chester gingerly gets to his feet and I wrap both my arms around his belly, picking him up. Alex shuts the door behind me before running ahead, holding open the back door.
I set Chester down before we stomp off our boots and hang our things up to dry.
Alex kneels down next to him.
“Hey buddy, so this is the kitchen. This is where all the food stuff happens. Maybe you wanna give it a try sometimes, I mean no pressure, really.” He sighs… “And I should probably warn you, I’m not a great cook.”
“Yeah,” I chuckle, “I might have to agree with him.”
He stands back up, staring me in the eyes.“Casserole!”
We both laugh, and I lean into Alex.
“Why don't you go change into warmer clothes,” I say, when I feel him shiver.
He looks at Chester. “Ummm.”
“Baby he will be fine. I am going to make him a comfy place to lay down.”
“Yeah, okay, I’ll be quick,” he says with a peck to my cheek before running off up the stairs.
“Alright bubby, now that he's gone, we are going to have to move quick, okay?” I stand up, patting my leg, “Come on, follow me.”
Chester slowly walks behind me as we make our way out of the kitchen, stopping to pick up the bags and giant dog bed that Dom had picked up for me earlier today. As soon as Alex told me about Chester I called up Dom and asked him if he could pick me up some dog supplies. I even called and talked to Marge to see what kind of food I should buy.
I laid the dog bed in the corner of the living room next to the fireplace.
“Here Chester, wanna lay down in a comfy bed?”
He moseys his way over before plopping down. A part of me is amazed, it’s like he understands. I kneel down next to him. “I’m going to start the fire and then get you a blanket.”
I quickly get the fire going, before making my way over to the front closet, reaching up and pulling down the box I’ve had sitting up here for the last week.
I open the lid and look down, running my hand over the material, knowing without a doubt I am completely in love with Alex.