Chapter Twenty-Three #3
Kaiden immediately noticed the concern in Rus’ gaze.
Perhaps he wanted to reassure Kaiden that he had nothing to be ashamed of with his appearance.
Thankfully, Kaiden didn’t hold any reservations for last night, finding it truly comforting to know Dylan and Rus saw him for who he was and didn’t think less of him for things about his body he couldn’t change.
No, the current dilemma haunting Kaiden seemed so trivial yet dire all at once. Kaiden stared at the voicemail notification on his phone, contemplating if he should just delete it outright.
“My mom left me a voicemail,” he said. “It’s probably just to yell at me for what happened with Sandra, but also maybe she’s just worried about me since I pretty much left without a word. Or maybe she’s just calling to cuss me out for being a shitty—”
“Nope,” Rus interrupted. “None of that. Unless she’s calling to apologize for your sister being an absolute trainwreck, or for using you for money, or to acknowledge she dropped the ball way too much, then what she has to say doesn’t matter.”
Kaiden gave Rus a soft smile. Rus leaned in close, huddling for warmth, but also offering Kaiden silent support. It was just the thing he needed to hit play on the unheard message.
“Hey, sweetie.” His mother’s voice sounded tired. “I hope wherever you are, you’re doing well. I’ve been worried sick about you lately.”
Kaiden fought the need to roll his eyes. She couldn’t have been that worried since no one noticed he moved out until rent was due.
“I went through the basement and found a few of your things,” she continued. “Some of your little dress-up kits.”
Dress-up kits? Yes, because that made it far less effeminate than wearing makeup.
Kaiden tilted his head, still listening to his mother’s rambles, but trying to figure out what he’d left behind.
He was certain he’d packed everything of importance.
And while he hadn’t managed to sort through everything around the house just yet, he hadn’t noticed anything personal missing.
“Had a bit of a fall trying to lug it up those steps,” his mother said with a wince. “Those rickety stairs are so dangerous.”
Kaiden held his breath, waiting for his mother to add that she was okay. That she’d only stumbled a bit. That she hadn’t seriously injured herself checking in on him in the basement. Instead, she wished him well and explained she had his stuff in a box for when he wanted to grab it.
“I do hope you’re doing well, sweetie,” she said with a haggard breath. “I might have to go to the hospital, make sure nothing’s broken, but I will keep you updated. We miss you, baby.”
The voicemail ended, and Kaiden spiraled.
“What’s wrong?” Rus asked.
“My mom injured herself.” Kaiden scrambled to get inside. “I need to head over, get some stuff I forgot, and make sure she’s okay.”
“Whoa, what’s going on?” Dylan asked, completely oblivious to the balcony conversation.
“I have to head home—er, uh, I mean, my mom’s place,” Kaiden explained. “She had a fall, and I gotta get some things there.”
“We packed everything,” Dylan said, shaking his head slowly. “You did like three sweeps around the whole house to make sure we packed everything.”
“I know, but I missed something.” Kaiden frantically gathered his things and prepared to rush out the door.
“Calm down.” Rus intercepted him. “Relax, deep breath.”
“I’m fine, really.”
“You’re not,” Rus said. “Let us come with you.”
“No, because if Sandra is there and she sees you, she’ll probably start something.”
“If she sees you, she’ll start something,” Dylan said, stepping over to Kaiden and Rus. “She’s got a short fuse.”
“And so does Rus,” Kaiden added. “Maybe two explosive personalities shouldn’t be thrown together.”
“I’ll be on my best behavior, I swear.” Rus crossed his heart.
Kaiden relented, realizing it would be helpful to have company, especially since Sandra would definitely guilt him for Mom’s injury.
Not that she needed to. Kaiden already beat himself up for not being there, for icing her out with everyone else in his family, for being so petty as to think she hadn’t checked in on him because she didn’t care. She had been fighting her own battle.
Dylan drove to Kaiden’s former residence, and the three of them stayed piled in the car for about fifteen minutes, until Kaiden finally worked up the nerve to step inside. With a boyfriend at either side of him, Kaiden mustered the strength to knock on the door.
“I fucking knew it.” Sandra swung the door wide open, hanging on the frame, and shooting her brother a dirty look.
Kaiden sheepishly went to step inside, hesitant to see if Sandra would block his entry. Instead, she sarcastically held out an arm like she was ushering him into a ballroom.
“What’d I say?” she called out to the living room, likely talking to her husband.
“Should’ve bet money on it, babe,” Tommy shouted over the noise of his video game.
“Of course, you hear you forgot some of your precious, pricey makeup, and you run back home as fast as you can.”
Kaiden froze. “I came to check on Mom.”
“Why? So you can cry to her about how everyone is mean, and that’s why you ran out on us?”
Rus let out this feral grumble, almost like a growl. Kaiden turned to find his fists balled and his expression furrowed, but he remained quiet and in place.
“I just want to make sure Mom’s okay.”
“Why wouldn’t she be?” Sandra seemed oddly perplexed.
It dawned on Kaiden that his mother had lied about her fall, and he began to suspect the box of makeup, too.
“I’m an idiot,” he whispered, backstepping toward the front door.
“First sensible thing you’ve said,” Sandra snorted.
Rus took a step closer to Kaiden, glaring at Sandra, who merely smirked in response.
“Mom!” she shouted. “Kaiden’s here for his stuff.”
“You can drop the act,” Kaiden said. “I see now I didn’t forget anything.”
“Oh, you forgot something all right,” Kaiden’s stepfather swaggered into the entryway with a beer and an open palm. “You know how much work it was getting the utilities turned back on, getting deposits, getting service fees…”
It seemed Kaiden’s stunt had pissed off just about everyone.
“Now, John, let me handle this.” Kaiden’s mother brushed past his stepfather and sister, making her way over to Kaiden, where she tried to hug him.
When he recoiled, she paused.
“I knew you’d come home if you thought something was wrong,” she said with a weak smile. “You’re a good boy—one who loves his mom and his family.”
Sandra scoffed. “Still say he’s only here for the stuff he thought he forgot.”
“I know you’re upset with us and you feel that we’re not respecting your space,” Kaiden’s mother continued, ignoring the muttered jabs from the rest of the family. “But I want you to know, we’re ready to make changes around here.”
“You hear that?” John chimed in. “We’re accommodating you, you ungrateful…”
He quieted down when Kaiden’s mother flicked her attention back to him, sending a silent message to shut up.
“We’re going to clear out the basement for you,” she explained.
“We’re going to redo it real nice. You’ll need to chip in a bit, but it’s going to be amazing.
John’s going to renovate it himself, so everything will be at cost. It’ll be your very own room.
Minus the laundry area, but that’s no biggie.
We can always just leave it at the stairs, and you can handle it and keep your space. ”
“So, I would do everyone’s laundry?”
“Yeah, so you have privacy,” Sandra snapped. “Something you keep bitching about.”
“Enough of this,” John snapped, taking powerful strides toward Kaiden. “Get your ass in the kitchen so we can break down payments.”
“Step the fuck back,” Rus snarled, blocking John’s path.
“Oh, and what you going to do, little boy?” John looked down at Rus mockingly, and Kaiden knew in about two seconds, Rus would tackle his stepfather and beat the ever-living fuck out of him.
While every fiber of Kaiden’s being wanted to see that, he didn’t want Rus to lose his temper, he didn’t want to start more drama with his family, and he certainly didn’t want Rus getting assault charges.
“Well?” John stood taller, goading Rus.
Rus merely glared in response, his fists trembling at his sides.
“He’s the one who’s going to ask nicely.” Dylan rushed in, bumping up against John’s chest with his own and locking eyes with the old man. “Step the fuck back before I make you step back.”
Kaiden used this opportunity to reach out and discretely hold Rus’ hand. His grip was too tight at first, but with each exhale, Rus settled his nerves. He remained composed while Dylan stared down at John.
“We’re not doing this,” Dylan said. “I am disgusted by the way this family treats Kaiden. Can you even call yourselves that? Family? You treat him like a personal piggy bank. Like an inconvenience. You are garbage people. Liars, users, wastes of fucking space.”
“Don’t you dare—”
“Shut your fucking mouth, Sandra.” Dylan pointed a finger in her face. “Don’t think for a second I won’t drag you, your daddy, and your lazy ass husband out on that front lawn and beat all your asses.”
John tsked. “I’d like to see you try.”
“That so?” Dylan leaned in real close, pressing his forehead to John’s.
“Since the day I met Kaiden, I have loved him. I have done my best to be respectful to his terrible family for his benefit, but I’ll be damned if I let you fuckers manipulate him a second longer.
You want to test your luck, go right ahead.
I’m looking for a reason to knock some goddamn sense into that ignorant skull of yours. ”
Dylan didn’t blink, didn’t back down, didn’t relent when John backstepped. He kept his eyes locked onto the old man’s.
“Just get the fuck out,” John snarled, finally turning away to return to the kitchen. “I said get out before I make you get out.”
Kaiden’s mother moved closer, trying to get her son to acknowledge her again, but Dylan intercepted.
“Not a fucking word.” He jabbed a finger in her direction. “We’re leaving. Do not call him until you learn how to make a sincere apology that doesn’t include a selfish ulterior motive.”
Sandra went to speak on her mother’s behalf, but Dylan shot her a look so menacing, it silenced her immediately. Kaiden had never seen this side of Dylan—Kaiden didn’t know Dylan had this side to begin with.
“Let’s go.” Dylan slung an arm over Kaiden and Rus’ shoulders, ushering them out of the house.
This time, when Kaiden stepped out of his former home, he didn’t feel like he was running away. He felt like he was dropping the anchors that had been tied around his neck all these years.
Once they got into the car, Dylan kept his intense gaze trained ahead, taking slow breaths to release his tension. Kaiden sat in the passenger seat, silently observing. Rus poked his head up from the backseat.
“I don’t usually go for angry daddy vibes, but please spank me tonight with that same intensity.”
Kaiden burst into laughter.
Dylan’s anger washed away and was replaced by a frazzled expression.
“I can’t believe I cursed them out. I’m so sorry,” he said with manic puppy dog eyes. “I just couldn’t take one more word of it. They were so awful and—”
Kaiden planted a kiss on Dylan’s lips, silencing him. “I loved it. Every second of it.”
“Me too,” Rus added. “Hell, might have to let you be the assertive mean one in the relationship moving forward.”
“Absolutely not,” Dylan replied. “That is so stressful. Should I apologize? No, they deserved it. Total jerks. Still, Kaiden, if you need me to make amends, I can. I don’t mind.
I will go right up there and tell them they one hundred percent deserved to be told off but that I’m sorry for delivering the message. ”
“I want you to take us back to my place,” Kaiden said. “I want you to prepare for a night of uninterrupted attention where I show you just how grateful I am to have you in my life.”
“And I’m not kidding about that spanking.” Rus squeezed Dylan’s shoulders. “I want to experience that authority firsthand.”
Dylan blushed, face completely red, and goofy grin growing wider.
Kaiden was proud of both the men in his life.
Rus resisted his impulsivity for Kaiden’s sake, and Dylan gave in to his impulsivity for Kaiden’s sake.
And Kaiden realized he could lean on the people in his life, people he trusted, people he loved.
It wasn’t weakness to accept help from them.
It was commitment, devotion, and so much more that he hoped to continue exploring.
Kaiden was okay with finally walking away from his family. He wasn’t abandoning them; he was simply putting himself first for a change. Putting the people in his life who truly mattered first. Kaiden had Dylan and Rus. That was enough for him.