This is a fictional story that may involve sexual acts between two or more males. If this offends you, why are you here? If you are under the legal age to read sexually explicit material then do not read any further. This story in no way represents any person living or dead. Any resemblance to any real person is purely coincidental.

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A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.

Thomas Paine

Brent's Struggle Chapter 36

Brent had not been looking forward to this visit with his parents. It had been postponed and Richard had not been happy about it. The man had accused Matt of trying to keep their son from them.

Richard had not been sympathetic to the stress Brent had been under or the fact that Brent had relived the experiences with Wilson.

"How are you, Brent?" Gloria asked as she was showing them into the sitting room where they would be meeting with Brent's parents. She always had him there early so they could talk before his parents arrived.

Brent did not like being back in this fake living room. There was a standard conference table on one side of the room and then this fake living room on the other. The drab tan and green upholstery clashed with the ugly floral area rug. It was like someone tried to make the place cheerful but failed miserably.

Brent took his seat next to Matt and Bryan. "I'm fine." He knew that was a lie but it was what Gloria wanted to hear. She did not want the truth. The truth was the last couple of weeks were pure hell for the teenager. Having to relive everything from the clinic had been hard. He had not even told the man from the Justice Department everything. There were some things he did not think he would ever be able to talk about to anyone.

"I know how hard the last week was. I hope you have gotten all the support you needed." She was looking from Brent to Matt and then Bryan.

Brent felt like she was looking for something to be wrong between him and the two men. "Yes, of course. Matt and Bryan have been there with me every step of the way." Brent sometimes wondered if she was trying to determine if Matt and Bryan were treating him well. If she only knew how good Matt and Bryan were, then maybe she would put an end to the visitations.

"Your last visitation was canceled, so I just want to be sure everything is alright." Her eyes looked from Brent and then to Matt and finally to Bryan.

"I'm fine, thanks to Matt and Bryan's support." Brent felt like she was accusing Matt or Bryan of not being supportive enough and Brent knew he could not have found two more supportive people. He received more from them than he did his own parents.

"I received a report from Dr. Drake. He thinks you are making progress in your sessions."

Brent shrugged. He was not sure whether he was making progress or not. He had tried masturbating after his dream about the mystery guy named Cody but had not been able to climax. Wilson had shown up in his head.

"I also received a report from the school guidance counselor. It seems you have let your grades slip."

Let them slip. Hell Brent knew they had not been that good, to begin with. He had never been able to concentrate.

"I think that is a little troubling."

Brent thought Gloria was shooting a reproachful look at Matt and Bryan. "I've never been a good student. It has been harder these past couple of weeks. I haven't been able to concentrate."

"Maybe an evaluation for ADHD is warranted," Gloria said. Her eyes were concentrating on Brent now. "We can set up a test for you. It is involved and takes a great deal of time but it might be able to pinpoint a problem.

"I think the interview with the DOJ was weighing heavily on Brent," Matt said. His voice was firm but not hard. "Now that that is behind him, I'm sure he will make some improvements. I think it is too soon to begin looking for another diagnosis."

"Plus, PTSD can give a similar appearance to ADHD. I think Dr. Drake will let us know if Brent needs any other testing." Bryan's voice was more firm than Matt's.

Brent knew with these two on his side, he did not need to worry about being evaluated. He knew Matt and Bryan would do all they could to protect him.

"Well, we just want what is best for Brent and for his mental health."

"That is all Bryan and I have ever wanted," Matt said. "We want Brent to be emotionally and physically healthy. We want to see him smile and laugh again. This stress is hard on all of us."

"Mr. Chancellor, we want Brent to be able to reconnect with his parents. I am sure you will agree that is what is best for Brent, emotionally."

Brent wanted to tune them all out. He knew that Gloria was normally a nice person but it appeared the constant stress of these visitations was even getting to her. Brent knew he felt tension whenever Matt and Richard were in the same room.

"I think with all of the progress Brent has made," Gloria continued, "that we should let him have some private time with his parents."

Brent sat up straight at that comment. "So, which is it? Am I making progress or sliding backwards because of my grades?" Brent did not try to hide the tone of ice in his voice.

"Brent, we just want you to be able to talk to your parents and I think without all of us here it will be easier for you. Don't you agree?"

Brent did not agree. He did not want to be alone with his parents. He just wanted to go home and home was with Matt and Bryan. Brent was beginning to think that disappearing to Steven's ranch was the best idea. No one but Matt and Bryan would have any idea where he was.

Gloria was looking imploringly at Brent as she spoke. "We want you to heal and to do that, I think some one-on-one time with your parents would be good for you. It will help mend your family."

Brent was not sure he was hearing her correctly. Mend his family? Did she not understand that was never going to happen? Brent was only going to these visitations to keep the judge happy. He had no intention of reconciling with his parents. They had put him in the clinic. They had dumped him in pure hell and he was not sure that they would not do that again.

"You do not have to," Matt said.

"Mr. Chancellor, we all want what is best for Brent."

"I know I do," Matt said. His voice was harder now. "I have always wanted what is best for Brent. I am willing to do whatever it takes for Brent to recover from the horrible trauma that he suffered."

Brent could hear the truth in every one of Matt's words. The man was willing to walk through hell for Brent. Brent closed his eyes to hold back his emotions. He would not break down. He could not break if Matt and Bryan were supporting him.

"Thanks Matt." Brent's voice was more steady than he felt.

"Brent, you have to make these small steps to make big progress." Gloria was trying to reach out to Brent on behalf of the boy's parents. "I can tell from these visitations that they love you. They are hurt by your reluctance to meet with them."

"I've been meeting with them," Brent interrupted. "Except for last week we have not missed one of these visitations."

"Oh, I know, but you need time to be alone as a family. It can start the healing process. I've seen so much progress."

Brent could not help but wonder what world Gloria was living in. He had seen no progress. The only progress was how much closer Matt came to punching Richard during each visitation. Maybe that was Gloria's purpose. If Brent met with them alone, it would reduce the tension in the room.

"It does not have to be for very long this first time; maybe for only twenty minutes or so." Gloria was leaning forward in her seat as she tried to convince Brent to take this next step.

Brent looked from Gloria to Bryan and then to Matt. He wanted to try and read what he should do from one of the two men's faces.

"You know it has always been completely up to you. Anytime you wanted to be alone with your mom and Dad." Matt placed his hand on Brent's arm and felt the boy tense up. Matt knew the only way for Brent to get use to physical contact was to experience it so Matt did not remove his hand. "But you do not have to do this if you do not feel ready."

"Matt is right but I think you are ready," Gloria said.

"The decision is yours, Brent. Do not feel pressure to do this if you don't want to." Matt gave Brent's arm a reassuring squeeze.

Brent tensed up again at the reassuring squeeze from Matt but quickly relaxed. He covered Matt's larger hand with his own. "I know. Maybe I should do this. Maybe it will help." Brent was hoping by meeting alone with his parents, he could reduce the stress on Matt. The man had done so much for him, that it seemed wrong for Brent to continue to put the added stress of dealing with Richard on Matt's broad shoulders.

"It is up to you soldier," Bryan said.

Brent smiled at Bryan. He had come to like that term. Hearing it from Bryan gave him strength. "Um, just don't go far, alright?"

"I'll be right outside," Matt said. "But that is only if you are sure. There is no pressure here. You can say no if you want."

Brent thought he saw Gloria shooting laser beams at Matt. He could tell she wanted this. She wanted to see if the family could be fully reunited. Brent knew that was not going to happen but maybe it would reduce the stress for Matt.

"I think it will be alright." Brent squeezed Matt's larger hand with his own.

"See, we are making so much progress. This is going to be so wonderful for this family. They are going to make tremendous progress today."

Bryan could not help but wonder what kind of drugs this chick was on. This was over the top for even her.

#

Brent tried to relax as Matt and Bryan were leaving the room. He knew they would not be far but it was still causing him tremendous apprehension.

Gloria had looped her arms through both Matt and Brian's almost pulling them from the room. "Just take your time. There is no hurry. We will be down the hall." Her voice was upbeat. Somehow, she believed that there would be some sort of miracle and that the rift between Brent and his parents would be resolved.

Gloria closed the door behind them and then once again looped her arm through Matt's. "We will just wait in the lounge." She was almost pulled off her feet when Matt stopped only a few feet from the doorway to the meeting room. "Is there a problem?"

Matt removed his arm from Gloria's and then leaned against the wall. "I told Brent I would be right outside and this is as far as I am going."

Gloria's cheerful disposition seemed to fade. "Mr. Chancellor, you are not helping this family."

"I am helping Brent."

Bryan's lips twitched as he watched the expression on Matt's face. If Gloria thought she was going to budge Matt, then she was going to be disappointed.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Look Mr. Chancellor, our goal here is to reunite this family."

"That might be your goal. My goal is to make sure Brent is healthy both mentally and physically. That is my only goal."

"Getting Brent back with his parents will achieve that."

Matt raised his eyebrow. "You truly believe that?" He shook his head in his disbelief.

"Every family is better together."

"Richard will never accept having a gay son. He's never going to be satisfied with Brent. I'm surprised a person with your credentials does not see that." Matt was surprised that this woman was pushing so hard to reunite Brent with Linda and Richard. In every meeting the tension had been so thick, it almost made it impossible to breathe.

"We can talk about this in the lounge." Gloria's voice was not as upbeat as it had been a few minutes ago.

"You and Bryan can talk about it. I'll be right here. I will NOT break my word to Brent."

"I could call security." Gloria was openly glaring at Matt now. "You need to push Brent to reunite with his parents."

"No, I do not. I'll push Brent to be healthy and happy and I'm not sure that is being with his parents." Matt met Gloria's glare with determination.

"Security could..."

Matt cut off her idle threat. He doubted she would actually call security. "I hope you have more than one of those rent-a-cops because it will take more than them to move me." Matt folded his arms across his chest and leaned more solidly against the wall. It was obvious that he was not moving from the spot.

Bryan was finding this side of his husband more of a turn-on than he could have imagined. Matt was normally so calm and easy going but to protect Brent, the man was like a wolf protecting his cub. "Come and show me to the lounge," Bryan said as he was taking Gloria's arm. "You can explain to me how you believe that Richard and Linda are ready to reunite with Brent."

#

The silence was thick in the room. Linda was doing her best to break the ice with her son. She wanted to heal the rift between her, Richard, and Brent. "I think it is good for us to have this time alone."

Brent shrugged. He was not sure what he could talk to his parents about.

"How is school going?" Linda was trying to produce something that they could all talk about. "The report said you might be having some trouble."

"It's fine. My grades aren't the best."

"Do they not give you enough time to study?" Richard's voice made it apparent that he blamed Matt and Bryan for Brent's poor academic record.

"Matt and Bryan are great." Brent glared at Richard.

"We are sure they are doing their best for you, honey." Linda was trying to keep the peace. She did not want to have a blow up. She wanted her son back at home with her. "What have you been doing besides school?"

"Not a lot."

"What about friends?" Linda wanted to reach out to her son but refrained. "Do you have many friends at your new school?"

"Not really," Brent said. "I only talk to a couple of other kids."

"Then you should have time to study," Richard said, bluntly.

"Richard!" Linda's voice was sharp. She tamped down her anger before continuing. "We know these last couple of weeks have been stressful. I'm sure it was hard being interviewed by the Department of Justice."

"It was," Brent admitted. His voice was soft and he looked down at his hands. He did not want to think about that interview.

"At least that is behind you now," Linda said. "Maybe you will be able to put in some extra effort on your schoolwork."

"We can get you a tutor if you need one," Richard said.

"Matt and Bryan are helping me get caught up." Brent could see that that annoyed his father and Brent could not help but take some pleasure in that.

"That is great honey. We are glad you have them to lean on and to help you."

"They're great. Matt is really good at explaining math and science. Bryan knows a lot about political science and government stuff."

"Of course, they do," Richard said, his eyes rolling.

"We also like going hiking together." Brent continued talking about the woods around the house and how fun and relaxing it was hiking through them with Matt and Bryan. "Bryan keeps most of the trails cleared. I help him with that. I've also been helping him chop firewood for the winter."

"Is that why you aren't studying? They have you doing too much work for them?" Richard's tone dripped with accusation at the two men.

Brent could hear the annoyance in Richard's words. He could not stop the feeling of satisfaction that he was getting under Richard's skin. "No, they aren't making me do the chores. I like helping them. They have done so much for me. It's fun doing stuff with Bryan. We workout together and do the yard work and stuff. Bryan is even teaching me how to drive. He lets me drive the SUV on the roads out by OUR house." Brent added a little extra emphasis on the "our house."

Richard took a deep breath and before he could say anything Linda started talking. "That is great honey. I'm sure you are doing wonderfully. I could also come out and help you with your studying or driving or anything you need."

"Yes, your mother has plenty of time. She would be a great tutor and driving instructor. She's never had an accident."

"Well, I did when I was younger."

"You did?" Brent was a little interested in that. His parents never talked much about their lives before being together.

"Yes, I had only had my license about a year."

"So, you were seventeen?"

"Almost, my birthday was a few months away. I, ah was driving my father's car. It was, um, well expensive. I don't remember exactly but some sort of Mercedes."

"What happened?" Brent could not stop the interest. His mom seemed to be enjoying his interest in her story.

"I wasn't paying close enough attention and didn't stop at a stop sign. It was my fault. I ran the stop sign and got hit. Luckily, it was the passenger's side and there was no one else in the car."

"Crap. Were you hurt?" Brent was watching his mother more closely now. Her blue eyes were so much like his own. Her blonde hair was also like his

"A little banged up. I was more shaken up than anything." Linda was feeling good that her and Brent might be making a connection. Maybe driving lessons would give them the chance to reconnect. She could do that during the day while Richard was at work.

"Was anyone hurt?" Brent thought he noticed more lines on his mother's face than he remembered. He also thought maybe there was some grey mixed in with the blonde hair.

"The person in the other car was banged up worse. They had a broken bone and needed stitches for some cuts. Luckily, they made a full recovery. I didn't drive for a long time after that."

"I bet."

"That is why it is important to pay total attention to the road. Don't text or talk on the phone." Linda wanted her son to be more careful than she had been at his age.

"That is the same thing both Matt and Bryan tell me. Bryan makes me put my phone in the glove box. He said there would be time enough for texting when I get where I'm going."

"He's right about that honey. Never text and drive. Putting your phone away is the right thing to do."

"I did not realize you had a cell phone," Richard said. His voice held a hint of an accusatory tone.

Brent knew this was going to really get under Richard's skin. "Grandma Alison got it for me. She got me a phone and an iPad. She did that shortly after I came to live with Matt and Bryan." Brent could see the vanes on Richard's neck becoming more pronounced. He hope he wasn't going to cause Richard to have a stroke.

"Who is this, Alison?" Linda asked. She did not seem the least bit perturbed by Brent's words. However, Richard did seem to have an issue with Brent calling Alison grandma.

"Oh, she's Matt's mom. She's awesome. She wanted me to call her grandma. Matt's her only child and I think she had about given up on having any grandchildren."

"Well, she is not your grandmother."

Brent glared at Richard. He could see a little more grey in Richard's hair too. Brent had not considered that his parents would be getting older.

"Richard!" Linda's voice was sharp as she cut Richard off. "I think it is good you have a grandparent figure. You did not really get to know your grandparents. They passed when you were so little. Having an adoptive grandparent is great."

Brent could see Richard was biting back whatever it was he wanted to say. Brent wondered if he should stop trying to provoke Richard.

As they continued to talk, Brent thought he could feel some of the old connection that he used to have with his mom. They had always had a little more in common than Brent and his father. It made Brent believe that just maybe they could bridge the gulf that had formed. When the conversation turned to Brent's therapy sessions and his memory Brent wondered if maybe his parents would know who Cody was. Was the guy a real person or some fantasy man. Brent had looked online for actors named Cody but did not find anyone that looked like the man in Brent's memory. The closest resemblance was either Devyn or Alex. But they did not exactly look like the man either. Oh, there was a definite resemblance but Brent was not sure if that was a real resemblance or Brent's mind playing tricks on him. Brent had also gone through all the pictures he could find online of his old classmates. There were few of those. Mostly just of the jocks and the cheerleaders at events. None of them resembled the image in Brent's mind.

"Um, do you remember if, I, ah, went to school with or had maybe a teacher named Cody?"

"Cody?" Linda and Richard exchanged a look.

"Why do you ask?" Richard's voice was strained.

"I, um, had a memory of him and just can't place where it is from."

"What kind of memory?" Linda asked.

Brent shrugged his shoulders. "It is vague." Brent could not tell them that he had dreamed about having sex with the hunky man.

"What about Cassie or Alexis?" Richard asked. "Any memories of them?"

The names sounded familiar but Brent could not place them either. "Did I know them from school?"

"What? Don't you remember them at all?" Richard's voice held an accusatory tone.

"It's alright if you don't remember them honey," Linda's voice was sympathetic. She could see Brent was struggling with the gap in his memory.

"Their names sound familiar but I don't remember them at all."

"Not at all?" Richard was looking at his son closely. "They were two very nice girls and you don't remember them?"

"Am, no, but this guy Cody, I can see his face and it feels like I was friends with him."

"You don't remember two attractive girls?" Richard's voice was growing louder. "You dated them for months but you don't remember them?" Richard got up from the chair where he had been sitting and began pacing with his agitation.

Brent could hear the disappointment in his father's voice. He could tell Richard wanted him to remember these girls but he did not. The only girl he remembered dating was Tracy. That had been while Devyn was dating Sue. They had used Tracy and Sue to hide their true feelings. Both Brent and Devyn had felt a bit guilty about using Tracy and Sue that way but they had been afraid of what might happen if their attraction for each other had been allowed to show. "Um...sorry, I don't remember them." Brent looked up at his pacing father. He could tell Richard was more aggravated with him. He wished he could remember but no matter how he tried he could not bring up any memory of either girl.

Richard continued as if Brent had not spoken. "Two wonderful girls you don't remember but you remember that lowlife beach bum!"

Brent could feel acid beginning to churn in his stomach. He could tell Richard was once again disappointed in him. "Beach bum? So, I did know him?" Brent knew he should drop the topic but he needed to know that Cody was a real person. If Cody were real then maybe there was a chance he would get more of his memory back. Maybe he would be able to fill in that gap. Brent also needed to know if he and this Cody had been having sex. The dream had been so real. Maybe Brent had been with another guy besides Devyn. Maybe Cody was not just a fantasy that Brent's mind had concocted.

"Yes honey," Linda said. "He was..."

"He was a bum!" Richard's voice cut over Linda's. "He was bad news from the moment he came into our lives. He messed you all up again. You were just getting over what that perverted Roberts kid did and then you find that worthless trash. I hope he ended up just like that Roberts kid."

"What? What do you mean ended up like Devyn?" Brent had never considered that his parents might know what had happened to Devyn. Do they know if he went to live with his grandmother? Brent tried to keep the excitement out of his voice. He knew his folks would not approve of him showing too much interest in Devyn. If Richard or Linda could give him a clue, then maybe Matt would be able to find Devyn. Then Brent could talk to Devyn. He could tell him how sorry he was for what he had said that afternoon. Maybe Devyn would understand or maybe he wouldn't but at least Brent could try and explain it all to him. Maybe if Brent could explain it, Devyn might forgive him. Maybe they could be friends again or maybe even more. Brent tried not to think too much about that last one. He wanted it but he also was not sure he could manage being disappointed. That was his biggest fear he had of enduring Devyn's rejection and hatred.

"Dead in some flop house or on some curb. He's right where he fucking belongs." Richard's voice was laced with his scorn for Devyn. It was obvious that he blamed most of their problems on the teenager.

The word `dead' echoed in Brent's head. Richard could not mean it literally, could he? It could not be true. What Richard was saying could not be real.

"Richard!" Linda's voice was sharper than ever before. It cut across Richard's tirade. He seemed to be honestly surprised by the force in Linda's tone.

"You, you don't mean literally, right?" Brent looked hopefully at his mother. He wanted her to tell him that was a figure of speech. He could not manage it if what Richard said was true. Brent looked from his father to his mother. He could feel a boulder in his stomach dragging him down.

"Honey..."

"Please, I've got to know."

Linda glared at her husband before turning to Brent. She reached out wanting to comfort him. "That girl he was dating came over last spring. She told us. She wanted to see how you were doing. She, well she did not know much. Only that she went to see Devyn and his parents told her that he had died."

"Sue, you mean Sue?" Brent's voice was growing louder. He could not cope with this. He could not process it. His stomach was churning. He thought he might be sick.

Linda could see the color draining from Brent's face. "Honey, I'm sorry that you found out this way."

"He's right where he deserves to be after what he did. He messed you up and caused all of this..."

Brent got to his feet. He did not even realize he had done it. He was trembling with emotions. His eyes were blazing with fury and his heart was shattered. He did not know if he would be able to keep from crumpling. "All Devyn ever did was love me. I betrayed him. I turned my back on him. It was the biggest mistake of my life."

"He was a pervert and a manipulator. Didn't you learn anything from Dr. Wilson."

"Richard!" Linda's voice was shrill.

"Learn, learn from that fucking bitch."

"She tried to help you. She tried..."

"What the fuck do you mean! You know what she did, don't you? Didn't you read Dr. Drake's report?" Brent could not stop his voice from getting louder. He could not stop the anger from bubbling up. If what Richard had said was true, then he had no reason to hold back anymore. He should have never held back.

"She wanted to help you. You just would not cooperate with her. She was going to fix you." Richard's voice was also growing louder.

"HELP ME!" Brent was not holding back now. His voice was at a fever pitch. "She fucking raped me. She raped me repeatedly. She fucking tied me down. She injected me and she raped me. She climbed on top of me and rode me like, like, like I was some fucking animal for her pleasure. She's a fucking whore and you. You are a fucking bastard.!"

"She was a beautiful woman who showed you some kindness and you misunderstood it. What those perverts did to you. It messed you up!" Richard's voice was loud in the conference room.

"Richard Stop!" Linda's voice was drowned out by Richard and Brent shouting at each other.

"You have no idea what I went through! You don't know what that bitch did to me!" Brent was shaking with his anger. His fingers were curled into a fist.

"She's a beautiful woman. You should have been flattered. A normal boy would love that kind of attention." Richard's voice was louder as he tried to talk over Brent.

The door burst open as Matt charged into the room. From the hall, he had heard the panic and anger in Brent's voice.

"Richard!" Linda wanted her husband to shut up. She could see the emotions in Brent's eyes. She could see the distress and pain.

Brent's voice was getting even louder as he yelled. "She is cruel and evil. She only wanted to use me for her own perversion. She raped me. She fucking tortured me and Steven. She forced him to watch as she used and abused me to make me perform for her. You call Devyn sick and perverted. Wilson was the perverted one. And you, and you. You fucking put me there. You fucking dumped me into that hell and walked away. You never even came and checked on me. You never visited me. You took her word over mine. You never trusted me. You never believed in me. You're a fucking lowlife son-of-a-bitch! I hate you. I hate you for it!"

"Brent, we thought she was helping you. Please believe me." Linda could feel her own heart being torn to shreds at Brent's words and the anger in his voice and the pain in his eyes.

"Why should I! You fucking left me to her. You fucking walked away from me while she beat me and rode me like some fucking farm animal. If I didn't perform for her, If I did not fuck her, then she had me tortured. I was cut and scratched and injected with shit to make me perform like some circus animal!" Brent turned to Matt. "tell them. Tell them about the scratches! Tell them about the needle marks! Tell them! Tell them!"

"Brent, please," Matt's voice was calm as he wanted to calm Brent down. "Yes, that is true. Everything you are saying is true. You were scratched. You were black and blue from where they had beaten you."

Brent turned back to Linda and Richard. "Devyn is the only one that ever loved me. He never used me. All he did was show me love. We made love and we loved each other. He loved me and I, and I..." The wave of anger began to wane and was replaced by an even more powerful wave of grief. "And he's gone. He's dead." Brent crumpled to the floor then. Without the anger to sustain him, he had no strength left to ward off the weight of his grief.

"Brent!" Linda's voice went up another octave as Brent dropped to his knees.

"Don't be a damn drama queen. That kid is better off dead. His parents could not get him the help he needed but we tried with you. We tried!" Richard moved towards Brent but Matt beat him to the collapsing teenager.

Matt rushed to Brent and knelt down beside him. "Brent." Matt lifted Brent up a bit and held him.

"Take your disgusting hands..."

"RICHARD SHUT UP!" Linda yelled over Richard's voice. "Don't you see what you are doing. Don't you see Brent is hurting."

"What the hell did you do?" Matt was looking up at Richard from where he was kneeling on the floor next to Brent. Matt's green eyes were blazing with his own barely contained fury. He knew if Richard said one more word against Brent or Devyn, he was going to knock him out.

"He's dead. He's dead." Brent had tears coursing down his cheeks. He clung to Matt and buried his face in Matt's chest.

"You fucking idiot!" Matt could not believe the pain in Brent's eyes. It was worse than when they had pulled him from the clinic. "Brent, I'm sorry." Matt turned his gaze from Richard to Brent. The fury in his eyes was quickly replaced with his concern for Brent. Matt held Brent tight as he tried to find the right words to comfort the teenager.

Richard took a step towards Matt. "A faggot like you cannot talk to me like that." Richard drew back as if he were going to strike Matt but his arm froze in mid swing.

"I suggest you back off." Bryan's voice was cold and the grip he had on Richard's arm was stronger than a vice.

Richard saw a coldness in Bryan's eyes that made him swallow.

"Back away." There was no friendliness in Bryan's face or the tone of his voice. Bryan released the grip he had on Richard's arm.

Richard rubbed his arm where Bryan's grip had dug into his flesh. He moved back towards Linda and took a few steps past his wife.

"I'm sorry Brent. I'm so sorry." Matt scooped Brent up into his arms. He cradled the teenager there. "This is over. I will not allow Brent to be exposed to this again."

Gloria and Bryan had heard the yelling from the break room down the hall. It had brought them hurrying back to the conference room. Bryan's cold blue eyes were still locked onto Richard. He had almost done more than just hold back the blow that had been directed at Matt. He had been half tempted to break Richard's arm. He could have taken Richard to the man's knees with little effort. He could have made it so Richard could have never used that arm again.

"I don't understand," Gloria said. "I just don't know what went wrong."

"This is the last one of these visits," Matt said as he moved towards the door with Brent in his arms.

"You will not keep my kid from me!" Richard's voice was loud. "I've got a court order."

"Matt turned. "I don't give a fuck about your court order. Tomorrow my attorney will be serving you to end this fucked up mess. Brent can see you whenever he wants but he will never be forced to see you."

Matt spun and without another word he carried the sobbing Brent from the room.

Richard started to move after Matt. He took several steps and then before it registered that Bryan had moved, the former Marine was blocking Richard's path. "Don't even consider it."

Richard could feel the coldness in Bryan's eyes and in his voice. He stepped back. Then he took several more steps across the room from Bryan.

"You need to talk to him," Gloria told Bryan. "You can see..."

Bryan turned his ice-cold blue eyes on Gloria. She had put these actions in motion today and had fallen in Bryan's eyes. He had little respect left for her credentials. "I see exactly what Matt sees. Richard's a homophobic prick who does not deserve a son. I have no doubt that Matt meant every word he said and I support his decision. We will not be bringing Brent back to this."

"You can't do that," Gloria said.

Bryan's lips turned up into a rueful smile. "Just watch us." Bryan turned and headed towards the door.

"Wait, please." Linda darted across the room. She was clutching at Bryan's arm to get him to stop. "Please Bryan, tell him, tell him I love him and I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"I'm sorry too. I wish you could have seen the wrong decision you had made before Brent was hurt so badly."

"Is it, is what he said true? Was he, was he raped?"

Did you not read the reports?" Bryan's voice was laced with his disbelief. "Did you not see the news coverage??"

"I thought, I thought it was just blown all out of proportion. No one could do that to boys." Linda's concern for her son was still shown in her eyes.

"It is all true," Bryan said. "He was raped often. Daily maybe. He's gone through what would have broken most men. Hopefully, what happened here today did not finish him."

"Bryan please tell him. Tell him I'm sorry. I love him. I truly do." Linda had tears streaming down her face. "Please."

"I will," Bryan promised. He then turned leaving the room.

#

Copyright 2022 by Keith yates (keith.96@att.net) all rights reserved.

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Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it. Thomas Paine

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. Thomas Paine

To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture. Thomas Paine

Character is much easier kept than recovered. Thomas Paine