Never Give Up 27
We were really excited when we left customs at Brisbane airport, it had been a long trip home with a stopover in Singapore. Rory was more stoked because the news of his clothing line had hit the Australian papers and he was hit with a lot of interview requests, the photographers were having a field day with him. His picture was in every paper in the country, Armani were very happy with the free publicity.
Our immediate family met us and Luke and Jamie hugged us forever, it had only been a week but it felt like a lifetime of course, photos were taken and interviews requested but we declined most of them.
Grabbing Rory's arm Jamie steered us out to the car park, we were on the road within minutes.
It was so good to be there, we sat on the porch and had coffee, Jamie had made pizza and Luke an apple pie with plenty of cream. I gave Dan my "Your not going to eat all that?" look. He stuck his finger up at me.
We were home only one week when Dan burst in the door shouting,
"I found him Squirt I fucking found him, well he found us actually."
"Who Dan?"
"Bobby Thompson Codes, he rang the club and left a message for me to ring back, he's in Tasmania. Do you mind if I catch a flight down there for the weekend and see if I can bring him here?"
"Oh Dan of course not, did you talk with him?"
"Yes Codes, he still remembers Rory, he doesn't have any money but he had seen the photo of me and Rory from the airport in the paper and the only way he could get in touch was through the club. I told him I would ring in the morning but his father is a real prick and keeps him close."
He told me it's best if he rings.
"Dan go and do what you can, do you want me to come? I can cancel my appointments."
"No Squirt I think it's best I go alone in case it gets a bit rough but I will miss you so bad. Hopefully it will only be for one night, I will ring you if he decides to come back with me."
Dan left after a long kissing session, he drove to the airport and would leave his car there for the return journey.
He called me that night and also the next and said he would be home sunday afternoon with Bobby, could I call Rory and get him there.
When Dan came into the sunroom he had a good looking young man with him, he seemed to be sort of shy and his eyes darted around the room as if he was looking for something.
"Codes may I introduce Bobby Thompson, Bobby my boyfriend Cody Mitchell."
I shook his hand and said, "Pleased to meet you Bobby, I've heard a lot about you and welcome." Bobby was a handsome boy, he had child like looks like Rory's but was more buffed . We sat down outside and he told us his story.
"The night Rory was beaten I thought I was going to die along with him, he was in so much pain", his tears flowed. "I ran two doors down and got my father who called the ambulance and cops, after he heard what had happened between us he forbid me to ever see Rory again, my world totally collapsed but I stayed in it in the hope I would see him again. I have been so empty without him. Everyday I pray I will find him again, he is my only friend, where is he Cody? I have to tell him I never stopped loving him."
Just then I heard a car pull up, it was Rory.
"Very soon Bobby, Dan and I will leave you to it, I don't think you are alone anymore."
Not getting the meaning he played with the spoon in his coffee.
I answered the doorbell, it was Rory he had a big smile on his face and he said,
"Hi Cody, hi Dan welcome back, I've got my designs and we can work on them if you like."
He noticed our solemn faces and said, "What's up guys you look a bit down?"
Dan said, "Rory there's someone here to see you, he's on the porch", as we both hugged him.
"Who Dan? Codes?"
I answered, "Go see for yourself" I smiled, "we will stay here."
He shrugged his shoulders and started to walk to the porch, he stopped mid stride then slowly turned around, there were tears streaming down his cheeks, I said, "Go" then proceeded to walk out the front.
I could see him looking at the boy before him then falling flat into a chair, not saying anything just staring at the boy next to him, they leaned in and united their foreheads and for ages just looked into each others eyes. They didn't move an inch but the tears were flowing down their faces so were mine and Dans.
"You have just done the most beautiful thing in the world Dan, so wonderful."
"The only beautiful thing in the world Codes is you, I love you so much, now I hope your world is complete and happy."
"Oh It is Dan my gorgeous guarding angel."
I started on dinner, then took a fresh pot of coffee out to the boys, they had only moved enough to allow their hands to stroke each others faces. Bobby was whispering words into Rory's mouth and Rory was answering but I couldn't hear a thing, it was like they were on a telepathic plane. I said quietly, "Dinner's in one hour boys."
Jamie and Luke came up not long after. Jamie said, "Is that who I think it is?"
"Yes Jamie, Dan found him in Tasmania."
Luke started to tear up, he went to Dan and hugged him, "Thank you Dan, thank you, what a wonderful thing to do." Jamie hugged him also. I had told Luke Rory's story when we had got back from Spain, he must have told Jamie.
Eventually they were seen kissing then Bobby took Rory's hand and they walked down the beach. We could see them as they sat down, they stroked and kissed forever. I could see Rory take his wallet and show Bobby some paper, I assumed it was the note.
When they returned they threw their arms around Dan and me, lost in their tears and each other, they didn't pull apart all night. Nothing was said between them, the shock was too great but a lot was communicated with their eyes, mouths and hands.They ate in silence then moved outside again.
Rory eventually asked me if he and Bobby could stay the night at which I said,
"Second on the right, it's made up for you both."
They said their goodnights and closed the door behind them.
I snuggled up to Dan and whispered a million thank yous in his ear. He teared up and said,
"I was so lucky to find him and get him away from his father, he was a mad bastard. He almost had Bobby chained inside, he couldn't move an inch without his father knowing. But eventually last night he went out and I called around, Bobby broke down and told me he never forgot Rory and never stopped loving him.
We decided I would take a bag of his clothes with me and he would meet me at the airport around nine in the morning, his dad usually let him go to church alone early. I gave him money for cab fare to the airport as he said his father took all his money so he couldn't even buy personal stuff. He had nothing in his name so he didn't have much except a few garbage bags full." Dan kissed me tenderly, then continued.
"I went and bought a suitcase and it was packed and ready when I met him again at the airport. He couldn't stop thanking me for my kindness all the way home.
The rest you know, his father won't come after him, he wouldn't know where to start but still be aware he could Squirt."
"I will Dan, I will also look into more security for the shop and make sure Rory moves into a more secure apartment."
"Do you think Dan that Bobby will stay around?"
"One hundred per cent sure Codes, you saw them they are one, like us Code's."
We fell into a peaceful sleep.
In the morning we didn't feel like sex in the shower, we just washed each other for ages, it was so nice and comforting.
I prepared breakfast as usual, Luke and Jamie came up but no sign of Rory and Bobby. Eventually we heard the shower running, when they came out Rory was dressed for work.
I said,
"Get those thoughts out of your head Rory you've got this week off so go have some fun."
He hugged me for a minute then moved back to Bobby's waiting arms.
I looked at him, grinned and said, "How did you sleep?"
He said, "The best ever Codes my black clouds have gone at last."
Dan smiled and pulled me in for a hug and a deep kiss. They sat through breakfast never stopping the kissing and touching and when they wanted to be intimate they put their foreheads together and whispered to each other, no one could hear what they were saying, only them.
We talked a bit about Bobby's future, he said he wanted to go to arts school but his father had got him a job with the forest department which he hated so we agreed in the meantime he would do some shifts in the shop then I could maybe find him something at the Club if he wanted. But we will talk more on it later, for now it's a casual job at our shop.
Dan did suggest the apartment on the river for them both but it was leased and the tenants were nice and always paid their rent on time. I suggested we convert the work shed that Jamie and I occupied but I discounted that thought when Dan suggested a relocatable two bedroom flat. There's plenty of room Code's and we can have it installed on the land at the back to the left so they get the view. If they decide to move we can resell it or we can rent it out, maybe to kids that don't have family or are being abused. I agreed with him, maybe we could install two, one for the boys and one for emergencies, they don't really take up that much room. Then we got onto the subject of fostering. It was agreed we get the boys settled first then seriously think about the other. Another thing we talked about was Bobby's father finding them, we agreed that they should stay with us as long as possible, we had plenty of room and there was always someone around the house.
They left around nine thirty and I asked where they were going. Rory said with a big grin, "Fun parks Codes." He took Bobby to the parks and when they got in around five they goofed around on the beach like a couple of kids, they made sandcastles, threw buckets of water at themselves and kissed forever. Luke was with me on the porch he said, "They are thirteen again Codes, I can't believe they are picking up just where they left off, be careful, you have a couple of youngsters on your hands at the moment. It will pass but in the meantime they are reconnecting, if they connect in this way it would be less painful than doing it as an adult, they are shielding each other. I just can't believe I'm witnessing this it's bloody awesome Codes."
"Luke what do you know about the way they are talking to each other?"
"Not much Codes, all I can work out is when they put their foreheads together they slightly turn their heads and whisper very low, the sound travels to their ears but they must have perfect hearing to be able to do it, it's not unheard of but very difficult to do let alone pick it up after six years. I am going to talk with my professor about it."
Just then Dan and Jamie came home from training. I looked at my man and said, "Come on Dan let's make sandcastles."
"Okay Squirt but we had better change."
It only took us five minutes, Jamie and Luke joined us, so did the "kids".
We had so much fun and so did the boys, destroying all our hard work.
"Okay big kids time to wash up, dinners ready and that includes you Dan."
"Aww shucks mum do I have to?"
We all laughed like crazy at his goofy grin.
We talked to the boys about the relocatable home over dinner. Rory said to leave it for awhile, his business has taken off and he had planned to talk with me about opening another outlet in Melbourne but that was before Bobby came back. He blushed when he looked at him, Bobby fed another spoon of ice cream to Rory and wiped his mouth with the napkin.
"Codes and Dan at the moment I can't make any decisions about my future, all I want to do is reconnect with Bobby, it's been such a long, painful time and we both have been miserable so we just want to have some fun for awhile, nothing out there just some fun.The Gold Coast parks were top of our "to do" list when we both got jobs, we were going to go there for a day. Another plan was to move in together but my flat is small and not in a very good area so I thought when I see my accountant next time I would ask if I had enough to buy a safer one but for now we just want to reconnect." He leaned in and whispered, Bobby displayed a huge grin and nodded.
"Tomorrow we are going to the shop to get Bobby some new clothes then we are going to my place to make out." He giggled, Bobby blushed this time.
I told him to have a look through my range for him also, "Just scan them out as samples Rory."
"Well we will revisit your living arrangements another time but in the meantime I would rather you both stayed here, we have to get our swimsuit and tank samples made so we can order them soon to have in store by summer and I want you both eating right, so no arguments you move here for a few weeks, deal?"
"Okay mum, we move in here." They both said.
I looked at Dan and he smiled remembering the scene from the balcony, we held hands and I looked deeply into his beautiful grey eyes, I mouthed, "Love you", he did the same.