Ring in Mine 3: Nephi & Jerome Chapter 6
Thank you for the emails. I enjoy hearing from my readers. I have been asked why I mention suicide in my stories.
Teen suicide is a real concern, especially in conservative areas. That is true for both gay and straight kids. Utah is no exception. Every time I hear someone say "Why didn't they reach out for help?" I want to smack them up the side of the head. I know they have never been there. (I have been there more than once in my life.)
"While years of research corroborating what we know to be true, it only takes being a teenager in these areas of the country to tell you that, DUH, "conservative" is just a euphemism for "we don't like, appreciate, approve of, or accept anything we perceive to be different."
https://hornetapp.com/stories/study-shows-suicide-more-prevalent-in-republican-conservative-areas/
I am off my soapbox for now. Enjoy chapter 6.
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Nephi & Jerome: Chapter 6
Maria enjoyed talking with her grandsons. The neurologist came in to talk with Jerome. Everyone one else sat in the waiting area.
"I'm so glad you have your grandsons back, Maria." Paula hugged her friend. Paula scanned the room.
"I wonder where Nephi has gone. I thought no one would move him from Jerome's side." Paula thought.
"Jerome doesn't remember him. I think Nephi heard Jerome say he was straight and couldn't love a guy. He pretty much said Nephi was disgusting," Jared explained.
Paula made her excuses and left Maria to deal with things on her own. Paula now had her own crisis. She was replaying a day she came home from church early to find Nephi unconscious in the closed garage with the truck and gas-powered equipment running. She opened the garage doors and shut everything off. Out in the fresh air he regained consciousness.
"Why didn't you let me die?" Nephi had cried. It had taken Benny days to find out the story.
A student had befriended Nephi. They hung out a lot. Nephi seemed to be the one paying for everything. He had become very attached to his new friend. Nephi had even loaned his friend $100 dollars. They had gone to the early movie. His friend had his hand on Nephi's thigh the whole time.
When Nephi dropped him off at his apartment, Nephi leaned in for a kiss just as the door opened. His friend punched him in the stomach and then drove his knee into Nephi's groin. Nephi lay curled on the porch. The young man took the cash out of Nephi's wallet and closed the door.
Feeling stupid and hurt Nephi returned to the house. Paula should have been at the church for a couple more hours. Nephi closed the garage doors and started anything gas powered.
Paula may have saved Nephi's body but his soul was shattered. Nothing Paula tried could bring him out of the hell he had created in his mind. He skipped classes and stared at the walls.
Then the snow fell. At four in the morning Nephi fired up the truck and started his rounds. Nephi seemed to be his old self. No one mentioned his breakdown.
Nephi wasn't his old self though. He was very reserved and avoided making close friends with other guys. He wasn't willing to open himself up to rejection again.
Then Jerome appeared in his life. According to Benny, Nephi hadn't intended to bond with Jerome it sort of happened. Nephi had bought Jerome clothes and when they did anything Nephi had paid. It was so much like the last time and now Jerome had rejected Nephi. Paula's biggest fear was she would arrive home and find Nephi had succeeded this time.
She arrived home. The truck was missing. There was a note on the table.
"I should be home before the snow falls."
The word "should" would haunt Paula.
The neurosurgeon had asked Maria and Jared to talk about the past with Jerome looking for gaps in his memory.
"Grandma why don't we ever get to see you?" Jared asked.
"That is a long story. Grandpa Marco and I met each other in college. Marco's parents came to Utah from Chicago. He worked at a restaurant until we opened our own. It's still open. Your uncle Marco Jr. is still using his father's recipes."
"I think I've had lunch there." Jerome interjected. "It was delicious."
Jerome's revelation surprised Maria. She knew it wouldn't have been with his family.
"We raised your mother Catholic. God was an important part of our family. We always hoped she would marry a good Catholic. Instead she dated a Mormon boy. When he found out she was Catholic he cut off the relationship. She loved your dad so much she converted."
"When they married, Marco gave them our house and we built up on the hill with plenty of room for grandkids, but the grandkids have never been there."
"What happened Grandma?" Jared asked.
"Because of religion the relationship with your father had always been strained. Marco and I resigned ourselves to having our grandson blessed instead of baptized. After the blessing I placed my father's Saint Christopher's medal around Jerome's neck."
"What happened to it? I would love something of my great grandfather's." Jerome asked. Maria pulled a chain with a circular medal from around her neck. Jerome lifted his head from the pillow as Maria placed it over his head being careful of the bandages. "Why wouldn't dad let me have it?"
"He pulled it off of you breaking the chain. The chain had cut into the back of your neck before it broke. You cried. Your father yelled."
"I will not have you bringing your evil satanic beliefs into my house! Look at what it has done to my angelic son!" He shouted. "You are no longer welcome in my home or near my children!"
"If it hadn't been for Paula I don't think I would have made it."
"Paula helped me understand that it wasn't the church. Every religion has a few crazies in them. Your father is one of those. I shudder to think what your father would have done if he knew your mother's brother Marco Jr. is gay."
"After Marco died I depended on Paula and Peter. I remember the day I first met Nephi. I was trying to get the trashcan to the curb. This nice young man did it for me. Since then I've shared him with Paula. He keeps my yard nice in the summer and plows the walks in the winter."
"Nephi somehow seemed to know when I was lonely. He would appear on the doorstep just to chat. He was even willing to learn how to play gin rummy."
"Benny told me the story of how Nephi found you freezing in the snow. He carried you home and saved your life. He did it by himself; the phones and the power were out."
"I've been living with a gay pervert. Who knows what happened?" Jerome insisted.
"If you weren't injured I would slap you. Now you are sounding like your father. Nephi has only kissed two boys. The last guy beat him up and robbed him."
"I need to check on Paula." Maria said disappointed in her grandson.
"She's right you are sounding a lot like dad. Have you forgotten that I am one of those gay perverts?" Jared left Jerome with his thoughts.
Jerome was angry. He was the victim, lying in the hospital. Couldn't they see his life lay in ruins? He wasn't gay but thanks to his dad everyone thought he was a faggot.
Jerome had steady girlfriends since junior high. Jerome was sure his current girlfriend was that special one. They had been inseparable since the end of their junior year. It was as if they shared the same name, Jerome-n-Sandy. You never said one without the other. The phone was in reach.
Jerome dialed Sandy's number. "Good afternoon. May I talk with Sandy?"
"Don't call my daughter again. I don't want your queer ways to rub off on my family." Sandy's father shouted.
"I am not gay." Jerome stated. "Ask Sandy. Would I have made love to your daughter if I were a queer? We used two full boxes of condoms." The line went dead.
Jerome realized telling a father you've been making it with his daughter wasn't a good idea. That was one bridge burned.
Jared came in angry. "You are such an asshole. You turned on the guy that saved you twice and now he's missing."
"Good. Then I won't have him here leering at me like that." Jerome paused. "Twice, when was the second time?"
"Nephi went to the school to make sure they didn't flatten the tires again. He was the reason the security guard was close enough to stop them from finishing the job." Jared explained.
"I'm still glad he's gone!" Jerome replied. "Now I've got to patch things up with Sandy. I told her father we had sex multiple times."
"Jerome, you broke it off with Sandy before Thanksgiving, when you found out she was also doing it with half the football team." Jared informed his brother.
"Maybe word will get back to dad. Then he might not think I am gay." Jerome hoped. "Why did you leave your magazine in my room?"
"Jerome, you borrowed it. When I went to get it back all the pages stuck together so I left it." Jared retorted. They sat in silence. Jared breathed a sigh of relief when the doctor came in and asked him to leave.
The doctor came out concerned. "What has made Jerome so upset?"
Jared recounted the things Jerome had forgotten. "He isn't acting like Jerome. I'm not sure who you have in there but it isn't my brother."
The doctor explained that head injuries can affect memory, behavior patterns and even orientation. The only thing to do was wait and see.
Unsure what to do Paula called Benny.
"Paula, I was just going to call, is Nephi there?" He asked.
Paula retold the story of Jerome and Nephi in the hospital. When she got to the note she was crying. "I'm worried about him, Benny. What if he does something stupid?"
"Well he's made one decision. I found the guardianship papers ripped into pieces. He wrote on the envelope." Benny informed his sister.
"He's on his own. It's too late to leave him in the snow." Benny read. "He has family, warmth and safety. He told me he loved me-rejection hurts. I will be at the cabin remembering good times"
"I will get my coat. Will you drive?" Paula asked Benny.
"Nephi needs to be on his own. I know the ranger. He will check on Nephi now and then."
Paula unpacked and put her house back the way she liked it. The stocked fridge didn't surprise her; Nephi had looked after her since Peter had died. Just knowing he wasn't downstairs made her feel lonely. The doorbell rang.
"Paula it's good to see you back. We thought we would bring dinner over." The young woman at the door set a casserole on Paula's counter. The little boy with her handed Paula a grocery bag with salad and rolls.
"Can we have another sleepover and eat sagetti?" The little boy asked.
"Timmy and his friends are still talking about the night the power was out. They all want another sleepover." The woman explained. Nephi hadn't told Paula about the excitement during her absence. She was proud that Nephi had kept up the tradition her Peter had started.
"Timmy wanted to thank Jerome for playing games with the kids." She announced.
"Jerome is in the hospital. Someone threw a brick through his car window." Paula informed her visitors.
"Nephi must be upset. It was obvious they were close. I'm glad he has found someone special." The neighbor said surprising Paula. "Paula, Nephi's orientation is the ward's worst kept secret." "Jerome doesn't remember Nephi. Nephi is spending time at the cabin. Paula responded.
"That's sad to hear. I saw how they looked at each other."
Within the hour word was out that Paula was on her own. The neighbors took turns helping and keeping her company. Many jumped at the chance of returning the favor of a hot meal during the power outage.
Saturday an unexpected storm dumped a foot of snow on the valley. Paula woke Sunday morning to plowed sidewalks and a half-dozen fritters from Bertram's Bakery. The self-driven snow blower was missing. She knew Nephi may be grieving but he had not shut down. Benny called Monday morning.
"My ranger friend, Elliot, called and informed me we can't have Nephi back. Elliot's not used to having the road to the ranger station plowed. Elliot stopped to say thanks and stayed for supper. They played cards until late. Elliot would have loved to do more, but he could see Nephi was hurting."
Ranger Elliot had kept tabs on Nephi as promised. Nephi spent a good share of the day on snowshoes traipsing through the woods. Nephi had gathered and chopped enough deadfall wood to last a long time.
"Paula I'm free this afternoon. Let's meet for lunch and maybe an early movie." Benny offered.
Late Monday afternoon Maria drove Jerome home. Jared had been staying with his grandmother since Jerome's accident. Jerome had made great progress. There was no reason not to return to school. Maria had to finish enrolling him and Jared into the closest high school.
Jerome was still struggling with the missing memories from about Halloween to the day of the accident. After his ex-girlfriend had slapped him right there in the hospital room he had to resign himself to being unattached. In the middle of the night Jerome would wake up feeling empty without knowing why.
Maria's pulled into her driveway. Jerome got out of the car.
"Who lives there?" He asked pointing to the house next door.
"That is where Paula and Nephi live?" Maria answered.
"I hope I don't see him. Just thinking what he could have done makes my skin crawl." Jerome declared.
Benny grew impatient. "Jerome, Nephi didn't do anything to you. Nephi confessed that as much as he loved you, he wanted you to feel the same way about him. Your age was also a factor."
Maria shook her head. "He hasn't been home since the day you said he disgusted you."
Maria had to retract her last statement. Maria showed Jerome his room. All of Jerome's stuff was there. His clothes hung in the closet. His stereo was on his dresser. Even the posters were on the wall. Jared popped out of the Jack and Jill bathroom the brother's bedrooms shared.
"I had to tell Nephi where to hang the posters. He wanted everything to be perfect for you." Jared explained.
"Where is he? He's not here I hope." Jerome asked. Part of Maria wanted to smack him.
"I let Benny know you were coming home today. Benny let Nephi know. Nephi hijacked me from school." Jared informed his brother. "He's gone back to the cabin so you wouldn't have to see him. I wish I had somebody that cared that much for me."
"I'm not a queer like you!" Jerome retorted. Jared turned. He loved his brother but right now he didn't like him very much.
"Jerome pack your stuff. I'm taking you home. If you act like your father you aren't welcome under my roof." Maria was angry. "It's time for you to make some decisions."
Jerome sat on his bed thinking about what he had said about his brother and the man who had saved his life. He realized he sounded just like his father. He didn't know Nephi. If everyone else said he was a good guy, maybe he was.
The first thing Jerome took the first step to mend the bridge with his brother. It didn't bother him that Jared liked guys. Jerome had known for two years. Jerome cried on Jared's shoulder for a while. Then Jerome apologized to his grandmother. They talked while dinner was in the oven, about starting in a new school on Monday.
In the middle of the night Jared heard someone walking around the house. Jerome was looking for something.
"Jerome what are you looking for?" Jared asked.
Jerome didn't answer. He kept mumbling about being cold. Jared realized Jerome wasn't awake. He led his brother back to bed. Jared repeated the scenario twice more during the night.
"Jerome what were you looking for last night?" Jared asked.
"I wasn't looking for anything last night. I had a dream of being in the snow, but it was just a dream." Jerome answered.
"Drive the purple car to work." Paula told the boys as they were getting ready to leave. She hoped Nephi wouldn't mind. She hoped driving Nephi's car might help Jerome's memory.
As they started at the new high school Jerome had an advantage over Jared. Kids from the neighborhood came up and said hello. They knew him as Nephi's friend from church and the sleepover. Jerome chose not to say anything about not remembering them or Nephi. He liked being recognized. They accepted Jared as the brother of Jerome.
The day went well. No one mentioned anything about being gay. Jerome didn't remember the taunting he went through that led up to the accident but Jared did.
That night Jared once again found Jerome wandering the house. "I'm so cold." Jerome kept muttering.
"Your bed is warm." Jared reassured his brother as he led him back to bed. The second time he crawled in with his brother to keep him warm. About four in the morning Jerome shivered. Jared pulled him closer until Jerome settled down. Jared went to his own bed; he didn't want to creep Jerome out.
"Jerome, do you know you have been sleep walking at night?" Jared asked. Jerome denied it. It concerned Maria. She would ask the doctor that lived down the street.
As the boys were leaving the house Maria asked them to take the garbage cans to the curb.
"Don't forget to take out Paula's can. It's behind the house." She reminded the boys. Jared grabbed Maria's. Jerome walked around Paula's house looking for her cans. They were behind the garage. Jerome walked down the steps and looked in the french doors into Nephi's apartment. He wasn't sure how long he was staring with nose pressed to the glass. J
"Jerome, I don't want to be late for school!" Jared called.
Jerome tried the knob before he picked up the garbage can. It was unlocked. Something about that apartment haunted him throughout the day.
That night Jared thought he heard Jerome wandering around, but the noise stopped. Jared pulled his covers tighter around him and went back to sleep.
The next morning the house was in crisis. Jerome was missing. Maria noticed the french doors were unlocked. The snow across the deck showed signs of footprints, bare footprints.
Maria and Jared dressed and followed the footprints across the yard toward Nephi's door. They looked through the glass. Jared was about to open the door when Maria pulled him back.
"Let him sleep. He's found somewhere he feels warm." Maria decided.
Back in her kitchen Maria made a quick call and then made breakfast. Just as Jared finished eating a horn honked.
"That's your ride." Maria announced. Jared grabbed his backpack. A pickup truck waited at the curb. As Jared climbed into the cab he silently thanked his grandmother. His chauffeur was beautiful. Jared would have problems keeping parts of him under control.
"Hi, I'm Drake. You must be Jared." Drake offered his hand. Jake extended his. Looking into each other's eyes neither seemed willing to be the first to look away. A horn honking behind them brought them back to reality. Jared pulled the door closed.
A block nearer to the school Drake stopped and honked again. A cute young lady climbed into the truck. Jared's heart sank.
"Who's your friend Drake?" the young lady asked.
"Jared meet my cousin Hope." Drake introduced his cousin. Hope put her hand on Jared's knee. "Hope keep your hands off of him; I saw him first."
It was a tight fit in the front seat. Jared was straddling the stick shift. He hoped that the intimate touching with each gear shift was intentional. Drake had to know Jared was rock hard.
Maria popped over to Paula's for breakfast with a fresh set of clothes and Jerome's tennis shoes.
"Did you know you have a house guest?" Maria asked. She led the way into the basement. On Nephi's bed snuggled up to a huge body pillow was Jerome. Back in the kitchen Maria explained Jerome's unsettled state since the accident and his sleepwalking.
"That is the most peaceful I have seen Jerome since the accident." Maria said with tears in her eyes.
"I'm not surprised. He may not remember but in that apartment, he found safety and warmth. Nephi cuddles up with that pillow at night. It smells like Nephi." Paula responded.
Paula grabbed the gallon of milk and a carton of eggs and replaced the old ones in the basement fridge. "Shall we see what happens when he wakes up?"
Paula pulled out the cards and the friends started a hand of gin rummy. The shower in the basement turned on.
"So far so good." Maria commented.
About twenty minutes later they looked in on Jerome. He had fallen asleep snuggling with the pillow. A box of cereal was on the table so he had eaten breakfast. The clean clothes still lay where Maria had left them. Jerome's sweats he had slept in were on the floor. From the bits and pieces sticking out from under the blanket It was obvious Jerome was naked.
"Cute bum." Paula noted.
The ladies returned to their gin rummy game with a break for lunch and General Hospital on the television.
Jared and his new friends met for lunch. By the end of the day Jared learned that he shared two classes with Drake and one with Hope. In gym their lockers weren't on the same row but in the shower Jared got his first glimpse of Drake's gear shift. Jared would love a chance to change his gears. It was a two-handed shaft. Jared had never tried anything with a guy, but why start small.
Hope met Jared at the truck. While they waited for Drake, Hope wanted to talk.
"If you are going to hurt Drake, walk away now. I can tell that he likes you." Hope announced.
"I think I like him to." Jared answered. Hope kissed him on the cheek. Drake was upset.
"Calm down cousin. If he joins the family that would make him my kissing cousin." Hope teased.
Drake was still angry. Jared leaned over and kissed Drake on the cheek. "I'd like to be your kissing cousin, are our parents related?" Drake shook his head.
"We can pretend they are." Jared pulled Drake's chin toward him and pressed their lips together.
"Not in the school parking lot. How stupid can you get?" Hope interrupted their passion. "Go home and study together."
Jared called from Drake's house. "Grandma may I study at Drake's house until dinner?"
"Finish your school work before you study each other." Maria smiled. There was always a good feeling that came with a little successful matchmaking.
Around dinner time Jerome and Jared returned home. Maria and Jared agreed not to mention where Jerome slept the previous night.
After dinner Jerome groaned when Jared produced his missed assignments. Jared was on the phone in the bedroom while Jerome finished his homework. Jerome heard enough of the conversation to realize Jared had found a boyfriend. Jerome wondered for a moment why he was happy for his brother and not creeped out. He realized this was the happiest he had seen his brother for a long time.
Just before bed Jared stopped by to say goodnight.
"Congratulations, where did your find your boyfriend?" Jerome asked.
"Grandma found him for me." Jared chuckled and headed for bed.
Around midnight, Jared heard a familiar shuffling and the french doors close. Jared smiled. He hoped Jared would get sorted out sooner than later.