"Take Me To Church" - Hosier

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sal couldn't breathe. Something about the way Travis looked at him made his lungs stop working.

Exspisically right now. Standing in his doorway with pure and utter fear in his eyes. Sal couldn't even think straight. "Oh my fucking God, Travis!"

Travis gave him a weak smile and walked inside. He sat down on the couch clutching at his side. "Sorry I-"

"Stop." Sal said.  "It's fine. I told you I want you here."

Travis glanced over his body, taking into account that he was shirtless and his hair was wet. "I should have texted."

"Baby I was just showering. I don't care." Sal laughed. "Now uh show me what happened."

Travis lifted his shirt, wincing. "I think it's broken." He said referring to his rib.

"Trav you need to go to a hospital-"

"Nope. No. I'm not going to a hospital. It's not that bad." Travis said.

Sal frowned. "Your rib is broken."

"Sal. My dad has eyes and ears everywhere if I go to a hospital it could make things so much worse." Travis said.

Sal sighed and got an ice pact. "Okay.  No hospital. But just stay here tonight please?"

"Yea I can do that." Travis said. Sal lifted Travis' shirt. He carefully placed the ice on the severely bruised skin. "Fuck!" Travis dug his face into Sal's neck.

Sal sighed. "I know." He kissed the top of Travis' head. "Can I ask what happened?"

"Well um."

"Travis!" Kenneth shouted. "Get down here!"

Travis sighed and carefully made his way down stairs. "Yes sir?"

"What happened with that girl?" Kenneth asked.

"Oh um. We're still talking." He lied.

"Really?" Kenneth raised an eyebrow. "What's here name?"

Shit.

Travis never got her name. "Um." He wasn't gonna be able to lie his way through this one. And clearly Kenneth knew it.

Without a second glance Kenneth knock Travis to the ground. "You wanna lie to me!" He shouted stomping on Travis' stomach. He continued to the point Travis coughed up blood. "Only sinners are liars!" He kicked Travis again.

He grabbed Travis by the neck and forced him on to his knees. "Spit out all of those sinner ways." Travis sallowed hard.

No. Please God no. Not this again.

"Now Travis!"

Sal wrapped his arms around Travis. "Baby I'm sorry." He grabbed Travis' face. "You turn 18 in a week right?"

"Sal."

"Travis I'm getting you out of their." Sal said sternly. "I will drag you out."

"Fine." Travis said. Sal gave him a quick kiss and went back to his broken ribs. "Ah!"

Sal frowned. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Travis said. The front door open making Travis jumped. "Shit!" He whined grabbing his rib.

Sal grabbed his arm. "Be careful!"

Lisa looked at the state of the two boys. "What's going on?"

Sal grabbed his mask off the coffee table and looked at her. "Lisa he broke his rid. I don't know what to." Sal allowed his panic to seep into his voice more than he wanted.

"Okay Breathe Sal." She said setting her stuff down. "Take your shirt off let me see." She directed to Travis. Travis sighed and slowly took off his shirt. "Jesus." She mumbled looking at his bruised body.

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Sal quietly sipped his straw, not wanting to look at Lisa. "Sal. Something is going on at that boys home." She finally said.

"I- I know." Sal hung his head low. "He turns 18 in a week."

"Make sure he knows he can stay here." Lisa said glancing at the bathroom.

Sal laughed. "That's uh kind of the plan. I was gonna talk to you and Dad about it tomorrow."

"Well the answers yes." Lisa said. "Isn't he Kenneth's kid?"

"Yea. I am." Travis said. He sat down next to Sal and dried his hair. "Do you still have my shirt."

Sal looked at the cut that was on Travis' forehead which was previously hidden by his hair. "Yes. What happened to your forehead?"

"Uh." Travis leaned to whisper in Sal's ear. "When my dad pushed me I kind of hit my head."

Sal moved Travis' hair and looked closer. Lisa glanced at the wound. "Is it still bleeding?"

Travis shook his head. "No ma'am."

Lisa cringed. "No need to call me ma'am." She leaned over the counter looking at his forehead. "Sal go grab me a bandage."

"Okay." Sal hopped up and made his way to the bathroom.

Lisa smiled. "I'm Larry's mom by the way, Lisa."

"Sal talks about you a lot." Travis said.

Sal cam out of the bathroom and handed Lisa the bandage. She opened it. "Look at me." She told Travis, which he obliged. She carefully placed the bandage over his cut. "There all better." She gave him a sweet smile.

"Thank you, Lisa." Sal said, examining Travis body for more cuts or wounds. "How's your ribs?"

Travis smiled. "It hurts like hell."

Lisa handed him some pills to Travis and handed Sal and ice pack. "Just keep icing it. You probably do have a few broken ribs Travis." She sighed. "I'm gonna go lay. You two be careful."

Sal nodded and placed the ice pack against Travis ribs. Travis hissed. "I don't think I'm gonna used to that."

"Hopefully you won't need to." Sal said. "Are you okay?"

Travis smiled. "I'm fine. I like Lisa she seems nice."

"You're gonna have to. You're gonna be living with her." Sal joked.

Travis laughed. "Nope. Please don't make me laugh again." He tired to touch his rib.

"Didn't even realize that would hurt." Sal said.

"Thank you." Travis said.

Sal tilted his head. "For what?"

"I don't know, everything?" Travis said. He kissed Sal's knuckles. "Really it means so much to me."

Sal smiled. "Don't thank me. I did it cause I wanted to."

"I know."