Pretty Boy (boyxboy)

Chapter Thirty Six

FRIDAY

"Did you ever tell your mom about your dad showing up?" Jamie asks as we head toward the lobby. 

I shake my head.
"If she shows up to get me this time, I guess I'll tell her then." 

Jamie nods and gives me a half smile.

I'm surprised, yet relieved, to see my mother is already waiting for me at the front lobby. Once I come into view, she is quick to my side, pulling me into a hug. I gasp in surprise as her arms tighten around my neck.

"Mom?" 

"I'm so sorry. I really am." She mumbles into my hair. 

I sigh and pull myself out of her grasp.
"It's okay. I just wanna go home." 

She nods and heads toward the door to wait for me. I grab my cell phone from the cardboard box that sits on top of Cindy's desk and hug Jamie goodbye. 
"If anything happens, call me. I'll be there."

She smiles and gives me a short nod.
"I will." 

I wave at her once more before meeting mom at the glass doors and following her outside to the car. 

"I really am sorry." She tells me as we pull out of the parking lot and onto the fairly busy street. 

"It's fine. Jamie and Nate's mom let me stay with them for the weekend so I wouldn't have to stay there by myself." 

She nods.
"That was really thoughtful of them."
"Did you have fun?"

I swallow and fight the urge to cry as the scenes of that night replay in my mind. 

"Matthew?" 
She turns her attention from the road over to me. "Did something happen?"

I nod and take a deep breath in through my nose.
"Nate and I left Jamie at their apartment for a couple hours. Their mom was at work so she was home alone." I start, already feeling my throat begin to close up to try and prevent myself from saying the words out loud. 

"What happened?"

"Jamie was raped, mom." I tell her brokenly. 

I hear her gasp, her eyes filling with sadness as she pulls into our driveway and stops the car. 
"Do they know who did it?" 

I nod again.
"The neighbor, Robert. Nate and I walked in when he was..." I can't even finish the sentence. 

She must understand what I'm trying to say because she kisses the side of my head. 
"I'm sorry, Matthew. Let's get inside and we can talk, okay?"

I nod and let myself out of the car, following her to the front door. 

Usually I would have some smart remark to say about how she waited two years to decide to finally talk to me, but I don't have the energy to fight her. She's getting better. She's changing, and I'm really glad about it. 

She flops down onto the couch and waits for me to do the same, her eyes staying focused on me.
"They pressed charges, correct?" 

"Yeah. He took a plea bargain though, so he got a reduced sentence." 

I hear her huff. 
"I hate the fact that they actually let bastards like that man off easy. Even after assaulting a child. It makes me sick." 

"Me too, mama. Me too." 
"There's something you should know." I add. 

Her face falls and she props herself up, sitting on her knees, waiting for me to continue. 

"I saw dad."