Past, Present and Future

Confrontation

A few days after moving our road manager into the small studio apartment, I head over there to see if he would like to go out to dinner or if he wants me to bring him something. When I get there, he's cowering in the doorway with a bloody nose and bruised jaw. "Oh my T! Come back inside!" I cry. 

I pick him up, even though he's taller than me and lay him on the couch. Heading towards the kitchen for ice, I'm met by an angry ex. "What are you doing here?" I ask. "Did you hit him?" 

"Get out! He's always going to be mine." 

"I think not." I push him out of the apartment and lock the door. Going back to the living room, I hold out an ice pack and wait for T to take it. His hands are shaking but he manages to press it against his jaw. I get his nose to stop bleeding after a few minutes. "I came over to see if you were hungry." 

He looks at me with his beautiful hazel-brown eyes and shakes his head. Almost too soft for me to hear him, he whispers, "I am, but I don't want to eat. I just wanna go to bed."

"Tell you what, go take a shower or bath while I make you something. I'll bring it to you when I'm done." 

I'm done before he is, so I bring it to the bedroom. He opens the door to the bathroom and comes out in a t-shirt and sweatpants. "I made grilled cheese and soup." 

I get a small smile as he sits down to eat. When he accidently drops part of his sandwich, I see how much fear comes to the surface. "I-I-I'm sorry! I don't deserve the rest! Don't hit me!" 

I reach down to pick it up and he freaks out. "I'm not gonna hit you!" "It's just a sandwich."

Reaching out to try and calm him down, I hear the tray drop as he starts crying. "Sh! Sh!"

He's squeezed into the corner of the bed, hugging himself and crying. I clean up the food and take it to the kitchen. Coming back, I climb on the bed with him and wrap him in a blanket. 

"Hey, calm down. It's okay." I tell him. Putting my arms around him, I finally get him to stop crying and lie down. I lie beside him and hold him, all the while talking gently to him. "I'm here. It's going to be okay."

I must have dozed off because later I wake up to find him asleep on my chest, holding me tight. This is a wonderful feeling.

Hopefully it's a turning point.