[BoyXBoy] - Not-Quite-16 year old Hayden Davis finds himself seeking shelter in the Arizona desert with his mom after his dad's deportation and the fall of the Orange County business Empire his parents had built.
He's working with his mom to get th...
We stay with Tank at the coffee shop until his dad can drive the few hours distance. Mom buys us lunch but only she and Aaron are hungry. I sit beside Tank and hold his hand under the table. I can feel his anxiety. He knows his dad is on his way and expects all kinds of awful ahead.
"I need the restroom," he says when mom is deep into her salad.
"Ok. Aaron will go with you. None of us are leaving you until you are safely back with your parents," she says. She knows better than to let him go alone.
"He's going to be so angry." Tank looks at her like a deer in the sniper's crosshairs.
"Yes, but he'll be relieved. If I think you're in danger then I'll drive you home myself. Deal? We will be driving right behind you the whole way home." Mom reaches across and holds his hand.
He nods but I can feel him grip my hand with the one my mom isn't holding. I lean over and lay my head against his shoulder. I wish I could calm him down.
Mom calls Mrs. Kempton when Tank reluctantly takes Aaron to the restroom with him.
"His dad should be there soon," she assures us.
"I don't want him yelling at the boy," mom says. "He's already scared enough."
"He's so upset. I told him, 'You bring my baby home.' I can't believe Talmadge left like that. I feel like such a failure. He is such a sweet boy and always so happy. I don't know what went wrong," she tells mom.
"We'll fix this. We will. It'll be ok," mom tries to reassure her.
+++ +++ +++
Mr. Kempton comes into the coffee shop with Gideon, Tank's oldest brother, right behind him.
Gideon looks like a younger, taller version of his father. The Kempton men are built like steel. Mr. Kempton looks around frantically until his eyes find us. I nod my head at mom and she turns and stands to receive him first.
He looks so pissed. His face is red and sweaty. He has on a t-shirt and gym shorts with tennis shoes like he had intended to go for a hard workout when he found out Tank had left. He must have grabbed his keys and set off without thinking.
Tank lets go of my hand and he stands up like his drill sergeant just called him to attention. Mr. Kempton goes around mom and heads straight for his son.
The look in Tank's eyes is pure terror and he starts to back away.
"No, dad. Please! I'm sorry," he starts to say. He puts his hands up and braces for impact.
"Brian!" Mom tries to stop him, but he ignores her and goes around me.
"My boy," Mr. Kempton growls and grabs Tank by his left bicep.
He pulls him against his chest and puts his arms around him. He hugs him tightly against his pecs. One hand is up on the back of Tank's hair, pushing him in. I see Tank go weak in his arms and he hugs his father back.
"I am so sorry, son," Mr. Kempton says. He puts his chin on top of Tank's head and closes his eyes. "I love you. I love you," he whispers to Tank as he's squeezing him in his arms.
I watch Tank start to shake and hear his sobs muffled by his father's shirt. He tries to say something back to his dad but it's unintelligible. He looks so small in his father's hold.
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