learning // reddie

19: I've Got You

"MAMA? ARE YOU UP HERE?" Eddie called from the top of the stairs, a broken-armed Richie following behind him. "Yes, dear!" Sonia called from her room, the sound of scissors clipping. Eddie turned to face Richie and gestured for him to follow quietly, and he walked smoothly into his mother's room. "Mama, can I talk to you about something? Can.. we?" Eddie asked softly, and Sonia turned in shock when she realized Eddie was not alone.
"Jesus, what happened to you, dear?" Sonia fretted, rushing forward to her son's boyfriend. "My dad," Richie croaked, and Sonia's frown deepened. "Honey, your arm is broken," Sonia stated matter-of-factly, "bad." Richie sighed as Sonia observed the rest of his injuries. "Did he slap you?" she asked, and the boy nodded while opening his mouth so she could see his chipped front tooth and gashed cheek. "We need to photograph these injuries right away. It's necessary to have evidence if we're going to take this man to court," Sonia calmed down, a passive anger in her voice. She turned to Eddie, then, tears in her eyes. "Go get my camera off the counter downstairs please, dear," she said, and Eddie dashed out of the room.
"I'm going to fight for you," Sonia informed, her voice wavering, "and I'm going to win, no matter what. I'm close friends with the court of law here. You'll be safe, honey." Richie could feel a new wave of emotion then, the emotion of feeling wanted- and not just by Eddie, but by his mother. The lump in his throat bobbed up and down when fresh tears turned up in his eyes, and Richie felt them break free and stream down his cheeks. "Thank you, Mrs. K," Richie whimpered, and Sonia held both of his hands. "Anything for the boy that's been making my son so bright recently," Sonia smiled, "if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have realized what a mistake I was making with those pills. He doesn't need anti-depressants to make him happy- he has you." Richie swallowed heavily.
"I really make him happy?" he asked insecurely, and Sonia nodded warmly. Eddie entered the room, then, a heavy-duty polaroid camera in hand. "Here, Mama," Eddie held it out and Sonia took it gratefully, making sure that the camera was loaded with film. "Okay, Richie, I'm going to need you to take the shirt off. If there's any bruises, I need to take pictures of them," Sonia commanded, and Richie turned a flush red. "Do I- Do I have to do it right here?" he asked, and Sonia giggled. "Oops, silly me! I'd just assumed Eddie's already seen more than that," she shrugged, and her spoken-for son choked on the air while Richie turned even redder. "Mama," Eddie groaned, leaving the room to sit on the other side of the door.
  As Richie slipped off the shirt, Sonia was met with angry and blooming purple bruises blossoming across his skin. The image reminded Sonia of a speckled paint pallet left to dry with crusting paint. Bringing the camera up to her face, she aimed it for multiple spots of Richie's skin. "Okay, Kid. I've got what I need from your torso. Head up," she instructed, putting her hand underneath his chin tenderly, forcing him to look up at her. Snapping pictures of his cheekbones, black eye, and bruised nose, she set the camera down so that she wipe the blood steadily dribbling out of the boy's nose. "All we need now is to check that busted cheek and chipped tooth out," Sonia told him, and Richie nodded. Opening his mouth, Sonia clicked the button and photographed the gash along the inside of Richie's mouth and the chipped tooth to the best of her abilities.
  "Last thing is your arm," Sonia smiled apologetically, and Richie cradled it gingerly. One picture later and Sonia had enough to definitely make a case out of the situation. "I'm going to drive you to the hospital, and I'll tell the nurses what happened there," Sonia said, wiping sweat off of her glistening forehead. She sweated from stress and it was very often. Eddie rejoined them on their way down the stairs and hopped in the backseat with Richie, who still had tears in his eyes. "Hey, it'll be okay," Eddie consoled softly, taking Richie's good hand into his own and rubbing small circles into the palm of it. Richie smiled despite the immense pain it brought him. "Thank you, Eds," he murmured, leaning forward to cuddle his head into the crook of Eddie's neck. It gave him comfort to be so close to the boy he loves dearly.
  Eddie shivered involuntarily at the feeling of Richie's breath against his neck, but forced it down when he could feel Richie smile once more. He couldn't give Richie the satisfaction of getting a response out of him. "Just because I'm babying you right now doesn't make it okay for you to tease me," Eddie whispered fiercely, and Richie smirked. "I'll be looking forward to those fishnets after all of this is over," the boy whispered back, making sure his voice was low enough so Sonia couldn't hear him. "We're literally going to the hospital for you at this very moment and all you can think about are fishnets?" Eddie's eyes widened at the thought, and Richie nodded sheepishly.
  "I can't believe you sometimes."

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  "ITS JUST A HAIRLINE FRACTURE, Mrs. K. I can assure you that he'll be fine with a cast for a few weeks," the doctor insisted, and Sonia frowned. "Alright.. Will you check him out everywhere? After what I told you I believe that you should give him a full exam," she asked, hinting at Richie's "special situation." Richie looked up in surprise- Sonia was really going all out for him. She really did care.
  "I'll do everything I can," the doctor dismissed, waving Eddie and Sonia out of the room. After much reluctance, Eddie found himself walking out of the room sullenly, not wanting to leave Richie alone in the room. The hospital could be an intimidating place, especially the doctors' in it. He didn't want Richie to face whatever he was going through alone, either. Eddie wanted to be there for him, to protect him. "He'll be okay, Eddie Bear," Sonia reassured, rubbing Eddie's back lovingly with her hand, "I know he will. He seems strong, a fighter." Eddie sniffled and the smell of sterile cleaning chemicals and latex gloves filled his nostrils- a homely smell from Eddie's many visits to the hospital, which seemed so long ago.
  "Thank you, Mama," Eddie said in earnest, "for caring so much. I love you." Sonia's chest thumped in happiness; hearing her son say those words for the first time since Christmas melted her heart. "I love you, too, Eddie."