Christmastime at Papa Lee's Read online

  “Are you okay?” Sonny sat beside him and Casey felt his had rubbing up and down his back in comfort. “You do know you couldn’t have stopped this, right?”

  Did he? “But what if I had gone outside earlier? What if I was there? Maybe they wouldn’t have, and he—”

  “If you had been out there with him, you probably would have both been hurt, and we would have had to worry over the pair of you.” A deep sigh came from beside him as Sonny continued. “I don’t know why someone has it out for Marty. He’s usually one of the most easygoing people I know. Everyone likes Marty.”

  “The police asked me if he had any exes they should be aware of, but I didn’t know. Is there someone they should be informed of?”

  Sonny seemed to think about it for a moment. “Not really. Marty hasn’t dated in a long time. We always teased him that you were his secret boyfriend.”

  “What?!” Shock zapped through him as if he had somehow been electrocuted.

  “Come on, you’re not dumb enough to think you can get away with pretending you don’t know Marty has feelings for you. Even blind Freddy knew; Marty’s face is an open book whenever he looks in your direction.”

  “‘Had feelings,’ you mean. He hasn’t wanted to be near me since I started working at the café. I don’t know what I did, but he backed off mighty quick after your parents hired me.” The bitterness in his word was evident, and he couldn’t have hidden the fact if he wanted to.

  “Has feelings… I don’t know why he backed off, but he has liked you for over a year, and that I can tell you is a fact. He’s my brother, my twin, and I know him better than he knows himself.

  He may not have admitted it out loud, but you’ve always been on his radar.”

  A strangled laugh morphed into a sob as he leaned into Sonny’s side. He didn’t even move when Ellen came down the corridor and handed them all a coffee or tea. It was good to hold something in his hands even if it was an attempt to quiet the shaking rippling through them.

  “I don’t know what’ll happen if…” his words drifted off as a doctor headed in their direction with a determined look on his face.

  “Who’s here for Martin Lee?”

  “Marty,” Catherine corrected automatically without thought.

  “How is he?” Graeme asked as he stood up.

  “The good news is there was no internal bleeding. The bad news is he has two fractured ribs, a very bruised and battered left cheek, a broken left forearm, and a broken right ankle. All the breaks are clean and should mend nicely. Having said that, Marty’s going to be in pain, especially tomorrow, once all the bruising is fully formed and he’s conscious and aware of what has happened. Right now he’s having the casts he needs put on. It will still be a couple of hours before you will have a chance to see him. Marty will be out of it. He did wake up, but we put him back under for at least tonight to give his body a chance to start the healing process.”

  “Thank you,” Catherine whispered, and by the look on her face, she was relieved, because things could have been worse.

  Breaks and fractures would heal.

  Death, on the other hand, was permanent.

  “Shit!” The expletive came out like an explosion. His heart pounded with enough force he wouldn’t be surprised if it burst from his chest. He tried to suck in a lungful of much needed air but failed miserably. He didn’t know what was wrong with him.

  His whole body felt like an earthquake inside. If it went on for much longer he was going to shake apart right where he was. He fought the darkness trying to claim him as best he could but to no avail.

  § § §

  When Casey finally opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a bed with a very concerned Sonny and Ellen standing beside him. “What happened?”

  Ellen reached out and took a hold of his hand, “You went into shock, and the doctor had to give you a sedative.”

  “What?” he asked. As he focused on the pair, he realized they were in different clothes.

  “Last night,.” Sonny took a deep breath, “last night you kinda had a fit brought on by shock. It was one of the scariest fucking things I have ever seen and something I definitely never want to have to witness again.”

  Last night? What the hell? As memories of last night flooded him, he could feel the trembling starting up again. “Marty? What happened?”

  “Marty’s doing fine. He’s still sedated, but they’ll be bringing him out of it today. I won’t lie, he’s a fucking mess, but at least he’s alive.” Tears glistened in Sonny’s eyes. “Whoever did this did some damage.”

  Pushing himself up until he was in a sitting position, Casey asked, “What do the police have to say about this? Have they found out who did it?”

  Sonny shook his head. “The police are looking into it. They say until Marty’s awake and they can talk to him to see what he remembers, they’re pretty much at a standstill, though they have been canvassing the neighborhood asking if anyone saw anything.”

  Casey didn’t know what else to say.

  Minutes passed as the silence between them grew, and he got the feeling Sonny wanted to say something or ask something but was trying to work out the best way to say it. Maybe they thought this really was his fault, and they wanted him to leave.

  “Spit it out already, Sonny.” He dreaded hearing what had to be said.

  “Casey, I love my brother very much. I can’t handle seeing him in pain, and I don’t mean the physical pain from what happened to him last night.”

  Confusion flooded Casey as he stared at the worried looks both Ellen and Sonny wore. “What are you saying?”

  A deep sigh spilled from Sonny’s lips as he scrubbed his hand over his face. “Casey, you know that Marty likes you, right? I mean, he probably more than likes you.”

  “No, he doesn’t,” Casey shook his head. “I thought he did, but after I started working at the café he pulled away from me. I think you’ve got it all wrong.”

  Another sigh, “Yes, he does. It’s our fault he pulled away from you.”

  “What are you talking about?” A feeling of unease filled him up until he felt like he was going to drown.

  “When you first started, we — as in the whole staff — had a meeting, and we all told him to keep his hands off you and his dick in his pants.” The words started out slow and ended in an explosion.

  Casey couldn’t believe what he’d heard. “What?!”

  “Okay, now that I’ve said it out loud it sounds bad. We didn’t want… I mean, if things didn’t work out, we didn’t want you to leave. We all thought it was best if he just didn’t, ya know?” At least Sonny had the decency to look ashamed.

  He still couldn’t believe this whole conversation was true.

  “And what did Marty have to say about this?”

  “He didn’t agree,” Ellen jumped in. “When I heard about it, I told them they were all idiots, and it was between you and Marty. But did they listen to me? No.”

  Casey had to ask. “Why are you telling me this now?”

  “Because after what happened last night, I decided we don’t have the right to dictate how Marty lives his life. If that means you two don’t work out, then so be it. But who are we to stand in the way of him finding happiness?”

  Biting his lower lip and frowning, Casey took a moment to think through what he wanted to say before he finally spoke.

  “Marty’s the first person in a long time who’s actually seen the real me and still liked me anyway. He liked me even when my own family didn’t. I’m not sure he likes me the way you all seem to think, but I’ve always hoped he could have those feelings for me.”

  “He does. I’ve never seen him care about anyone like he does you. Marty has been on a few dates since coming out, but there has been no one who caught his interest until you.”

  “In that case,” Casey forced himself to continue, “I’d like for everyone to butt out and give us a chance to get to know each other.”

  “Yeah. About that, here�
��s the thing. Marty will probably fight you on it now. He has it in his head that you’re off limits.”

  Ellen scoffed. “Because you put it there.” She focused her gaze on Casey. “Look, I guess what he’s trying to say and failing miserably is this: Marty’s stubborn. Hard to believe, but it’s true. You’re gonna have a fight on your hands for him to see you as not being off limits. Even if everyone tells him it’s now okay, he’ll stick to his guns. As ridiculous as it sounds, you/we are going to have to trick him into trying or you have to up the ante and seduce the man senseless.”

  Laughter burst out of Casey like a fountain. He couldn’t seem to stop himself. The more he tried, the harder he laughed. He couldn’t believe how messed up and totally insane this whole thing was becoming or was about to become.

  “It’s not that funny,” Sonny stated.

  “Oh yes it is. Can you imagine the look on his face when he finds out? Marty will blow a gasket. After a month of living with him even I know that.”

  “You’ll have the rest of us to help.” Ellen interjected.

  He shook his head. “As much as I know you want to help, no thanks. If I do this, I want to do it my way. I want Marty to see this is what I really want.”

  “Okay,” Sonny and Ellen said in unison as the doctor walked into the room.

  “You are looking much better.” The doctor smiled at Casey and asked a few mundane questions before releasing him into the capable hands of Sonny and Ellen. This only seemed to set off Casey’s laughter all over again. He was still chuckling by the time they got to the room where Marty was.

  The moment Casey entered the room, all the laughter left him.

  His entire body felt like an empty vacuum. He stumbled slightly as he made his way to the side of the bed and stood beside the chair where Catherine sat holding her son’s hand. Feeling a tug on his sleeve, he looked down.

  “He’s going to be okay. The doctors say he will be sore for a while and be on light duties and plenty of bed rest, but he will come out of it with no permanent damage…,” her voice trailed off.

  Casey walked around the bed and leaned over the side, grazing a soft kiss over the bruised cheek. Tears sprang to his eyes, and his vision blurred as he took everything in. “You come back to me. I need you here with me.” A hand landed on his back.

  “Casey, son, he is going to wake up as soon as whatever they gave him wears off.” Graeme’s voice was rough and filled with emotion.

  “I love him.” Casey blurted out.

  “That’s good, son, that’s real good.” Graeme stated.

  Chapter Four

  Waking up in a hospital in intense pain was not Marty’s idea of fun. Spending the next two days in the same hospital wasn’t any better. Going home to share an apartment with Casey was true torture. In the week he’d been home, Casey had moved himself into Marty’s room, stating he wouldn’t hear Marty call out during the night, and it was better if he just stayed in the same room.

  Sleep was becoming a thing of the past as he lay there each night trying to get comfortable and not disturb the man next to him. What made the situation a hundred times worse, Casey was a snuggler. At some stage every night, he turned until he was pressed up against Marty’s body.

  “You know I’m feeling much better now; you can move back into your own room if you want,” he hedged as he watched Casey sitting at his dresser applying his eyeliner and such as he got ready for the day. All Casey did was frown at him through the mirror and kept doing what he was doing.

  Sighing, Marty stared up at the ceiling. “Casey, why are you doing this?”

  Marty heard the chair scrape back across the floor as Casey stood and made his way across the room. The side of the bed sunk a little as the younger man carefully sat down, as if he was trying not to jostle him too much.

  “Give it up, Marty. You aren’t getting rid of me. I know about the stupid meeting and why you think I’m off limits. They never gave me a choice in at all in this. I told them all that I get to decide on my future, and we get to decide on ours.”

  “We don’t have a future,” Marty said quietly. “There’s no room in my life for you.”

  “You’re lying,” Casey stated. He leaned forward, and the slight pressure of his lips against Marty’s forehead as he kissed him was warm. Marty craved the feeling, yet he knew it was wrong. He didn’t want to give Casey false hope.

  “Casey, there’s nothing between you and me. What might have been is no longer possible. Please try and move on; find someone who’s willing to give themselves to you, because I’m telling you now I’m not that person.” The lie fell from his lips easily, and it shamed him through and through, especially when he saw the deep hurt in the other man’s eyes.

  Casey stood up, his actions a little stiffer than usual. “I don’t know why you are lying to me, but you are.”

  “I’m not lying.” He spoke to Casey’s back as the man turned and left the room. Part of him wanted to know why the hell he was lying, while the other part of him already knew Casey couldn’t be with him. What if next time whoever did this to him came and decided Casey was an easier target? Marty would never be able to live with himself if that happened.

  He winced as he heard the outside door to the apartment slam closed. Casey was pissed off at him, but maybe that was for the best. Marty didn’t need the guilt of Casey getting hurt because of him on his conscience.

  As he lay there contemplating all this for God knew how long, he heard the apartment door open again, and his mother’s voice called out to him. “I’m in the bedroom, Ma,” he yelled in return.

  The frown on her face as she appeared in the doorway was to be expected. The woman doted on Casey as if he was one of her own, which he had become over the last couple of months.

  “What have you done to upset your boy this time?”

  “I didn’t do anything. Casey wants something from me which I can’t give him. The sooner he realizes it, the better off we’ll both be.” The words sounded hollow, and he wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince.

  “You’re an idiot.”

  “I’m not an idiot.”

  “You are an idiot.”

  “Ma!”

  “Marty!” She threw straight back at him. “We were wrong to ask you what we did. We all see that now.”

  Marty shook his head. “No, you were right. If Casey’s a permanent part of my life then he could end up as hurt as I am.

  I can’t let that happen. It’s not fair on him.”

  “Oh, Marty.” The sadness on her face tore at his heart, and he found it getting harder and harder to breathe.

  “Ma, it’s just better this way.”

  His mother nodded, even though he could clearly read in her eyes that she wasn’t happy with what he was saying.

  “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

  “I sure hope so, because this isn’t only your heart you’re playing with here. Casey has feelings for you. Remember, whatever you decide is going to affect him as well.”

  He grimaced. “I know that, but it’s his health I’m looking at, not his heart. He’ll get over me in time.”

  “Why do you think what happened to you will happen to Casey if you two are together? Hold that thought.” She walked across the room, returning moments later with the chair Casey used at the dresser earlier. She placed it at the side of the bed and sat.

  The reprieve had given Marty enough time to get his thoughts in order. “I really have this feeling that whoever is doing this to me is watching me. They know everything about me and when I’m the most vulnerable. They probably already know Casey lives in the apartment with me.” He shook his head. “This is going to sound stupid, but I feel that whoever is doing this to me knows me really well, knows me well enough that he or she knows what shifts I’m on.” He looked at his mother and the intense look of fear on her face. “I know I sound crazy, but I can’t help how I feel.”

  The silence in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
r />   Marty could see his mother sorting through everything he said until it fell neatly into place inside her head.

  Leaning over, she grabbed his cell off the bedside table and punched in a number. “I think you might be right.” she spoke to whoever was on the other end filling them in on his theory and agreeing with whatever was being said in return. By the time she had finished, Marty’s gut was twisted up in knots of anxiety.

  After she ended the call, she replaced the phone on the table and took a moment to take a deep breath. “That was Officer Houston. He and his partner are on his way over. They would like to discuss this with you some more.”

  Marty nodded and then he had to ask. “Is Casey really pissed at me?”

  His mother winced before replying. “He’s not too happy; that’s for sure. I thought it best to keep him busy and sent him in to work early. He needs to keep busy so he doesn’t start over-thinking everything.” She looked at him and frowned. “I guess we all fucked up on this one, eh son?”

  “Ma!” Marty couldn’t believe his ma swore. He hadn’t heard her swear in a very long time. Working in Papa Lee’s, they all tried to keep it clean. Well, as clean as possible. There were times in life where everyone needed to curse long and loud. They all knew to do it in private where the customers couldn’t hear them.

  “What? Don’t look at me like that. I was channeling your father for a moment.” She smiled.

  “Well you channeled him perfectly, I might say.” Reaching for his phone, he flipped through the contacts and pulled up the one he needed. “Can you give me a minute? I need to apologize to someone.”

  Standing, his mother chuckled. “I’ll go and make some coffee. You make sure you get him to forgive your stupid ass.”