My Brother’s Keeper - 45

Roy put a hand over Tad’s mouth. “Shush up for a minute. I’m not mad, well not really. I think it’s a wonderful idea. Hey!” He pulled his hand back fast when Tad nipped his palm. “Fight fair, no biting.”

Tad chuckled. “I’ll remember that for later. But really, I mean look at this place. It’s big enough but not too big and it’s close enough to both our jobs and the realtor said the neighborhood is, umm, ‘tolerant’ I think was her word.”

“Tolerant is good,” Roy admitted. “So, show us around.”

“On your left you’ll see…” Tad began in his best tour-guide voice.

Three months later they had moved into the house. It had taken most of what was left of his trust fund to pay for it but as far as Tad was concerned it was well worth it not to have to worry about mortgage payments and all the potential hassle surrounding them. Roy had gone from ‘No way in hell are you doing that’ to ‘You buy the house and Jerry and I will furnish it’. In the end they had compromised since neither of the brothers had any money other than what they were earning from their jobs. The three of them pooled half their incomes for a couple of months to buy furniture with the agreement that the brothers would start savings accounts, the monies to be used for any future major purchases.

During one of their furniture shopping forays Jerry had run into a girl he knew from high school. They began hanging out together and while he wasn’t willing to commit to the idea that they had something serious going on. he did admit that he liked her more than a little. That had earned him a stern lecture from Roy on the joys and dangers of sex that had him rolling his eyes.

“So help me if she turns up pregnant…” Roy had growled to Tad that evening as they got ready for bed.

“Trust Jer. He’s a good kid,” Tad had admonished him, which in the end Roy had admitted he knew.

“I guess it’s my parental instincts coming out,” he’d grumbled.

“And you do the whole thing very well. You have since the day I met you and for a long time before that. So stop worrying.”

“I think we’re both pretty good at it when it comes right down to it,” Roy commented.

“And that my dear man is because we both love him, and each other. That is what makes a family a family.”

Roy smiled, wrapping his arms around Tad. “That’s exactly what we are. Family.”

The End

My Brother’s Keeper - 44

(Epilogue - 1)

“I did it!” Jerry was grinning ear to ear, the tails of his graduation robe flying out behind him as he raced over to join Roy and Tad, showing Roy his diploma.

Roy hugged him hard, as did Tad seconds later. Then Tad looked at Roy and winked. “You might as well let him know.”

Jerry looked between them. “Know what?”

“I didn’t want to take your big day away from you, but…” Roy took a well-folded piece of paper from his pocket, handing it to Jerry.

“Oh yeah, hot damn! This is super cool,” Jerry said once he’d read it. “So we’re both high school graduates.

“Yep, but you earned your diploma legitimately. I just have a GED.”

“That’s totally legit too,” Jerry assured him as he linked his arms with Roy and Tad. “So, where are we going to celebrate?”

“Well, I have an idea but you’re going to have to trust me,” Tad replied.

Roy smiled at him. “Always, so lead on.”

It took twenty minutes to arrive at their destination, although ten of them were spent just getting out of the high school parking lot since everyone seemed to be trying to leave at the same time.

When Tad pulled off main road onto a side street, Roy shot a look at Jerry. He shrugged. When the car stopped in front of a small house in the middle of the block the two brothers were really confused.

“Are we picking up someone else?” Roy asked.

“No. There’s something I wanted to show you.” Tad got out of the car, waiting for the others to join him before he started up the walk. When he got to the front door he unlocked it, standing back to let them go inside first.

“It’s umm, nice,” Roy said hesitantly as he looked around the large, unfurnished living room.

“Great kitchen,” Jerry said moments later as he began exploring. He came back with the idea that he should check out the rest of the first floor.

Roy held up a hand to stop him. “This isn’t our house and whoever it belongs…too…” He stopped as it finally hit him. “Don’t tell me you bought this,” he growled at Tad. “Without even consulting me? Us?”

Tad shook his head. “I wanted you two to see it first. If you don’t like it there are a couple of others…”

“I know we talked about maybe, someday, getting a house but damn it Tad. I mean couldn’t you at least have talked to me first?”

“Sorry,” Tad said, a hangdog expression on his face. “I wanted to surprise you. Both of you have been working so hard and I had some free time so I figured I’d at least see what was available but I guess I screwed up and…”

My Brother’s Keeper - 43

“Why were you late? Didn’t you get my message?” Roy asked as soon as he and the others were in the hall outside of Max’s office.

“I did, but not until after I got finished talking with the committee.”

“What committee?” Jerry wanted to know.

“The one that had to approve my photos for the Winter Art Show.”

Roy grabbed his arm to make him standstill. “And did they?” he asked excitedly.

“Yes.” Tad grinned at him. “Not only did they like them, they’re going to give me one of the places of honor in the exhibit.”

“Hot damn!” Roy threw his arms around Tad, hugging him tightly. “That’s fantastic.”

Jerry hugged him too, although not quite so closely. “You’re going to be famous.”

Tad shrugged. “I doubt that, but it’s nice knowing people will get to see them and hopefully like them.”

“Of course they’ll like them, look who the subjects are,” Jerry told him with a broad grin.

“I was thinking,” Tad said seriously as he looked at Roy. “Maybe I should blur your faces in them?”

“Why?” Roy was puzzled for a second and then he got it. “I’m not ashamed that we were on the streets. It was part of our life and what we had to do. If anyone should be ashamed it would be my parents for forcing us into that situation.”

“I totally agree,” Jerry said adamantly. “Show away. Damn the torpedoes or something like that.”

Tad cocked an eyebrow. “Where on earth did you learn that?”

“In school. We were studying the Civil War and some navy guy said it.”

“School.” Roy snapped his fingers. “We have to get you enrolled as soon as possible.”

“After I talk to the realty company and get you on the lease,” Tad pointed out.

“And then we have to…”

The discussion continued as they walked to the bus stop, Roy checking his notes and adding to them. It didn’t stop until they were almost back to the apartment.

My Brother’s Keeper - 42

“Why isn’t he answering?” Roy asked; a rhetorical question of course since Jerry and Max had no answer for him. Roy had tried calling before they’d left Tad’s apartment and had been sent to his voicemail where he left a message. Now they were at Max’s office after a twenty minute walk and he still couldn’t get through to Tad.

“I bet he turns his phone off when he’s in class,” Jerry suggested.

“But he knew I was going to call. He’d at least have left it on vibrate.”

“Guys, how about we get started,” Max said. He commiserated with them but he did have his own schedules to meet.

Once they were all settled in his office he laid out exactly what was going to happen and what Roy had to do in order to obtain guardianship of Jerry. When he finished, Roy nodded slowly as he looked at the notes he’d taken. Then, hesitantly, he asked the two questions that were uppermost in his mind at the moment.

“Will the court have a problem if Jerry and I are living with Tad, and what happens if my parent’s fight me on this?”

“As long as you can prove you legally live there you should be fine. I would suggest however that you omit the fact that you and he are in a relationship, if you are that is. As for your parents, I’m quite certain they’ll fight this, but I’ll fight harder and I have the weapons and the training to do that.”

“Then my name needs to be on the lease too?”

“It does.” Max stopped when the office door opened. Tad stood there and Max beckoned for him to join them.

Tad did, apologizing profusely for being late. “But I have a good reason, which I’ll tell you later,” he whispered to Roy.

“We were just discussing Roy’s need for a permanent residence.”

Tad looked at them in surprise. “I though that had been decided, they’re going to live at the apartment.” He frowned at Roy. “Or did you change your mind?”

“No, no,” Roy hastily assured him. “But…” he looked at Max.

“If this is going to work his name has to be on the lease as well,” Max explained.

“Oh, is that all. That shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll talk to the rental company as soon as we finish here. It is a two bedroom apartment so they must expect people to have roommates.”

“Just make certain you let them know that’s what he is. There’s no sense in giving his family any unnecessary ammunition,” Max cautioned.

“But I was planning on marching in there and telling them I was moving my boyfriend in,” Tad replied with a straight face. Then he chuckled. “I’m not a complete idiot, Max. I already figured that part out.”

“Thought you would,” Max told him. “Now let’s get some paperwork done and then you’re free to leave.

My Brother’s Keeper - 41

Tad tossed some cash at the cab driver, grabbed his bag and portfolio, and dashed into the building. He slid into his seat just as the professor entered the room. An hour later, after he’d explained why he had missed some classes, which the professor accepted with reasonably good grace, he was walking on to his next class.

As he crossed the campus he heard Melodie call his name. With a sigh he waited for her to catch up. When she linked her arm with his and asked in a very aggravated voice why he hadn’t called her he gave her a brief rundown on what had happened.

“Well you should have called anyway,” she pouted. “After all I am your girlfriend. You’re supposed to let me know what’s going on.”

Tad bit his lip, and then bit the bullet. “About that, I think it’s time we went our separate ways,” he replied.

“You what?” she screeched. “Are you breaking up with me?” Before he could reply in the affirmative she said almost as loudly, “After all we’ve been to each other, how could you?”

“That’s rather cliché,” he muttered. “And if you want to face the truth, Mel, the only thing I’ve been to you is a source of help with your class work and someone to be with to show your friends that you did have a boyfriend.”

“That’s so not true.” She glared daggers at him for a long moment. “Well you know what, I was going to break up with you anyway. Paul Arthur’s been after me for ages and he’s much more interesting than you.” With that said she flounced away.

“Well that went well, not,” he commented under his breath, ignoring the looks some of the other students who had watched Melodie’s little scene sent him. When he got to his next class, which was Mr. Moore’s, he dropped into his seat with some relief.

“Nice of you to decide to join us again, Mr. Cooper,” the professor said acerbically. “Where’s your sidekick?”

“I have a feeling she’s going to drop the class,” Tad replied quietly.

Mr. Moore nodded and class began. When it was over he told Tad to meet him in his office. “Close the door, please,” Mr. Moore said when Tad came in. “Now, would you mind telling me why you’ve been MIA?”

Tad did and when he’d finished Mr. Moore actually smiled. “That is quite a story. It will add something to your portion of the Winter art show.”

“Umm,” Tad said hesitantly, “I never got a chance to submit my photos to the committee.”

“I’m aware of that. I managed to wrangle you an extension. Do you have them with you?” He glanced at Tad’s portfolio.

“Yes, sir.”

“Very good. Come with me. Oh, and from what you implied before class I have the feeling you and Miss Raines have had a parting of the ways. Congratulations.”

My Brother’s Keeper - 40

“I’m going to kill him,” Roy growled.

“Not if I get to him first.” Tad laughed, curling up closer behind Roy as he called out, “Go make your own breakfast Jerry and leave us alone.”

“Well, if that’s the way you’re going to be,” Jerry huffed. He smacked the bedroom door one more time before he walked away.

Tad rolled his eyes when Jerry’s laughter drifted back to them. “This is going to be very interesting. Maybe you should send him off to military school until he’s eighteen?”

Roy chuckled. “I’ll definitely consider it if he keeps this up.”

“I suppose we should get up and moving, now that he’s awake. Besides you two have to meet with Max sometime today.”

Roy rolled over to look at him. “You’ll come too? I mean this does sort of involve you now. That is if you meant it when you said… Well…you know.”

“I meant every word of it. I want you here and he’s part of the package, so of course I’ll come with you.” He cupped Roy’s cheek in one hand while kissing him deeply. When he decided that another second more and they wouldn’t be getting up he pulled away. “Move it boy.”

Roy groaned as he sat up. “Tomorrow morning…”

“I have classes, which I’ve missed for the last couple of days. But tonight…”

“Damn. Don’t you have them today too? You’d better be the one to get moving.”

“At this point missing one more day isn’t going to make that much difference.”

“Go. I don’t want to feel responsible for your flunking out or something.”

Tad smiled and slid out of bed. “Make you a deal. I’ll go but you have to call me the second you know when and where you’re meeting Max and I’ll cut out and join you.”

“All right, I guess that works. How are you getting there though? Your car is useless now.”

“Ugh, good point. I could…no, that wouldn’t be a good idea.”

Roy’s eyebrows rose. “Call the girlfriend?”

“Ex-girlfriend at this point as far as I’m concerned though I guess…” Tad sighed, “I guess I have to tell her that.”

“That would probably be a good idea.”

My Brother’s Keeper - 39

Tad opened the bathroom door to be met by a thick cloud of steam and quickly shut it again to keep the heat in. As he undressed and dropped his clothes on top of Roy’s he watched the younger man’s silhouetted body through the glass shower door. Praying that Roy wouldn’t ask him to get out, he stepped into the shower.

“What are you doing here?” Roy asked. He tensed but didn’t turn around.

“Taking a shower? Saving water?”

Roy snorted. “Some excuse. Like you have to worry about that.”

Tad hesitated then said softly, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Roy turned slowly to look at him.

“For being insensitive in what I said to you earlier. I was just trying to get you to see that things were working out for you finally.”

“And you. Now you get your apartment back all to yourself.”

“What if I don’t want it all to myself?”

“Then call up your girlfriend. I’m sure she’d be glad to keep you company.”

“Believe me that is the last thing I want.”

Roy hid a small smile. He was beginning to enjoy this game although he’d never admit it to Tad. “Then I guess you’re shit out of luck, aren’t you.” He reached for the shampoo, squeezing a dollop into his hand.

“Guess I am.” With a sigh Tad opened the shower door enough to step out.

“You give up too easily,” Roy replied quietly as he began to wash his hair.

Tad hesitated, one foot in the shower, the other on the floor outside.

“And you’re making more than a mess out there,” Roy added. “Hope the bathmat can soak it all up.”

“I hope.” Tad finished getting out, closing the door behind him.

“Tad, get back in here. I need…umm…my back washed?”

“Thought you were doing your hair,” Tad muttered but he rejoined Roy.

“I think that’s a hopeless cause. How long ‘til the dye washes out anyway?”

“Hell if I know. Days, weeks, and you won’t want to leave until it does you know.”

“Oh? Is that the reason I’m staying around?” Roy cocked an eyebrow, smirking.

“Maybe, or maybe because you want to, and I want you too.”

“Possibly.” Roy smiled, tracing the line of Tad’s jaw with one finger. “Probably.” He put his hands on Tad’s hips to pull him closer. “Or just perhaps…definitely.”

“My favorite word.” Tad cupped Roy’s face in his hands, studying it.

“Do I pass inspection?” Roy asked. When he got a nod in return he said, “Then prove it. Kiss me.”

My Brother’s Keeper - 38

Tad dropped down onto the sofa, shaking his head. “What did I say to bring that on?” he muttered.

“Do you want to know?” Jerry said from the door to the hallway.

Tad looked up. “Thought you’d be asleep by now.”

“I told you I wasn’t tired,” Jerry replied as he came into the room, settling down at the other end of the sofa. “So I umm, sort of eavesdropped?”

With a small nod, Tad asked, “What did I do wrong?”

“I think, probably, it was when you told him he’d have a job and his own apartment.”

Tad frowned. “Well he will. He’ll have to if he’s going to become your guardian.”

“Honest truth,” Jerry said, leaning in conspiratorially, “I think he was sort of hoping we could stay here with you. If you know what I mean.”

“I…well hell…Of course you can if it doesn’t screw things up. I thought he knew that.”

“Hate to say this, Tad, but he can be sort of dense at times. He thinks we’re only here to keep us safe and now that we are, well…” Jerry shrugged.

“And when I said he’d be able to have his own place… I wasn’t thinking how that would sound.”

“That’s why I’m around, to point this stuff out to the two of you.” Jerry wrinkled his nose dramatically then. “You know, you could do with a shower, too. You smell.”

“Well I have been on the streets for the last forty-eight so I’m not surprised,” Tad said before he got the message. He got up, looking down at Jerry. “You are a little conniver aren’t you?”

“When it comes to making my brother happy, you bet. Now go shower before he gets finished. I’m going back to bed.” He stood, heading to the door, saying over his shoulder, “And I’d better wake up alone in the bedroom the morning.”

My Brother’s Keeper - 37

Jerry greeted Roy as if he’d been gone for years, not just a little over two days. When he found out that their father had shown up at the police station and what had transpired his grin turned almost malicious. “That’ll teach him to mess with us.”

“I doubt anything will teach him that,” Roy replied with some asperity.

“Probably not,” Tad agreed. “But at least you have right, and Max, on your sides.”

“A very tired Max at this point,” the man in question said as he looked a bit pointedly at the front door of Denise’s apartment. “Jerry, Roy, we’ll meet sometime tomorrow to go over what needs to be done next.”

“I think that’s our cue to leave.” Tad said.

When they got up to his apartment Jerry wanted a blow-by-blow of what had happened. What he got was a very brief synopsis before Roy told him to get to bed. When Jerry protested that he wasn’t tired, Roy took a page from Max’s book and said, “But I am, so off with you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jerry muttered as he vanished down the hall to the guest bedroom.

“How are you doing?” Tad asked quietly once he heard the bedroom door close.

“I think I’m still in shock,” Roy admitted. “I can’t believe we really have a chance to get off the streets and back to a normal life.”

“More than a chance; it’s going to happen,” Tad told him firmly. “You’re going to have a whole new life soon, a job, your own apartment, the whole nine yards.”

“I suppose,” Roy replied, but he didn’t look as happy about that as Tad would have expected.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Roy shook his head. “I’m going to go get out of these clothes, shower and get to bed.”

“Roy…” Tad put a hand on his arm. “Talk to me.”

“Nothing to talk about. Besides I am tired so if you’ll excuse me.” He started towards the hallway only to find himself wrapped in Tad’s arms.

“Don’t walk away. I want to know what’s going on with you.”

“Not a damned thing. I’m happy about all this. See.” Roy smiled tightly, a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Tad saw that and was about to press the issue and then thought better of it. “Go shower,” he muttered as he stepped back.

Roy growled, “Thanks for the permission,” as he walked away.

My Brother’s Keeper - 36

Captain Thompson smiled tightly, turning to Mr. Sherman. “I gather you don’t like homosexuals.”

“Scum of the earth. They should all be killed at birth. They’re abominations. The Bible teaches that.”

“So,” the captain’s smile widened a bit as he looked at the investigating officer standing there, “You should have been killed at birth?”

The officer who had accompanied the captain into the room snorted. “If he had been, we’d have lost a man who’s won three commendations for meritorious service above and beyond the call of duty.”

Roy’s father stared at them in shock. “You let some faggot…?” he sputtered. “What the hell is this city coming to? That would never happen on my force.”

“We let a good man who does his job without prejudice join the force.” The captain shot a withering glance at Mr. Sherman. “Something yours apparently doesn’t do if you’re a representative of it.”

At that moment the door opened again. Denise came in, followed by a man in a business suit. They immediately went over to Tad and Roy, asking if they were free to leave.

“If I can get past my father we are, I think,” Roy said, glancing at the captain.

“Not until you tell me where Jerry is,” Roy’s father growled angrily. “He’s a minor and I don’t intend to leave the city until I have him with me.”

The man who had come in with Denise turned to look at Mr. Sherman. “At the moment that is not an option. Jerry is ward of the court.”

Both Roy and his father looked at the man in shock. Denise quickly and quietly told Roy it was all right and that Jerry had agreed to the plan. He gazed at her in disbelief but kept his peace.

Mr. Sherman was not as willing to do the same. “What the hell do you mean he’s a ward of the court,” he shouted angrily.

“He is under the care and control of the juvenile court,” the man replied. Then he introduced himself as Max Daniels, the lawyer in charge of Jerry’s case.

“So that’s your Max,” Tad said softly enough that only Denise and Roy heard him. She nodded yes in reply.

“I…I…” Mr. Sherman sputtered. “I’ll see you in court.” Without another word, but with an enraged glare at the entire group, he turned on his heel and left.

“Where is he?” Roy asked the moment his father was gone, panic in his voice.

“Not at Juvie if that’s what you’re worried about. He’s still at my place thanks to Max. It was his idea once he heard the full story. Now,” Denise looked at Roy, “he’s going to help you file for guardianship. However that means you’re going to have to get off the streets and become a respectable member of society.”

“I think it can be arranged,” Tad said, smiling at Roy. “Now, if everyone’s in agreement, can we get out of here?”

My Brother’s Keeper - 35

As soon as they arrived at the station house Tad asked if he could call a friend to bring him his ID from his apartment. The investigating officer appeared surprised that he had a legal place of residence but gave his permission. Once Tad had assured Denise that both he and Roy were all right, and told her what he needed, he hung up and they were taken to an interview room.  

There they told the investigating officer the complete story of what had happened, starting with Roy’s first run-in with Daws at the shelter. The only thing they left out, by unspoken agreement, was Jerry’s involvement in all of it. In point of fact they made certain his name was never mentioned. Roy told the officer that it had been another of the shelter dwellers who had stopped Daws assault, someone he had never seen before or since.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, although they discovered that it had been just over one hour, they were told they could go home. Roy laughed wryly at that idea as he had not intention of ever going to his real home.

Tad caught on immediately. “You are going home…with me,” he said quietly, wrapping one arm around Roy’s waist.

“I don’t know who the hell you are, but get your filthy hands of my son,” a loud voice said from the door to the interview room.

Roy turned, keeping one hand on Tad’s arm so he wouldn’t pull away. “Hello, father. How nice to see you again,” he spat out, his voice acid-laced. Then he turned back to Tad, “Shall we get out of here before I say some things I might regret?”

“You do not walk away from me, you little fagot,” Roy’s father said menacingly. “Where is Jerry?”

“Safely out of your clutches, by his own choice.” Roy stepped forward, Tad right beside him. “Now move, please,” he said with contempt limning his face.

“Gentlemen…” Two men came into the room. The one who had spoken immediately introduced himself as Captain Thompson. He closed the door and then asked what the problem was.

Roy’s father replied, “Arrest him, and his queer friend. They lured my son away from my home and have kept him from returning. If you look in your records you’ll find a missing person’s report on him.”

The captain looked at Roy, one eyebrow cocked in question. “Is this true?”

“You don’t ask him. The damned faggot will lie his head off. That’s what they do,” Roy’s father almost shouted, his face turning red with rage

Roy broke in, saying, “Jerry’s my brother. I didn’t ‘lure’ him away. He came with me willingly when he,” he angrily pointed a finger at his father, “kicked me out of the house after he found out I was gay.”

My Brother’s Keeper - 34

Tad turned to see two young street kids standing, watching. “Be my guest,” he told them. They took him at his word, kicking and pounding on Daws as if he was a hunk of meat that needed tenderizing.

Suddenly a spotlight lit the alley. Roy looked up to see two officers getting out of a patrol car. One of them shouted for every to freeze, his hand on the butt of his gun. The two street kids turned and ran, vanishing into the darkness at the far end of the alley.

Roy got up, stepping away from the punk. Tad joined him, one hand wrapped around his other wrist, which throbbed painfully.

The patrol officers came up, looking down at Daws and the punk. One of them smiled tightly. “I take it they attacked the two of you.”

“Yes sir,” Tad replied, shuddering.

“Hurt?” the other one asked, noting how Tad what holding his wrist. Tad nodded. The officer immediately called for an ambulance while his partner knelt to check the two toughs on the ground. He looked up; saying, “Call in to let them know we’ve got Daws, finally,” and then he cuffed him and the other punk.

“I’ll need ID from both of you,” the standing office said to Tad and Roy.

“I…don’t have any,” Roy told him, glancing fearfully at Tad.

“I don’t either,” Tad said. “We left our ID at my place.”

“Your place?”

“Yes, sir.” Tad sighed in relief when he heard an ambulance siren and seconds later saw it pull into the alley behind the patrol car. For the moment the officer’s questioning was on hold.

It didn’t take long for the EMTs to determine that Daws and his partner both needed to be transported to the hospital. One of the EMTs examined Tad’s wrists, deeming them badly sprained but not broken. When he suggested that Tad go to the hospital, Tad vehemently shook his head. The EMT muttered something about street kids that Tad chose to ignore, and then wrapped his wrists with elastic bandages.

By then the two punks had been loaded into the ambulance. One of the officers jumped in the back to watch them and the ambulance took off. The other officer told Tad and Roy that they’d have to come down to the station house with him. Tad could tell that Roy was about to take off running when he heard that and put an arm around his shoulders, telling him it would be all right. Roy hesitated before he nodded. “Promise?” he whispered.

“Promise,” Tad replied, hoping it was one he could keep.

My Brother’s Keeper - 33

Two days after they started their search Tad and Roy found Daws, or more to the point he found them late that evening as they huddled in an alley doorway to get out of the wind.

“Well, well, look what we have here boys. New blood in town.”

Roy shivered at the sound of a voice he knew too well and had hoped never to hear again. Well unless the owner was behind bars of course. He lifted his head just enough to peer up past the heavy construction boots and tight jeans to the hand that held a busted baseball bat, and wondered momentarily whose head had broken it.

“Stand up, punks,” Daws drawled seconds later. “Let me get a good look at you.”

Tad stood slowly, keeping his head bowed. “What do you want with us?” he asked in a fear-laced voice.

“Depends what you have to offer.” The filthy chuckle that came from Daws added unwanted emphasis to his words. He rapped the bat hard on Roy’s shoulder. “You too, up.”

“He’s sick, leave him alone,” Tad said with more fearlessness than he felt.

“He’ll be more than sick if he doesn’t get his ass up now.”

Tad’s hands fisted behind his back as he raised his eyes just enough to see that Daws only had one other punk with him. He stood a few feet away, apparently to keep an eye on the entrance to the alley.

Roy crawled to his knees and put the palms of his hands on the ground as if to help leverage himself up. Then he slid one foot forward like a runner ready to start a race and pushed off. His head connected with Daws groin hard enough that he had to roll out of the way when Daws doubled over, screaming in agony.

Tad moved fast, grabbing the broken bat as it hit the alley pavement. The punk who had accompanied Daws was beside him seconds later, the pipe he was holding descending towards Tad’s head. Tad lifted the bat, gripping it in both hands so that it took the brunt of the blow. Even though it did he felt his wrists snap backwards and cried out, wondering if they’d broken.

Roy was on his feet now and tackled the punk, knocking him to the ground. He pummeled his face and head with both fists, taking out all his fear and rage on his enemy. Despite the pain in his wrists, Tad joined the fray, kicking the punk hard in the ribs. Then he turned to do the same to Daws who was still writhing on the ground.

“Can anyone join in?” someone asked.

My Brother’s Keeper - 32

“This is where the two of you have been sleeping?” Tad asked quietly as he followed Roy up to the rooftop.

“Here and on other roofs when we can. Sleeping high is safer as long as there’s a parapet, and like here, some shelter.” He pointed to the small shack that housed the building’s swamp cooler. “That doesn’t work in summer when they’re running it but now it’s safe enough.” When they got to the shack, Roy pried loose one of the grates enough that they could creep inside.

Tad shivered, as much from the idea of spending the night inside the filthy enclosure as from the decided chill in the air. “I guess I’m really spoiled,” he said.

“Naw, no more than most people, but you learn to adapt when you have to. You’ve been doing fine so far.”

Tad wasn’t certain that he had. It was one thing to know intellectually what it took to survive on the streets; it was a whole other thing to put it into practice. At Roy’s suggestion he was wearing several layers of clothing, all of the visible pieces well-worn and not matching. He definitely looks homeless now, unlike the rather fake look he’d had when he’d found Roy and Jerry at the bus station.

They had started mid-afternoon after spending the morning doing the best they could to change their appearances, with Jerry and Denise’s help. While Jerry had been less than thrilled that he couldn’t be part of the expedition, he’d understood why and so had thrown himself into job of making Roy not look like Roy.

Denise actually had the easier job in some respects as it just involved dressing Tad ‘down’, which in itself made him look quite different from his college student image, and darkening his blonde hair—and with the help of some ‘instant tan’ his skin as well. Roy had cautioned them both that there was a difference between ‘I have to live on the streets’ look and ‘I’m a bum who doesn’t give a damn about my appearance any longer’.

Roy’s hair was now lighter than its normal black by several shades and Jerry had takes scissors to it to make it even shaggier than it had been before. Denise had ‘borrowed’ a pair of her boyfriend’s beat-up jeans and a shirt that looked like it had been through the wars. They were definitely too large for Roy until he’d added several layers of his own clothes. When he was finished he looked almost burly, not like the too-thin young man Tad had met only a few days before.

Tad and Roy had snuck out of the apartment building by the side door, managing to avoid being seen by anyone Tad knew. Twenty minutes later they were behind a downtown convenience store where Roy had given Tad a lesson on the finer points of dumpster diving for packaged food that had been tossed as being well beyond its sell date. When they were finished they began their search for Daws, or any word on where he’d been seen last.

By midnight all they had found out was that he hadn’t been in that particular section of the downtown area in the last few days, much to the relief of the street kids they’d talked to. The story they’d given out was that Daws had stolen from them and they were hunting for him to get their own back. Every one of the kids they told this to warned them to give up that idea. “He’ll kill you, dudes,” was the universal response, “Or worse.”

Now, as Tad tried to get comfortable on the thin blanket under them, he commented wryly, “I’d almost welcome him finding us. It couldn’t be worse than this.”

Roy chuckled as he covered them both with the other blanket. “Don’t like cuddling with me?”

“You, I have no objection to, it’s the lack of ambiance. Give me a nice, warm, soft bed with you in it and I’d be in seventh heaven.”

“We could go back to your place for what’s left of the night.”

Tad shook his head. “That sort of defeats the purpose of this whole thing. We have to be what we’re…” he paused. “Well I have to be what I’m pretending to be. You, unfortunately, have it down pat.”

Roy nodded. “That I do.”

“I didn’t mean…”

“I know.” Roy pulled Tad closer, pressing a kiss the back of his neck. “Go to sleep. We have a long day ahead of us, and maybe more than one.”

My Brother’s Keeper - 31

“Absolutely not!”

“Our leaving is the only way to keep you safe, Tad.”

“Safe how, Roy? Daws knows I live here, now. He obviously has no more love for me than he does for you, so we’re all safer sticking together. It doesn’t have to be here, but for damned sure I’m not letting the two of you go back to living on the streets. Besides,” Tad glanced at Jerry who was curled up in the lounge chair sleeping, “he’s still far from being well enough to survive out there even if Daws wasn’t after your hide.”

“Had to play that card, didn’t you,” Roy said angrily.

“It’s still the truth.” Tad paced the length of the living room and back again, deep in thought. “There has to be a way to deal with him.”

“Meaning what?” Roy asked, afraid he knew where Tad was heading and not liking the idea at all.

Tad dropped down onto the sofa beside Roy, saying pensively, “Some way to draw him out. The police officer said they’d issue an APB but he admitted that Daws was too street-wise. He’s not going to show his face for a while I bet, especially since he knows we called the cops. Or he’s going to be damned careful if he does.”

“Yeah, well lots of people have reported him to the cops and that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to terrorize everyone who lives on the streets. He gets off on it. Cock of the walk and all that.”

“Did you know he’s not living rough any more? At least that’s what the police said.”

“I heard a couple of rumors about that, yeah. Not sure I believe them. He’s everywhere, all the time, looking to cause trouble.”

“That doesn’t mean he couldn’t have a home base.” Tad tapped his thumbnail against his lips. “We just have to find it without his knowing we’re out there.”

“Like that’ll happen. We’re all in his sights now, not just me and Jerry.”

“We’re keeping Jerry out of this. I’ll see if Denise would be willing to have him stay at her place while we’re gone.”

“Tad, you can’t impose on her like that. Damn.”

“Trust me, she’d be pissed if she found out we left him up here by himself. He may be sixteen and street-toughened but he’s sick and, well…” Tad shrugged. “If anything she’ll see it as some big adventure, and her new boyfriend is no one to screw around with, and he’s there most nights.”

“Oh he’ll just love having a kid hanging around I bet.”

Tad chuckled. “Probably not, but she’ll convince him. She’s an expert at that.”

“This is all well and good except, like I said, Daws knows us.”

“Then we change us.”

My Brother’s Keeper - 30

“Nice place,” one of the patrol officers said as Tad let them into his apartment.

Tad nodded his thanks as he invited them to have a seat while he went to get the photos. He came back to find one of them perusing his bookshelves.

“I bet you’re a photography major,” the officer commented.

“Yes sir.” Tad handed him the two photos.

The officer looked at them before handing them off to his partner. Once he’d studied them as well he said to Tad, “You’ve made a dangerous enemy here. Mr. Daws and his gang have a bad reputation on the streets for attacking homeless people. I suspect that’s what they were intending to do to the two you were photographing.”

“That’s what I thought, which is why I shouted a warning.”

“And Daws saw you when you did?” one of the officers asked.

“He looked up, yes. Said something like, “You’re dead” or words to that effect.”

“Was there enough light for him to have seen your face? You said this happened at night.”

“It did,” Tad replied. “But,” he thought fast, “the moon came out from behind the clouds right then so I guess he must have.” Tad was not about to tell the officers about what had happened at the bus station and the fact that Daws had undoubtedly seen him there with Roy and Jerry. “I just don’t get how he could have found out where I live.”

“He’s a punk of the first order, but he’s also smart. If he put two and two together, you on the roof with a camera, he could figure you worked for a newspaper or were in school. All he had to do was have his gang keep their eyes open for you.”

“I guess.” Tad sighed. “So now what?”

“You be very careful when you come and go from here. I’d suggest no more nighttime forays to take pictures. Stay in public places. Call 911 immediately if you even think he’s around. From what you said, he knows you saw him tonight. You may be the only witness to what he and his gang did since no one else called the vandalism in.”

The second officer added, “We’ll put out an APB on them but he’s not going to be easy to find. He’s lived on the streets himself and so he knows all the ways to stay out of sight and under radar. According to what rumors we’ve picked up on, and they’re fairly substantial ones, he’s found a place to hole up; something better than a squat but no one can tell us where.”

“Either they can’t tell us or their afraid to,” the other office put in. “Can you give us copies of these two pictures? They’re much more recent than anything we have.”

“Sure, no problem.” Tad took the shots over to his computer, scanned them in and printed the results on photo paper. “This is the best I can do,” he told them.

“These will work just fine. I think that’s all we need from you at this point. If we think of anything else, or hear anything about Daws, we’ll get in touch.”

Tad thanked them. When they left he closed the door and leaned against it, not certain whether to be relieved that he’d been able to keep Roy and Jerry out of it, or terrified that Daws now knew where to find them.