Todd was actually awake but heavily medicated. He turned to see them come in the room and was able to offer them a wave and drugged induced smile.
Martin rushed to his side and examined him. His face was bandaged and stained red. His eyes bruised along with any skin peeking out from the white gauze. He did not know if he should cry or laugh seeing Todd this way, but on the other hand he was alive. So Martin did both.
“Yo wying,” Todd said, (meaning: you’re crying) but sounded like Elmer Fudd since his mouth was wired shut.
Already crying Lily walked to the end of the bed and waved.
“Wewe,” Todd said, meaning Lily. “Wewe, woo came,” he said.
She was pretty sure that it was - You came. “Of course I did,” she smiled through her tears and gently wiggled his foot. Todd screamed in pain and Lily retracted her arm in shock and screamed herself. “Oh my God Todd, I’m sorry.”
Todd started to laugh as well as a beaten man with his mouth wired shut could. He gave a weird smile since he could only separate his lips and not his teeth. Lily stood terrified with her eyes wide and alert.
“He’s been doing that all night,” Jesse said trying to give Lily some comfort.
“Are you serious?” she asked. Todd nodded and just shrugged his shoulders. She began to laugh nervously. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she asked him.
“That’s my demented man,” Martin said giving him a kiss on the forehead”
Suddenly Todd got very excited and tried to get out his exciting news which sounded like, “I had gweat won winer, I waid, who will row it in woo.”
The look on his face told them he was proud of what he just said, doped up yes, but proud. He smiled as much as he could. But the swelling and wires holding his jaw together were not letting him show off his usual peacock pride.
Martin looked at Lily who had no idea so both looked at Jesse the nurse.
“Yeah, I have no idea,” she admitted. Todd huffed and slumped forward giving up. Jesse the nurse continued. “We gave him a pad and paper, but he’s really drugged up, he just drew some lines and scribbles then a penis with a smiley face.”
Martin and Lily looked at Todd who was giggling and just shrugged his shoulders again. “Wugged,” he said in his defense, meaning: drugged.
Martin gently ran his hand across his swollen bandaged face. “Drugged, yes you sure are Navio.”
Realizing under the current circumstance, he would have to wait to tell the story of his super awesome one liner in the face of certain death and for now, be content to just have them fawning over him.
“I have to go but I’ll be back in a bit,” the nurse said and quietly let herself out.
Martin looked over his beaten lovers face then at the rest of his battered body and couldn’t help but shed more tears. Lily joined them at the other side of the bed and began to cry. Todd felt the pain starting to come back and followed the nurse’s instructions and pressed the button to get more - Wugged.
“Who did this to you sweetheart?” Martin asked trying to hold back the waterfall.
“Wick,” Todd said casually pointing at Lily.
Lily cringed violently, unable to stop her waterfall. Wiping away her own tears she gently grabbed Todd’s hand and fought to get his attention. “Todd?” she called out to him. But he seemed content on letting the new drugs enter and work their magic. “Todd!” she shouted and got it. “I am so sorry Todd,” she said looking up at Martin whose face was turning a dark shade of anger. “Martin, oh my god, I am sorry,” she said feeling like this was all her fault.
Martin kept starring at Todd but reached for Lily’s hand. Gripping it tightly he pulled her into the both of them and hugged them both with all his love. “Don’t you ever apologize for that, that – Carbon!”
They hugged for a long time, so long that the drugs put Todd to sleep.
They spent the next couple of hours sitting quietly and watching over him. Jesse came into the room and was greeted with a smile from them both.
She saw Todd was asleep so she whispered. “Guys, theirs a detective here if you don’t mind coming out.”
They both got up and quietly slipped out of the room. Jesse stood beside a heavy set man in his early fifties dressed as a classic police detective.
“This is Detective Sherman, he just has a few questions,” Jesse introduced, then excused herself and disappeared down the hall.
“Sorry to bother you folks so late, or early I guess now. First off, my apologies for your friend in there, looks like he got worked over real well,” the detective said then took a sip of his coffee.
“Did you pick up the man who did this?” Martin asked calmly.
“Not yet, but we will, according to Mr. Caesar -”
“Caesar,” Martin interrupted.
“Yes,” Detective Sherman said.
“Nathan Caesar?” Lily asked a little shocked.
“Yeah,” the Detective assured them setting his coffee down and grabbing his pad. “Nathan Caesar brought Mr. Jacobson into the ER around. . .” he stopped and started flipping through the note pad until he found what he was looking for. “Here we go, nine twenty eight in the pm, there were three assailants according to -” he looked at both of them then emphasized, “Mr. Caesar.”
“There were three?” Martin asked.
“Yeah, a Mr. Rick Kingston and two unknowns, but a fairly detailed description from Mr. Caesar provided us with two perps that were pretty familiar with.” Lily started to get uncomfortable as the Detective continued. “Now Mr. Caesar mentioned vaguely about an incident that happened at your home, between you, Mr. Kingston and your friend in there,” Detective Sherman said not sure how to categorize the relationships.
Martin was never one to be shy about being gay or letting people know he loved Todd and he wasn’t about to now. “He is my partner, my lover,” he said harshly then realized how overzealous he did.
“Hey pal, I’m not here to judge, just here to get the facts, you know?”
“I’m sorry I’m just a little emotional.”
The detective smiled and held up his hand. “Totally understandable sir, but if we can,” the detective urged.
“Of course,” Martin said.
“Now Mr. Caesar said this Rick was in your home the other night and was asked to leave at some point?” Sherman asked waiting and hoping Lily and Martin could elaborate.
Martin paused for a moment and tried to think of something to not embarrass Lily.
Lily on the other hand was thinking that it was one thing to beat on her, but beat on her friend for doing nothing but stick up for her. “We use to date,” she blurted.
“I see,” Sherman said scribbling on his pad.
Lily continued. “He use to beat me, I decided to leave him. Then Martin and Todd not only employed me but gave me a place to Live,” she said like ripping off a band aid. Her eyes welled. The detective offered her some tissues he had in his pocket. Lily thanked him and took them as Martin put his arm around her and continued on her behalf. “He would call and leave threatening messages, show up at the store, the apartment building, trying to talk to her and most times it could get heated. I had to ask him to leave last night,” he said immediately having to think for a second. “I mean the night before, we had a dinner party and he showed up and my partner, Todd, embarrassed him a little. He’s kind of over protective, and a bit of a smart ass.”
The Detective scribbled as quickly as he could. “Smart ass or not, don’t justify being beaten to a pulp,” he added.
“And now my best friend is lying in a hospital bed because of me,” she said burying her head into Martins shoulder.
The Detective nodded and finished writing in his note pad. He let Lily calm a bit before speaking again. “Miss, did you ever report it to the police”
She raised her head out of Martin’s now soaked shoulder. Her make-up, which she plastered on in a hurry was smeared so bad it almost made Martin laugh out loud, but he managed to hold it back.
“Yeah, the night of the dinner party,” she sniffled.
“That’s fantastic, if you two could give a statement we can use the party as motive, the fact that this is also a hate crime,” he said jotting down as quickly as he could. “I take it the accused was aware of the victims sexual preference?”
“We have messages saved,” Lily said looking to Martin who nodded.
“We can go downtown and make a statement right now, and then I can bring you back here,” Detective Sherman offered.
Lily looked at Martin who smiled and said, “I’ll see if he’s up and just tell him were going, see if he wants anything.”
Lily nodded and turned to the Detective who gave her a reassuring smile. He held out his arm directing her to the elevator. Lily started to walk with the Detective then spun around to Martin. “If he’s awake, tell him I love him.”
Martin blew her a kiss and then slipped back into the room. He looked at Todd who was awake again but just smiled and pressed the button to raise his bed so he was sitting up. Martin smiled. “We are going to the police station, going to give statements.”
Todd smiled. “Wood.”
“Wood,” Martin repeated confused.
Todd just shook his head and rolled his eyes then tried to explain. “Wood, wood,” he said giving Martin a thumb up.
“Oh, Good,” Martin realized, as they both started to chuckle. Martin sat down beside him again. “I’m gonna grab some stuff from the house too, then I’ll be back,” he said but wanted to assure him it would not be long. “I won’t be long I promise.”
Todd rolled his eyes and nodded, giving him a “Go Already” look. This made him wince a bit as a sharp pain shot down his face and then down his spine. Martin looked alerted but helpless at the same time.
“Are you ok, should I get the nurse?” he asked.
Todd shook his head and held up the nifty little gadget with a button and then pushed it. “Wugs,” he said and waited patiently for the drugs to kick in.
Martin laughed. Bending over gently he kissed him on his lips. “I love you,” he whispered and then got up just as gently and disappeared out the door.
Todd sat for a moment letting his pain recede then turned to the window that was open. “Gone,” he said then just waited.
Appearing from the window behind the blowing white drapes Nathan entered the room. The drapes parted way as he walked past them. Todd was amazed at the sight of him walking through a large window, since a normal person would go up the elevator and usually just come in through the door.
Nathan gave him a smile. It was mixed with a look of relief and concern as he stood over the bed looking him over. When he was satisfied his money was being put to proper use he looked Todd in the eyes. “How did you know?” he asked referring to him being outside the window for the last couple of hours.
Todd just shrugged and smiled, letting a little drool escape his bottom lip. Nathan walked to the other side of the hospital bed and grabbed some tissue. Wiping the drool off his lip he gently chased a bit that was trying to escape down his chin, then discarded it in the waste.
“Tanks…”
“No problem,” Nathan replied then noticed the way Todd was looking at him. He wasn’t sure if it was the drugs or what he saw when he was bringing him to the hospital. “How much do you remember Todd?”
“Not – uch,” Todd said taking a deep breath, then through an admittance of relief looked at Nathan. “No, not Hoo – man,” he said revealing he knew he was not human.
Nathan could not help but chuckle, he knew what Todd meant but it still sounded like a toddler trying to say it. Todd must of heard it the same way too because he started to chuckle as well.
“You’re not afraid of me?”
Todd raised his lower lip past his upper lip to give it some serious thought and just shook his head – No.
“And you know I’m not human?” he asked making sure.
Todd’s bottom lip was still past his upper as he nodded – Yes.
“So why aren’t you afraid of me?”
Todd just shrugged his shoulders.
“I know you saw me attack those men,” Nathan said.
Todd nodded again.
“I know you were awake – at least partly, as we jumped across buildings and leaped stories -”
“In singa - ound” Todd said raising his arms as a kid would when referring to Superman.
Nathan laughed. “There really is something wrong with you, isn’t there?”
Todd laughed and pointed at one of his IV’s. “Wugs,” he said pushing the button repeatedly.
“You know it doesn’t,” Nathan stopped. Looking at Todd’s face he did not want to spoil the moment by explaining how the drugs were actually administered. He lightly patted Todd’s leg to make some room on the bed. Todd accommodated him. Sitting down beside him he put his hands on his knee. Bringing a gift bag with big bubbled out balloons that were covered in sparkles, he placed it by Todd’s other leg. “For you, a little later when you’re not so, drugged,” Nathan said. Leaning in closer but still trying to keep a friendly distance Nathan smiled.
If you asked Todd about that moment he would not lie, he would say he was a little nervous.
“You saw my eyes?”
“Gwow”
“Yes, they glow,” Nathan chuckled. “You saw my teeth?”
“Warp,” Todd said like he was a child describing a zoo animal.
“They are very sharp. And you saw my hands?”
“Walls,” he said making claw grabs with his hand.
“Claws, yes,” Nathan said shaking his head.
“Wigger,” he added before he was asked.
But Nathan was a bit confused at his choice of urban dictionary slang. “What?”
“Wigger,” Todd repeated then made his arms bulge out to mimic being bigger. “Wigger, wigger, wike a Wonster,” he said trying his best to pronounce his words better.
Nathan started to laugh. “I do get a little bigger in my . . .” Nathan paused for a moment but couldn’t find any other word to describe it. “My Monster state, yes.”
“Wary,” Todd said and shuttered a bit.
Nathan pulled back and sat up straight. “Most people who see me like that do find me scary.”
Curling his fingers on his hands like claws, Todd did the best Frankenstein impression Nathan was sure he could muster. Giving a monster “Rarr” he lunged forward slightly. Nathan laughed, admiring Todd for going through what he did and saw what he saw, and still being able to entertain.
“So why aren’t you afraid?”
Todd answered with his own question. “Why you, wave me?”
“Because you’re my friend,” he said.
Todd put his hand on top of Nathans and smiled. “Dats why no awaid,” he said patting his hand.
Nathan worried a little that in his drugged state he might talk about the Monster that saved his life. But then thinking about it, anyone who was listening would laugh it off as a result of the drugs. He put his other hand over Todd’s and gently squeezed as he leaned in and quietly assured him. “They will never hurt you again.”
Todd’s eyes glazed over but he held back his tears and nodded. Nathan stood up before his had a chance to.
“As friends, I was wondering if I could ask a favor Todd?” he asked.
Todd just answered, “Wecret wafe wiff me.”
Nathan knew before he asked that his secret was safe with Todd but he just wanted to make sure. “Thank you,” he said heading toward the door but Todd interrupted.
“Whoa.”
Nathan stopped and turned around.
Todd signaled to the window.
“Really,” Nathan said realizing what Todd wanted.
“Weeze,” Todd begged.
Nodding Nathan looked out the window and saw the path easily. He walked over to Todd’s bed and quickly checked the wiring. Plenty of slack, he thought and picked up the bed and moved it to give Todd a better view. He bent down and had Todd
follow his finger. “You see the big building on the right then the smaller one just after it. Then the far one straight ahead?”
Todd nodded excitedly and turned to Nathan who kept pointing at the building.
“Keep watching that building, nothing but net,” he said then smiled.
From where he was standing beside Todd’s bed he leapt across the room and through the window, disappearing below. Todd waited and watched for him to return to the large building to the right but nothing. He waited a bit longer and started to get worried when suddenly like a rocket he saw Nathan flying straight up the side of it. He seemed to just reach the top and landed on the roof like he stepped off of an elevator. Running across the roof top he sprang into a somersault (which Todd was sure was meant for his entertainment, which he appreciated) from the large building down to the roof top of the smaller one. He raced across the second roof top which was much longer and veered to his right for the building that was directly straight ahead just as he had pointed out. He jumped into the air that Todd could only compare it being like a Basketball Player leaping upward toward the net. Landing he extended his leg and seemed to effortlessly turn it into a walk until stopping. Todd could see him turn towards him. Capping off this amazing feat with what was the best part, he waved. Todd eagerly waved back. Realizing he was in pain in doing so didn’t stop him.
“Who you waving at?” a voice asked.
Scaring the shit out of him as he jumped reaching for his heart, Todd turned and saw who must be the morning nurse, looking out the window trying to see what he was waving at. He turned back to the window but Nathan was gone.
“And how did you move your bed?” she asked trying to figure it out.
Todd just shrugged his shoulders and replied casually. “Wugs.”
The new nurse left in a huff calling out for some help to move a bed back to its proper spot. Todd leaned forward and grabbed the gift bag with red and yellow 3D balloons covered in sparkles. Removing the tissue he looked inside. He lost his breath as his eyes became swollen with tears. Jerking his head slightly he quickly tried to stop the emotion from reaching the top. He couldn’t help it as his head seemed to swell and the tears rolled down his cheeks. If he wasn’t such a Queen he could have blamed it on the drugs. The over whelming feeling on the top of his mouth and nose expanded and caused him to gasp. He reached into the bag and pulled it out. Todd could not believe that in his hands he held the first edition of author Robert Louis Stevenson’s first completed novel, Treasure Island. He knew it was the one from the book store, now liberated from its glass prison. Opening it he turned a few pages and looked at the words then laughed. They were all jumbled and blurry looking. He could not wait for the drugs to wear off a bit so he could read it.
My Boyfriend is a Monster Page 24
