Fire and Rain

by Andrew Grey

  “Did you find Weeble?” Isaac asked, holding Pistachio.

  “I’m sorry. I tried to find him.”

  “He was under my bed. I put him there to save him when the mean men came,” Isaac said, and Kip looked to Jos, who held his face in his hands. Kip didn’t have to ask to know that Jos hadn’t looked there.

  “I’m sorry, buddy, but can you take care of Pistachio instead?” Kip had to try to think of a way to make Isaac feel better—and by extension Jos, who once again seemed on the edge of losing it. “He needs you.”

  “Weeble needs me too,” Isaac said, and Kip pulled the car into a driveway and turned it around. He raced back to the devastation and caught Aaron as he was pulling away.

  “What is it?” Aaron asked.

  “Isaac’s bear was under his bed in the apartment,” Kip said. “Get them to stop so we can see if we can find it.”

  “You’re kidding,” Aaron said.

  Kip leaned out his window. “Do you want to tell a four-year-old that we didn’t even try to find his bear?” he asked, turning on the guilt. They had to try.

  “Okay. Red and I will help.” Aaron backed up and flipped on his flashers. The bulldozer came to a stop, and Aaron got out. Kip pulled in next to him and told Jos to stay with Isaac. If Isaac’s toy was in there, he was going to find it.

  Chapter 4

  JOS COULDN’T believe Kip was actually doing this.

  “Where did he go?” Isaac asked from the backseat.

  “To try to find Weeble for you,” Jos answered, not taking his eyes off Kip as he stopped the bulldozers from taking down the rest of the building and Aaron threatened to arrest them all on suspicion of something or other. He couldn’t hear it all clearly, but there was plenty of yelling, most of it coming from his former landlord.

  Jos got out and opened Isaac’s door, then helped him out of his seat. Then he lifted his brother into his arms so he could see what was happening. What was left of the building was a jumbled mess. But it was Kip standing toe-to-toe with Powers that was the real attraction. The big, rumbling engines on the equipment grew silent, and Kip’s voice carried on the evening breeze. “I’ll tell the media what you did and make sure your ugly mug is plastered all over the evening news as a slumlord. You won’t be able to rent an apartment to a flea-infested rat by the time they’re done with you.”

  “Now see here,” Powers retorted. “You’re a police officer—”

  “I’m off duty and I’m here as a private citizen. And I want a chance to look through the wreckage to find something.” Kip’s chest thrust forward, and he looked even larger than he actually was.

  “He looks mad,” Isaac said.

  “I think he is, but not at us.”

  “Is he mad at the mean man who took Weeble?” Isaac asked.

  It surprised him sometimes just how much Isaac grasped. He was very smart, and Jos knew that once they were settled, he’d get him in some sort of preschool. “Yes, he is. But it’s a good kind of angry. Not the mean kind of angry like Mr. Powers.”

  Isaac nodded and put his thumb in his mouth. Jos gently pulled it away and shifted Isaac on his hip so he could lean into the car and grab Pistachio for him. That seemed to make Isaac feel better.

  “I can’t believe he’s doing that,” Detective Cloud said as he joined them.

  “I’m sorry about all this,” Jos said, just above a whisper. “It’s all my fault. I should have told him to just go home.”

  “Are you kidding? Seeing Powers frustrated and angry as hell but not able to do anything about it is priceless.”

  “But won’t Kip get into trouble?”

  “For what? Red and I haven’t seen anything.” Aaron smiled, and Red came over to join them.

  “I should help,” Red said.

  “We can’t. There isn’t any reason for us to be looking in there, and we’re on duty. The only reason we’re here is because of a dispute between two citizens that has the potential to escalate,” Aaron said, watching Kip as he carefully walked over the rubble pile.

  “How long is he going to take?” Powers huffed as he walked over. “I pay these men by the hour, and I’ll send the bill to the department.”

  “Go ahead. You taking this building down is suspect, since you knew there was someone else’s property inside, so don’t give me a bunch of your crap,” Aaron said. “I don’t believe your story at all. I just can’t prove different. But that doesn’t mean we can’t cause trouble for you. Give him a few minutes. If your men want to help, it will get us out of here all the faster.”

  Powers stomped away and talked to the drivers. They got down out of their cabs and came over.

  “What’s he lookin’ for?” one of the men asked.

  “Weeble,” Isaac answered, lower lip shaking, tears welling in his eyes.

  “A teddy bear,” Jos said. “When Powers kicked us out, it scared Isaac and he hid his bear under his bed. Kip is trying to find it.”

  “Come on,” the driver said to the other man. They walked to the rubble pile. “Which apartment was it?”

  “Third floor, this side, that corner of the building.” Jos pointed, and they began digging around. Jos watched, but truthfully he wasn’t holding out much hope. Kip seemed determined and continued digging through the pile, pulling bricks and parts of wall off and tossing them to the side. The other men joined him.

  Jos figured this was a lost cause. “Kip,” he called and shook his head. Kip ignored him and continued digging, pulling out part of the wall, which sent up a cloud of dust. Kip jumped back and then began digging around in the hole he’d made. A mattress came up next, and then Kip held his hand high in the air.

  “Weeble!” Isaac cried at the top of his lungs. Kip climbed off the pile, and so did the other two men. Kip shook hands with both of them and then jogged to where they waited.

  The brown bear was nearly white with dust. Kip bumped him against his hand, knocking a lot of it away. “When we get home, Jos and I will clean him up for you,” Kip said when Isaac reached for him. “You can have him then.”

  “Promise?” Isaac asked.

  “Yes. I promise.” Kip put Weeble in the backseat, and they all got into their cars. Powers still huffed, but Jos was done with this place. He never wanted to see it again as long as he lived. As Kip pulled away, Jos refused to turn around. Somehow he had to make his life move forward to a better place.

  KIP STOPPED for pizza since it was getting late. When they got back to the house, Isaac was nearly asleep, and Jos got him cleaned up and put him in bed with Pistachio. Weeble had been washed and was in the dryer. Kip had been afraid that the dust from the demolition wasn’t good for Isaac, but in the morning, he’d have his bear back.

  “I can’t believe you did that,” Jos said as he and Kip sat on the porch in the near darkness.

  “Why not? He’s been through more pain than anyone his age should ever have to be, and if he wanted his bear, I had to do what I could to get it for him.”

  Jos reached out to Kip and squeezed his hand. “Thank you. It means a great deal to both of us. I only wish I’d known where it was when I went inside. I could have prevented the extra searching.”

  “Seeing Powers about ready to explode was worth it. Even his own men weren’t happy with him.” Kip sat back and put his feet up on the table. “The weather says it’s going to get cold again tomorrow and probably stay that way from now on, so we may as well enjoy the last of the warm weather.”

  Jos agreed and tried to relax, but there were so many things he didn’t know. “When do you have to go back to work?”

  “Day after tomorrow. This is my weekend, I guess. I rarely get a full Saturday and Sunday off together because I’m one of the lower men on the totem pole, but it doesn’t really matter. Two days off together gives me time to do what I need and to rest and get some projects done around here.”

  “It was quite a day,” Jos said as he ran over everything that had happened in his mind.

  “Yes, it was. An
d we should get your things out of the trunk.” Kip didn’t make any effort to move. “There’s a dresser in the guest room that’s empty. Go ahead and put your things in there.” Kip stretched his arms over his head and his shirt rode up, giving Jos a peek at Kip’s flat belly. “I’ll help you in a minute. I just need to relax a bit.”

  It had turned very dark by the time Kip got up to move. He unlocked the trunk and began carrying things into the house. They should have done this before Isaac went to bed, but Kip had a solution and put the bags in the next room.

  “At least it’s all in and you can take care of things in the morning,” Kip told him when they were all done. Jos didn’t want to question what Kip had said, and it seemed Kip wanted him and Isaac to stay, at least for a few more days. Jos nodded and dug in one of the bags for some clothes to wear to bed. Then he said good night and went into the bathroom to clean up.

  Isaac never moved when Jos came in the room and got into bed with him. He held Pistachio tight and lay curled almost into a ball. Jos wondered what sort of dreams he was having and hoped they were happy ones. Granted, there hadn’t been a lot of happiness in their lives lately, but Jos prayed that would change.

  JOS WOKE to a scream that cut the night like a knife. He sat up as Isaac thrashed and kicked him, yelling once again. Jos pulled Isaac to him, hugging and soothing him until he woke up and began to cry.

  “What happened?” Kip asked as he raced into the room, shirtless and wearing only a pair of shorts.

  “Isaac had a nightmare,” Jos said. He rubbed Isaac’s back, trying to get him calmed down and quiet once again.

  “What happened, buddy?” Kip asked.

  “The mean man tried to take me away, Jos. He put me in the house and then it fell down and I couldn’t find Weeble.” Isaac wiped his eyes, and Kip left the room.

  “It’s okay. You know it was just a dream. It wasn’t real.”

  “I know,” Isaac sniffled. When Kip returned, he handed Weeble to Isaac.

  “It’s all better. You have Weeble now,” Jos said and helped Isaac get back under the covers.

  “I have to go,” Isaac said. Jos got him out of bed and took him to the bathroom. Isaac yawned more than once, and when he was done, he washed his hands and then hurried back into the bedroom, jumped up on the bed, and scrambled under the covers. He held both Weeble and Pistachio, settling easily. Isaac went right back to sleep, but Jos doubted he would. He left the room and met Kip in the hallway outside. Neither said a word; they just walked down to the kitchen and Kip put a kettle on the stove.

  “He scared the life out of me,” Kip admitted as he sat down at the table.

  Jos agreed and managed to sound coherent despite his attention being drawn to Kip’s bare chest. He was strong and fit, with defined pecs and big arms. A dusting of hair in the center of his chest trailed off to a line that ran down his ridged belly. “I thought someone was really hurting him.” Jos needed to stop staring but found it damn hard.

  “I did too.”

  “I hate that he gets so scared.” Jos wiped his eyes. “I know it’s all my fault. I should be doing better for him.” He rested his elbows on the table and put his head in his hands. “Maybe he would be better off with someone else to care for him. They sure as hell couldn’t do worse than I am.” He sniffled and looked at Kip.

  “Hey, Isaac loves you, and that’s what’s important.” Kip put a hand on his shoulder. “This has been a very difficult few days, and I think you’re feeling worn a little thin right now.”

  “You think?”

  “Yeah, I do. Lots of things have come to a head, and you’re trying to deal with them all at once.”

  Jos shook his head. He felt like he was made of glass and was going to shatter into a million pieces at any second. It took all his energy to hold himself together. And he had to for Isaac.

  The teakettle whistling pulled him out of his funk and back to the present. Kip got up, and damned if Jos couldn’t help following him with his eyes, especially as those gray shorts slid just a little bit lower on his narrow hips with every step. Kip put tea bags into two mugs and poured the water. Then he brought them back to the table and placed one in front of him.

  Jos barely noticed. Those shorts were obscene and hid practically nothing. He turned away, swallowed hard, and lifted his mug. Of course he swore when he burned his tongue, and Kip jumped up and got him an ice cube from the freezer, holding it to his lips. Jos sucked on it, the cold helping, and noticed that Kip didn’t take his gaze from his lips.

  “You know, you’re really beautiful,” Kip said. “Guys aren’t usually pretty, but you are.” Kip touched Jos’s cheek with his thumb, stroking lightly. Jos closed his eyes and soaked in the gentle attention. For a few seconds, he tried to remember how long it had been since there had been someone in his life who was gentle and caring. His mother had been neither; well, at least with him. When it came to Isaac, she’d been less cold and had spent more time with him, but she would never, ever have won Mother of the Year.

  “I’m not…,” Jos countered, desperately wanting Kip to argue with him. He liked being told he was pretty. Hell, he liked being the center of someone’s attention in a good way, rather than how Tyler had acted in the alley. The way Kip looked at him, with warmth and gentleness, made him want to sit still and stay like that forever. He could escape into Kip’s deep jade eyes and never move. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about apartments and jobs and what was going to come next. He could just be and let go of everything building up inside to the point that he wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold it together.

  “Yes, you are,” Kip told him. “Just let yourself believe it and give up some of the worry for now. I think you’ve been doing it for so long that you aren’t sure how to let it go.” Kip moved back slightly but didn’t stop touching him. His hand did a little dance away from his lips, but Kip teased it around the side of his neck and just held it there, like if Jos became too tired, Kip would support him and hold him up. “Drink your tea. It’ll help you sleep.”

  “What if I don’t want to go to sleep?” Jos asked, lifting his gaze to meet Kip’s. He saw a well of heat ready to spring up and engulf him. That was what he needed—heat and passion to burn hot and rise up around him, to take him away and make him forget everything if only for a while.

  Kip leaned close enough that hot breath, scented with tea, ghosted over his lips. Without thinking, Jos licked them in preparation for the kiss he hoped was coming. “You need to. Part of the reason you’re on edge is because you haven’t really rested in a long time.” He didn’t move back, and Jos wondered what Kip was thinking.

  Just when he figured Kip wasn’t going to make any sort of move, he leaned in farther and Kip’s lips touched his. Jos wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting. In books, the first kiss was always electric and eye-opening. This one was nice—soft and gentle. It didn’t incite an all-encompassing passion, but Jos’s heart beat faster, and he was warmer. Kip pulled back, and Jos opened his eyes. Their gazes held fast, neither of them moving.

  “You should finish your tea and go on up to bed,” Kip whispered.

  “But…,” Jos began and stopped. He was not going to ask Kip to take him to bed. Yeah, Kip had kissed him, but maybe he wasn’t interested in him and that had been just some kind of pity kiss. Something to make him feel better, and nothing more. “Yeah, I should go upstairs.”

  His tea had cooled off some, and Jos drank from the mug, turning to sit at the table, which provided a barrier so Kip couldn’t see how excited he was. It also gave him something to look at other than Kip’s honey-gold skin. He still found himself sneaking looks every now and then, huffing to himself. Once he finished the mug, Jos took it to the sink and rinsed it out before saying good night to Kip and going upstairs.

  Isaac didn’t even stir when Jos got back into the bed, and he heard Kip come up the stairs a little while later, a few floorboards creaking as he passed the door. Jos rolled over, staring up at the white ceilin
g. He couldn’t help wondering what that kiss had meant, if it actually had meaning or was just something Kip had done to comfort him. Kip had said he was beautiful, and he was pretty sure Kip didn’t go around saying that to a lot of people. He decided to be happy about the kiss and try to let it go at that.

  “You’re turning into a teenage girl,” he whispered to himself. Isaac snuffled in his sleep and rolled over without waking. At least he was able to sleep. Sometimes being an adult stank. If he were a kid, he’d be able to take the kiss at face value and be happy about it. Instead, he was lying there, wondering and worrying instead of being happy that Kip had kissed him at all. Eventually the wheels in Jos’s head settled down and exhaustion took over.

  THE FOLLOWING morning Jos was at loose ends. He heard Isaac laughing with Kip, but he was tired and pulled the covers up to his neck and closed his eyes once more. A scream had him up and on his feet within seconds, but as soon as he reached the stairs, he realized it was laughter and glee. Whatever Kip was doing to Isaac, it was something he hadn’t been able to do, because laughter had definitely been missing from his brother’s life.

  Jos went back to the room where they had put their bags and rummaged until he found something he could wear. Once he was dressed, he grabbed the bags and carried them downstairs.

  “Everything you need is in the basement. Help yourself,” Kip called happily. Jos thanked him and did his best to smile as Isaac waved from on top of Kip’s shoulders. Jos started a load of laundry and ended up sitting on the rug in front of the washer, listening to the machine do its work.

  “There you are,” Kip said.

  Jos hadn’t even bothered to move when he heard him on the stairs.