“Yeah.
You’re not gonna run away again, are you?”
Cullen picked up one of the warm towels and held it to his face. He inhaled several
times before starting to fold it. “I don’t wanna leave, but it might be easier.” “No it won’t.” Oggie started a stack and reached for another towel. “I think you should
talk to Joseph.”
Cullen shook his head. “I shouldn’t have tried to kiss him.”
Uncomfortable with giving advice, Oggie concentrated on the pile beside him until he
figured out how to proceed. “Do you think Joseph would’ve pushed you away if he knew
you were of legal age?”
“Being underage gives him an out.” Cullen paused. “The attraction between us is there,
but I’m no good for him. I thought being around him would be enough, but it only made it
harder.”
“You have to tell him the truth,” Oggie urged.
“I’ve done a lot of crazy, nasty shit to stay alive. Joseph is the kindest, purest man I’ve
known.” Tears filled Cullen’s light green eyes. “The best thing for him is for me to stay
away.”
“He’s a grown man. Why don’t you let him make his own decisions?” A horn sounded
outside the dormitory. Oggie got to his feet. “Finish those up. That’s probably Nate with a
load of donated clothes.”
* * * *
Drake stepped off the plane and shook his head. A brand new shuttle bus was parked at the edge of the runway. It seemed Asa was going all out to help Joseph and the young men. He turned to Joseph. “Asa’s thought of everything.”
Covering his face with a scarf, Joseph scanned the area. Although it had stopped snowing, the wind was whipping what was already on the ground into huge drifts. “I hope it’s a four-wheel drive.”
“Don’t worry. If I know Asa, he’s hired a competent driver.” Drake waved the bus over as the young men started to gather what little they’d managed to salvage. He could tell Joseph was still rattled and hoped his mind would be eased once they arrived at the ranch. “It’ll be okay,” he said, clapping Joseph on the shoulder.
“As you said earlier, we’re all safe. That’s the most important thing.”
The bus stopped several feet from Drake and Mario grinned at him through the windshield. “I’ll be damned,” Drake said. “That’s Asa’s partner, Mario Benta.”
Drake walked over and knocked on the tall bus door. It slid open easily, and Drake ushered everyone inside as they disembarked. “Talk about hands-on,” he joked.
Mario shrugged. “Asa’s been on the phone for hours. I figured I might as well put myself to use.”
Drake sat in the seat directly behind Mario, thankful that Joseph chose a seat towards the back. He leant over and spoke for Mario’s ears only. “There’s not a kid in here that has a coat. Please tell me Asa thought of that?”
Mario nodded. “He sent Nate to Wynfield’s with a blank cheque. They’ll be the best dressed kids in school.” He looked in the long mirror overhead. “There’re blankets up top if anyone needs one.”
“Thanks,” the boy closest to them said, wrapping himself up.
“Hang on,” Mario called out. “It might be slow going, but we’ll get you to the ranch.”
Drake sat back in his seat. He’d been impressed by the young men and how they’d come together to take care of each other and Joseph in the wake of the tragedy. He wasn’t in the habit of wondering what his life could have been ‘if’, but secretly, he was jealous of the close-knit group.
Maybe the young men from Rainbow Youth House weren’t the only ones who deserved a second chance at life. He may be a hell of a lot older than the men in the back, but for the first time, Drake yearned to change, to be part of something much bigger than his own insecurities.
* * * *
After checking the house and the dorm, Drake eventually found Oggie in the barn. “Hey.”
With dark circles under his eyes, Oggie still found the energy to smile. “Almost done.”
“What can I do to help?”
Oggie pointed towards a
You’re not gonna run away again, are you?”
Cullen picked up one of the warm towels and held it to his face. He inhaled several
times before starting to fold it. “I don’t wanna leave, but it might be easier.” “No it won’t.” Oggie started a stack and reached for another towel. “I think you should
talk to Joseph.”
Cullen shook his head. “I shouldn’t have tried to kiss him.”
Uncomfortable with giving advice, Oggie concentrated on the pile beside him until he
figured out how to proceed. “Do you think Joseph would’ve pushed you away if he knew
you were of legal age?”
“Being underage gives him an out.” Cullen paused. “The attraction between us is there,
but I’m no good for him. I thought being around him would be enough, but it only made it
harder.”
“You have to tell him the truth,” Oggie urged.
“I’ve done a lot of crazy, nasty shit to stay alive. Joseph is the kindest, purest man I’ve
known.” Tears filled Cullen’s light green eyes. “The best thing for him is for me to stay
away.”
“He’s a grown man. Why don’t you let him make his own decisions?” A horn sounded
outside the dormitory. Oggie got to his feet. “Finish those up. That’s probably Nate with a
load of donated clothes.”
* * * *
Drake stepped off the plane and shook his head. A brand new shuttle bus was parked at the edge of the runway. It seemed Asa was going all out to help Joseph and the young men. He turned to Joseph. “Asa’s thought of everything.”
Covering his face with a scarf, Joseph scanned the area. Although it had stopped snowing, the wind was whipping what was already on the ground into huge drifts. “I hope it’s a four-wheel drive.”
“Don’t worry. If I know Asa, he’s hired a competent driver.” Drake waved the bus over as the young men started to gather what little they’d managed to salvage. He could tell Joseph was still rattled and hoped his mind would be eased once they arrived at the ranch. “It’ll be okay,” he said, clapping Joseph on the shoulder.
“As you said earlier, we’re all safe. That’s the most important thing.”
The bus stopped several feet from Drake and Mario grinned at him through the windshield. “I’ll be damned,” Drake said. “That’s Asa’s partner, Mario Benta.”
Drake walked over and knocked on the tall bus door. It slid open easily, and Drake ushered everyone inside as they disembarked. “Talk about hands-on,” he joked.
Mario shrugged. “Asa’s been on the phone for hours. I figured I might as well put myself to use.”
Drake sat in the seat directly behind Mario, thankful that Joseph chose a seat towards the back. He leant over and spoke for Mario’s ears only. “There’s not a kid in here that has a coat. Please tell me Asa thought of that?”
Mario nodded. “He sent Nate to Wynfield’s with a blank cheque. They’ll be the best dressed kids in school.” He looked in the long mirror overhead. “There’re blankets up top if anyone needs one.”
“Thanks,” the boy closest to them said, wrapping himself up.
“Hang on,” Mario called out. “It might be slow going, but we’ll get you to the ranch.”
Drake sat back in his seat. He’d been impressed by the young men and how they’d come together to take care of each other and Joseph in the wake of the tragedy. He wasn’t in the habit of wondering what his life could have been ‘if’, but secretly, he was jealous of the close-knit group.
Maybe the young men from Rainbow Youth House weren’t the only ones who deserved a second chance at life. He may be a hell of a lot older than the men in the back, but for the first time, Drake yearned to change, to be part of something much bigger than his own insecurities.
* * * *
After checking the house and the dorm, Drake eventually found Oggie in the barn. “Hey.”
With dark circles under his eyes, Oggie still found the energy to smile. “Almost done.”
“What can I do to help?”
Oggie pointed towards a
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