“Momma this is crazy. I can’t believe you are actually considering letting him stay here. He’s a rapist! He actually took someone against their will! Forced them to have sex with him!”
Llew’s knees gave out and he had to catch himself on the porch rail. He sat down on the top step and buried his head in his hands. He dragged his hands through his hair, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain. Pain in his head, his chest and in his heart. He’d give anything to have his big brother here right now. He pulled out his cell phone but his hands were shaking so bad he had to dial the number three times before he got it right. Ms. Pat was still arguing with her son while he listened helplessly. He put the receiver to his ear and listened to it ring several times before his brother’s voice said he was busy and to leave a message. “L-Leslie can you call me, p-please. I need to talk to you, bro.” Llew hung up and clutched the phone to his chest like it was a lifeline.
“Llewell.”
Llew jumped at the sound of Shane’s voice. He was still there, squatting next to him, his large hand on his shoulder. He looked into the beautiful brown eyes, wishing that he could take back everything about tonight. Llew just shook his head, his eyes watery and burning. “I swear on everything I know. On my parents’ graves, Shane.” He pleaded for the beautiful man to believe him. “I didn’t rape my boyfriend. We were young and he freaked when his dad came in. I thought for so long that he’d take it back but he never—” Llew tried to control himself, tried to stop the shaking, the tears that flowed down his cheeks. Probably because he’d held those tears in for so long. Scared to cry in prison, now he couldn’t stop them. “I loved him. I loved him so much,and he left me in there. Left me in—”
Llew gasped when he was pulled into a tight hug. Shane clung to him and let Llew have his moment. He squeezed Shane back, seizing the fabric of the thick jean jacket in his grip. “Shhh. Don’t say anything else, Llewell. It’s okay.”
He felt Shane’s hands rubbing up and down his back, the most comforting gesture he’d received in years. Shane’s hot breath was on his neck, and it calmed him, warmed Llew deep inside. Shane murmured softly in his ear in that voice that sounded like an angel’s. For just a few minutes, it felt like everything would really be okay. Until Llew heard the sirens, and saw the bright blue and red lights of the sheriff’s cruiser. Llew reluctantly pulled back from Shane, who actually looked disappointed. He stood and waited for the inevitable; he was about to be escorted from the premises. Hell, maybe even slapped with a restraining order. Even though he’d done nothing wrong, that’d never stopped the law from screwing him.
“What is going on out here?” Ms. Pat’s voice reached them before she got to the screen door.
“Oh, Llewellyn, there you are. Honey, are you okay? I was worried sick.” She came through the door and reached up to hug him around his neck. “Why’d you take off like that, and Smith Jr., what are you doing here?”
“Momma, get away from him.”
Llew looked up and saw a broad man with graying hair at his temples and eyes just like Ms. Pat’s pull her back away from him. The man tucked her behind him as if she were in danger. Although he was a foot shorter and significantly smaller than Llew, he had no qualms about getting up in his face. “You stay the hell away from my mother, you… you… deviant.”
“Oh my lord. Jim Sr., you stop this foolishness right this instant. What is Sheriff Potts doing here?” she said, twisting out of her son’s grasp.
“I called him. I want this man out of here.”
“Well that’s not for you to say. This here is my house, and he’s paid his rent!” she yelled.
“Here.” The man pulled out his thick black wallet and unfolded several bills, throwing them at Llew’s chest. He watched them fall to the ground, his head hanging heavy with self-hatred. He wouldn’t dare confront this guy. He couldn’t and wouldn’t violate his probation by getting into any altercations. He’d keep his mouth closed like he was used to doing. “Rape has the highest rate of recidivism… a very difficult habit to break isn’t that right, Luigellan?”
“Oh my god. Llewellyn, I’m so sorry. Jim you stop it. Stop it, right now!” Ms. Pat wrung her hands in her sweater. She suddenly looked older than her actual years, and Llew didn’t want to be the source of her stress. Clearly, this was too much for her to handle.