Chapter Twenty-Six

Jaron walked out of the main house and down to the end of the driveway. He had his cell phone in his pocket, and he wasn't sure why. Normally he never carried it, but he put it into his pocket that morning and hadn't taken it out even when he began cleaning the main house.

He felt off kilter. The phone grounded him in a way he couldn't totally explain. Maybe because it was the only way he could get in touch with Travis. He'd never been a needy person, so he didn't think that was it.

Whatever. It was just a phone in his pocket. A little thing that made him feel a bit safer.

The field across the road had cows in it. A black and white cow locked her gaze with his and slowly walked over. The rest of the herd didn't give him a passing glance.

The grass came up to the top of her hooves. The herd hadn't made it as far over as the fence yet.

"Don't you have pretty eyes." Jaron smiled and looked at his watch.

Bobby's bus driver wouldn't like it if she had to worry about him crossing the road in front of the bus. She always had a smile for Bobby when he got on the bus and when he got off. She had a treat for the kids who rode her bus every Friday. Most of the time it was a small piece of candy, but Bobby loved getting them. She didn't seem to like adults, though. Or maybe it was Jaron.

Jaron had time, so he crossed the road. The cow took a step back, eying him with suspicion. He held out his hand. "It's all right. I won't hurt you." He kept his voice at no more than a whisper.

She blew through her nose and stomped a hoof. Her eyes went wild with suspicion. She proved brave enough to take a step in his direction, though. Her nose almost touched his hand when the purr of a vehicle engine and the steady rotation of rubber on gravel sounded off to Jaron's left. The cow stiffened, and she moved away. Her friends stopped grazing when the sound of tires rolled to a stop.

It was only then that Jaron looked up.

Brad sat behind the wheel of a small red truck. His blond hair was covered with a baseball cap. Their gazes met, and Jaron could see the glassiness of his eyes. Alcohol had flushed Brad's cheeks.

The driver's side door opened, and Brad got out.

Jaron sucked in a breath and froze when he saw the aluminum bat in Brad's hand. Every sound disappeared except for his own breath.

Brad's lips moved and then curled in disgust.

Jaron shook his head, not understanding what Brad said.

Everything slowed, including his own breathing. His mind turned off, and instinct took over.

Jaron crossed the road as quickly as he could, but Brad closed the distance when he made it to the driveway.

Brad never said a word as he swung the bat. Jaron lifted his arm, wanting to protect his head. The impact drove his arm into his face, and he stumbled, falling to the ground.

Another hit landed across his hip. He held up his hands.

Brad had the bat raised. He had a blank look in his eyes as if his mind had gone somewhere else.

"M-my son. His bus is coming. Please."

Brad shook his head and blinked as if coming back from a foggy mind. He took a step back.

A gunshot vibrated through the air, startling them both. Brad jumped and hunched his shoulders, getting lower to the ground, when another gunshot cracked. Brad turned back to his truck as Greg ran over, a shotgun in his hand. He pointed it at Brad even after he took off down the road.

Greg put the gun down next to Jaron and knelt. "Where did he hit you?"

Jaron shut his eyes when Greg became blurry. His heartbeat pounded through his brain and he couldn't get enough oxygen into his lungs.

Greg cursed. "You're okay. He left, and Beverly is calling the police. But you need to calm down or you'll go into shock."

His vision went black, but he heard Greg speak.

"I've gotcha. No worries now."

Jaron heard the school bus pop and wheeze. And then he felt nothing. Someone held the hand of his good arm, and he could hear Bobby crying.

Beverly had a phone up to her ear. "An ambulance is on the way…Bobby's fine. He was still on the bus when Brad came…We're all very worried…Greg's making sure Brad doesn't come back. Jaron's well protected."

Jaron turned toward Bobby's soft sobs and opened his eyes. Beverly held his hand with Bobby tucked up next to her. Bobby touched his shoulder. Bobby's backpack lay on the grass a few feet away, forgotten. "Papa's here, baby."

"You didn't wake up." Bobby wiggled around and laid his head on Jaron's shoulder.

"Careful." Beverly had a hand on Bobby's arm but let him go when Jaron nodded. "He's awake…okay." She fiddled with the phone and then held it out.

"I'm on my way." Everyone heard Travis over the speakerphone. "Hang in there."

"I will."

"I'll meet you at the hospital."

"Papa's gotta go to the hospital?" Bobby didn't move from beside Jaron.

"He sure does, but the doctors are gonna make him feel better." Travis was the one who answered.

"He's not gonna never wake up like Mommy?"

Jaron shut his eyes when Bobby asked that question.

Travis made a sound through the phone that Jaron couldn't identify until he heard the shakiness in his voice. "I'll make him wake up."

"You're gonna take care of Papa?"

"Yeah. And you. I'll see you in less than one hour."

Bobby nodded and stuck his thumb in his mouth.

Jaron tried to breathe through the pain. The sirens, growing closer, eased some of his tension, and he closed his eyes again.

Beverly squeezed his hand. "Don't go to sleep, Jaron."

Bobby lifted his head. "You're gonna wake up?" Jaron could hear the tears in every word.

He tightened his hold on Bobby. "Yeah, snuggle bear. Papa's leg hurts, is all." He was pretty sure he had a broken arm as well and he had a headache.

Travis cursed. "I'll be there as soon as I can, baby."

The sirens grew so close he couldn't hear anything except their loud, shrill calls. The next thing he knew paramedics knelt beside him. When they tried to separate Bobby from Jaron, Bobby threw a fit.

He kicked and called for Jaron when Beverly tried pulling him away.

"Take me off speaker and let me talk to Bobby, Mom." Something in Travis' tone calmed Jaron even if it didn't do anything for Bobby.

Whatever conversation Travis had with Bobby gained his full attention.

Jaron noticed a police officer talking to Greg.

Greg had the shotgun in his arms, held to the side toward the field.

The officer didn't take it away from him, which meant the cop knew Greg wasn't a threat. The officer probably knew Greg, if not personally then he certainly knew Greg's family.

One of the paramedics smiled at him. A woman in a police uniform stood directly behind the paramedic. "Want to tell me what happened?"

Jaron's head ached, but he still wanted to answer. "Um…I was waiting for Bobby's bus. I went to pet the cow across the road when Brad Flynn stopped on the road. He was drunk. Had a bat. He hit me twice."

The paramedic asked the next question. "Did he get you in the head?"

"I put my arm up when he swung. He hit it, and my arm hit my head."

The paramedic smiled. "You'll be okay."

Jaron nodded and shut his eyes as they worked on him.