Before There Was You, There Was You

Chapter 17

WARNING: This may be a little intense. Violence, rape.

“Got a cold chain.
I got rain fallin' on my head from above.
I got a bad pain.
I got a gal don't know the meaning of love.
I got ten thousand troubles, a million woes.
I got grief in my soul nobody knows.”

~ Tim Buckley – Grief in my soul


*****
 

“I swear to God, Justin, I’m going to kill you if you don’t shut the fuck up!” Brian groaned and buried his head under the pillow.

Justin woke up just a few minutes ago to the buzzing of Brian’s cell phone. He tried to answer it quickly before it woke Brian, without success. His next mistake was trying to talk to Ted while he was still lying in bed with Brian. He decided his best chance for survival was to leave the immediate vicinity.

Justin took the phone into the bathroom. “Sorry, Ted, his highness is suffering from a bit of a hangover this morning,” he said groggily.

“Didn’t mean to wake you guys,” Ted said. “How are you doing?” he asked with concern heavy in his voice.

Ted and Justin had become friends since Ted’s battle with addiction. Ted had changed a lot during recovery and therapy. He had a new found wisdom that he sometimes shared with Justin. Justin was happy to have Ted’s council on more then one occasion.

He also knew that Brian and Ted had developed a bond of sorts. Ted helped Brian launch Kinnetik. Brian often remarked how Ted’s obsessive attention to detail was dreadfully annoying, but equally invaluable. Ted genuinely cared for Brian’s interest, both in business and on a personal level.

“I’m fine, Ted, actually, better than fine.” Justin said sure that Ted could hear the smile in his voice.

Ted laughed. “I bet you are!” he teased. “So I assume the reunion was a good one?”

“Which reunion are you talking about?” Justin replied.

“Let’s start with you and Brian.” Ted stated the obvious.

“Our reunion was inevitable, Ted.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. You two truly are meant for each other, Justin. You don’t know how lucky you are,” Ted said wistfully.

Justin heard the ache in Ted’s voice. “Ted, you know you’ll find someone one day. God, don’t wish for a relationship like Brian’s and mine! You’re not that masochistic.” He laughed into the phone.

Ted laughed. “Hey, I wouldn’t mind a little S&M! I’m still hip you know.”

“What’s that about your hip, Ted? Oh, I hope it’s not acting up again.” Justin teased.

“Bitch.” Ted laughed. “Seriously, how did the “big” reunion go with Brian and his sister?” Ted asked eagerly.

Justin sighed. He should have guessed Mikey or Deb, probably both, couldn’t wait to spread the news about Brian’s “long lost sister”. Justin didn’t know whether or not Brian told Lindsey before they left, but he did know he didn’t want any of the gang to know. Oh well, cat’s out of the bag now.

“It went great Ted. It was very emotional,” Justin recalled.

“Emotional? Brian?” Ted asked with mock surprise. “We are talking about Brian “I don’t do lesbianic emotion” Kinney, aren’t we?”

Justin laughed. “The one and only.” Justin knew Ted understood Brian better these days. And better than most.

“Actually, it went very well, Ted. They spent most of the night celebrating and catching up.” And the rest of the night Brian and he had their own celebration. Justin’s body twitched at the memory. He was still floating on air over the experience.

“Well I just called to see how you guys were. Mikey’s really worried. Brian hasn’t called him. We’ve all been badgering him for details on Brian’s “secret” family,” Ted confessed.

Justin frowned. He didn’t know how much Michael knew, but he was sure it was enough that Brian wouldn’t appreciate being broadcasted to his friends.

“What’s he saying?” Justin cautiously asked.

“Just that Brian had grown up with another family in New York, and had one remaining sister left. The rest of the family passed on. Emmett is all a flutter with the “romance” of the whole situation. Brian finding his long lost sister after all these years.” Ted dramatically sighed into the phone.

“He’s planning this big “The Color Purple” theme welcome home party for them. Deb of course, is shamefully encouraging him on,” Ted reported.

Justin groaned. He was sure Brian wasn’t going to appreciate their efforts. He’ll have to warn him, and make sure he behaves. Great, Taylor, set yourself up for failure why don’t you, he chided himself.

“Ted, PLEASE make sure Emmett doesn’t go overboard, you know how Brian hates attention.”

“That attention whore!” Ted laughed incredulously.

Justin had to laugh at that as well. “Well CERTAIN attention he does crave, but you know he hates all that emotional stuff,” Justin amended.

“Don’t worry, Jus, I’ll rein Emmett in,” Ted assured him.

“Thanks. Oh, Ted, by the way, Rena will be bringing her assistant and her bodyguard with her back to the Pitts.”

“A body guard? Why does she need a bodyguard?” he asked.

Justin wondered the same thing himself. “I really haven’t had much time to talk to her, Ted. She and Brian have been busy reconnecting. I’ve been hanging with the assistant. Now SHE is interesting,” Justin told Ted.

“Oh? How so?” Ted’s interest was piqued.

“Well, think Hillary Swank in “Boys Don’t Cry.” Only with a face like a very young Judy Garland.” Justin said.

“A transsexual?” Ted asked.

“Looks like one, but who the fuck knows? She’s a girl, pretending to be a boy, pretending to be gay,” Justin tried to explain.

“Ah, like Victor, Victoria,” Ted surmised.

“More like Ripley from Alien crossed with ‘Dondi’ the old comic strip,” Justin explained.

“Hey, you’re too young to remember ‘Dondi’!” Ted admonished.

Justin laughed. “Youth is no excuse for not knowing the classics! That little orphan boy is legendary! I’m actually doing a paper on him in school. My graphic art class assignment is on the social impact of newspaper comic strips. I chose ‘Dondi’.”

“Most kids would choose ‘Doonesbury’. But not our Justin.” Ted was impressed.

“Come to think of it, Shane looks more like Dondi,” Justin mused.

“Shane?”

“That’s the assistant’s name. James is the bodyguard’s name. He’s definitely out of some Bond movie,” Justin announced.

“Ok, you definitely have been hanging out with Emmett too much,” Ted scolded.

“I know. Brian says so too. He’s got me hooked on all those old movies,” Justin admitted.

“Emmett is going to LOVE Rena! She looks like she walked out of one of those movies! She’s very “Hollywood”. First time I saw her I thought she was very glamorous. Everything from her hair, to her make-up, to her cloths screams Diva. Even when she’s in her sweats, she’s got the nails and hair done up.”

Justin remembered how Rena looked last night before he and Shane left. She truly was a glamour queen. Not a classic beauty, but she knew how to put it together.

“Well, we are all excited. Please tell Brian not to worry about work. I nailed the Sparkle account,” Ted boasted.

“I’ll make sure and tell him, Ted. He’ll be happy.”

“See you next week then?” Ted asked.

“Looks that way.”

“Well then, have fun in New York, do some shopping, take in the museums. Might as well drink some of that culture in. I’ll talk to you next week,” Ted said.

“I’ll do that. Tell the gang we said ‘hi’.” Justin ended the conversation.

He closed the phone and walked out of the bathroom. Brian was lying on his stomach, the pillow still over his head. He walked over to the bed and gently kissed his forehead.

Brian groaned. “I’m dying.”

Justin laughed softly. “You’re not dying, Bri. You’ve just drunk and smoked yourself straight last night. You know how you suffer the next day when you do that,” Justin whispered to his lover.

Brian snorted into his pillow. “Bullshit. I can out drink and out drug anyone, any day of the week.” He peeked up at Justin. “You, on the other hand, have managed to do me in,” he quipped.

Justin laughed. “I doubt that. You can also out-fuck anyone I know.” Justin whispered low in his ear.

Brian groaned, only this time not from pain.

“Do you need some pain management, Dear?” Justin taunted.

Brian peeked up at him again from underneath the pillow. “Dear?” he asked indignantly. “One fucking time I bottom for you and I’m now the wife?” Brian almost sounded serious.

Justin laughed. “Two times,” he reminded Brian. “And I bottom for you all the time. Does that make me the wife?” he asked with the same level of seriousness.

“I don’t call you “Dear” afterwards,” Brian declared haughtily.

“True,” Justin conceded. “Ok, I take it back.” He sat on the edge of the bed.

“So, do you need some pain management, Stud?”

Brian pulled the pillow off his head and hit Justin with it. Justin flinched and laughed.

“Ok, ok, I quit! No more teasing.” Justin was having a good time tormenting Brian.

“Actually, you can help me. Get me some fucking aspirin.”

Justin got up and started getting dressed. “I’m sure they have some in the hotel lobby. I’ll go get you some.”

“No, don’t get me any over the counter watered down shit. Go up to Rena’s. She a fucking doctor, I’m sure she has a medicine cabinet of top grade pain killers,” Brian suggested.

Justin finished dressing and went over and kissed Brian’s cheek. “Ok, I’ll be back in a few. Try not to kill the housekeeper if she walks in.” He said as he walked out of the room. He heard Brian curse on the other side of the door.

*****

It was about 11:00 am. The hotel was quiet. He passed some cleaning people on the way to the elevator. He got in and went up to Rena’s suite. He stepped off the elevator and headed towards Rena’s suite. When he got to the door he saw it was more than slightly ajar.

He pushed it open a bit. “Hello?” called out. No answer.

He walked into the foyer. He called out again. “Hello?” This time a little louder. Still no answer.

He walked into the living room. There were bottles of beer, Beam, and overflowing ashtrays lying about. He marveled at the amount of empty bottles there were. Well, there was a family connection here he thought. There was no way Brian consumed all of that. Rena had a healthy appetite for partying as well. He cringed to think of the bad influences they would be on each other.

“WHACK!”

Justin’s head snapped around to the direction of the sound. It was coming from one of the bedrooms.

‘WHACK!”

It came again. Justin’s heart started beating fast. It sounded like someone was getting hit with something. Without thought, Justin rushed towards the offending sound.

He opened the door to the bedroom where the sound was coming from. Empty.

‘WHACK!”

He looked to the other side of the bedroom to where a door to what he assumed was the Master Bath was. The door was slightly open, he could see a light turned on inside.

“DOMINA!” He heard James’s voice, frantic. Justin ran to the door and froze at the sight before him.

There, in the bathroom, James stood over Rena who was lying naked in the big garden tub. He had what looked like a riding crop in his hands. It was lying by his thigh at the moment. Justin’s eyes scanned over to Rena. She wasn’t moving. She was lying on her side, her head resting on the edge of the tub, her body curled almost as if in a fetal position. His eyes traveled to her thigh, which sported two very deep red welts from the crop.

James screamed again. “DOMINA, SNAP OUT OF IT NOW!” He raised his arm to strike her again with the crop, oblivious to anyone else being in the room.

“NOOOOO!” Justin screamed and ran over to grab James’s hand to stop him from striking her again.

James looked at Justin, confusion in his eyes. Justin glared at James. “STOP HITTING HER!” he screamed as he held onto James’s raised arm.

Shane bolted through the door at that instant, a bucket of ice in her hands.

“Justin, what the fuck are you doing here?!” she screeched in a panicked voice.

Justin didn’t know what the fuck was going on, but he didn’t like it.

James came to his senses. “Go away!” he yelled at Justin as he jerked his arm from Justin’s grip. “We will take care of her.” James motioned to Shane. Shane went over to the tub and dumped the ice water in.

Justin gasped. “How fucked up did she get last night?”

Both Shane and James looked at him, in confusion.

“Justin, this is not about booze, or drugs. This hasn’t happened in 6 years,” Shane started to explain.

“SHUT UP!” James yelled at her. “It is NOT his business!”

“Well what do you think is going to happen when he goes and tells Brian what he saw?” Shane challenged James.

James gave Justin a menacing look. “You will not tell anyone of this. Understand?” The threat in his voice was evident.

Justin stepped back in fear and shock. This man was actually threatening him! Justin got angry. Here goes that reckless streak in him again, he thought. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew James was NOT a man to challenge. He was dangerous. But this was Brian’s sister. He was not going to let James or anyone hurt her.

“I’ll do what I think is best for Brian’s sister,” he said through gritted teeth, fire burning from his eyes.

James took a step towards him. Shane jumped in front of Justin.

“James, Brian will find out. Face that. You cannot stop Justin from telling him. Maybe it’s time someone knew besides us.” She tried to reason with him.

“James…” Rena’s weak voice came from the tub. James immediately turned from Justin and bent down to lift Rena’s head from the side of the tub. Justin witnessed the extreme care with which James handled Rena. Deep worry was etched into his face. It was very confusing. One minute he was beating her with a crop, and the next he was sick with fear and worry over her. Justin didn’t know what to think.

“Rena, are you back with us?” James’ voice was tender as he spoke.

Shane went over and kneeled down by the tub along side of James. “Rena, talk to us.”

“What happened?” she croaked out.

“Domina, I’m sorry. It happened again.” James said with such remorse and sadness in his voice Justin’s heart ached. He had no idea what was happening, but he knew it was bad.

“Nooo…” Rena cried. “Please God, no…not again.”

“Shhh… Domina, it will be fine. I will take care of you. Haven’t I always?” James said soothingly.

Shane got up and grabbed a towel. James lifted her from the tub and Shane draped the towel over her. Justin moved out of the way as they passed him to bring her into the bedroom. James laid her gently on the bed.

“Brian?” Rena asked, fear in her voice.

“No. He is not here, he didn’t see a thing,” James reassured her.

“Justin is here, Rena,” Shane blurted out. James gave her a look that sent shivers up Justin’s spine and the look wasn’t even directed at him.

Rena cried out in denial. “NO!”

“Rena.” Justin found his voice. “I’m here. Tell me how to help you?”

Justin didn’t know what to say to her. She was hurting, that was obvious. She had some sort of episode he realized, not knowing exactly what kind, but knowing that she didn’t want anyone to know about it. He sensed her shame over it. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he couldn’t hold something like this back from Brian. He just didn’t know what to do.

Rena seemed to be coming around more. She looked at James.

“Go, leave me alone with Justin,” she said.

“Domina, I don’t think that is a good idea.”

“Listen to me, James. Go. Shane, you too, go,” Rena said more firmly.

James looked over at Justin, then over at Shane.

“I’ll be right outside the door, Domina. No harm will come to you.”

He grabbed Shane by the arm and dragged her to the door. Before he stepped out of the room, he turned to Justin. “Do not hurt her,” he ordered.

Justin just nodded his head. It was obvious this man cared deeply for Rena. His threats, his ominous appearance, were all manufactured to protect his “Domina”.

Justin turned back to Rena and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Do you want another pillow? Or a blanket?” he asked her, not knowing what to do or say. She laid on the bed with just the towel draped over her.

She smiled at him. “I could use a blanket over me.”

Justin got up and grabbed the extra blanket that was folded on the end of the bed and covered Rena with it. He gently smoothed it around her body, bringing it up to under her neck. He then fluffed the pillow under her head. Tending to her was keeping his mind off the million of questions he had.

She stilled his movements by placing her hand on his arm. He stopped and looked down at her.

“Sit.” She patted he bed. Justin sat on the edge of the bed and held her hand. He waited for her to speak.

“Do you love him?” she asked.

Justin was taken aback by the question. What did that have to do with what just happened?

He stared into her eyes, looking for answers. He saw none.

“More than you can ever imagine,” he said in simple honesty.

She smiled. “I am sure you are right. I’ve never been in love, so I can’t imagine,” she confessed.

She squeezed his hand.

“If you love him as you say you do, you may not want to tell him what just happened.”

Justin was truly puzzled. “I don’t understand. I will not lie to the man I love. Especially about something like this.”

Rena nodded her head in understanding. “I will not tell you not to tell Brian. Whatever decision you make, I will respect. But, I want to tell you about what just happened, so you know fully what you are going to tell Brian.”

All Justin wanted to do at the moment was run and get Brian. He had a sick feeling he didn’t want to know any of this. He needed Brian’s council. This was “his” sister after all! But Rena looked so scared, so vulnerable. He would stay and listen. It was the least he could do.

She saw his acceptance in his face and began speaking.

“I’m sure you know what happened to Andy,” she said as matter of fact. Justin nodded. “Did Brian tell you about the night he died?” she asked cautiously.

“He told me he was with Andy the night he died.”

She nodded. “Did he tell you about Emilian?”

“Yes,” Justin said with such venom in his voice that Rena knew Justin understood how evil Emilian truly was.

“The night Andy died he made Brian promise to take care of me.” She paused. Justin listened intently.

“Of course, Brian promised. He swore he would protect me with his life. Brian never makes promises he doesn’t intend to keep.” She smiled as she said that.

Justin acknowledged the truth of her words. “No, he doesn’t.”

She continued. “And he did EVERYTHING, in his power to protect me. I swear to God he did Justin!” She was desperate for Justin to believe her.

Justin held her hand tight. “I know Brian would do everything in his power to protect you Rena.” He had a sick feeling in his stomach.

“You don’t understand Justin. It was a promise he made to Andy on his DEATH bed! Do you understand that?”

She pulled him closer to her. Justin understood what she was saying. A deathbed promise had to be kept. Especially if that promise came from Brian and was made to the boy he loved, to the boy he sold his body for to keep from feeling pain. Justin’s stomach clenched.

Rena continued. “When Andy died, Brian’s parents took him away to Pittsburgh. Before he left he told me he was coming back for me. He TOLD me to stay away from Emilian. He said that Emilian was not stupid. He heard the rumors. He would behave for a little while at least, so I was to stay away from him. And if he were to come after me, I should run. I knew how to get away from him. Brian was right. Emilian would have never come after me on his own.” She stopped. Her eyes filled with tears, pain and guilt. Justin saw it all.

“Rena.” His voice was soft as he said her name. “What happened?” He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know. Actually, he DIDN’T want to know, but he had to know now.

“Emilian was staying away from me. But I was so angry! What he did to Andy, oh God, Justin, you have no idea. It was horrid. It was evil.” She looked away.

When she spoke again it was to no one. She was speaking to a past memory.

“One night he was drunk, on the couch. I snuck out of my room looking for him. I hated him so much. Those last few months, watching Andy die, watching Brian sell his body to make Andy’s death less painful, and that animal, that evil man, got away with it. I wanted to kill him. Dear God, forgive me, but I wanted him to suffer, to die, like he killed Andy. All the people I ever loved in my life were gone. My mother and Andy, dead; Brian taken away. I had nothing left but my anger. I wasn’t thinking right.”

Tears were falling from her eyes. Justin knew she was somewhere else, reliving a memory.

“His nightstick was lying on the coffee table. I walked around, bold as can be, in front of him. He was half asleep on the couch. I picked up the nightstick. I felt like I was out of my own body. I raised that stick up, I wanted to beat him to death with it, I swear I did. I swung down hard, catching him on the shoulder. He screamed and shot up. He grabbed me…he…he...” She stammered.

“He grabbed me and threw me on the couch. He took his belt off and beat me. God, I don’t know how long he beat me, but I do remember after awhile I was numb to it. Then he… he tore my night dress off and… raped me.”

Justin gasped out loud. He pulled her hand up to his chest; tears were falling from his eyes.

“Oh no, Rena…” he choked out. But she did not hear him. She was still in that “place”, that “time.”

“I remember thinking, “Good, I deserve this, Andy didn’t deserve it.” She shook her head, trying to free herself from the memory.

Justin held on to her hand, he rubbed her arm soothingly as she spoke.

“After he raped me, he took the night stick, and raped me again, using the stick this time.” She said nonchalantly. Justin felt like throwing up.

“I passed out. The next thing I remembered was waking up in my bed. There was a doctor there. There was so much blood. Blood everywhere.” Rena closed her eyes for a moment as if to rid herself of the sight of the blood.

When she continued she seemed calmer, more in control.

“He told me I had some damage to my insides. They had to pack me or something like that. I was supposed to be checked again in a week. But Brian came for me by then. I never told him about it. Years later, I had trouble and had to have surgery to fix the scars that were left from the botched job that doctor did. They told me I could never have kids.” Rena said that last part as if were inconsequential. Just par for the course.

Justin was shaking. Dear God, what had this family endured? And why?! Three beautiful young children, all touched by such evil. He was no stranger to violence. What Chris Hobbs did to him was violent and evil. But this, this was beyond anything he could imagine.

Rena turned and looked at him. She was back from the memory. “Do you understand why I never told Brian?”

Justin nodded his head. Oh yes, he understood. Brian would have blamed himself. Justin knew that if Brian knew what happened, that he had failed Rena, failed to keep his promise to Andy, he would have either drank himself to death, or O.D.’d once Rena was safe with Viv. He wouldn’t have wanted to live. Brian couldn’t live with that kind of guilt, not at such a young age. Not so soon after Andy’s death. God who could?

“When I came to live with Viv I had my first seizure. Viv was on her honeymoon. James was with me. I don’t remember it, I don’t remember any of them; James tells me that I go into a comatose state. Sometimes they last a few hours, once it lasted for two days. I made James swear to not tell anyone. Actually I blackmailed James.” Rena smiled.

Justin forced a weak smile to his lips. “How did you do that?”

“I told him if he told anyone I would tell Viv that he was making it up because he was trying to molest me.” Rena laughed.

“Rena!” Justin scolded, but he couldn’t help laughing. “You are so bad!”

“Yeah, well that’s how desperate I was to keep it a secret. I knew, even at that young age the seizures where prompted by traumatic events. When I was taken from Brian, I started having the seizures. That’s when I came up with the idea for Tom to be courier so I could keep in touch with Brian. Having that contact made the seizures go away.”

Rena looked earnestly at Justin. “If it ever came out that I’ve been having these seizures, I’ll have a lot to answer for. I’ve never even told Aunt Viv. And Brian would not only be hurt, but angry and relentless in finding out the root of the problem. You know him, he tries to fix everything.”

Justin acknowledged the truth of her words.

“Fuck, Justin, I thought I was over them. I spent years studying Human Behavioral Genetics trying to find a diagnosis and a cure for my seizures, just in case they came back. All I found was what triggered them. But it didn’t matter; I didn’t have another one for almost ten years.

Then I made that stupid promise to Viv. I stopped corresponding with Brian, and shortly after, I had another seizure. That was six years ago. Shane had witnessed that last one. Of course I blackmailed her into keeping my secret as well.” She smiled again at Justin and winked.

The gesture reminded him of the impish girl he saw in the photo. If she could just reconnect with that little girl, the one before all the evil that happened, Justin believed she could find a way to heal herself.

“That last seizure I had lasted almost 2 days. Short of taking me to the hospital, James had to find a way to bring me out of it. You witnessed his method in the bathroom just now,” Rena said solemnly.

“Jesus, Rena, the man was whipping you with a riding crop!” Justin said.

“And I’m glad he did. He was trying to bring me out of it before Brian saw me like that. He did the right thing. It worked,” Rena assured Justin.

Justin could understand why Rena felt that way, but there had to be a better solution.

Rena sighed. “I decided after my last seizure that I needed that contact with Brian so I found away to keep my promise, and till maintain that connection with my brother. I had Tom continue to visit him every year and come back and give me a report. Just knowing he was ok, hearing about his life kept me sane. I haven’t had another seizure since. Six years. No seizures. Until today,” Rena confessed sadly.

“Do you think seeing Brian again brought it on?” Justin asked.

Rena thought for a second. “No, I don’t think so. Bean has always grounded me. Seeing him again after all this time was like a dream come true. I can’t believe our reunion triggered this one,” she said.

Justin caught that Rena was back to calling Brian, “Bean”. That was a good sign. She was coming around. He noticed she only used Brian’s name when she was being very serious. Bean was the name she used most often.

“Maybe. But something did. Rena, what are you going to do? You can’t go on like this. I understand you not wanting Brian to know, but have you sought any kind of professional help?”

“No. Why should I? I haven’t had one in six years, Justin. I thought they were gone for good.”

“Well, you were wrong. Rena, you have to seek help,” Justin said with finality.

Rena looked at him with a frown. Justin pushed on.

“Did Brian tell you about what happened to me?”

Rena shook her head no. They talked about a lot of things last night, but Brian was very protective of Justin. He didn’t talk much about their relationship, and Rena didn’t pressure him.

“Two years ago I was bashed. Some homophobic prick took a bat to my head. I was in a coma for a while, and when I came to, I had permanent brain damage. I have these mini seizures. When I overwork my hand, or I’m overstressed my brain doesn’t send the right signal to my hand. I’ve been to therapy, and I’ve learned to deal with it. I’m not saying I know what causes your seizures, Rena, but I do know for a fact that one, you are having them again, and two you have to learn what is causing them or at the very least, learn how to deal with them, because being whipped with a riding crop is NOT an option!” Justin lectured Rena.

“When he comes, Rena, listen to him. Don’t be stubborn, promise me.”

Andy’s words crept into Rena’s head. Here is this boy, telling her what she must do. And Andy is in her head, telling her to listen to him. She couldn’t believe this young man, who was so full of life, and optimism, was the victim of such a brutal hate crime. She would have never guessed, and Rena was trained to recognize trauma in people’s lives. Justin had maintained an innocence, a naivete and a belief in all that is good in life that should have abandoned him once that bat hit his head. He was truly an amazing human being. She was starting to understand why her brother was so in love with him.
 

Rena sat up in bed. “What if I don’t listen to you?”

“Well, Rena, then you leave ME no choice,” Justin said smiling.

“Are you blackmailing me?” she said incredulously, admiration shining in her eyes.

“Yep,” Justin said. “If you don’t, I’m going to tell your Aunt Viv.”

Rena looked at him puzzled. She was sure he was talking about telling Brian. “Aunt Viv?” she asked, confused. “So you’re not going to tell Bean?”

“That depends.”

“On what?” Rena asked cautiously.

“On whether or not you tell him. Because, Rena, I won’t lie to Brian. I have to tell him. But I will give you the opportunity to tell him first.”

Rena sighed deeply. “Justin. How do you think he will react?” she asked gravely.

“I don’t know, Rena, I honestly don’t know. But I do know this. It’s “his” choice. I have faith in him. He is a different man now. He is not a hurt and angry fifteen-year-old boy anymore. He will have to realize what happened wasn’t his fault. And doing anything stupid…” Justin paused and swallowed hard. He couldn’t even think that. “Doing anything stupid is not an option for him. He has a son. And he has you back in his life, he left you once, he won’t leave you again. Rena, it is up to YOU to make him understand it wasn’t his fault.”

“Do you think I would do less?” she asked him, stunned.

“No. But, Rena, you have to first tell yourself that it wasn’t your fault.” Justin knew that would be the hardest part for Rena.

Rena looked at him with new insight. He possessed a wisdom most men never gained in their life. He was an old soul she surmised or else Andy would not have seen him so far in the future.

“Are you going to tell him, Rena, or am I?” Justin demanded. He wasn’t leaving her bedroom without an answer.

She was about to answer when the door to the bedroom opened. “What the fuck is taking you so long, Sunshine?” Brian said as he stood in the doorway. “Rena, do you have any painkillers. I’ve got a bitch of a headache.”
 

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