Prologue cont’d

It was nearly two in the morning and Caleb was now starting to feel the events of the day catching up to him. His eyes felt like they were on fire and every muscle in his body ached. Caleb sat in the hard plastic chairs in the waiting room next to his father who dozing off. He had offered to take pop home but he told his son that he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he found out that Maya and Dylan were ok. Caleb understood exactly what his father meant. He couldn’t sleep right now, not even if his own life was on the line. And in a matter of speaking it was.

“No please don’t; I’m not a dancer or anything.”

He flexed his bandaged hand, only to just notice the cuts on his fingers; souvenirs from breaking the window on Maya’s car. Maya.

“She’s your birthday gift, bro.” Reed smiled towards Maya. Moving to her, he whispered something to her that caused her to flinch and cry harder.

“Listen, guys hey. I’m the dancer here, why don’t we find us a quiet corner and I’ll give you and the birthday boy as many dances as you want.” Nina offered, fingering the buttons on her top. She had dealt with enough assholes like them to know that this could escalate into something horrible.

“That sounds like fun peaches, but I paid for her and that’s what my brother’s gonna get.” Taking his eyes off of Maya for a split second, he apprised Nina’s form and smiled, “but you and I can get to know each other better, once he’s unwrapped his present.”

“No, you’ve got the wrong one, my sister is the dancer.” Maya pleaded; “She works for Spike not me.”

“Well where is she? Spike took my money and said that his best dancer would meet me here for a private show. And he described you perfectly.” Reed leered ogling her breasts.

“Maybe we should just go and find Spike.” Nina suggested moving to the door.

“No!” Reed shouted, “I don’t know what scam you hookers are running, but I’m warning you don’t fuck with me or my money.” To prove just how serious he was, Tony pulled out his 9mm hand gun. Anyone who knew him knew that he meant business once his hands were on that trigger.

“Tony, put the gun down. There’s no need for that.” Caleb reasoned. He knew his brother’s friend, was a hot head; and this situation was spiraling quickly. They weren’t thinking straight because they were high. “Everyone just calm down.”

Caleb’s heart sank to his toes when he locked eyes with Maya, earlier. Those soft warm brown orbs became so filled with fear upon recognizing him that she fainted in an instant. He and Pop both tried to awaken her but it was to no avail; causing Caleb to become a bit faint himself. Seeing her frightened face practically ripped his heart out of his chest. Knowing that he was the cause of such terror for her killed him.

Caleb reluctantly moved from the corner of the room and closer to the trembling Maya. They didn’t exchange words as he moved to stand in front of her; her breathing was strained as she inched away from him and farther on to the pool table.

Maya had to be alright; they both had to be alright.  Pop questioned Caleb about her reaction to him and asked if they knew each other. He didn’t know how to answer that question. Caleb wanted to tell his father the truth; but he just couldn’t. Not now.

********************

“Come on it’s your birthday man, we have to celebrate bro.” Reed nagged, “Besides, I’ve already have one hell of a night planned, so you’re just gonna have to suck it up. Tony is gonna hand too…”

“Nah, I’ll pass man.” Caleb dusted his hands onto his jeans and went back to his work table.

“Fuck! Are you serious? After doing 32 months in the clink, I thought that you would be stickin’ and movin’ all day long; what the hell has gotten into you? Did all that time inside make you soft and shit?”

 “I’m not in the mood; sorry bro.” Caleb really wasn’t in the mood; he had a lot of work to get done in the work room and he promised Pop that he would have all the custom orders completed on time.

 “What!! Are you shitting me? Not in the mood? Well I can change that, no problem.” Reaching for the baggie that was in his back pocket, Reed threw it to Caleb. The old Caleb would have thought this a godsend. Chex Mix. The baggy contained an array of pills guaranteed to put you into any frame of mind you wanted.

“I was serious about the no drugs and stuff. I’m done abusing my body…”

“Come on you’re no fun anymore; you haven’t been anywhere since you got home. Not to mention all that birthday pussy that’s waiting on you.” Reed couldn’t believe that Caleb was blowing him off; again he was determined though. It was Caleb’s birthday after all. They always got wild and crazy on their birthdays. The only time they didn’t was when either of them was behind bars.

This accident was bad and Caleb needed to do everything he could to help them; then he could face whatever was waiting for him. So instead of answering his father, he did the cowardly thing; he brushed off Pop’s question and went to the back of his truck, under the guise of looking for something. What he was looking for was a moment’s peace. His tears were there waiting for him. She was pregnant. Dear god, what did he do. He took in a deep breath. He had to get them out of that wreck.

“Man you were killing my buzz with your virgin act, so I dropped a few party favors in your drink.” Reed smirked.

“What…you did what?” Caleb screamed at his big brother, who he had a mind to choke out. But Reed only laughed at him and told him to calm down.

“Just relax. It was hardly anything; a little of this, a little of that…”

No, no, no; Caleb bemoaned in his head. He had worked too hard on his sobriety to have it taken away from him like this. How could Reed do this to him? “What exactly did you give me?”

“Fuck man it was just, only a few happy pills, a few get hard pills, some powdered sugar…”

*************

Two hours later he and Pop still sat waiting for an update on Maya and Dylan. Caleb was starting to get irritated, because no one was telling him anything; though earlier everyone was praising his heroism. Which he quickly waved off; he was just thankful that he had been passing that dark stretch of desolate road right after the collusion. But the EMT’s insisted that if it wasn’t for him keeping Maya calm and talking and then taking off the steering wheel, the outcome would probably be different.

Caleb couldn’t argue with that. It took efforts from the EMT’S, the Fire department, Tate and the other sheriffs, and Red Sampson with his super heavy duty chain saw to free Maya and Dylan from their tight confines.

Thinking back to the sight, that he and Pop came up on, had him agonizing over the dangers that Maya and Dylan faced. Caleb quickly closed his eyes hoping to escape the dark thoughts that began to plague his mind. He exhaled slowly; they had to be ok, they just had to be. He needed them both to live.

Caleb reached out to touch her arms and she impulsively pulled out of his reach. Pushing him away to no avail, she screamed when he pulled her towards his chest and buried his face into her neck. Pulling her shivering body closer to him, he whispered something into her ear.

“Fuck man, I know it’s your birthday and all, but I’m not paying for you to make out with her bro. she’s a pro and paid for; get to it already.” Reed teased.

“Dammit Reed, I can’t so this in front of an audience. Both of you get the hell out of here.” Caleb gnashed out staring into the glassy stoned eyes of his big brother.

“You’ve never been shy about that shit before?” Tony teased; referring to a few times in the past when they all engaged in some serious tag team action. 

 If he had the strength and if Tony wasn’t holding that gun, he would have punched his brother and his friend in the face. This was not how he wanted to be spending his birthday. Caleb was trying to think, but his brain was slowly turning into mush. He was now starting to feel the effects of those little pills Reed dropped into his drink earlier. God how could so many months of sobriety be lost in just a few short hours; how could he be so stupid as to go out with Reed and his friend.

“Both of you just get the fuck out.”

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He saw Nurse Vicki walk over to the nurse’s station. She had asked them to be seated and she would come over with an update. That was over 2 hours ago. Caleb couldn’t take it anymore. Not knowing what was happening with Maya and Dylan was driving him crazy.

“Nurse Vicki, please tell me something…I gotta know how they’re doing.”

Nurse Vicki looked to him with sympathetic eyes’ she’d never seen anyone who was so distraught over strangers that he’d rescue.

“I wish, I could tell you something, sweetie; but I can’t. We are still waiting for her emergency contact to get here. Touching his arm, she gave Caleb a sad smile. “I’m sorry.”

“Please, the baby? What about Dylan?” Caleb pleaded. “I need to know if he’s ok.”

“I wish I could tell you, but I can’t.”

 “Son…they can’t tell us that, we just have to wait and ask her family when they get here.” Ernest reminded softly. They had already asked two different nurses about both Dylan and Maya and received the same scripted answer.

“Please I want to know if he’s alive, please just tell me that…”

“I know that you rescued them and you are worried about their condition but I can only share that with Ms. Holliday’s next kin.”

“I’m his father…” Caleb blurted out, “I’m Dylan’s father.”

“Son, what in the hell are you doing?” Ernest asked, confused by his son’s outburst.

Nurse Vicki was equally confused and her eyes darted between father and son. “If this is a ploy to get information…”

“I’m his father, Maya and I were together once; seven months ago and I didn’t about him until tonight and please, just please tell me he’s ok.” Caleb’s quivering voice told the quick version of his connection with Maya and Dylan. It was quick because he didn’t want to get into the details at the moment.  

Ernest moved quickly to comfort his son. This stranger that they happened across alone in the dark, who was injured in a wreck was carrying Caleb’s baby? He needed to know more; but he bit his tongue. Instead he enveloped his son in his arms and began to recall earlier how determined Caleb was to save both Maya and the baby. It didn’t escape Ernest, the way his son had been affected by her and he had wondered if he knew her; he did ask him about it and remembered that Caleb had evaded his question, so he just let it go and didn’t say anything else about it. But thinking about it now, he realized that after Maya passed out, Caleb nearly risked injuring himself trying to get her out of the car.

Nurse Vicki couldn’t help but get teary eyed as she watched Caleb break down in front of her. “He’s a strong boy, we tried to slow him down, but he was determined to see daylight.”

“He’s ok then? Ernest asked; he doubted Caleb heard Nurse Vicki’s words.

“There were some complication; but he’ll be ok, sweetie. And he has your eyes.” Nurse Vicki whispered into his ears. “Dr. Hampton delivered him about an hour ago, but the team is still with him; he is on a respirator. His lungs are not fully developed yet, because he is early and a little underweight.”

Caleb felt tightness in his chest at the mention that Dylan was for the most part out of harm’s way. “Can I see him?” he was about to ask her another question when the emergency room door flew open and sudden hail storm named Nina burst in.

Demanding to know when Maya was, Nina, her friend was on a crusade to wake up the dead. Nurse Vicki promptly left Caleb and Ernest to diffuse the storm that was brewing into hurricane Nina. From what they could make out, it appeared that the newcomer was Maya’s next of kin. Caleb faintly recognized her face. But she must have recognized him because her movement slowed.

Locking eyes with Caleb. Nina stopped mid stride and immediately saw red. Caleb knew that he was in her line of fire and before he could run for cover, her fist connected with his eye.

“You’ve got some nerve to show your face here, mother fucker.” Nina yelled as she punched him in the face. She couldn’t believe it; after everything he put Maya through. He had the nerve to be here?

Nurse Vicki’s cries for her to stop were ignored as Nina continued to pummel Caleb with all the strength she could muster. Her tiny little hands wrapped around his neck, causing a stunned Caleb to gasp for air. It took the strength of a big burly orderly and Ernest to pull the little spit fire off of Caleb. Her tiny little fingers leaving crimson indents deep into his throat; where she was choking him once he fell to the floor.

“This is all you fault, you sick bastard.” She repeated still trying to injure Caleb.

“Stop that, stop that right now.” Nurse Vicki barked. As the orderly placed Nina back on her feet. “If you can’t act civilized in here, I will have to ask you to leave.”

“Oh hell no. I go and he stays? No. I’m not going anywhere.” Nina advised fixing her clothes and smoothing out her hair.

Walking over to where she dropped her purse, Nina picked it up and fixed it back on her shoulder. “Nurse Vicki if you don’t mind, can you please take me to see Maya. She needs to know that she is not alone and that she is safe and nothing or no one can hurt her.” Caleb knew that her comment was direct at him; but he didn’t bother to respond.

Pressing the up button for the elevator, she looked over her shoulder and shouted at Caleb, “I’m not done with you, you redneck piece of shit.”

Everyone in the waiting area stared at her with wide eyes and open mouths, as she calmly waited near the elevator bank for the doors to open; Nurse Vicki scurried over to her once the doors opened to escorted her to her injured friend.

Neither Caleb nor Ernest said anything to each other. Both still shocked at what had just happened.

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Caleb walked up to the plate glass window of the nursery, much slower than he realized. He was scared. Too scared, to face the truth about that night. But he wouold have to face it in a minute. Dylan was the truth. He was so tiny.

He watched as the doctors and nurses worked on him. Occasionally they would smile and wave and give him thumbs up; letting him know that Dylan was ok. Caleb cried. He wasn’t sure if they were tears of relief or if he afraid for his son’s health. His son. That thought alone made him cried a little more.

What an expected surprise tonight. His son. Caleb had not been this emotional since the passing of his mother; but tonight his emotions were having their way with him. Watching his son right now, put his life in perspective and then realized what he needed to do.

He lost track of how long he stood and watch the medical team move around Dylan; all Caleb knew was that he never wanted him to be there alone. It wasn’t until Ernest tapped him on the shoulder to let him know that Nurse Vicki had some forms for him to sign and that he would stay with Dylan did Caleb feel comfortable enough to leave his son there.

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After completing the forms, Ernest caught Caleb’s arm and insisted that they take a walk outside for some fresh air. Caleb knew that he probably wanted to talk about what happened inside but he wasn’t ready to.

“Listen son, I am just as worried about the young lady and her baby too; but do you know what the hell you are doing, by saying that it’s your baby and signing the birth certificate? You are obligating yourself to him until he is 18?”

Rubbing his hands down his now stubbled face, Caleb sighed. “Dad, Dylan is my son.”

“And that girl, why did she attack you?”

“Because Maya is her friend.”

“I see. And are you sure that Dylan is your son?”

“Yes, Pop; he is.” Caleb answered looking straight at his father.

Pop looked into Caleb’s bright blue eyes; much like his own. He would be the first to admit that his son was a lot of things, but one thing he knew for sure was that he wasn’t a liar. Even when the shit was bad, if he was the cause, Caleb never hesitated to own it. He knew that he telling the truth about the baby.

“When did this happen? How come you didn’t know about Dylan?”

“It happened on the night of my birthday. We never saw each other after that…” Caleb offered, choosing to omit most of the critical facts.

“So it was a one night stand? ‘Cause I mean you’ve never brought her to the house or mention going out on dates or anything like that? So why didn’t she tell you about Dylan?

This was too much. Caleb felt like he needed a drink or a taste. Everything was coming at him at warp speed. He needed something to calm his nerves. A quick hit could fix this.  He was going to be sick. He felt it. Caleb opened his mouth to try and answer his father’s questions, but the only thing that came out was a sob. His entire body began shaking and his knees started to get weak.

Startled by the emotional out bursts his line of questioning caused. Ernest immediately switched into his sensitive parent role and rushed to soothe his son. “Caleb, what’s wrong; what happened.”

“Oh god, dad. I messed up so big.” Taking in a breath Caleb rushed out, “I got high that night and Reed paid for strippers, as a birthday gift for me.” Though Ernest was disappointed that Caleb just admitted to getting high after pledging to leave his drug habit in the past, he knew that something bigger was at play here.  “Ok. So you guys went out got wild, you slept with a stripper, the condom broke and you got her pregnant? That’s ok we can deal with that.”

“No Dad...it didn’t happen like that…i didn’t mean to...”

“You didn’t mean to do what?” Pop spat out. The hairs on the back of his neck immediately jumped to attention. Caleb looked to the ground, took in a deep breath but didn’t answer the question.

By the way Caleb was shaking and averting his eyes. Ernest knew that there was more to this story than he wanted to hear. “What didn’t you mean to do, Caleb?” Grabbing him by his shirt, Ernest threw him against the side of the building. “Answer me boy!”

Caleb didn’t answer or get the chance to elaborate before Ernest pieced together the worst case scenario. He looked at his son, who wouldn’t look back at him; Caleb couldn’t meet his eyes. “For the love of the saints above, please tell me you didn’t?”

He didn’t respond to his father; Caleb’s mind had already drifted back to that night. “Please, I am not a stripper; please don’t do this…please.”

“Tell me you didn’t.” Ernest yelled; shaking Caleb from his thoughts.

“I wasn’t thinking, Reed slipped me…” Caleb breathed out through fresh tears.

“Reed? You know that you are not supposed to hang with him, if you are trying to stay sober Caleb.” Pop felt his eyes become moist with tears too. This couldn’t be happening. “Please...please, just tell me you didn’t do what I think you did?”

Caleb wanted to tell him no that he didn’t rape Maya. But he couldn’t. Instead he turned to face his father with red eyes and a wet face.

“Please, please don’t do this….” Maya begged.

Caleb avoided her eyes as she pleaded for him not to hurt her. Fuck. This wasn’t him, and he knew it. Shit this was whatever, Reed slipped him earlier. He looked over to his right and saw Reed still standing there with Tony and his gun. He knew this situation was beyond bad; but a drugged up Reed and Tony with a gun was even worse. Caleb shuddered as he thought about what his brother and his friend were capable of. And this scared beauty in front of him, certainly didn’t deserve to find out.

“I don’t want to hurt you…”

“You stupid shit!!” Pop bellowed right before landing a piercing blow into Caleb’s gut. The blow sent Caleb to the ground, where he simply sat and hung his head in shame. Ernest too angry to say anything walked off in the opposite direction.

He deserved to feel his father’s big hands cracking his ribs. He deserved to be hauled off again, to parts unknown to be taught a lesson. He deserved all of that and more. But what he didn’t deserve was that perfect little person upstairs; or his mother’s forgiveness. His father was right; he was a stupid shit and that was exactly what he felt like ever since that night. He now completely understood what Reed meant when he told him that he didn’t deserve Reece, his daughter or Casey her mother.

“Is this what your mother and I taught you, to go around assaulting women?” Ernest was ready to pounce on his youngest again; but stopped when he saw that a sniveling Caleb had sunk to the ground and stayed there.

“I’m sorry, Pop. I’m so so sorry…” Caleb cried over and over.

“Sorry? You damn right you are. But you need to be telling that little man in there fighting to breathe on his own just how sorry you are; not to mention his mother that terrified young lady in there. No wonder she screamed like some had just tossed hot grits on her legs when she saw you.” Pop slid into the vacant seat just outside the doors and cried into his hands. “How could you do something so…?”

“I…never wanted to hurt her Pop. I swear…”

“I’ve ignored your behavior in the past because I know that we’ve all had a hard time dealing with Mary’s death. I know I was doing a lousy job because both of my sons choose to exercise their demons with drugs and alcohol. But this…I could have never imagined this from either of you. Especially you Caleb…” Pop sobbed quietly.

Moments passed as each man was engaged in quiet contemplation.  Caleb couldn’t move, paralyzed by his own admission to his father. Ernest got up from his seat and stood in front of his son. He knew that Caleb was probably on the verge of a melt down and was probably trying to figure out where he could score some goodies. Ernest pushed that fear aside. No matter what, he would never raise his sons to think that it was ok to abuse women; in any way. They were lowliest of low in his opinion. He knew what he had to do. It would be the hardest thing that he would ever have to do as a parent; it would probably cause him his son, but that was a sacrifice he was willing to make.

 “I’m sorry son, but…as soon as we know that both Maya and Dylan are fine, I am turning your ass into Tate myself.”

Caleb looked up to his father through bleary eyes and whispered shakily, “You don’t have to Pop, I already did.”