Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 03:51:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: JMH <trandar2002@yahoo.com>
Subject: Wedding Ring/Wedding Ring 6
Yes folks I know it''s been awhile but I hope the wait will be worth
it. One of the prblems is I tried towork on three stories at the same time.
Another was that I wanted to finish writing Wedding Ring before sending out
chps again. Well I have give up working on one story for the moment and so
far there seems to be no end to Wedding Ring in sight so I decided to start
releasing shps again. The good news though is that I have more then
doubled the leaght of the story so there will be plenty to read on the
wedding ring gang. Antoerh good thing is that Inow have a backlog of chps
to be released so aht at least for the near future the chps should come out
quickly and will be as soon s they are edited. Enjoy.
Again, this is a story about gay relationships so 1. if you are breaking
the law, underage, or just hate gay stuff don't read any further. The
World Wide Web is a big place so you can find something else. 2. The story
is not based on any real person place thing, or another person's idea. So
any similarities are pure chance. 3. Since this story is of my own
creation, I have the copyright to it. No other postings, except at nifty,
are allowed. Nor is the selling of the story to others permitted. Any
questions about the above, please write.
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com
*************************************************************************************
"Revenge... I like it." Darren agreed as he chuckled. "So, what
should we do with our picture?"
"Let's see... keep it. At least I plan to... if you don't mind that
is."
"Sure... it doesn't bother me if you have it... it's other's that I
don't know about."
And that is what happened. Will had the picture framed and kept it by
his bedside wherever he and Darren lived. As Darren remembered this, it
became obvious to him how blind he had been. Will loved the picture so
much because it reminded him of the brief moment he'd shown his true
feelings for Darren, despite Darren's blindness about the love he had for
him.
*********************************************
"Can I come with you?" Darren asked as Mrs. Fist headed for the exit.
"Certainly you can come, Darren. Will's room is in the building
across the street, but I think we can make it together," She smiled as she
returned and took hold of Darren's wheelchair.
For a woman entering her early sixties she was in fine shape. Each
time Darren would try to take over she would slap his hands back into his
lap. When they reached Will's floor, she left Darren in the hall as she
went in to see her son. After a good ten minutes she came back and let
Darren wheel himself in.
What Darren saw this time was less disturbing than before. The
bruises that had covered Will's face were for the most part gone. The only
blemishes were the marks and stitches from the reconstructive surgery on
Will's nose. His arm was still in a cast but the straps that had held him
down were gone. His hair was growing back unevenly due to the head
surgeries he'd had. Darren was saddened by how old Will now looked. His
body had lost a good twenty pounds, most of it muscle and the wrinkles that
used to show up when he smiled were now ever present on Will's face.
When Darren entered the room, Will's attention was completely taken by
the photograph his mother had left by his bed. It was not until Darren was
right next to him that Will noticed he was there.
"How ya doing buddy?" Darren asked, trying to hold back the tears.
Will looked away from the photograph and looked at Darren as if in
shock before he was able to speak in a very labored fashion. "Nnnnoooooot
deaaaaaad."
"That's right Will. You're not dead."
"Nooooo, Darrrrrr-ennnn nnnnnoooot deaaaaaaad."
"That's right too. I'm not dead." Darren said though his tears. The
way Will was speaking was almost like a child trying to talk underwater.
Will lifted his one good hand and slowly placed it on top of Darren's
shoulder. Darren could feel Will try to squeeze but he couldn't get all
his fingers to make the same motion so Darren put his hand on top of Will's
and held it down.
"So... when are we going to get you out of here so we can get
married?"
"Marrrrrrried?" Will asked confused.
"Darren..." Will's mother began. "Will doesn't remember anything
about the last few years. The doctor says he might get more of his memory
back but anything in his short-term memory is gone for good. The only
person he seems to remember is you and I."
"So he doesn't remember."
"No, he doesn't remember the wedding or the accident. All he knows is
what I told him, that you and he were in a bad car accident but that you
were all right. He seemed to not believe me when I told him you were ok."
As if on cue, Will patted Darren on the back while he looked at his
mother. "Darrrr-en O-K." He said slowly.
"How soon till his speech is better?" Darren asked Mrs. Fist.
"Better? This is better. When he first awoke he wasn't able to say
anything, only grunt. The doctors say his brain is trying to build new
connections around the damaged portions, but it will take time and he might
never be as fluent as he used to be."
"Is there anything I can do?'
"Yes there is," A woman said as she entered the room, carrying a stack
of cards and a clipboard.
"Who are you?" Darren asked
"Oh Darren, this is Ms. Wilson, Will's speech therapist." Mrs. Fist
explained.
"Hi." Darren replied unsure on how he should respond.
"Hello." She replied in a no nonsense-like fashion. "It's good to
finally meet the "Darren" Will's been talking about. It was one of the
first words he had me work on. He really wanted to be able to say it
right."
"..." Darren replied, a little stunned.
"I kept on asking him if you're his lover but whenever I bring the
subject up he clams up on me."
To these words Darren felt Will's hand leave his side as Will turned
to face the empty side of the room.
"See." Miss Wilson said as if her point was just proven. "Now I
really need your help if I'm going to get any work out of him."
"Sure, I'll do anything to help."
She walked over to Darren with a smile that warned Darren that he
should of never have said those fatal words. "Good, I need you to go
through these flash cards with Will." She said as she dropped them into
Darren's lap.
"Isn't that your job?" Darren complained as he fingered the 300 or so
cards.
"Yes, but I think we'll get better results if you do them. He likes
you better then me anyway."
"Will, do you want to work on these cards." Darren asked.
"Nooooo." Will replied, not turning around to face them.
"Well, if you don't work on the cards I'll have to ask Darren to
leave." Ms. Wilson said menacingly.
Will sighed and slowly turned around to face Darren but not before
giving Ms. Wilson an evil stare. "See, nothing is wrong with his thinking.
He knows who the villain is." Ms. Wilson smiled before taking a seat next
to Darren.
Darren began to feel sorry for Will, with a therapist like this, who
would look forward to her visits. But he could also see that Ms. Wilson
took her job seriously and would use any means at her disposal to get Will
to talk again even if that meant being a little sadistic.
It took a good hour before Darren and Will finished the cards to
Ms. Wilson's approval and both had sore voices by the end of it. As she
put her things away she gave Darren a hug, thanking him for his help.
"That's the most work I've been able to get from him. We need to set
things up so you're here more often. Now give him a kiss and leave him to
his nap."
Will on hearing those words once again turned his back toward Darren.
Darren though carefully lifted himself from his wheelchair and gave Will a
kiss on the cheek. He thought he would of gotten a smile from Will but
what he got instead was a whimper and a long, low "Nooooooo."
Darren didn't know how to take it but carefully went back to his chair
and let Will's mother wheel him out.
"I'm sorry Darren. Ever since Will woke up all he's been able to
think about is you but it seems he's reverted to the days when he hid his
feelings about you. He still loves you but now he thinks he has to bury it
again."
"I guess I have to bring it out of him again."
"No Darren... this time you get to wait. Just as it was hard for him
to get you to see that you loved him it's going to be hard for him to
relearn that it's ok to love you. Just be his friend and no matter what he
says, don't leave him."
"I'll do that." Darren agreed.
***************************************************
Jacob was almost at his wits end. When the doctor came back to inform
them that Darren was ok Jacob almost panicked when Darren was still gone.
He had the hospital do a floor-to-floor search for him. It was only when
Jacob arrived on the ICU floor that he remembered Will was also at this
hospital. It then became a quest in finding Will for Jacob was sure that
wherever Will was Darren had to be. It was not that he was worried that
Darren would become upset on seeing Will, far from it. What Jacob feared
most was that he would lose Darren to Will. For while Jacob really liked
Will as a person. He hated him as a romantic rival.
Jacob felt guilty in "stealing" Darren from Will but as far as Jacob
was concerned all was fair in love and war, and in Jacob's case, he was at
war with Will. Why did the most perfect guy have so many other love
interests? First it had been his sister and then came Will. Why couldn't
Darren see him as the perfect mate, Jacob had to ask himself over and over.
Jacob knew he had made an error in letting himself fall in love with Darren
when he was in the hospital. He had heard of all those stories of nurses
falling in love with their patients. Jacob just thought that would never
happen with him. It might have been that he already had an infatuation
with Darren before he entered the hospital, but now after weeks of taking
care of him, Jacob was now obsessed. He wanted Darren and he was no longer
willing to share him with anyone. For the first time in his life Jacob
felt he had a REAL boyfriend. He never thought he would ever have one,
especially with the men his sister had
been picking out. But now that he one... he was afraid of losing him
Jacob was finally able to learn where Will was and so headed for the
building across the street. It was while he was waiting at the crossing
light that he saw Darren waiting at the opposite end. Darren also noticed
him at around the same time and waved nervously as his face took on a
guilty look.
Deciding he wouldn't bother to cross the street, Jacob crossed his
arms and began to pout. He wasn't going to yell at Darren but he was going
to make sure Darren knew he was unhappy.
"Sorry hun..." Darren said with guilt showing on his face as he
wheeled up to Jacob.
"Umm hummm!" Jacob hummed in a sign of his displeasure. "The doctor
came by. Your x-ray was negative."
"That's good!" Darren tried to say cheerfully in an attempt to put a
positive spin on things but Jacob's glare showed that his attempt fell
flat.
"Sorry for running off." Darren finally apologized as Jacob fell back
to take control of the wheelchair."
"Apology accepted." He replied curtly.
"No I don't think you do." Darren pressed the issue.
"Jacob... I don't want you to feel angry that I want to see Will."
"I don't know how you got that idea." Jacob said as he began to pick
up speed.
"Well I think the way you try to stop me from seeing him is a big
enough of a clue."
"Do you think I'm stopping you? If that's the case you can leave." Jacob
said before he knew it, wishing he could take back the words.
"I won't do that, Jacob. I know you don't want me to."
"...." Jacob remained silent, afraid that anything he said would cause
Darren to leave him. Instead he picked up the pace so that they were
nearly flying through the hospital.
Darren, getting nervous but wanting to have this conversation with
Jacob, grabbed the brakes and forced the chair to a halt. Jacob was so
unprepared for the sudden lurch that he fell forward, down into the chair,
knocking Darren to the floor.
"Darren!" Jacob shouted in panic bring the attention of hospital
staff.
"It's ok. I'm all right." Darren said, more embarrassed then in
pain. A staff member came over and tried to help Darren up but Darren
waved him off. Grabbing the nearby handrail, Darren slowly lifted himself
back up and walked slowly and carefully back to his chair. Jacob was so
surprised that Darren was able to walk without his walker that he was still
collapsed in the chair when Darren reached it.
"Can I have my seat back?" Darren asked in a soft voice.
Jacob blushed and disentangled himself letting Darren sit down. After
Darren released the brakes, Jacob had them on the move again at a much
slower pace. The fact that Darren had been able to get up and walk on his
own made Jacob feel useless. While Darren had been in the hospital and
unable to walk on his own Jacob had thought that Darren really needed him.
Now that he knew that Darren was more capable then Jacob had thought he
didn't know why Darren was still with him...unless it was to humor him.
"You don't really need me." Jacob said as more of a statement of fact
then a question. "You've been playing a joke on me."
"Jacob..." Darren started, all of the sudden feeling very tired. "I
do need you."
"You can fall, get up, and walk on your own. Why do you need me?"
"If I need to answer that question I think we've been wasting each
other's time." Darren replied sadly.
When they finally got back to the ER, Tara was pacing around waiting
for them. As soon as she saw both their faces, she knew something was
wrong. She tried to ask both of them what happened but she was unable to
get anything from Jacob and all Darren would say was he was sorry for going
off to see Will without telling them. During the drive home Tara couldn't
stand the silence and so turned on her CD player and went right to the
track "Don't Worry Be Happy" which turned out to be a very bad choice. The
song so agitated Jacob that he popped the CD and threw it out the window.
"Hey!" Tara yelled at her brother. "That was my favorite song!"
"Well I don't want to feel happy." Jacob pouted.
"I don't care! You're going to buy me a new one!"
"Here's twenty dollars, go knock yourself out." Jacob said bitterly
as he threw the money on the dashboard.
Tara knew better then to try to continue this conversation with her
brother so they rode in silence. As soon as the van reached the parking
lot, Darren surprised her by opening the door and slowly walking out on his
own heading for the elevators. Tara's mouth fell open and she looked at
her brother in disbelief.
"See, he doesn't need me!" Jacob cried. He then ran out to his own
car and drove off.
Now getting some idea of what was going on, Tara sighed and began her
way heading home. It was when she was half way to her apartment on the
second floor that she saw Darren crumpled on the floor, trying to get back
up.
"Men... why do they try so hard to show off." Tara exhaled as she
went over to help.
"Hey..." Darren called out when he felt Tara wrap her arms around his
waist. "I guess I look pretty foolish right now."
"Yes, and it didn't help things with Jacob." She agreed as she lifted
Darren back to his feet. "Want to tell me what's wrong?"
"It's Jacob." Darren replied.
"Oh it's all my brother's fault?" She said half jokingly.
"Well I didn't tell him I've been practicing walking and getting up
when he wasn't around. He was always warning me not to while he was not
there."
"I guessed that. What does that have to do with my brother being
upset?" She said as they slowly started again to the apartment.
"He thinks... he thinks the only reason I'm with him is because he is
helping me walk again. He accuses me of playing a cruel game."
"Oh dear... you're right; this is all my brother's fault." Tara
replied sadly as she unlocked the door.
As soon as they got inside Darren made straight for the sofa and laid
down. Tara went to the kitchen, poured two glasses of water and brought
them over, giving one to him. "I want you to forgive him." She said as
she handed him the glass.
"I will but I don't know if he's going to accept this. Something
tells me this has happened before.'
"Yes it has happened before, several times in fact." Tara confessed.
"Want to tell me about it?"
"I think I should. You know the scar on Jacob's lip?"
"Yes."
"It was given to him by an ex boyfriend of mine. He found out Jacob
was gay and beat him. I blame myself for it and so I blame myself for what
is happening now."
"Why?"
"Because I dated the bastard. I let him get close to Jacob."
"Not that. Why does it still affect him?"
"Oh... I guess that is the bigger question. After the incident Jacob
became reclusive. Except for me he wouldn't let anyone get close to him.
When we went to college together he grew out of it some but he still held
back. You see... he just couldn't believe that someone loved him as a
person. He was always trying to come for a reason, other then love, for a
person to like him. This let a lot of people to take advantage of him.
Guys would flirt with him just so he would do their research papers or buy
beer for them when he was underage, using a fake ID.He got caught twice and
I had to bail him out. In the end he felt used and taken advantage of so
he stopped dating. That's when I started picking out blind dates for him,
and while many of them turned into disasters none of them left him feeling
used."
"I feel bad now. I was a little harsh with him when he didn't know
that I'm with him cause I love him."
"Thank you for telling me that, Darren. You're the first guy Jacob
has let himself fall in love with since college, but you're the only one
who has said that you love him."
"I wish I could get him to see that."
"Don't worry, that's my job. It's the role of an older sister to
knock some sense into her younger brother. All I ask is you give him some
time that and tell me what is going to happen between you and Will."
"I don't know. Seeing Will today and seeing him so much better raised
my hopes. I'm not going to dump Jacob but I am going to take care of him."
"Does "taking care of him" include sexually?" She asked with arched
eyebrows.
"...Yes. I owe it to him. He waited so long for me."
"Then I guess that it will be something Jacob will have to learn to
accept. Just as long as he knows he still has you it can work." Tara said
in an attempt to sidestep the issue. She didn't know if Jacob would accept
such conditions.
"Well I'm beat so I guess I'll take a nap." Darren excused himself.
"Do you need my help getting into bed?"
"No... I only let Jacob do that because I could usually drag him into
bed with me." Darren lightly chuckled as he stood up.
"My brother is really lucky to have you." Tara said sincerely.
"And I'm lucky to have him. I just wish I could get him to see that."
"Don't worry, I think everything will work out for the best."
*************************************************
As soon as she was sure Darren was asleep, Tara picked up the phone
and sent Jacob a 911 call to his pager to come home. She then took her
seat in the living room and waited. In less then five minutes the phone
began to ring but Tara ignored it. She heard the answering machine go off
but didn't bother to go check. This patterned continued for a good 30
minutes. The phone would ring, the answering machine would go off and Tara
remained in her chair. Finally the ringing stop and Tara stood up. She
went to the front door and waited till she could hear the sound of running
feet. At the exact moment she felt that Jacob was right at the door she
opened it, pushed Jacob back, stepped out of the apartment and grabbed her
brother by the ear as she continued to walk away.
"Ouch!" Jacob yelped in pain.
"Stop whining!" Tara ordered as she took him toward the elevator.
"Why are you yelling at me? I came as fast as I could. Why didn't you
answer the phone you had me scared shitless."
"I didn't answer it because I need to get you here so I can beat some
sense into you."
"You mean there is no emergency?" Jacob said a little peeved.
"Oh there is one and you are it." Tara corrected.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Jacob said as they exited
the elevator on to the parking lot.
"Well if you don't that just proves how clueless you are." Tara said
as she took out her car keys and used the remote to unlock her car.
"Where are we going?" Jacob demanded.
"We're going to the hospital so you can talk to Will."
"No I'm not." Jacob insisted as he tried to walk away only to add to
the pain his ear was in.
"Yes you are, Jacob Henry Hiller." Tara said using his full name.
Jacob slumped his shoulders and gave up. He let her push him into the
back seat where she flipped the switch to turn on the child safety locks
trapping him inside. She then made her way around to the driver seat,
checked her hair in the mirror and started the ignition.
"Jacob I know you've had bad luck with men but this time it is you who
is really screwing things up."
"..."
"You got it into your head again that the only reason Darren was with
you was because you were taking care of him and Will was too crippled to do
anything to stop you. The fact is that Darren does love you and he does
need you but not to help him walk."
"Then why does he need me?" Jacob spat out.
"He needs you just like any person needs the one they love. He needs
you because he is in love with you but like always you just can't accept
that."
"He doesn't love me. He loves Will."
"Yes Jacob he loves Will but can't you see that he also loves you."
"But I don't know why." Jacob began to cry.
"Jacob... how many times have I told you that you a really great
person and that people like you for who you are and not for what you can do
for them?"
"A lot, but you are my sister."
"Well Darren is your lover and he is trying to tell you the same
thing."
"... I did bad, didn't I?" Jacob said as reality began to set in.
"Yes Jacob, as I said, you screwed up. That's why I'm taking you to
see Will."
"Why?" Jacob said still not understanding.
"The only way you're going to feel secure in keeping Darren is if you
and Will reach an understanding."
"He's going to hate me."
"No he won't. From what I understand he can't even remember you. He
doesn't even remember that he told Darren he's gay."
"Then how can he understand what's between Darren and me?"
"That is what you're going to do. Jacob, if you want to keep Darren,
one thing you're going to have to accept is that Will is always going to be
a part of Darren's life. You're going to have to accept what I had to;
accept I can't have Darren as my husband but he will be the father of my
child. You might one day become Darren's husband, but you have to accept
the friendship Darren has with Will even if that means Darren might sleep
with him."
"Why do things have to be so complicated?"
"Bro, love is never simple. I'll admit this is not the easiest
situation, but I think you've finally have found the one. If Darren can't
make you happy no one will."
**************************************************************
After they signed in, Tara took Jacob to Will's room. Jacob had
wanted to talk alone with him but Tara wanted to make sure her brother got
things right and so insisted in staying. Jacob was nervous when he saw
Will. He was sure that he would jump out of bed and kill him. Instead
Will just turned his attention from the photograph by his bed, smiled and
returned to his gaze back to where it had been.
"Hi Will." Jacob greeted as he took a seat next to the bed.
"Hi, I no reeemember." Will replied his eyes not leaving the
photograph.
"I'm Jacob Hiller. I was your friend... and Darren's," he
reintroduced himself.
"Sooorrry, can't reeemember."
"That's ok."
"You Darrrrren's friennnnd?"
"Yes." Jacob nervously smiled.
"I missss Darrrrren." Will said sadly as he turned his eyes toward
Jacob.
"Darren misses you too. Will... I have to confession to make to you."
Jacob said with tears running down his face.
"Don't beee sad." Will replied as he clumsily tried to wipe Jacob's
tears away.
Jacob took the hand and kissed it before continuing. "I'm in love
with Darren."
Will broke eye contact from Jacob and looked back at the photo, his
lip trembling. Jacob was sure Will was furious with him. It took all his
courage to wait for Will's response. "I looove Darreeen toooooo."
"And Darren loves you." Jacob replied.
"Noooo, Darreeen not gaaaay. Can't looove meee."
How could Jacob get Will to understand that Darren was now gay and
could love him the way he always wanted all he could think to say was
repeat what he said before. "Darren loves you Will."
"I tooo weak. Nooo can hellllp Darreeen. You loooove Darrren. Take
care of Darreeen for meee."
"I will." Jacob cried.
"Donnnn't cry. Darreeen take care of meee. Darreeen take care of
youuu."
"I know." Jacob wept.
"Meee tired. Neeeed to ressssst. Youuu go noooow. Coooome back when
betterrrr.
"I will." Jacob said, letting go of Will's hand.
As Jacob and Tara left the room Jacob though he heard one last
sentence from Will... "Nooo cry."