Date: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 15:00:20 -0700
From: Mike <thornado5@netscape.net>
Subject: A Thousand Rainbows 11

A Thousand Rainbows
by Mike Williams

- 11 -

Brian and Bjorn had a few minutes to themselves during the ride back to
2410 West Brunswick Road. The minivan's radio was tuned to the classical
music station.

"New deputy picked up the photo's," Bjorn told his partner. "He said
something interesting: A cartoon is the only place where you can drop an
anvil on someone's head, and they'll just get up and walk away."

"Too bad the rest of the world can't be like that," Brian reflected. He
liked the old cartoons.

"Hmmm," Bjorn pondered. "He's new to the area. I invited him to join us for
Thanksgiving dinner. He's a friend." Bjorn used their secret code word.

"Good. That will even out the table. Eight people."

They were silent for a moment.

"Have you and the boys talked about what happened this afternoon?" Bjorn
asked.

"A little," Brian replied. "They're pretty upset about what happened to
Paul. I wish I could just put the whole afternoon out of my mind."

"You can read all the horror stories you want in the paper, and it's not
quite so bad as long as the headline says it happened somewhere else. It's
different when it hits so close to home," Bjorn said. "I feel ... I don't
know ... violated, like someone hurt me personally. I'm so angry all I can
think of is putting a bullet in that thug's head and leaving him to rot."

Brian had rarely seen his partner so upset. "How about you, me and the boys
kick the soccer ball around while there's still some daylight? I think it
would do us all some good."

Bjorn turned to his partner and smiled. "Good idea, lover. That would take
the pressure off, help me work off this anger. I don't like it, and I'm not
comfortable with it."

-0-

The outdoor exercise helped everyone work off much of the anger they had
felt over the attacks on both Paul and the Panther quarterback. They had
decided that they would just kick the soccer ball around the backyard,
rather than engage in a serious competition.

As the sun set, the temperature dropped, promising a night which would see
frost settling over the landscape. Everyone grabbed some logs on their way
back into the house. Jason and Josh prepared the fireplace, then headed for
the showers.

In the kitchen Brian and Bjorn fixed a simple dinner of chef's salad, chips
and dips. They carried the food and beverages to the family room where the
boys were already seated on cushions, gazing into the rising flames.

"Dinner is served," Brian announced as he set the bowls down on the coffee
table. The boys didn't look up right away, but continued gazing into the
fire. He looked to his partner.

Bjorn glanced at Brian, then turned to the twins. "Something you guys want
to talk about?"

Slowly the boys turned to face the adults. "I'm sure this is just as hard
on you ..." Jason began.

"... As it is on us," Josh finished.

Brian and Bjorn sat down on the couch. Bjorn thought for a moment before
speaking. "I don't think there is an easy way to talk about it. Maybe what
a sheriff's deputy told me this afternoon sums it up. He said, `A cartoon
is the only place where you can drop an anvil on someone's head, and
they'll just get up and walk away'."

"That sounds like a good idea," Josh observed.

"It took me a moment," Brian responded. "But I realized that what he's
saying is that we live in a real world, where people sometimes encounter
unpleasant situations. And other people may be unwilling participants or
witnesses to those situations."

"Just like we were today," Jason said.

Bjorn took up Brian's line of thought. "Right."

"What's going to happen to Paul?" Josh asked. "Is he going to be alright?
Did the deputy tell you anything about him?"

"And what about the other player?" Jason added.

"He couldn't tell me much," Bjorn replied. "Only that they had both been
rushed into surgery as soon as they got to the hospital. We'll just have to
trust the doctors and nurses, and hope that their injuries aren't too
severe."

He took Brian's hand and held out his other hand to Jason. They all joined
hands and said a silent blessing over their dinner. The rest of the meal
passed in relative silence.

The remainder of the evening was a quiet one at the Connor-Larkin
household. Brian spent the evening in the kitchen preparing apple pies that
he would deliver to the nursing home after church on Sunday. Jason and Josh
were upstairs in their room, reading. Bjorn was in the den, working on the
studio's books and arranging some of the week's photo's, both his and
Brian's. He finished his bookkeeping about a quarter to eleven and went up
to the kitchen for a pot of tea. Brian was just taking the last of eight
pies out of the oven. The entire kitchen smelled wonderful.

"Such a labor of love." Bjorn inhaled deeply and smiled at his partner.

Brian smiled back. "Just doing what I love to do ... and giving something
back to the community. If the photo business ever goes south, we'll turn
the house into a restaurant and serve the vegetables from your garden and
my apple pies for dessert." He paused and became serious for just a
moment. "I just had a thought."

"What's that?"

"Well, we could make a video on how to make the best pies in the world,
maybe a whole series of cooking videos."

Bjorn was getting an idea too. "Why don't we put the it all on DVD, so
it'll be like having your own teacher right there with you in the kitchen?"

"I like the way you think, lover." Still wearing his oven mitts, Brian
wrapped his arms around partner. "Are you heating enough water for more
than one?"

"Lots more, if anyone wants some." Bjorn glanced toward the ceiling, then
back to Brian.  "How are they doing?"

"It's been a quiet night. I know they're hurting for Paul, but they're
tough. We'll get through this," Brian replied. He released his lover and
went back to his pies.

Glancing at the wall clock, Bjorn said, "Late news will have all the
info. I'll bring the teapot and meet you there." He gave Brian a kiss on
the back of the neck and left the kitchen with the tea service.

Brian was nearly finished cleaning up from the baking when Jason came
slowly down the spiral staircase and sat down near the bottom.

Brian gave his son a smile. "Hi, sport. You coming to join us for tea and
the late news?"

Jason tried to smile back at his father. "Yeah, I can't go to sleep without
knowing what's happening with Paul."

Brian gave a quick glance up the stairs. "Mind if I ask where your brother
is?"

Jason looked at the floor, collecting his thoughts. "He ... well, he cried
himself to sleep.  Please don't tell him I told you. I don't want to
embarrass him."

"I promise I won't tell him or Bjorn."

"He's really upset about all this. I might have done the same if I wasn't
so worried about Paul."

Brian reached into the cabinet and retrieved another mug. "Well, Bjorn's
waiting for us in the den. Let's go."

He helped his son to his feet, gave him a quick hug before they left the
kitchen.

In the den Jason took a seat on the couch between the two adults. The tea
was just finished, and Bjorn poured for all three of them. The last show of
the evening's primetime line-up was just ending. The TV channel broke in
with a teaser of the late news to come.

"Good evening. A high school football game turns violent. The Channel 5
Late News is next."

The three sipped their hot tea, paying little attention to the commercials
that preceded the news. Then the TV came to life with a dramatic theme. An
off-camera voice introduced the program. "The news leader ... for all of
Cascade County ... Channel 5 News ... the late edition ... with Tim Farmer,
news ... Ron Lindsay, sports ... and Lisa Crowder, weather."

"Good evening. A high school football coach is in custody tonight, and the
team's starting quarterback is in critical condition at Bridgewater General
Hospital. Channel 5's Ron Lindsay has more on the story. Ron, what can you
tell us?"

"Tim, it was the first game of post-season play for both the Bridgewater
Academy Mustangs and the Franklin High School Panthers. It was the
Panthers' first appearance in post-season since Head Coach Gordon Murphy
took over the football program ten years ago. After being tied 3 to 3 at
the end of the first quarter, the Panthers opened up the game in the second
quarter and led right up until the last minute."

The view changed from the studio to a tape of that afternoon's football
game, as the sports anchor continued his rapid-fire commentary.

"This is the play that turned it around for the Mustangs. Less than a
minute to go. Franklin leads 24-17. Panthers are deep in Bridgewater
territory, threatening one more touchdown.  Here's a short pass, intended
for Panthers wide receiver Buzz Newkirk. But it's intercepted by
Bridgewater's Rusty Graham, who takes it 70 yards before being tackled at
the Franklin 15."

The view switched back to the studio. "But on the Franklin bench Head Coach
Gordon Murphy was less than thrilled and unloaded his frustrations on
Panther Quarterback Alan Bradley. This footage was shot by a spectator in
the stands, and we must warn you ... it is quite graphic."

The view switched to an amateur video of the coach punching the quarterback
in the face and the quarterback going down after taking several blows. The
three watched in silence, oblivious to the sportscaster's comments, and
only being jolted back to reality when the screen switched back to the
studio.

"After being separated from Bradley, Coach Murphy was ejected from the game
and taken into custody by Bridgewater Sheriff's deputies in the locker
room. Latest word on Alan Bradley is that he's in critical condition at
Bridgewater General Hospital."

The view switched back to a videotape of the last play of the game.

"Back to the game, only seconds to go. Bridgewater Quarterback Paul Miller
executes this magnificent pass to wide receiver Erik Duval in the end
zone. Touchdown Mustangs with one second left and the score 24-23
Franklin. The point-after attempt looks like a kick which would tie the
score and send the game into overtime. But the Mustangs risk everything,
and Miller converts the point after for two. Mustangs win 25-24."

The view was back to the studio. "But the drama is not over yet. Our video
crew was there to capture the celebration in the end-zone which turned
violent. Again, we must warn you that this footage is particularly
graphic."

The TV screen switched to the all-too-familiar scene of Paul being beaten
by Franklin fullback Randy Carter, and the sportscaster continued his
commentary.

"That's Panther Fullback Randy Carter, taking out his frustration on
Bridgewater quarterback Paul Miller."

The tape showed Paul going down, and the scene switched back to the
studio. The sportscaster wrapped up his commentary.

"Latest word on Miller is that he too in critical condition with a broken
jaw and internal injuries at Bridgewater General. The District Attorney's
office is considering charges against Carter, and a spokesman for the
Scholastic Athletic Association says its executive board will meet on
Monday to consider sanctions against the entire Franklin High School
athletic program. Back to you, Tim."

The next few minutes of the newscast was devoted to comments from outside
sources ranging from the governor to the mayor to some randomly selected
people around town.

"And we'll be back with more news in just a moment." And the screen went to
commercial break.

Brian turned to his son. "How are you holding up, sport?"

Jason looked down at his tea, then to his father. "It hurts just as much
watching it on TV as it did seeing it in person, maybe even more."

"Maybe watching the late news wasn't such a good idea after all," Bjorn
said.

The three sipped their tea in silence, but paid no attention to the
commercials. After a moment the commercial break was over, and the
newscasters returned to the screen. Tim Farmer's expression was somber.

"We have an update on the condition of those two football players injured
in this afternoon's playoff game.

Jason automatically reached for his father's hand as the newscaster
continued his report.

"A spokesman for Bridgewater General Hospital now says Franklin Quarterback
Alan Bradley died as a result of injuries he suffered late in the
game. Alan Bradley was 17. And the District Attorney's office issued a
statement just moments ago, saying Panthers Coach Gordon Murphy would be
charged with Bradley's murder. Murphy is currently being held without bail
at the Cascade County Jail; he is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday.
Turning to the weather, Lisa says there's good news in store for
skiers. Lisa?"

Bjorn pointed the remote at the TV and switched it off. All three were
silent for several minutes; only the ticking of an antique clock broke the
stillness.

"What about Paul?" Jason was shaking.

Brian put his arm around his son. "He's alive, Jason. Critical, but he is
alive. And he needs our support and our energy to pull him through. He's
gonna be alright."

Jason turned to his father with tears in his eyes. "When do you think we
can see him?"

Brian shook his head sadly. "I don't know. Let's give him a few days to
rest up. I know how much you guys look up to him, and I know he was really
taken with you two last night. But we gotta give him some time to
heal. Think you'll be OK with that?"

Jason looked down at his lap. Brian could see the tears rolling down
Jason's cheeks, and the boy leaned into his father's shoulder,
sobbing. After a moment he gathered himself together and looked up into his
father's face. "I'll be alright. I think I'll just go up to bed. I love
you, Dad."

Brian kissed his son's forehead. "I love you too, sport."

Jason turned to give his father's partner a good-night hug. "I love you,
Bjorn."

Bjorn returned the hug and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you too,
Jason. Good night."

Jason broke the embrace and left the room. He climbed the spiral staircase
and walked slowly to the bedroom, where his twin, his lover, was already
fast asleep. Jason quietly stripped off his clothes and slipped between the
sheets and, just as his brother had done earlier that evening, cried
himself to sleep.

-0-

to be continued in Chapter 12