The AH family

Chapter 52

"He did what?" Jack says, staring at his brother in disbelief.

"Every night. He would come into my room and, do things." Geoff repeats, his hand gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles are white.

"Damnit why didn't you tell me?" Jack asks, eyes gentle.

"I, I don't know. I guess I just never wanted to talk about it." Geoff replies, keeping his eyes locked on the road. The two are silent, they sit listening to the kids CD that they put on, a little louder than normal, to cover their conversation from the kids.

"Wait, why didn't he ever come after me?" Jack questions. He and Geoff were only a year apart, and it happened over the course of years, so it couldn't have been that. Geoff stayed silent.

"Well, I told him that," Geoff pauses, "I told him that he could do whatever he wanted to me as long as he never touched you." Jack stares at him silently. Geoff had given, practically his life, to protect him.

"Geoff, I-"

"No, no, don't. I know what you're going to say. And I don't want to hear it right now okay?" Geoff interrupts. Jack silently nods. Right now wasn't the time for the full conversation. Maybe later they could talk. When things calmed down, when that asshole was out of the house, when Ray was back.

"Wait, does anyone know?" Jack asks.

"Griffon. Griffon knows, not everything, but she knows."

"Oh." Jack replies quietly. Why had Geoff told her, but not him? Should he feel offended? It doesn't matter now, they're pulling up to the house. It's go time.

The car stops suddenly, Geoff throws it into park and jumps out. They had decided that Jack would stay back with Michael and Gavin unless he truly thought Geoff needed him. So he turns around to face the kids.

"Okay guys, stay here, Geoff's gonna be inside real quick and then we'll go in." Jack says with a reassuring smile, as Geoff approaches the door. The pauses briefly, gathering the strength he knew he'd need. He throws open the door.

"Ryan!" Geoff yells, running into the living room. "Ryan?" He yells again. No response. "Ryan?" He yells louder.

"Geoff?" He hears a quiet voice reply.

"Ryan!" He yells, running towards the source of the voice. Geoff practically kicks open the kitchen door. Before him he finds a scene that he never thought he'd see. A grown man, his father, laying face-down on the floor, not moving, and Ryan, small fourteen year old Ryan, standing over him, clutching an almost two foot long metal cabinet handle. He's still holding the piece of metal like one would a baseball bat, ready to swing at any sign of movement. Ryan slowly shifts his gaze from the body on the floor to the boy in the doorway.

"Geoff?" Ryan says, a barely audible whisper. Tears start to glide down his face. Geoff simply opens his arms, the boy rushing to him, the metal handle clanging to the floor. The two stand there, Ryan quietly crying into Geoff's chest, for what seems like hours.

"We're calling the police." Geoff says, pulling away from his brother. Ryan nods in response.

"I don't think you should do that." A voice that neither of them recognize says behind them. Geoff spins around, keeping Ryan behind him.

"I tried to stop him from coming in but, Icouldn't." Jack says, desperately, as a larger man in a suit, with dark hairholds him by the back of his neck. He doesn't hold him tight enough to hurthim, but tight enough to show that he could.