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Chapter 27 : Back to Curt's house

Chapter 27

Later...   

Curt POV

I went back to Riker's room. He was still laying on his floor, looking miserable.

I went over and sat down on the floor beside him.

"I talked to the police," I said.

"And?"

"And you don't have to talk to them right now. Can you sit up?"

He tried to sit up, but was struggling, so I took his arm and helped him up. He leaned his head on my shoulder, so I put my arm around him tight.

"Look. Your dad isn't your dad."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means I was thinking about how earlier we found that picture in your file that said Mark and Stormie Lynch. And I was wondering if maybe it wasn't an accident that it was in your file. So I googled their names. They're your real parents. A ton of articles came up about how their son was kidnapped from the hospital. So when the police asked what I knew, I told them what I found on the internet and I told them you really didn't want to talk right now because of how upset you were. So they called my parents and arranged for you to stay at my house until they sort things out. I told them you were very scared of going into foster care. So they said you can stay with me for now, ok?"

"Thank you," he said, crying again.

"Ok, let's go to my house and then we can clean up your wrist, ok?"

"Ok."

I helped him stand up. He was really shaky. I kept my arm around him as we walked down the road to my house. We walked in silence, but I think it was just because Riker was exhausted.

We climbed in through my window because it was easier. Riker laid down on my bed, and I went to go get the first aid kit.

I went back over to Riker and sat on the edge of my bed.

"Can you tell me what happened to your wrist? Is this a burn?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Riker took a deep breath and sighed.

"I really just don't want to live anymore. And I cut a bunch of times. And my dad caught me and since he's mad about me cutting, he decided to burn my wrist, I guess as a punishment."

"He's not your dad."

Riker stayed silent. 

"I need to clean your wrist, and I don't know if the burn is going to hurt."

"Be gentle."

"I will."

I opened an alcohol wipe and tried to clean Riker's wrist. But the second I touched his wrist, he pulled it away.

"Ow! It stings!"

"Ok. Let me try soap and water instead, ok?"

I got a washcloth and put some soap and water on it. I went back to Riker and took his hand. I gently started washing the blood off his wrist, and it seemed like the soap and water didn't sting. But his wrist was really red and raw.

After I cleaned all the blood off, I let his wrist air dry while I looked through the first aid kit. I found some burn cream and some bandages. So I put the burn cream on his wrist and then bandaged it up.

"Can we talk about how you're feeling?" I asked.

"I really don't want to," he said, quietly.

"Please? I don't want you to be hurting like this."

"Can you just turn the lights off and put the tv on, and can we just sit here for a little while?"

"Sure."

I turned off the lights and put on my tv. And then I got into bed beside Riker. He wrapped his arm over my chest and buried his face in my side. I put my arm around him tight. I started rubbing circles into his back slowly, trying to make him feel better.

Later...

Curt POV

I was kind of expecting Riker to fall asleep, but he didn't. We'd been laying here for at least an hour. He hadn't said anything this whole time. 

"Riker?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can we talk now?"

"Ok..."

"Do you really want to... you know... kill yourself?"

"Yes..."

"Why?"

"Because I just want to know who my mom is and I want my dad to stop hurting me and getting drunk."

"Ok, well your dad isn't your real dad. And he got arrested, so that solves that problem."

"But how do you know for sure?"

"I told the police. They quickly checked their database to confirm it, but they're going over to Stormie and Mark's house to talk to them about it. They might DNA test you to make sure."

"Ok, but what if they're mean and hit me too?"

"I don't think they will. Normal people don't abuse their kids."

Riker sighed.

"Look, I know a lot happened tonight. But things are only going to get better from here. I promise."

"I don't want to go live with Stormie and Mark. They're strangers."

"Well that's why the police said you could stay with me for now. They said they want to talk to you and take a statement from you, but you can have a few days to calm down and collect your thoughts. I'm sure they're not going to just stick you at Stormie and Mark's house without you saying you're ok with it. I told the police you have really bad anxiety. That's why they let you stay with me."

"Well thanks. Because I don't know how I could've talked to them tonight."

"I know. Try not to worry about talking to them though, ok? They just want to hear what you have to say so they can take a statement. You're not in any trouble or anything."

"Are they going to ask me mental health questions and try to stick me in a mental health place?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Ok. Because I don't know if I could survive a mental health place."

"Well it's ok because you can just chill here. Just try to relax, ok?"

"Ok... Are your parents concerned about me or anything?"

"Well they're worried, but I told them that I have everything under control."

"Ok. Can we go to bed now? I'm really tired."

"Yes."

Riker pulled the covers over us up higher.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?"

"For calling the police. Even though I told you not to."

"You're welcome. I was kind of worried you would be mad."

"No... I think it was for the best..."