The Ridgley U Experience

The Ridgley U Experience Part 20

   The next morning when Aaron, Brian and I all arrived at the gym, everything was status quo, but I just couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. I know sometimes things like this are just all in my head, but I still had this funny feeling we were in for a wild morning. Aaron assured me that it was all in my head, but just to be safe, he allowed me to call Brad, Paul, Joe and Mark.

   Once they got to the gym, I felt a little bit safer, so I went around the gym to see if there was anything I could do. Aaron was putting papers together, and asked me to go to the front desk to get him the stapler, so I headed that way to do as he asked. Just as I got there, the front door sounded like it flew open. I no sooner looked up, and my dad was standing in front of me with this crazed look on his face, and to my surprise and horror...... he had a gun!

   He charged over to the desk, pointing the gun at me. His eyes were huge, like they could bug right out of his head at any moment, and he had a sick, sadistic smile on his face. I sat there frozen in fear, afraid that if I moved even the slightest bit, he'd pull the trigger and shoot me right on the spot. Luckily for me, everyone heard the door open, and before I knew it, Aaron, Brian, Paul, Joe, Mark, Brad, and even all of Aaron's clients who were in the gym, all rushed to my aid! 

   They all pushed my dad out the door, while Aaron easily overpowered my dad, holding his arm with the gun upward, making sure that if he pulled the trigger, he'd shoot the ceiling, and not a person. Once they got him outside, Brian, Mark, and Joe blocked the door, while everyone else kept him at bay to keep him from trying to charge past the door. Brian had Paul stay inside with me, but told him to get me out of the gym the back way, and take me home.

   That was the last thing I saw, because Paul got me out of there just in the nick of time before I could hear anything else happen. I was worried about the guys the whole time they were gone, but a few hours later, I was relieved when they all came back completely unharmed. Brian suddenly walked up to me, he had a look on his face where I knew something happened. He waved me over, then walked me to my room, where he quietly closed the door so we could talk.

   "Something's wrong, isn't there?" I asked Brian.

   "Yes Mike, I'm not going to lie to you bubba." Brian answered.

   The next thing I knew, Brian sat me down on the bed, then sat down next to me, putting his arm around me. He paused for quite a few minutes, and as I looked at his face, I knew he was struggling with how to tell me what he had to tell me. I just watched him, waiting for him to just say it, so I could try to deal with what he was about to tell me.

   "Mike, I have something to tell you, and it's not easy." Brian said with a pause, "Your father pulled the gun on himself after you left, he's gone now son."

   At that point, my whole body went numb, I couldn't believe what I just heard. On one hand, I felt relief, but on the other hand, he was still my father. I couldn't fathom what caused him to do what he'd just done. I got up from the bed, just standing there, not able to bring myself to even move. Brian stood up next to me, and that's when I turned and just completely lost it. Brian wrapped his arms around me, just holding me, not saying a word, he just let me get the hurt out as long as I needed to, I cried so hard it was almost as if I was screaming.

   With my face still buried in Brian's chest, I heard my bedroom door fly open, and ALL the guys, from Aaron, Paul, Brad, Mark, Joe, and even the clients that were at the gym at the time, they all filed into my room to be with me, gathering as a group to comfort me. I was so upset I could hardly walk, so Brian had to help guide me to the living room, where he helped me sit on the couch, then sat beside me, not one of the guys left the house while all this was going on.

   After I finally calmed down, I still felt very numb. Brian still had not left my side from when I first sat down on the couch. Brad had joined Brian and I on the couch, with me sitting in the middle, and Brian and Brad on either side of me. I had quit crying, but I just couldn't bring myself to move from the couch. Finally, Brian got up to go to the kitchen, he told Aaron to only set the table for six, because he knew I wasn't going to eat dinner, which I didn't.

   While everyone else ate dinner, I snuck off to my room, quietly closing the door so that hopefully no one would know where I had gone, but apparently, I wasn't as quiet as I thought, because Brian soon walked in. He saw me sitting on the bed facing the wall, then came over to sit with me. He placed his hand on my back, then just started rubbing. I laid my head on his shoulder, not saying a word.

   "I'm so sorry about what happened today Mike." Brian said in a soft voice, "I know how bad it hurts son."

   "I can't believe it Brian... I just lost my dad, now I don't have one. Why am I always the one who loses everything?" I asked.

   "You're not Mike, everyone in the world has gone through loss at some point in their lives, you're not the only one." Brian told me.

   "Am I not the only one?" I asked, "You got Aaron back, I've lost so many potential boyfriends it's not even funny, now I've lost my dad, I just can't catch a break, and probably never will."

   "But look at all the people who came to your aid today son." Brian reminded me, "If the guys hadn't done what they did to save you, you may not be sitting here right now." 

   After Brian and I talked, there was a knock at the door. Brad walked in and was ready to go to bed. Brian gave me a hug, then got up from the bed, walking over to Brad.

   "You may want to have Mike sleep with you tonight, he's not doing too well." Brian told Brad.

   "Already planned on it." Brad said.

   Brian quietly left the room, closing the door silently behind him. I had decided to change into my pajamas, but then got right in bed. Brad soon slid in bed with me, cuddling up to me, I began to feel better having Brad with me. I rolled over, to see Brad's handsome face smiling back at me, and that's when he said the words I'd been waiting to hear, but the way he said them, I knew he was sincere.

   "I love you Mike, I didn't realize how much until today, but I love you with all my heart, and promise you, that I will protect you with everything I have." Brad said in a gentle voice.

   I cuddled up closer to Brad, then he slipped a powerful arm around me, holding me close. Before I knew it, I was able to drift off to sleep. Just having Brad in the room with me, made me feel so much better, I never needed him, or the rest of the guys more, than I did today, and tomorrow, I would find out that Brian had done something to where I would always have them.

TO BE CONTINUED...............................................................................................................