He looks at me completely heartbroken. “I think it’s best I take him to my clinic here in town. It’s probably better for him,” Myra says.
Maverick nods and my heart cracks a little. “Hey Ronny, I think we’re going to get you checked out in town at the clinic, is that okay?”
He looks at the both of us in confusion, but nods. “I think pizza for dinner would be a great idea—what do you think?” I try to distract him from overthinking.
“I would love some!” He gets excited and runs to the door to put his shoes on.
Maverick
The wait is fucking torture for me and Bell. We sit and sit in this waiting room.
“I am so worried, it’s hard to breathe,” Bell whispers to me.
I lean over, kissing her on the forehead. “Me too,” I confirm. I hope to god that nothing has happened to him. I will go FUCKING BALLISTIC.
Twenty minutes later Myra walks out and shuts the door behind her. She pulls up a chair next to us. She has tears in her eyes. Fuck.
Bell looks at me, horrified at what she could say. “First, I want you to know that he has not been sexually assaulted. I think you saved him from that fate.”
You could scrape me off of the floor I am so relieved.
“When I raised his shirt to check his lungs.” She pauses her head drops towards the floor.
Bell scoots forward, taking her hands in hers. “Are you okay?” she asks. She is so caring.
Myra takes a deep breath. “He has been whipped with a belt for years. He has wounds as fresh as yesterday. I need you guys to come with me, to show you how to clean the wounds. There are quite a few. I gave him medicine for the pain before we started.”
Bell jumps out of the chair, pacing the room. “Tomorrow you take me to her,” she says in a voice that I have never heard from her before.
“Did he say who whipped him?” I spit out the words.
Myra nods. “His mom and stepdad. He doesn’t even remember when it started.”
Fuck me.
Bell stops pacing and looks at me. “We will do right by him. We will give him the best life. One he deserves.”
Bell
Maverick stands up from his chair and takes my hand in his, squeezing tight, letting me know he’s here with me.
“Let’s go to our boy.”
We walk to his room. Ronny is sitting on the bed looking unsure. “Hi sweetheart.” I smile at him and take his hand.
“You’re not mad?” Ronny asks, looking unsure.
I look at him, startled. “What do you mean? Why would I be mad, honey?” I question, catching his tear with my finger.
He looks from me to Maverick. “She said you will have to take care of my back. That won’t make you not want me? Right?” I can hear the slight tremor in his voice.
It destroys my soul.
“No, baby, no. In the morning, if you want to live with us, we are going to sign the papers making you ours forever. If you want that…” Ronny interrupts me, “No, I want to live with you guys.”
Maverick rubs his shoulder. “Then you will be with us forever, even if you’re thirty years old and I’m an old man.” I laugh and Ronny joins in.
Myra makes her way into the room, shutting the door behind her. She gets some items out onto the tray.
“I will send everything you need home with you.” She starts opening gauze pads. “I will also be prescribing some antibiotics. I already did blood work and we should have that back tomorrow.”
“Alright, sweetheart, do you mind taking off your shirt?” Myra asks.
He looks at the both of us to make sure we’re okay with it. He lifts it over his head, handing it to me, and I take his hand, holding on tight, letting him know I am there for him.
Maverick and I step to the head of the bed so we can watch, and I almost fall to the ground in shock.
Maverick turns his head away, gripping the counter so tight it creaks under the pressure.
I rub Ronny’s hand, hoping he doesn’t notice our reaction. This precious baby has suffered; he has suffered in a way that is utterly inhumane.
His mother is a complete and utter monster. It makes me sick that I ever had hope that she would be a good mother.
Scars upon scars cover almost every inch of his skin—scars so thick and aggravated.
“I can recommend a great plastic surgeon, if that’s something he wants,” Myra points out.
“We will talk to him about it,” Maverick tells her, holding Ronny’s other hand.
Once his back is cleaned with ointment, we help him put his shirt back on. Myra doesn’t bother with the bandage because he will be showering later. “It feels much better, thank you.” Ronny smiles at her, his beautiful blue eyes shining with life for the first time today.
Ronny’s belly growls and I laugh. “I think it’s time we get some dinner!” Ronny giggles and takes my hand, hopping off of the bed.
“Thank you, Myra, we’ll see you in a few days.” He is to come back in a few days for a checkup.
Next thing on the list is to get him set up with seeing Braelyn, then we grab a few pizzas and his medicine and head home.
“Maverick, do you have soda at your house?” Ronny asks sheepishly.
Maverick grins that he openly asked him a question. “I sure do.” Ronny smiles, looking out of the window.
My poor heart. I feel so much love for this precious boy.
I feel so much for Maverick also. I feel things for him that I never dreamed
possible. He has completely changed my life.
“I’m dressed!” Ronny yells.
Maverick and I walk into the bathroom. “How are you feeling? Is your back hurting?” I ask, thinking the water probably made it hurt.
He shakes his head. “It doesn’t hurt me, Bell.”
It hurts me.
Gosh, how it hurts me. My heart is aching so bad as Maverick applies the ointment to his back and bandages it.
His whole back.
I take a comb off of the counter and run it through his strands, and it hits me. I have no clue how to fix his hair, at all. I try to comb it as best as possible.
“Alright, you are all set,” Maverick tells him, handing him his new pajama shirt that has dinosaurs on it.
He is so cute.
Ronny climbs into his bed. I pull the blankets up to his neck, tucking him in. “Can I turn the TV on? Just for a little bit?” he asks.
Maverick turns on the TV, handing him the remote. “Goodnight, honey.” I kiss him on his forehead and close my eyes for a moment, thankful that he is here, safe.
Today has been horrible, but I have him now.
Maverick takes my spot. I leave the room. Needing a second to myself, I stand outside of the door.
“I want to make a promise to you, Ronny. I will always keep you safe. You will never be hurt again. I will take care of you, always. This is your home, with me and Bell. I don’t want you to have any sort of fears, okay?”
I look at the two of them together. Ronny looks like he is on the verge of tears before he rises up and hugs Maverick, climbing into his lap.
Maverick closes his eyes, holding him just as tight. “Goodnight, Maverick, thank you for saving me.”
Maverick pulls back to look at Ronny, eye to eye. “I will always be there, always.”