The Long Way Home

Chapter 5

We were all outside when the ambulance came and took Trevor away, the police were asking me all sorts of questions and I didn't know what to do or say. I didn't know who did this or why, I had my suspicions but that won't mean much.

"Son listen we know he is your friend but we have to find out what happened." One of the officers said. I looked at his nametag and it read Smith.

"Trevor and I met in the hall after our next to last class period and he had to use the bathroom, he said he would see me in the classroom, when he got there he came in he looked at me and said 'help me' then he fell on the ground covered in blood. We all ran up to him and I put his head in my lap." I said then started to cry harder.

"Come on son it'll be alright, hang in there." He said. About that time my parents showed up. My mom ran up to me and started hugging me, she was crying as well.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry this had to happen. The Longsten's called and told us what happened after the police called them." She said. My father came and gave me a hug as well.

"Son do you have any idea who may have done this?" my dad asked. I nodded my head. The officer was still there and saw me nod.

"Sir I have one more question for your boy. Levi I know this is hard but I just saw you nod your head saying that you may know who did this. Can you tell me please?' he asked. I looked at him then started shaking I was scared if I said who it was that I would be hurt.

"I don't know, I'm scared to say who it might have been. I'm afraid he may come after me too." I said crying. The officer nodded his head.

"I understand son but you have to tell me, I know your scared and all but if you don't tell me the DA may say I have to arrest you for obstruction of justice. I know I know it sucks and I can't do anything about it. I have an idea why don't you all head over the hospital, I'll meet ya'll there in a while then you can talk to me there without anyone hearing us. OK?" he asked. I looked at him and smiled.

"I'd like that yes, thank you." I said my parents took me and we headed off to the hospital.

It seemed to take forever to get there; I was scared and didn't know what was going to happen. I thought about all the times Trevor and I shared together. The laughs and crying even got into an argument once. It was something small and later we apologized and worked it out.

I'm scared he may die, I don't want him to die 'please God help us' I prayed.

We arrived at the hospital emergency room my mom and I ran in while my dad parked the car. We didn't see any of Trevor's family and asked the nurse about it.

"I'm sorry there in a waiting room for the victim but only immediate family can get in." She said with a condescending tone. I lost it.

"Listen you bitch, I'm Trevor Longsten's boyfriend. My family and his are so close we are family now get off your ass and go and get them for us NOW." I hollered at her. She just looked at me for a minute; it looked like she was about to say something when a doctor came up to us.

"Are you the Michael's?" he asked. We nodded our heads. "Come on then the Longsten's are waiting for you." He said. He glared at the nurse then took us back to where Trevor's family was waiting for us.

We walked down the long white hall to a little room on the right hand side. Sitting were Mr. and Mrs. Longsten, Roger and a few other people I didn't know or recognize. Mrs. Longsten got up and gave me a hug, along with Mr. Longsten and Roger. I started crying again.

"Any news yet Sam?" asked my dad. Mr. Longsten just shook his head.

"Nope none yet Jack. How are ya'll holding up?" he asked.

"Ok for now but I think Levi is the worst for wear right now." My dad said looking down at me. I was still holding onto my mom and Mrs. Longsten.

"Oh by the way this is my mother and father, Steve and Janice Longsten, mom, dad this is Jack and Betty Michaels and there son Levi who is Trevor's boyfriend." Mr. Longsten said. They got up and shook our hands.

"So you're the one who turned my grandson gay uh?" the older Mr. Longsten said. I just stared at him in shook for a minute and started crying again. My dad was about to say something when Mr. Longsten stepped in.

"Now dad I have told you this a hundred times NO ONE made Trevor gay. He has always been that way. If you don't like it then leave, I will NOT have you here causing more pain and suffering. If you don't like that then just disown me I no longer care. You have always been a red neck closed minded southerner who can't see the light of day. If you don't want anything to do with my son then you won't have anything to do with me. Now go." He said. I couldn't believe that Mr. Longsten said that to his own father.

His father and mother were shocked and the old Mr. Longsten was turning red.

"Fine then we'll go, at least one of your sons turned out right, come on Roger lets go." He said turning to face Roger. Roger just looked at him.

"I don't think so. I love my brother and I've known he's gay forever and I don't care. I love Levi here just as much as I do my brother, they are apart of this family. Sorry grandpa but no I am not going with you, not now or ever." Roger said.

I smiled at Roger then went and gave him a hug. He hugged me back. Old Mr. Longsten just turned around.

"Come on dear we have to go." He said walking out. He was half way through the door when he noticed that old Mrs. Longsten wasn't behind him.

"Steve Longsten how dare you?" she said. "That is your our grandson in there, just because you can't handle that he likes boys instead of girls and that he seems to have a nice young man that wants to be with him there is no reason to try and make people do what you want. You want to leave then fine just go I will stay here with my son and grandchildren and my grand-son-in-law." She said smiling at me I smiled back. "If you don't like that then fine I will find my own way home, otherwise sit down and shut up." She said.

Young Mr. Longsten looked at his mom like she had two heads. He later told me that his mother had never stood up to his father before and he was very proud that she finally did.

"Janice, how can you say that, I love you I just can't handle this. It isn't right and you know it." He said staring at his wife just looked at him.

"Right or wrong I have come to the conclusion that God wants us to all be happy and find the one that loves us, whether it be man or woman. And it appears that our grandson has found someone to make him happy. Now no more talk, either stay and sit down or shut up and go." She said turning around and sitting in one of the chairs there. I went and sat next to her and she put her arms around me. "He's going to be alright I promise you he will make it through and he won't die." She said to me. I started crying again and she just held me tighter.

Old Mr. Longsten just looked at his wife then came over and sat on the other side of me. He put his arm around me. "She's right he will make it through this. I'm sorry for what I said and how I acted. I think you are a fine young man and you make a great addition to our family." He said. I hugged him and he returned my hug.

We were all sitting and chatting quietly with me sitting in between the old Mr. and Mrs. Longsten with my parents on the other side of the small room, Roger and his parents sitting on the far wall, when a doctor came in.

"Mr. and Mrs. Longsten?" he asked my parents. They pointed to where Mr. and Mrs. Longsten and Roger were sitting. The doctor went and sat by them. "Ok we have done all we can down here, he is going up to the OR now. As you know he was stabbed in the back and the stomach. The good news is that the stomach didn't leak to much stomach acid so nothing was really damaged, also the stab wound isn't to big it shouldn't be to much trouble for them to repair it. Now the bad news, the knife hit the lower spinal column, it went in pretty deep, the tissue won't be to bad to fix and heal it self but we aren't sure about the spine. We won't know until he is fully awake if he will be able to walk or not. There is the chance that your son will be paralyzed. I'm sorry," he said. He sat there for a few minutes. "Are there any questions?" he asked.

"Can we see him before you take him up to the operating room?" Mrs. Longsten asked. The doctor shook his head.

"No I'm sorry they had to rush him right up there after we did what we could for him down here. You will be able to see him when we get him into his ICU room, the operation will take about 5 or 6 hours then another hour or so in the recovery room." He said. We all nodded are heads.

"Even though he is asleep can you give him a message for me?" I asked. The doctor nodded his and looked at me. "Tell him" I stopped and tears were starting to fall once again. I tried again "tell him I love him and to come back to me." I said starting to sob, the Older Mr. and Mrs. Longsten held onto me as I cried.

"I will son, I'm assuming that you're his boyfriend?" he asked, I just nodded my head. The doctor smiled at me. "He was awake long enough to say that he loved someone named Levi, is that you?" he asked me, I was really crying now knowing that Trevor said that. "I'll make sure that he knows you love him and to stay with you ok?" he said putting his hand on my shoulder, I nodded my head. "If there is nothing else I am going to go and give him this message and find out what is going on ok?" he asked. We all said fine and bye for now.

About an hour later Officer Smith came in, he knocked on the door and stood there a minute.

"Hey little man any word yet?" he asked coming up to me. I just shook my head. He turned to Trevor's parents and brother. "I'm sorry for what happened. If there is anything I can do to help please let me know. I was the one first on the scene." He said. Mr. Longsten got up and shook his hand.

"Thank you for helping my son." He said. Mr. Smith shook hands then hugged each other, but were crying. When they parted Officer Smith turned towards me.

"You ready to tell me who you think did this?" he asked me, I just looked him then my parents, then the Longsten's and finally Grandpa and Grandma Longsten (they told me to call them that) the all nodded their heads and I looked up at Officer Smith. Taking a deep gulp I told him.

"Fred Tompkins, one of the school bullies. A few months after the start of the school year we had a few problems with him, Trevor handled him and told him to leave us alone. One day he whispered something in Trevor's ear, I don't know what it was. All Trevor told me is that he called him a faggot. I think he threatened him I don't really know but that is what I feel it was. I think it was Fred Tompkins that did it." I said looking down.

Officer Smith wrote all of that down.

"Anyone else?" he asked. I shook my head. "Ok thank you and don't worry I won't say where the name came from, I'll just say that a bunch of kids said that Trevor had problems with him at one time. I won't let him hurt you I promise." He said looking at me, I looked back at him then got up and hugged him he hugged me back. "Does he drive a vehicle?" he asked. I thought about it for a minute.

"Yes sir a black Rodeo 4x4." I said. Officer Smith also wrote that down, "I think you should know that in a way Fred was right, we are faggots. Well gay, we are boyfriends." I said, watching him to see how he would react.

"Well that is between you and him, I personally don't care, my younger brother is gay. Don't worry man we'll get him." He said. With that he left and started his investigation

It was about 7:30 when the doctor came back in to see us.

"Well he is out of surgery and in the recovery room. He made it and is doing fine. He'll be there for about an hour to an hour and a half. The stomach wasn't as bad as we thought it was. The knife went right in and came right back out, but the back is as bad as we thought it was. We don't know if he will ever walk again. I'm sorry. After we get him up to a room we'll let ya'll come up and visit for a little bit." The doctor then left and walked out.

We all cried tears of happiness and hugged each other.

At 9 a nurse came and got us and took us up to the intensive care unit.

We walked in and saw tubes and wiring running from machines all around him to him and into him. I was crying before I even got to the bed, as well as the Longsten's.

"Baby you're going to be ok, I love you." Said his mom. I held his hand and whispered to him.

"I love you Trevor and I will take care of you now and forever. Please wake up soon." I said giving him a kiss on his cheek. I felt him squeeze my hand.

I looked at everyone and they all smiled, we watched and soon saw his eyes flutter some. He slowly opened them and tried to focus, at first it was difficult, he looked around and saw everyone there, and smiled at them. He turned his gaze to me. I bent down and kissed him softly on the lips.

"I love you too." He whispered out. We got the doctor and he came in and saw that Trevor truly was awake.

"Well young man you gave a us quite a scare. How are you feeling?" he asked. The nurse had brought in some ice chips and he was able to suck on them and that helped him to speak.

"Hurting and I can't feel my legs." He said. The doctor just nodded.

"Well we'll have to run some more test to see what is going to happen, for now rest and I'll be back in the morning to see you." He said.

"Ok thanks." Trevor told him, they smiled at each other then Trevor turned to me. "Fred Tompkins did this." I was about to respond when a voice behind me said something.

"Thank you for telling us that. At 8:30 tonight Fred Tompkins Jr. was arrested." We all turned and stared at Officer Smith.