“We won’t mention this conversation unless Tony brings it up,” Les said.
Randy nodded. He wouldn’t forget it, but he didn’t want his friend to be embarrassed by it.
“If he’s not home by Friday, I’m going to get him.” Randy didn’t want Tony staying anyway any longer.
“I’ll go with you.” Les kissed the frown from Randy’s lips.
Chapter Five
Thursday
Tony walked up the block towards his sister’s house. He’d had another talk with Juan and came to the conclusion his nephew had a pretty good head on his shoulders.
Whatever decision the boy made, Juan would think it through first.
His cell rang just as he heard a scream come from Maria’s house. He started jogging and answered his phone.
“Hello?”
“Tio Tony, can you come over?” Juan sounded upset.
“Actually, I’m right outside your house.” He flipped his phone shut and raced up the steps.
Maria was shrieking. “Get this puta out of my house.” Her hands were waving, slashing towards a young man on the porch.
Juan stood, protecting the older boy from Maria. His own face bore a red handprint.
“What’s going on here?” Tony demanded.
Maria whirled on him. “I should’ve known you coming home would bring evil in your wake. This is your fault. My Juan was a good boy until you came. Now he’s bringing home putas like him.”
“A whore? Why would Juan bring home a rent boy?” Tony was puzzled.
He glanced at the boy Juan stood in front of. He looked to be eighteen and was dressed in skin tight jeans and t-shirt. Under the bruises, the young man was beautiful.
The kind who would be able to make good money selling his body. Tony frowned. There was something familiar about those clear blue eyes.
“Yancey needs a place to stay, Mama. I told him he could stay with us.” Juan held his hands out to plead with his mother.
“Your Tio Luis warned me that putas like him would try to seduce my innocent boy.
I should have kept a closer watch on you.” Maria’s eyes filled with tears.
“Stop it. Take a deep breath, Maria. There’s a simple solution. Yancey, you can stay with me at Tia Elena’s.” Tony looked at his sister. “How does Luis know about rent boys?”
Maria swung, catching Tony hard on the cheek with the flat of her hand. “You won’t speak ill of Luis. He and Angelina have been good to me since Diego died. Luis is trying to be a father to Juan.” She swung again.
Tony caught her wrist and held it tight. “Don’t ever try to hit me again. I’m not your son. I know exactly what Luis is. Yancey, start heading down the street.” Tony let go of Maria’s hand. He ignored her sputtering and looked at Juan. “If you need me, you know to find me. I’m leaving tomorrow morning.”
Yancey had managed to get to the bottom of the steps by the time Tony reached him.
He could see the younger man was sore. He cupped Yancey’s elbow to give him a little more support. The rent boy looked behind them and Tony turned to see Maria slap Juan again. His grip tightened until Yancey grunted.
“Sorry,” he muttered.
Yancey shrugged. “What’s one more bruise?”
“Tony, Yancey. Wait.” Juan raced down the stairs towards them.
Maria screamed from the porch. “If you go with them, Juan, you’re no longer my son.”
Tony saw Juan flinch, but his stride didn’t falter.
“You don’t want to do this, man. She’s mad but if you go back, she’ll forgive you.”
Yancey tried to reason with Juan.
Tony unlocked the car doors. He opened one to let Yancey sit.
“I’m going with you.” The stubborn set of Juan’s chin spoke of his determination.
Yancey turned to glare at Tony. “You’re his uncle, man. Why aren’t you trying to send him back?”
Tony glanced from the two young men to where his sister still stood, screeching on the steps. “I ran away from this family. Sue me because I think Juan’s better off without them.”
“She’s his mother.” Yancey’s blue eyes were confused.
“Some mothers aren’t the angels they’re supposed to be.” Tony nodded to the car.
“Get in.”
* * * *
Juan fell asleep after crying in Tony’s arms. He tucked his nephew into
Tia
Elena’s guest bed. He stood, staring down at the teenager.
This is what it feels like to be a parent
.
A noise from the hallway caught his attention. He stepped out to find Yancey standing there, bruised face frowning.
“Why?” The bleached blonde teenager asked.
“Come on into the living room. We don’t want to wake him. He needs his rest for school tomorrow.” Tony led the way, gesturing for Yancey to sit on the couch while he flung his tired body in a chair.
Yancey sat slowly, wincing as his sore muscles protested. The young man was dressed in a pair of Tony’s sweats and a loose t-shirt. Even through the bruises and creases of pain alongside of Yancey’s mouth, the blonde’s blue eyes seemed familiar.
“You look like I feel after getting the shit stomped out of me by a bull. What got you?”
“I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Got in the middle of a gang fight. I ended up in the hospital overnight, but I don’t have any insurance, so I couldn’t afford to stay any longer.” Yancey wrapped an arm around his waist, protecting his ribs.
Tony got up and went to where his bags were sitting by the front door. He dug out a bottle of aspirin. After getting Yancey a glass of water, he held out two pills.
“Thanks.” Yancey swallowed them and curled up on the couch. “Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what? Giving you a place to stay?” Tony sat down again. “Not forcing Juan to go back home?”
“Yes.”
“Sometimes the family you’ve got isn’t the one you need. It took me eight years to find the one for me and I don’t want Juan to have to go searching as well.” He studied the hustler. “As for you. You look
