He had a feeling his life was about to take a very different turn than anything he could’ve anticipated, but Trey knew what he felt for Magnus was real. Real enough that he had already committed—at least to himself—for the long haul.
Little did he know, but thatdifferent turnwas going to alter everything he’d once thought about himself.
***
Thursday, March 31, 2022
Magnus sat at Ava’s bedside, watching over her as she slept. She’d been awake more today than yesterday, which was significant progress considering she’d been kept sedated for nearly the entire first week she was in this bed. The doctors were easing up on the pain medication now that her surgeries were completed. With time, she would be as good as new, they had assured him.
What exactly did that mean? As good as new? What constituted new? The woman had been beaten and left for dead by a man who had vowed to love, honor, and cherish her for the rest of her life. How the hell did someone get past that? Much less reach a place in their mind when they wereas good as new. Sure, maybe the scars would fade over time, but would the memories ever fade? Doubtful. Magnus knew from experience what tragedy felt like.
As it did any time he thought about his parents and his sister, his chest tightened, and his sinuses heated. Thirteen years was a long time, and during that period, his heart had mended some, but there were still cracks that would always remain, ones that he’d stopped trying to heal because it was useless. At times, the memories would make those cracks grow, then he’d face life as he knew it now, and the pain would slowly dissipate until the next time he thought about it.
Try as he might, he couldn’t bring himself back to the present, his thoughts drifting to that fateful day thirteen years ago.
“Magnus, there’s someone on the phone for you.”
Magnus looked up from his spot on Mrs. Teton’s couch, where he’d been playing video games with his best friend, Brian, since Magnus got to their house last night. They’d dozed here and there, alternating between that and playing the video game they’d been waiting a million years for. At least it felt like it had been that long.
“Did your girlfriend find you?” Brian chided, punching Magnus in the leg when he stood up.
“Quit it, asshole.” Magnus laughed, shoving his shoulder as he hopped over him to get to the phone sitting on the highboy in the Tetons’ game room. “Yeah? Hello?”
“Magnus, you need to come home, son.”
“Edgar?” Magnus chuckled. “Tell my dad I’m not workin’ today. He said I—”
“Magnus, come home,” Edgar reiterated, his voice strained. “There’s been an accident.”
A cold chill washed over him, the phone clutched tightly in his hand. “What’s wrong?”
“I’ll tell you when you get here, son.”
Magnus wanted to tell him not to call him son because he damn sure wasn’t. The old man worked for Magnus’s dad, but he wasn’t family. He didn’t speak the words aloud because his throat felt tight. Edgar would only call if it were important.
“Fine,” Magnus said. “I’ll be home in a minute.”
He hung up the phone and marched over to the couch. He dropped down so he could pull on his shoes.
“You gotta go, dude?” Brian asked, sparing him the briefest of glances as he continued to play the game.
“Edgar said somethin’ happened,” Magnus admitted.
“Prob’ly just one of those dogs got sick or somethin’,” Brian muttered.
Magnus knew it wasn’t that. His dad wouldn’t have Edgar call him because one of the dogs at the kennel was sick. He would’ve just called the vet like he did every other time.
With a huff, Magnus got to his feet, grabbed his coat off the back of the couch. “I’ll call ya later, dude.”
“Cool,” Brian muttered absently.
Magnus heard Mrs. Teton calling out a goodbye as he headed for the front door. He stepped out onto the porch and stared up at the sky. It was gloomy today, and the wind was colder than it had been yesterday. There was a hint of smoke in the air. Probably someone had their fireplace going. Winter had finally arrived after dragging out summer for far too long.
He grabbed his bike and walked it to the gravel driveway that would take him to the main road leading back to his house. They lived in the sticks, so there weren’t a lot of houses, only fields and cows because that’s what you got in a small town. And their town was so small they didn’t even have a stoplight in downtown.
Frustrated that Edgar had made him leave, Magnus let his temper warm him as he left his best friend’s house and rode the two miles to his. He passed the warn and weathered sign that signaled Storme Kennels was up ahead. He didn’t understand how his dad could be so proud of that sign and then let it get all run-down and shit. If Magnus owned the kennel, he would make sure the sign was shiny all the time. Let people know he cared about what he did. Instead, his dad put all the money into taking care of the dogs he had, running himself ragged just to keep up instead of trying to bring in more business.
It wasn’t all bad, though. Magnus made money working for his dad, helping out. At first, he’d hated it. But he’d been six when his dad first told him to go scoop dog poop. Worst job ever. But after a while, it was just something he did, and now his dad let him do more. He kinda liked it, but he wouldn’t tell his dad that. No way was he gonna let his dad think he’d one day take over the kennels. He had bigger plans. Ones that involved going to college and getting a degree. In what, he didn’t know yet, but by God, he wouldn’t be scooping crap for the rest of his life.
