Ring in Mine 3: Nephi & Jerome Chapter 11
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Things are going to start happening pretty quickly now. Some of the chapters are going to be purposely short.
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Nephi & Jerome: Chapter 11
Nephi graduated first with his degree in Landscaping Horticulture. He wished his family could have seen him graduate. He would have been the first to finish college since his great great grandfather. As he looked out across the sea of faces to see Jerome and Jared cheering him on and the smiling faces of his grandmothers, Paula and Maria, he realized his family was here. Halfway across the stage Nephi was sure he had smelled Peter's distinctive aftershave. It brought great peace to his soul.
There was one more graduation to get through, Jerome's. Benny had taken the initiative and found Jerome's Grandmother Tellerson. She was excited about attending. Grace Tellerson flew in from Florida where she had retired with her husband. Seeing all three of his grandmothers in the auditorium, Paula, Maria and Grace, surprised Jared
"Why isn't he living with his parents?" Grace asked Nephi during the ceremony. Nephi told the story about finding Jerome in the snow and the incident leading to it. Grace was livid.
"Grandma Grace, Dad is just a little out of touch right now. He won't be out of jail for another month. Then he has community service and probation. They couldn't make attempted murder stick. So, they got him on abuse of a minor, especially after the boys attacked me after his sermon from the pulpit advocating the stoning of homosexuals." Jerome explained. Grace wanted to know about the attack and Jerome's recovery. There were tears in her eyes.
"I tried to see him once at the jail and all he did was yell at me for being a faggot." Jerome explained. "I shouted back that at least I didn't abandon my son in the foothills during a blizzard to die. Luke's cousin is in the district attorney's office. He informed me that the other inmates didn't take the news well. Dad has had a rough time."
Nephi gave Jerome and Jared a few days off to spend time with their grandmother. Nephi would pick up extra day laborers.
Jerome was out with Grace for lunch. Jared had begged off wanting to spend time with Drake. Marco Junior's restaurant impressed Grace. Over bowls of spumoni ice cream, the conversation turned serious.
"Nephi loves you?" Grace asked. "Do you love him?"
"What is love grandma? Dad says it's a sin to love a man." Jerome paused. "But I think I love him. When I came home from the hospital I could only find a good night's sleep wrapped around Nephi's pillow."
Grace wiped the tears from Jerome's face.
"I need Nephi in my life, but I don't know if I can have sex with a guy. It isn't fair to him." Jerome continued his confession.
"I remember when I married your grandfather. Our parents arranged the marriage as a way to combine not only our families but our family businesses." Grace explained. "Even on our wedding night I didn't know him well. I was still expected to do my bedroom duties. I gritted my teeth and did what I had to do. Over time I learned to love him and to enjoy the bedroom side of things."
Grace stopped to eat her melting dessert.
"You are one up on me you already love him." Grace finished the conversation and her dessert. Jerome thought a lot about what Grace had told him.
Jerome waited for his love to arrive home. Nephi was late. Jerome had suggested the teams carry radios. Why didn't Nephi call? Jerome didn't want to worry Paula so Jerome called Benny.
Benny knew the schedule for the day. He drove to the last house. The family was away for the month. The mowers were still in the front yard. He pulled out a flashlight. He went around the house. Benny was glad it was he who found him and not Jerome.
Benny switched his radio to the channel Luke's moving company used.
"Luke, I need an ambulance and the police." Benny shouted into the radio.
He knelt next to the body. Benny's closed his eyes in silent prayer. A hand brushed his.
"Thank you for finding me." Nephi murmured.
As the ambulance rushed Nephi to the hospital, Benny talked with the police. The truck, trailer and Nephi's wallet were missing. The police discovered that the house had been ransacked. Benny assumed they had loaded the trailer with the stolen goods.
By the time Benny arrived at the hospital, Paula and Jerome were already there.
"He hit his head; what if he doesn't remember me." Jerome cried.
The doctor came out of the treatment room.
"There are no broken bones. We stitched him up; he looks like Frankenstein's monster. He's lost a lot of blood and may be here for a few days." The doctor tried to reassure Nephi's family.
When they arrived at Nephi's room the nurse announced that Jerome would have to stay in the waiting room.
Benny looked the nurse in the eye and told her they were brothers. She relented.
Jerome looked at his friend lying there. "Nephi is dying because I took the day off. I told him he shouldn't carry so much cash." Jerome leaned over and kissed Nephi's lips.
Nephi's eyes shot open. "Who are you?" Jerome looked devastated. "Kiss me again maybe it will help my memory." Jerome smiled and kissed Nephi again.
"I almost remember." Nephi stated. Jerome leaned in for one more kiss and slid his tongue past Nephi's bruised lips.
The nurse at the door looked shocked. Paula announced they were a very close family.
Leonard Lewis, Luke's attorney cousin, appeared at the door. "Nephi it would be best if you could tell the police what happened sooner than later." Jerome and Paula stepped toward the door.
"May they stay so I only have to do this once?" Nephi asked. Leonard nodded.
When Nephi had pulled out his wallet to pay his two day-laborers one pulled a knife. He wasn't stabbing as much as slashing. Nephi was sure if he hadn't slipped and knocked himself out they would have killed him. Nephi remembered laying in the dark in pain, worrying that if he moved they would finish the job.
Nephi heard glass break and the men throwing the mowing equipment from the truck. He heard them load the trailer with things from the house. When they drove off in his truck, he tried to stand up but fell again. Then Benny was there.
The officer had questions and Nephi tried his best to answer them.
Before the nurse added pain medication to his IV, Nephi made Jerome promise to keep up with the clients. Then Nephi fell asleep.
"I want to stay with Nephi." Jerome insisted.
"Jerome, this business is important to Nephi. If he doesn't take care of his clients they will go with someone else." Paula explained. "If you show up tomorrow evening smelling like grass it would make Nephi happier than you watching him sleep all night."
At home Jerome had a different problem. Without the truck and trailer, how was he going to take care of the clients? Grandma Grace sat next to a worry-burdened grandson.
"I can't make Nephi better but I can take care of the transportation issues." Grandma Grace announced. Benny is already setting up the purchases. He said they shouldn't be brand new, but in good condition. I insisted on an extended cab."
"Grandma, I can't let you spend all that money!" Jerome exclaimed.
"Honey, Grandma Grace has plenty of money. I am not giving this to you I am investing in your business. I have also set up an account with Benny to cover yours and Jared's college tuition."
"But Grandma..."
"Nephi will have to make you part owner." Paula announced from the kitchen.
Jerome and Grace talked late into the night. He had thought a lot about what Grace had said about her wedding night. Together they decided making out with a lot of guys would be gay. Making out with Nephi would be love. He hoped he could live with that
The next morning Jerome found a truck and trailer, much nicer than the missing ones, parked in front of the house. There was a Bobcat parked on the trailer and new mowers. Nephi had wanted to move into landscape design. The Bobcat would save them from having to rent one.
Jerome apologized to Grandma Grace for taking Jared with him and abandoning her. She was fine.
Jerome stored the Bobcat in the Peter and Son's shop/garage in the industrial part of town. The new tools made it possible to accomplish the day's projects; the police were fingerprinting all the old equipment.
It was a tired Jerome that arrived in Nephi's hospital room. Nephi pulled Jerome close. He took a big sniff.
"Cut grass and gasoline, my favorite cologne." Nephi exclaimed.
Jerome pressed his lips to Nephi's expressing his love through a kiss. Jerome slid his hand under the blanket.
"Did you know you're pretty much naked?" Jerome announced.
"If you keep that up everyone will know." Nephi warned. "Did you use day laborers?"
"I hired guys from school that needed jobs. I warned them my boss was a tight-ass and they had to work hard. I said I would try loosening him up." Jerome slipped his hand lower rubbing Nephi's crack. The sparkle in Nephi's eyes made Jerome's heart soar.