Coming of Age
Chapter 1 Devastation and grief
It is 2:00 AM on Saturday, 2 May 2015 and Aaron Jonathan O'Brien (AJ or Skeeter to his family, Taz to his beautiful wife) is wrapping up the early morning feeding of his 4-month-old identical twin boys Conor and Caleb. Conor has crashed and Caleb is nearly there when there is a knock on the front door.
AJ approaches the door thinking his wife of not quite a year Sydney Marie O'Brien (Syd to her family and She-Devil to AJ) forgot her key when she headed out with her girlfriends for a drink to celebrate finishing all their final projects for their Junior year at Washington State University but he realizes she drove their car. Then the knock gets louder and more urgent and as AJ approaches the door, he sees a police officer standing there about to knock again as he pulls the door open.
At that moment his whole world came crashing down, AJ saw the flashing lights from his car and a group of fraternity brothers from across the street gathered. The officer, Officer Reed begins to speak but AJ doesn't react or respond to what he is saying. Caleb squalls as AJ has squeezed him too tightly bringing the young man back to reality.
Officer Reed begins again - "Are you ok to continue?" AJ can only nod. "AJ, your wife, and her friends were hit by a car traveling at a high rate of speed that blew through a stop sign. They have all been taken to the local trauma center across the state line in Idaho. I'm sorry that I have to inform you but it does not look like your wife will make it through the night. She has major head trauma and internal damage; her friends are in bad shape but look like they will pull through. The impact to the car was directly into the driver's door where your wife was sitting. Do you have anyone who can stay with your son so that I can drive you to the hospital to say goodbye?"
AJ begins to collapse but Officer Reed catches him before he hits the floor. Two of AJ's fraternity brothers have pushed their way past the other officer and are at his side. Brett takes Caleb and Chase helps AJ to a chair.
Brett and Chase assure AJ that they will take care of the boys while he takes care of Syd.
Chase grabs AJ's face turning it to him -- "Big, you need to get a grip and get to the hospital. Let's get you dressed."
AJ shakes his head, stands up, and starts heading to the door. Officer Reed stops him "Mr. O'Brien, you need to get some shoes and shirt on before we go." Officer Reed has been struggling not to check out AJ, he realizes he can see the top part of his cock showing above his sweats, and he feels his own substantial cock begin to grow in his pants. Shaking his head he turns to Chase -- "Chase, right? Will you take Mr. O'Brien to get some clothes so we can get going?" internally -- 'What the hell is wrong with you; you are straight stop perving on this GUY.'
Chase gives Officer Reed a knowing smile and wink. He runs up and grabs AJ a t-shirt, hoodie, and his running shoes. Bringing them back into the room helps AJ into them. Chase does pull up AJ's sweats but realizes there is no drawstring in them. He looks at Officer Reed who has been staring this whole time and whispers in his ear -- "should one of us go with you? My big brother is tough, but his family is his Achilles and this is going to shake him to his core."
Officer Reed felt an overwhelming need to protect AJ, but he couldn't explain it to Chase or himself. He just knew in his soul that he had to be there for this young dad who was losing his world tonight. "Chase I will make sure he is taken care of; I will stay at the hospital and watch over him. You need to be here and make sure this precious angle is safe."
AJ has finally gotten over the initial shock. He looks at what he has on and realizes he can't go to the hospital in those sweats. He steps into the kitchen where there is a laundry basket on the floor and pulls out a pair of old ratty jeans. He slips out of his shoes, drops his sweats, and slides into a pair of jeans tucking his cock and balls in while Officer Reed and Chase look on.
AJ looks up at them staring at him with their mouths agape -- "What? You both look like you haven't seen a bare ass before. Let's go Officer Reed."
As AJ and Officer Reed approach his vehicle, Officer Reed and AJ both grab for the door handle. AJ looks at him with a bewildered look on his face: "I can get in the car; I'm not a child."
Officer Reed holds his hands up and thinks -- 'Okay so he seems to be back in control.' He runs around the car and jumps in, pulling away from the curb he had to hit his siren to get the fraternity and sorority folks out of the way.
As they are driving to the hospital AJ says to Officer Reed -- "Officer Reed, I'm sorry I snapped at you, that was unfair and uncalled for, I am all over the board. You are telling me that my wife is dying and I'm going to be a 20-year-old single dad before tomorrow dawns and I am reeling. You have been nothing but nice to me and I bit your head off, I am truly sorry."
Officer Reed is caught a bit off guard, this guy is impacting his soul and making him feel like he needs to protect him, he can't figure this out. He has never felt this way about anyone let alone a guy 'What the fuck is wrong with me.' -- "First, it's Scott. Second, there is no need to apologize, you didn't yell at me, you didn't hit me, you simply stated a fact. I can't imagine or presume to know what you are going through, but I will be with you until I get you back to your house. I am technically off duty and I have let my Chief know I am with you and he told me to do what needs to be done."
The two men pulled up to the hospital and Scott parked his vehicle in a spot designated for emergency vehicles. He got out of the car and circled around the back waiting for AJ, who sat motionless in the car. Scott opened his door and asked him if he was ok. The pain he saw in the young man's eyes flashed for the briefest of moments, then a solid look of determination covered his face and he stepped from the vehicle and strode into the emergency room.
Scott raced to catch up. They entered the ER together, the nurse in charge greeted them and confirmed the information she had received on AJ's arrival from the Pullman Police Chief, are you Aaron Jonathan O'Brien? AJ acknowledged that he was and asked to see his wife.
Nurse McIntyre started -- "Aaron, I need to discuss a few things with you before you go in."
AJ interrupted with confidence, compassion, and finality -- "It's AJ Nurse McIntyre. You WILL take me to Syd immediately. I understand she is not expected to live much longer and I will be with her when she passes. Any forms, insurance, payments, whatever it is will have to wait. Please take me to her now."
Nurse McIntyre nodded -- "Right this way. Please be prepared, she is VERY banged up, swollen, black and blue. I believe she is hanging on to make sure you get here. I would not expect her to last more than 30 minutes. If there is anything you need there is a red call button, just press that and I will be in immediately."
When the three of them made it to the room they had Syd in, a doctor and a nurse were adjusting the monitors, IVs, and medications to ensure the pain was minimal.
AJ acknowledged the doctor and asked a few things -- "Doctor, I'm AJ Syd's husband. I need to know -- is she comfortable, can she hear me and do you think she will be able to speak?"
Dr. Anderson replied -- "AJ I'm sorry we are meeting under these circumstances. Your wife has..."
AJ interrupted -- "I know she is not going to make it; I just need the answers to my questions and we can sort the rest later."
Dr. Anders continued -- "I'm sorry. She is as comfortable as we can make her. I believe she can hear you but I don't know for certain. As far as speaking I would find it hard to believe that will happen."
