Bobby's Cop

Chapter Two

She looked at me with sympathy, but I still had to wait in the waiting room. I was cold and shivering a little bit and I realized that I left my jacket back in the alley.

I tried to bend my glasses back into the right shape so that I could see the insurance forms I was filling out. I turned them in and returned to my seat.

People were staring at me. I wanted to call my mom, but I didn't want her and my step-dad Carl to know what happened. It hit me that I didn't even have any friends I could call and I hung my head down and started to cry again.

A nurse soon called my name and he helped me into a small room where he took my blood pressure and weight and asked me what happened.

He then took me down another hallway and helped me sit on a bed. He pulled the curtain around to give me some privacy while I put on the gown.

The nurse returned shortly with a doctor. Everything happened so fast it was a blur. The whole experience was unpleasant. The doctor introduced himself and examined my face and head.

He probed, pinched, and shined lights at me. He squeezed my nose to see if it was broken. The nurse drew my blood and they left to run some tests and help other people.

Another nurse came in with some painkillers and to help clean me up. He was an older man and he looked at me with kind eyes and said he was sorry for what happened to me and I further embarrassed myself by crying again.

When he was finished, he gave me an ice pack to put on my eye. He patted my arm and left me alone again.

As I sat there, my face throbbed. My eyes, cheeks, and nose hurt, not to mention my ribs.

My eyes seemed to be swollen pretty badly, especially my left one. The curtain opened again and two Detroit policemen entered. They were both big and muscular, one blond and one dark-haired.

Under different circumstances, I would have found them both hot and checked them out, but I wasn't quite in the mood. I just wanted everyone to go away so that I could go home.

The blond cop introduced himself as Officer Taft and his dark-haired bearded partner was Officer Paolucci. Officer Taft asked the questions: who I was, what I was doing there, what happened.

He asked me to describe the guy and his name. I was embarrassed at how little I could describe the guy and Officer Taft quickly grew impatient with me, which only served to fluster me further.

"You're not giving us much to go on here," Taft grumbled.

Paolucci motioned with his head for Taft to follow him. They stepped out of the curtain and moved away. They were still within earshot, though I could barely hear what they were saying.

"Give the guy a break," Paolucci said.

"They're never gonna find the guy with what this kid gave us. I think he's hiding something. Sounds to me like the kid went looking for a good time and things got outta hand."

"f**k you, Nick. You wouldn't say that s**t if it was a girl in there."

"You talk to him then. Maybe he'll open up to another queer."

"If you weren't my best friend, I would kick your f*****g ass right now. Asshole."

The curtain parted and Paolucci stepped in followed by Taft. Paolucci smiled at me.

"Hi, Bobby," Paolucci said in a calm, deep voice. "Is there anyone we can call for you? Mom or Dad?"

"No," I said, before adding quietly, "I don't want them to know what happened."

"You don't think they'd want to know you're all right?"

"They don't really know I'm... gay, and this isn't exactly the way I want to come out to them."

"Okay, Bobby. I understand. Now, why don't you tell me again what happened, okay? Why were you there?"

I opened up and told Officer Paolucci everything, probably a little more than he needed to know.

How I was lonely and the guys at the other bar I had gone to were all skinny and twinkly and I heard that this place maybe had guys I liked.

I told him I was scared and nervous, but I decided to finish my beer before I left. I then told him everything that happened with the guy in detail. I previously left out the part about the guys that helped me, but this time I told him about them as well.

The cops stepped out when the doctor returned. He gave me a prescription for some mild pain pills and said I could go home and that my bruises should fade away in a couple of weeks, but I should try to get plenty of rest in the next few days.

Someone would be back to help me out. He patted my shin and left.I got up and pulled the gown off and laid it on the bed and started to get dressed.

"Oh, excuse me," a voice said.

I turned around and saw a blushing Officer Paolucci back out of the curtain. I blushed in embarrassment that he had seen my naked butt.

I finished getting dressed in my jeans and my bloody t-shirt as the orderly came with the wheelchair. I sat down and he opened the curtain. The two cops walked with us as the orderly wheeled me out to the ER's front entrance.

Officer Paolucci asked me where my car was. He insisted that they were going to take me home. When he saw me shivering in just my torn t-shirt, he took off his coat and put it on me. I started to protest, but it was so big and comfy and warm.

The jacket had a gold badge on the left breast and his name tag on the right was engraved 'T PAOLUCCI'. There was a radio on the left shoulder. It smelled faintly of cologne.

It was way too big for me, but it was so warm and smelled so good that I zipped it up and folded my arms together.

We walked over to my car as Taft went to get their police cruiser. Paolucci took my keys and tried to climb into my little car.

Paolucci was a big guy, tall and stocky. He pushed the seat back all the way and tilted the steering wheel forward and grunted as he tried to get situated. I knew he couldn't be very comfortable. My car was just not built for a guy his size.

"Sorry about that," I said, trying not to smile.

"It's no problem, Bobby."

We pulled out of the parking lot and I gave him directions to my house and Taft followed us in their car.

As we drove, I glanced over at Officer Paolucci.

He was a very handsome guy with typical Italian features. Getting a closer look, I could see he was younger than I first thought, still in his twenties I guessed. He had black hair cut in a military high and tight style.

He had a nicely trimmed beard that was cut short and close to his face. His eyes were a deep blue. His lips were pouty and kissable.

He had a black t-shirt on under his dark blue uniform shirt and his gold badge reflected the street lights as we drove. He had big, strong-looking arms that stretched at the fabric of his shirt.

His forearms were covered in dark hair.

He cut his eyes over to me and caught me staring and I quickly turned away, my face flush with embarrassment.

We finally pulled into my duplex and Paolucci hopped out and opened the door for me. He told Taft he'd be right out and walked me to the door. He handed me my keys and I unlocked the door and he followed me inside. I turned on the lights and I reluctantly took off his coat and gave it to him.

"Thanks so much for your help, Officer Paolucci."

"You're welcome, Bobby. If I hear anything about your case, I'll let you know. Here's my card if you need anything."

I took the offered business card and put it in my wallet.

"I'll try to check on you in a day or so and make sure you're okay. If you don't mind?"

"Sure, I guess so," I replied.

"Try to get some rest, okay?"I nodded and he squeezed my shoulder.

"Bye," I said as I closed the door behind him.I sighed. I felt like a pathetic loser having a crush on the big cop.

I went to the bathroom to take a shower and finally got a good look at myself. I had two black eyes and my left eye was very swollen.

My right cheek was badly bruised. I had a scrape and cut on my forehead. My 5'8" skinny body was bruised on my stomach and my sides, where he was pushing me against the wood.

My black hair had dried blood streaked in it. My glasses were bent and scratched and I was going to need new ones, which I couldn't really afford right now. On the plus side, I could get a pair that was a little less nerdy.

I wiped the tears away and took my clothes off and climbed into the shower. The warm water felt so good. After I was done washing, I just stood there with my eyes closed until the hot water ran out.

I woke up screaming in a sweat. I dreamed that Officer Paolucci and I were out on the back deck of the bar making out, but then he morphed into my attacker and pinned me down on a table...

I got up and got a drink of water and took another shower. The sheets were soaked, so I laid a towel down and slept on top of that.

Thankfully, I didn't dream again.