Dirty Visual

“Zack I’m headed to the store to get some beer for tonight. Do you need anything babe?” Brian closed his laptop screen just as he hit submit on his college homework. Jumping from his desk in his and Zack’s room he bounded downstairs. “Zack? Zacky? Babe?”

Brian searched every room in the house not finding any of his family members. A sharp cry pierced his ear. Turning his attention to the back deck Brian realized that the door was wide open. He briskly walked to the patio door and slipped out of it. Jared was sitting on one of the deck chairs, tears streaming down his face; Bentley in his lap. Brian’s eyes caught sight of Zack, wondering what was wrong.

Making his way to where his boyfriend was leaned over Brian saw a sight he wishes he had never seen. A stray dog lie in their yard; a large gash going down his back, he wasn’t dead yet. Zack had a piece of fabric held to the animals side and his cell to his ear talking quickly to somebody. Brian grabbed the fabric from Zack and pressed it to the animals wound. Zack let his phone drop from his ear, it snapped closed as it hit the ground. Blotie and Nix were both laying on the other side of the dog.

“The guy at the vet said we need to bring him in right away, they don’t come and get injured animals.” Zack stood holding a piece of paper, stuffed it in his pocket and addressed Brian once more. “Do you want to stay with the kids or do you want to come with me?”

“I’ll go with you babe. Get them in the car and I’ll load him up.” Brian’s eyes met Zack’s with a quick nod of reassurance to his boyfriend. “Get me two blankets, one to wrap him in and the other to lay him on.”

Zack nodded, wringing his hands as he quickly made his way up to the house. He spoke to Jared before taking the baby from the boy.

“Zee! Unlock the car from the front door please!” Brian called after him not even knowing if the other man had heard his request.

Zack quickly returned from the house with two blankets. He handed the first to Brian and carried the second right behind as Brian lifted and carried the big mutt. Jared was walking out the front door just as they got around that side of the house. The little boy locked the door to the house and followed the adults to the car, being weighted down by a diaper bag. Zack smiled slightly, taking the bag from the boy, he had entirely forgotten to grab it himself.

There was no room for the dog and Zack in the back so the mutt had to be laid in the middle seat of the truck, his head propped up on Zack’s thigh, his legs on Brian’s. He’s a big dog. The ride was quick, Brian didn’t break many laws because he had his kids in the car but if they hadn’t been he would have sped the whole way there. He couldn’t stand the thought of something bad happening to an animal.

The vet’s office was thankfully nearly empty, as soon as they saw the wounded animal they took him into surgery. They sat and waited and waited for the doctor to be done even though with their previous call, the vet’s office knew he wasn’t theirs. Time seamed to pass slowly but in all reality it had only been an hour and a half.

A man in a uniform walked out to the family and looked Zack and Brian directly in the eye as he shook their hands. “Wesley pulled through surgery just fine; we came to the conclusion that it was a knife that cut his back up. He’s a little weak and still out of it but he will be sore for a couple of weeks. We called the number on his tags but the man who answered wasn’t very friendly and when I told him the cost of the surgery he just demanded that I euthanize the poor thing. I couldn’t stomach the thought of putting down an almost completely healthy dog just because its owner didn’t want to pay; so I fixed him up anyway and have talked to the local animal shelter. Once he is healed all the way they will take him and find the big guy a home.”

“How long will it take for him to be healed?” Brian asked picking up the now crying baby. Bentley squirmed, looking for his bottle.

“It could take up to a month for him to fully heal from this. Luckily whoever cut him up didn’t know what they were doing. You said you found him in your back yard?” The man asked turning his attention to Zack.

“Yeah; it was around noon when I found him in the backyard.” Zack murmured; he looked haunted.

“Thanks for keeping us updated Doc but we have to get him home and fed.” Brian picked up the diaper bag and slung it across the table. “If someone were to come in and want to take him would they be allowed?”

“Yes.” The vets face lit up with excitement. “If you know anyone who could give him a good home and would like Wesley then please let me know all he has to do is be claimed. They could take him as soon as tomorrow morning; the latest by the end of the month; that’s when the shelter will take him if we still have Wesley.”

“Thanks Doc. Have a good day.” Parting from the vet’s office Jared became a bit moody he didn’t want anyone to hold his hand or pick him up at all. He pouted when Zack strapped him into his booster seat and grumbled nearly silent words on the way home. He clearly didn’t want to be messed with.

Brian picked up the beer on the way home and was happy that the animal wasn’t on his deathbed. Jared climbed out of the truck and stalked to the door waiting for the other boys impatiently. Brian shook his head watching the little boy sulk. When they opened the door to their house Jared just marched up to his room. “Okay that was weird.”

“With what he saw today I can understand it Brian.” Zack paused in the kitchen entrance. “I want you to see something but my hands are full. Take the note out of my back pocket and read it. It was next to Wes’s body when I found him.”

Brian slipped his hands into his boyfriends pockets; giving Zack a little squeeze before extracting the paper. Zack took off into the kitchen, preparing a bottle for the squirming baby in his arms. Brian walked into the room holding the paper in front of him. “Is that his blood?”

“I think so. I entirely forgot about it until we got home but I found it with him and I can’t help but to feel bad knowing that someone did this because of us. Because someone doesn’t like us together that poor dog got slashed open so someone could try to make their opinion clear.” Brian heard Zack’s voice crack, he could see his boyfriend’s hands shaking and tears well in his eyes. “Whoever did it said they would be back Brian; what if they come after our dogs. Or come into this house? Are our kids safe?”

“Are you licensed to operate a hand gun Zack?” Brian wondered taking a few steps closer to Zack. “I am and you know I have guns if need be. No one is going to get anywhere near our family okay?”

“I’m not licensed to own a gun, no.” Zack shook his head and looked over Brian’s shoulder. The taller man took the crying baby from Zack and burped him; slowly rocking the little man. “We shouldn’t have to have a gun in the house to protect ourselves because we like men Brian. Being gay isn’t all that taboo to most people anymore. Yeah there are still quite a few people out there who hate us or don’t like us at least but a lot of the people in this area support you and I being together so I have no clue on who could of done this.”

“I just want you to be safe okay. Tomorrow we need to get you licensed because I know you can fight but what if they hurt you and you are home alone? Or with the kids babe? I need to know that you are safe and can be here without me having to call ever five minutes to make sure you are alive.” Brian gently patted the little boy’s back. “Do you know how to shoot a gun?

“Yeah, of course it was one of my dad’s favorite pastimes.” Zack sniffled leaning into Brian’s shoulder.

“Why are you looking so gloom and doom?” A voice broke the silence after a minute or two. Zack’s head snapped up to see Matt and Matty watching them. He wiped his eyes and turned away from everyone while Brian explained what happened that day.

“Are you thinking about adopting him?” Matt asked seeing the joy on the mans face as he spoke about the mutt.

“I don’t know.” Brian looked over at Zack who shrugged. “Maybe?”

The night went on and Jared had to nearly be dragged from his room so he could eat dinner with everyone. Matty had cheered him up some but not much. Afterwards he headed right back up to his room and tucked himself into bed. His dads told him goodnight and he gave a quick reply. As they lay in bed Zack’s head rested on Brian’s shoulder he spoke. “I can’t stop thinking about him.”

“Me either.” Brian whispered back.

Notes