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Bonds of Trust -- Part XX Bo follows Matt and Nora into the house. Matt heads straight for the stairs. “Just a minute, young man. Where do you think you’re going?”   He stops with his foot on the bottom step. “I know you guys want to yell, but can it wait ‘til morning? It’s been a really long night and I just wanna go to bed.”   Nora is about to object when Bo puts his arm around her waist, pulling her close. “Sure, son. Go on to bed. We’ll talk about this in the morning.”   “Thanks, Dad. Night, Mom.”   Matt hurries up the stairs as Nora turns to Bo. “I guess you’re right. There’s nothing to be gained from yelling at him tonight.”   He kisses her gently. “There’s not much to be gained from yelling at him at all. He may not have made the decision we would have hoped but he stood by his friend. We taught him to be loyal and he seems to have learned that lesson well.”   Nora nods slowly. “I see your point. But we do have to keep reinforcing that he has to trust us, even when he’s trying to be loyal to his friend.” She stifles a yawn. “This has been an exhausting day and night. I’m going to turn in too.”   Bo kisses her. “I’ll lock up and be right up.” He watches her walk slowly up the stairs before checking the locks on all the doors and setting the alarm. He goes to the bar and pours himself a glass of Asa’s best whiskey, downs it and rinses out the glass before he heads upstairs, making his way down the hall. As he is walking past Matt’s room, the door is slightly ajar. Bo peers through and sees Matt standing at the window, just staring out. Bo pushes the door open and walks into the room. “You okay, son?”   Matt shrugs, wiping at his tears. “I’m fine, Dad. I know you want to yell at me so you might as well get it over with.”   “I don’t want to yell, Matt.”   He turns to face his dad. “Why not? I screwed up – again. Just like always. You and Mom asked me bunches of times if everything was okay at Stevie’s house and I lied. I said I didn’t know anything. How did you know what was going on?”   Bo shakes his head. “I didn’t.”   “Then why were you asking me about Stevie’s dad?”   Bo sighs, taking a seat on the bed. “Nathan was involved in one of my cases. It was the one Rex was working on the day he disappeared. Rex got proof that day that Nathan was transporting stolen goods and fencing them.”   Matt’s eyes got big. “Stevie’s dad was stealing?”   Bo nods. “He lost his job several months back and couldn’t find another one. He got desperate and got in over his head.”   “Stevie told me about that, but I thought he was working again. Do you think that’s why he was hitting Mrs. Taylor?”   Bo shrugs. “Maybe. But it’s no excuse for what he did. I know when people get stressed their behavior can change, but taking your stress out on someone else is wrong.”   “Is he going to jail?”   “No. That’s why John was there tonight. We were in his office working out a deal when your mom called me to meet her at the Taylor’s house. I guess we were all keeping secrets this time.”   Matt looks back out the window. “We sure made a mess, didn’t we?”   “Keeping secrets usually does. I hope you learned a lesson about trust tonight.”   “I know I should have told you what happened at Stevie’s when you came home from your weekend.”   Bo nods. “Yes, you should have. We would have helped Stevie and his parents. I’m not saying I approve of you keeping this to yourself, but I do understand why you did.”   Matt turns from the window, going over and sitting beside Bo on the bed. “I was scared, Dad. I wanted to tell you but I read Kallie’s research and I was sure Stevie’s dad would go to jail or Stevie would be taken away from his parents.”   “I know that, son. But if you had told us, we could have assured you that wouldn’t happen. We know more about these situations than you do.”   “I guess I need to learn to let you in, like Mom said. She told me about having brain surgery and not telling you.”   Bo nods, remembering. “She did that. I hoped she’d learned her lesson, but I don’t think it sunk in because then she sent me away when Todd Manning was trying to attack her at the beach house.”   “Starr’s dad?” Bo nods. “You guys never told me about that.”   He shrugs. “Some things you don’t like to remember and talk about. That’s not a favorite time of my life. He could have really hurt Nora and I wasn’t there to protect her because she shut me out.”   Matt shakes his head. “You guys sure didn’t trust each other much back then, huh?”   “It wasn’t that, son. We were trying not to hurt each other. I guess we didn’t make very good decisions, even though we thought we were doing it for the right reasons.”   Matt grins. “So I guess I’m definitely your son.”   Bo smiles, putting his arm around Matt’s shoulder. “Yes, you definitely are. I want you to know how proud I am of you for sticking by your friend.”   “Thanks, Dad.”   Bo looks down at him. “You know we have to go talk to Kallie and her parents tomorrow, right?”   “I know. Kallie’s going to be mad that I didn’t tell her. She went home with Danielle tonight so I’m sure she knows the whole story by now.”   “If you want to continue going out with Kallie, you’re going to have to fess up and hope she forgives you.”   “Like you forgave Mom about the surgery?”   Bo smiles. “Something like that.” He gets up from the bed. “You should get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day.”   “I know.”   Bo puts his hands on Matt’s shoulders. “But your mom and I will be right beside you. Just remember we love you very much. What happened tonight doesn’t change that, okay?”   Matt stands and gives Bo a hug. “Thanks for saying that. Love you too.”   Bo holds him tight for a moment before pulling away. “See you in the morning.”   Bo closes Matt’s door and makes his way down the hall to his bedroom, closing the door behind him. He sees Nora standing in the darkened room, staring out the window. Like mother, like son, he thinks as he pulls his tie loose, tossing it on the bed. He sees Nora’s shoulders shaking and knows she is crying. He goes to her and pulls her into his arms from behind. A sob escapes as she turns and wraps her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest. He holds her tight, feeling her tears seep through his shirt as he runs his hands gently up and down her back. “It’s okay, Red. I talked to Matt. I think he’s going to be okay.”   “He shouldn’t have to be ‘okay’ from something like this!” She pulls back slightly, wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry, Bo.”   He looks down at her, shaking his head slowly. “Don’t be sorry, honey. I’m right here. Talk to me.”   She walks over and climbs onto the bed, leaning back against the pillows. He follows and sits beside her, waiting for her to speak. She stares straight ahead, finally whispering. “He’s too young to deal with something this heavy.”   “Yes, but it’s life and he has to grow up sometime, honey.”   She shakes her head slowly. “Not yet and not like this. I just think of the burden he’s been carrying for all these weeks. How something like that could happen to his best friend. It’s so unfair that he has to learn about stuff like this.”   “It’s not the type of behavior I’d prefer he be exposed to either. But at the end of the day, he’s learned why abuse is such a horrible thing. What it does to the people involved and to the people around them. It underscores my message that real men don’t behave that way.”   Nora finally looks at him. “But it’s his best friend and his best friend’s father.”   Bo nods. “I know, but he knew what they were doing was wrong. He didn’t accept it, honey. He just wasn’t sure how to deal with it. I know he should have come to us much sooner but I’m still very proud of him.”   “So am I. He’s still my baby.”   “Except that he’s not a little kid anymore.”   “In my head, I know that. It’s just that I hate that he’s growing up in this kind of world. His first dance spoiled by all this drama.”   “He thinks Kallie’s going to be really mad he didn’t tell her.”   Nora shakes her head sadly, her voice cracking. “One more thing for him to deal with. What if it’s too much?”   “He’s a strong kid, honey. And we’ll be right here to make sure he’s okay.”   She stares straight ahead, letting her tears fall. He can see the devastation on her face as he watches her, waiting for her to continue. She leans over, putting her head on his shoulder. He puts his arm around her, pulling her close and holding her tight. He looks down at her, letting her cry, softly rubbing her arm, kissing the top of her head. After a while, she shifts in his arms, looking up at him. She kisses him, pulling back to look deep into his eyes as she strokes his cheek. “I love you so much, Bo. I’m so grateful that you are the father of my son – and the love of my life.”   She leans in and kisses him, slowly at first and then with more urgency. Bo responds, not knowing what to say, but wanting to comfort her. Nora leans back and begins unbuttoning his shirt, signaling what she needs from him. They slowly undress each other, taking time to touch and caress, allowing their hands and lips to express feelings neither could put into words. Bo couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Nora so vulnerable, so he took his cues from her. She needed to feel his strength and tenderness and love and to know there was something solid in her world. He freely gave what she needed, hoping it was enough, knowing it was all he had. They made love through most of what was left of the night.   As the dawn is about to break, Nora finally gives in to exhaustion and Bo simply holds her close, listening to the rhythmic sound of her breathing, savoring the warmth of her skin against his and watching the light come through the window as a new day dawns. His mind replays the events of the past 24 hours and how it would alter the course of all of their lives. Nora would be extra watchful over her son, that he knew. Less predictable would be how Matt would rebound from this incident. The only thing he is sure of is that he will be with them every step of the way and that he has never loved his wife and son more than he does at that very moment.   Bo is pulled from his thoughts when he feels Nora stir in his arms, snuggling in closer, enjoying the warmth and comfort of Bo’s arms. He looks down as she lifts her head to look in his eyes. He gently caresses her cheek. “Good morning, beautiful.”   She smiles, kissing him softly. “Morning, handsome.”   He leans in for another kiss. “How are you feeling?” he asks quietly.   “Much better now.”   “I didn’t know what to say to you last night.”   She looks at him with a small smile. “I think you said all the things I needed to hear without saying a word.”   “I just wanted to make you feel better.”   “And you did. I feel much stronger today. The most important thing is that we get Matthew through this.”   Bo nods. “I agree. You and Matt are my priority – first, last, always.”   Nora gently runs her fingers over his cheek, looking at him softly. “I love you.”   “So you’ve said.” He leans down and kisses her, pulling her close and deepening the kiss. They are interrupted by a knock on their bedroom door. Bo pulls away, startled. “Just a minute, Matt.” He reaches over to the nightstand, opening a drawer as he hops out of bed. He tosses a nightgown to Nora and fishes around for a pair of boxers and a T-shirt. He slips them on and glances at Nora to make sure she’s covered before making his way to the door. He pulls it open and beckons Matt to enter. “Come on in, son.”   Nora smiles at him from the bed. “Morning, sweetie.”   Matt sits cross-legged at the bottom of the bed, facing his mother. Bo slips back under the covers beside Nora. “Thanks for knocking this time.”   Matt grins. “I learned my lesson. MaryAnn has warned me often enough.”   Nora smiles. “Good to know you’re listening. How are you this morning?”   Matt shrugs. “I’ve been better. Are you going to yell at me now?”   She slowly shakes her head. “I don’t feel much like yelling. I’m sad that you got caught up in all of this and had to learn such a hard lesson at your age. I must admit that I’m disappointed you didn’t come to Dad or me right away, but I know you were trying to protect your friend.”   “My best friend.”   “I understand that. I want you to remember that you can talk to me and your father and we’ll be there to help you, no matter the situation. I just hate that you went through this alone. You have to learn to trust us.”   “I do trust you, Mom. But it’s not easy to tell you stuff sometimes.”   Bo takes Nora’s hand, squeezing it gently. “We know that, son. Just remember in the future that as hard as it is to tell us, it’s harder still to carry the burden on your own.”   Matt nods. “That makes sense. I’m sorry for not telling you. So how long am I grounded for?”   Nora glances at Bo before addressing her son. “I haven’t discussed this with your father but I don’t think grounding is the right direction in this case.”   Bo looks down at her. “What are you thinking, honey?”   “I’d like Matt to volunteer at the Community Center. Maybe Andrew could put together a program for peer counseling to get kids to talk about teen violence. Not just boyfriend/girlfriend stuff but also bullying and gang violence. It’s becoming a problem in Llanview and it needs to be addressed at that level. If something like that had been available, Matt and Stevie would have had a place to go to talk about the situation and get advice. I'd like something positive to come from this experience, instead of just routine punishment.”   Bo nods. “I think that’s a good idea.”   “That is a good idea, Mom. Maybe Kallie could help. She’s become quite the expert while doing her research for the article.”   Nora smiles at him. “We can go talk to Andrew after school on Monday.” Matt nods and Nora changes the subject. “So, did you and Kallie have fun while you were at the dance?”   “Yeah, we did. We danced a lot. I didn’t see you guys much, so thanks for not watching my every move.”   Nora shrugs. “We hardly noticed you were there, right Bo?”   He grins at her mischievously. “Right. We were too busy keeping an eye on all the other kids.”   Matt looks between them. “You did behave yourselves, didn’t you?” They nod. “Because you promised!”   Nora nods quickly. “Oh, we were on our best behavior. No trouble to your principal at all.”   Bo nudges her. “Right. No trouble.”   Matt shakes his head. “I should have known you two couldn’t be trusted. The principal glared at me last night when he came down from the stage. Know anything about that?”   “Were you dancing too close with your girlfriend?” Nora asks innocently.   Matt crosses his arms in interrogating mode, enjoying watching them squirm. “Not any closer than any of the other kids. So spill. What did you do to annoy the principal? Am I going to hear all about it on Monday?” Nora and Bo look at each other, trying to think of a way to cover. Matt shakes his head. “You know what? I don’t want to know. As long as I didn’t see it, I’ll just let it be your little secret.”   Bo grins at him. “That sounds like a plan, son.”   Matt shakes his head, getting up from the bed. “Can we go out for breakfast? I’m starving.”   Bo nods. “After we go talk to Kallie and her parents.”   “Okay. But I may not have much of an appetite after that conversation.”   Nora smiles. “Somehow I doubt that. Give us 30 minutes to get dressed.”   “No problem. Can I call and invite Stevie and his parents to join us?”   “They may have other plans, sweetie.”   Matt shrugs. “I know but Stevie never passes up a free meal and we all have to eat. I just thought we could get together.”   Bo puts his arm around Nora. “That’s a nice idea, Matt. Go ahead and invite them, but understand that they may not be in the mood to see us just yet.”   “I know, Dad. I’ll ask anyway.” He heads to the door, turning and walking backward as he pulls the door closed behind him. “Remember, you said 30 minutes. No goofin’ around!”   Bo smiles as the door closes. “He knows us too well.” He turns to see Nora staring into space. “What, Red?” She shakes her head. “Nothing. We have a remarkable son, don’t we?”   Bo shrugs. “He’s okay.” She thumps him on the arm. “Okay, he’s better than okay.”   “He’s going to get through this.”   “Sure he is.”   “No, I mean, he’s still the kid we know.”   “He’s our son, Red. He’s going to make mistakes just like we did. Remember all the things we kept from each other? But I think we’ve built a solid bond of trust with him and we’ll keep building it from here on out. Hopefully next time he’s in trouble, he’ll let us in sooner.” He leans in, whispering in her ear. “Let’s not talk about that anymore. Let’s get back to what we were doing before Matt showed up…”   She chuckles. “Bo… Matthew is waiting for us. He said 30 minutes.”   “We have time,” Bo mumbles, beginning his seduction. Nora laughs. “You wish. Come on, let’s get in the shower.”   He pulls back to look at her. “The shower? Now that has possibilities.”   “Yes, it does.”   “And we do need to get cleaned up. Matt can’t object to that.”   She gets out of bed, slipping her nightgown over her head, trailing it behind her as she walks to the bathroom. “No, he can’t. What are you waiting for, Buchanan?”   TBC