Page 40 of Rainbows Over Cedarwood

Holding hands with his son, Ashley headed out of the hospital room. Brenda hurried up beside Wyatt. Ashley mulled over the turn of events. So the coalition had been behind the attack. What would they do next? He could just about guarantee Jordan and the rest of the Cedarwood police force were on top of the situation.

He pressed the button for the elevator. When the car opened, he allowed Wyatt and his mother to enter first.

“Ash, why don’t you stay at the house tonight? We’ll stop by the apartment and get a change of clothes and such, but I’d feel better if you were at the house. Please?” his mother asked.

Bone-deep weariness set in. He’d been through so much in such a short period of time. “I’d appreciate it, Ma. Thanks.”

“Whoop!” Wyatt jumped up and down in the elevator car. “We’re going to Grandma’s again.”

The bell dinged, and the car stopped. When the doors opened, two men, one with a news camera, surged up to Ashley.

“We’re with the Cleveland news and we’d like to get a statement from you.” He grasped a microphone. “I’m Remy Nicholas. According to reports, you’re Colt Harrison’s boyfriend. How do you feel about the recent turn of events? Would you be willing to go on camera with your feelings?”

“No, I’d like to keep my name out of this.” Ashley held Wyatt’s hand tighter. “I’ve got a son and I don’t want something to happen to him.”

Remy made a slashing gesture across his throat. “I’ll meet you by the vending machines. Give me a minute.”

If he thought he was going to pressure Ashley into speaking, the reporter had another think coming. “I’m not interested in talking.”

“No.” Remy tucked the microphone into a bag at his feet then laced his fingers together. “Off the record?”

“How do I know I can trust you?” Ashley narrowed his eyes. At the moment, he trusted very few people.

“Very simple. I’ve been following the occurrences here in Cedarwood. For the last year, anyone who is part of the LGBTQ community, mainly the single father support group, has been a target. I’m not a single father or a father at all—unless you count my two boxer dogs—but I do know Colin and Farin Baker. I don’t understand how two nice guys like that could bring on this kind of hate.”

“It’s not them. It’s the town. Cedarwood doesn’t like change and unfortunately the world is spinning faster than the town can adjust.” Ashley tilted his head and gestured to his son. “It’s dangerously close to bedtime. I’m sorry I can’t help you more.”

“I’ve been thinking about moving here.” Remy widened his stance. “I’m not sure Cedarwood is ready for a gay reporter—especially one who’s not ready to come out to the vast majority of news watchers.”

Ashley patted Remy’s shoulder. “When you’re ready, you’ll come out. If you want to move here, then that’s your doing. It’s a good town, once we get the discrimination out. I’ll see you around.”

He strode through the lobby and out to the parking lot. The last rays of sunlight stretched across the blacktop, but the light was enough for them to clearly see around his mother’s car. Once Ashley had gotten his son into the car and his mother had pulled out of the lot, he sighed. The hate could end at any time. He wanted his quiet community back. Like Colt had said, he had bigger things to live for than the muck being slung around Cedarwood and he wanted to get going with that life.

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