Conn
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Conn was enjoying his family's tradition of singing Carol's in the living room when his phone let out a dial ring. He flashed his dad an apologetic smile before answering it. "Johny?"
The other end was silent for a moment before Johny's rushed voice came through. "Yknow I really dont like you and all. And Elin finds you annoying. But," he took in a deep breath before continuing, "I need your help".
"You need my help?" He repeated. A smirk pulling at his lips. "Is that so?"
"I swear if your smiling right now I'm gonna come down there and-"
"Woah! Woah!" Conn made calming motions with his hands, "Chill Johny".
There was a grunt, or a growl, on the other end before Johny said. "I want to know more about Elin".
Conn threw a glance at Willow who was in a deep conversation with Shiela. (Conn's soon to be step mom).
"Why are you asking me for help?" He asked, returning his attention to the phone.
"Because he lived with you".
"For like three weeks!"
"So".
"Why don't you just ask him?" Conn sighed, "He's there with you, isnt he?"
Johny said something too quiet for Conn to here, then. "He ran off".
"Serously?!"
"Some guys came by. Denvis and Mitch, I think. Dropped a bomb on Elin. He freaked and ran".
"Mitch. Like in Mitch Ventis?" Conn had only ever met the man at charity events or on company business. But his dad knew the guy pretty well.
"I think. I dont know".
"What did they tell Elin?"
There was a slight pause. "Jae Ventis was shot".
A surge of shock hit Conn. For a moment he was frozen; unsure of how to react. Then the reality settled in.
Jae Ventis shot.
"I-is he dead?" He was both eager and terrified to know the answer.
"No".
His shoulder's deflated and he allowed air back into his lungs.
"But that's not why Elin ran".
"Huh?"
"After he was told the news he went upstairs to talk with Mitch...he left right after that".
"Is he okey? Do you know where he is?"
"He's with Mandy".
He felt relief at that. If anyone could look out for Elin it'd be angry bar girl.
Conn took a seat on the couch and switched the phone to his other ear. "So...What do you wanna know?"
It's not like he knew much about Elin. The kid was keeping everyone in the dark. He was good at it too.
"He never talks about his past. He mentioned something about his mum, but that's all".
Conn thought back to the dinner Jae had invited them too a month or so ago. "I met his mother".
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"What was she like?"
Conn felt sort of bad for telling Johny all this. Elin would probably be pissed if he ever found out. "Let's just say Elin wasn't all that happy to see her".
He heard shuffling on the other end and a women's voice, probably Johny's mum, before it was back to silence. "So, Elin hates his mum?"
"I dont know if that's it".
Elin had been angry for sure that night, but also sad. When he told Conn how long it had been since he saw his mother a sort of pain flashed in his eyes.
"Do you think.." Johny started. He cleared his throat. "Do you think something happened with Jae and Elin?"
"What?"
There was silence again, and the soft hum of static. Then a sigh. "Last night, when I got Elin..." There was a tone to Johny's voice that Conn had never heard before. "When I got Elin I- I kissed him. And Jae saw. He went berserk and we fought".
Conn blinked.
Woah, woah. Back up.
"You what?!"
"Kissed him". Johny huffed, "But that's not the point. The point is...Jae went totally psychotic when he saw it. Like a jealous ex".
Conn couldn't get over the fact that Johny-JOHNY- kissed Elin. Like mouth to mouth. Like right close up.
I wonder if Elin did some serous damage on Johny for pulling a stunt like that?
But then he forced himself to take in account of what else Johny was saying.
Jae lost his cool over a kiss.
That didn't seem like something Jae Ventis would do.
Johny went on to say, "I've been doing research." There was the sound of paper bieng moved around on the other line, "Elin doesn't like physical contact. He shrinks or flinches whenever someone touches him. Remember when he passed out at the tree farm from fatigue?"
"Yeah".
"He was malnourished". There was a pause, "I think he stopped eating on his own".
Conn's stomach twisted.
Johny went on. "You ever seen him blank out, or completly shut down?"
Conn had noticed all those things. "I have".
Not to mention the way Elin had acted when him and Willow tried to take him to the hospital. Or when Conn wrestled with him in the back of the truck.
Conn shivered at the memory. He still felt really bad for causing such a horrible reaction from Elin.
"Conn do you think....?" Johny's sentence died away.
Yeah.
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After the call ended Conn wasn't in a very jolly mood anymore. He felt rattled. Disturbed. And he wanted answers.
He picked himself off the couch and went into the kitchen where he found his dad hovering over the Christmas cookies.
"Don't you think you've had enough sweets for today?" Conn asked. He slid onto one of the counter stools.
"It's Christmas". Dan smiled, "Your supposed to gain holiday fat".
"Sure". He thrummed his knuckles on the counter. "Hay Dad?"
"Wuz up bud?"
Conn chuckled. His dad using slang was always amusing to hear. But the laugh faded when he thought back to Johny and his' conversation.
"Umm.." he felt weird bringing up the topic on his mind. "What does it mean if someone avoids contact?"
"Like...physically or entirely?"
Arent those the same?
"Physically".
Dan tapped his chin as he thought about it. "Well, they might just dislike close proximity".
"What if they flinch when you try to touch them?"
"There could be a few reasons".
"Like?"
His father counted off his fingers. "There is the possibility of abuse. People who are repeatedly hurt or hit by another tend to avoid touch in fear of bieng beaten."
Conn swallowed.
"Then there's assault".
Conn shifted on his chair.
"Going through such a traumatic experience can totally damage someone's faith in another. Whether it be avoiding touch, or something entirely different".
"If someone, say was assaulted, how would they react to their assaulter?"
Conn anxiously tapped his nails on the counter as he awaited an answer.
"I would say he or she would feel resentment, fear, or even wish death upon this person".
Conn had one more question. "When someone's assaulted why dont they report it right away?" He had heard millions of stories about women who didn't come forward until years after. Or not at all.
"That", Dan looked sad when he spoke next, "That is something only a survivor could tell you son".
I wonder. Conn thought. Is Elin one of those survivors?
