DJ Pt. 40 - Final

The group, generally speaking, interacted with each other well. There are several 'couples' within the group including Jamie & DJ, Devon & Quentin, Sandy & her girlfriend, Matt & Marie, Rusty & Jamal, and Bryan & Phil, Mr. Finch and his wife (the clubs advisor) and perhaps a couple of others that we don't know are couples.

Once everyone had filled their plates, they occupied two of the long tables, about twenty at each table, sharing conversations with each other and just having a wonderful time together. As a group they pretty much destroyed the food, a few of the guys went back for seconds, and cleaned the remainder up. No leftovers to worry about. The empty containers and all the used plates and plastic ware were disposed of in the large trash receptacles. Rusty gathered the large spoons and tongs, and placed them into a plastic bag to take home.

A couple of the girls approached Rusty and Jamal, and one of them spoke.

"Hey guys," she said, "we heard that you two are planning to host a pool party in the near future, but none of the girls are invited, are you discriminating against us?"

"Not at all," Jamal answered, "It's a private party, not a club function. The main reason we aren't inviting any girls, is that we plan it to be clothing optional. In other words, some of us guys want to skinny dip, and I know we'd be uncomfortable naked in front of girls, and you girls would likely be uncomfortable with a bunch of naked guys running around and skinny dipping."

"OK, we understand now," she said, "and I think you're right, we would be uncomfortable with naked guys around us, now if it was naked girls, that might be fun! You guys did a great job selecting the food, and I think we all had a great time today. See you at the next meeting."

The group then divided into two teams to enjoy a game of volleyball, with only the Finches, and 5 or 6 others opting out. Somebody suggested the boys against the girls, but that would have been unfair, as the largest part of the membership were guys, with only about 10 girls in the group. They ended up with two teams of 16 players each.

Matt and Marie were on the same team with Jamie and DJ, and Phil and Bryan, while Jamal and Rusty were teamed with Devon and Quentin. Somewhere during the first game, Bryan tripped over somebody's foot. He tried to catch his fall by grabbing onto Tommy, missing Tommy's body and catching Tommy's shorts, sliding them down and exposing him. Tommy had no underwear beneath his shorts, and his genitals were exposed toward the other team for a few seconds. Tommy, his face turning crimson, quickly pulled his shorts back up.

"I'm sorry!" Bryan apologized, "That wasn't intentional."

Tommy, shrugging his shoulders and grinning, "It's OK Bryan, shit happens!" Then, "Bryan, if you really want to see what I've got, why don't you just ask me?" Now it's Bryan's face that is red. The group realizing what had just happened, applauded and laughed it off. Only some of the players on the flip side of the net actually 'saw' Tommy's privates, and just for a couple of seconds.

The sky was getting dark and it looked like a storm might be brewing. Most of the club members started to head toward their cars, not wanting to get caught in a thunderstorm.

Jamie, picking on Bryan, "Bryan, what's Tommy's cock look like?"

"I don't know—I only saw his ass!" Bryan answered, grinning.

Bryan and Phil headed to their apartment to change and head to work, and Jamie and DJ headed to DJ's house to do the same. When they arrived, both Doug and Joe were already at work.

DJ and Jamie both put on their work uniforms, and had decided to drive separately to work. They were both due in at 4:00 PM, but DJ would be getting off at 9:00 PM and Jamie at 11:00 PM. While DJ and Jamie followed each other to the shopping center, the thunderstorm hit. They parked next to each other, and both boys ran from the parking lot to their jobs at the Southside Drug and the pizzeria. Doug was out on deliveries when DJ clocked in.

* * * * *

"Where's Dad?" DJ asked Randy.

"He went out on deliveries," Randy replied, "I told him not to worry about them, but he insisted he'd be ok, and that he'd delivered in thunderstorms before. Gwen and Cindy both called out, so it's just you and me tonight. With this storm, we're not going to be very busy."

Randy, by the front door, "DJ, COME HERE, QUICK!"

"What is it Randy?" DJ asked.

Randy, pointing out the door and with fear in his voice, "See that? It's a tornado, and it's headed this way!"

"What can we do?" DJ cried.

"We need to stay away from these windows, the safest place for us right now is back in the pharmacy, come on!" DJ followed Randy.

About five minutes later, Doug returned to the store, suddenly overtaken by fear like he'd never felt before. DJ's Tracker was turned upside down in the parking lot, along with about a dozen other vehicles, some of which were left to rest on top of others. His heart sank when he looked toward Southside Drug, all the windows were shattered. He hurried out of his car and attempted to enter the store. Just as he started through the open doorway, the front of the building collapsed, the steel framework over the door struck him on the head, and knocked him to the floor, unconscious.

* * * * *

Mike and Joe were doing their routine cruise and the police radio suddenly came alive with the emergency sound, and the following message:

"Tornado Alert! Tornado Alert! A Tornado has been spotted five miles west of the village of Smalltown and is headed toward the town center."

Joe got on the radio, "This is unit 27, we're heading toward Smalltown now!" Mike did a U-turn and started driving them toward the village. The emergency sound came again:

"This is an emergency! This is an emergency! All police and first responders please report to the area of the Smalltown Shopping Center ASAP, Tornado touchdown has occurred, damage uncertain."

Joe grabbed his cell phone and attempted to call Doug—all he got was the message that his call could not be completed, please try your call again later. He then tried to call DJ and got the same message. Just for the hell of it, Mike tried to call his wife—and got the same message. Evidently the cell tower was gone, and cell phones were useless.

Mike instinctively reached down, turning on the cruisers blue and red flashing lights, and his foot pressed the floor switch, engaging the siren. Mike pushed on the throttle, accelerating the cruiser to over 75 MPH and drove toward the village and the shopping center. They arrived minutes later, along with three fire engines, all both of the small community's ambulances and another five police cars. The scene around the shopping center could only be described as chaos.

Joe used his police phone to contact his Captain, and briefly described the situation, and that more ambulances were needed, and maybe the state police could bring their K-9 unit in to help sniff out victims, and casualties that may be buried under rubble. Joe glanced over to the pizzeria, which was leveled, wondering if Jamie was under there somewhere.

EMT's had placed Doug on a gurney, preparing to send him to the hospital, but then realized he had expired. They then lay him off to the side, and covered him with a sheet. Joe had just lost his husband, and the love of his life.

Rescue workers finally dug their way back to the Pharmacy, lifting hundreds of pounds of debris off Randy and DJ. Part of the steel roof had fallen, nearly severing Randy's arm, and causing the loss of most of his blood. Another piece of the roof had sliced into DJ's midsection, exposing DJ's inner organs. Both men had lost too much blood, and were pronounced dead at the scene. Joe got a glimpse of DJ, before they covered his body, turned and promptly lost the contents of his stomach.

Other rescue workers cautiously entered the pizzeria, which was nearly flattened by the tornado. They discovered a pile of humans in the center of the pizzeria, Antonio and Maria on top, with Jamie and Fernando beneath them. Antonio had tried to protect the two younger boys, by shielding them from the collapsing building with his own body. It might have worked, had the 3000-pound AC unit on the roof not fallen on top of them, crushing all of them. The workers called for more help to lift the heavy unit off the victims. If they hadn't died from injury, they died of suffocation, because they couldn't breathe. Antonio, Maria, Jamie and little Fernando were all pronounced dead at the scene.

Nearly every store in the center received major damage from the tornado, and there were about ten more casualties, plus another 20 persons that were taken to the hospitals for treatment. That tornado was, without question, the worst disaster ever to happen to the small town of Smalltown.

Joe and Mike's shift ended at 11:30 PM that Saturday night. Mike told the Captain he was afraid to let Joe out of his sight, because Joe had suffered so much personal loss, having lost his husband, and his beloved stepson as well as the stepsons loving boyfriend. The Captain agreed that it would be best for Mike to stay close to Joe. Cell phones were still out of service and the Captain said he would get word to Mike's wife.

Mike and Joe have been partners for several months, and Mike not only has a ton of respect for Joe, but had also developed a love for his partner, in a platonic way. It was hurting Mike to the core of his heart to see Joe suffering as he is right now.

Mike, just before their shift ended, "Joe. I'm starved, and I'll bet you're hungry too."

"Maybe a little, I'll probably find something to munch on at the house."

"How bout we get subs at WAWA and go back to your house and eat them," Mike said, "I'm buying."

"How can I refuse that offer," Joe said, smiling a little."

The two officers went into WAWA and ordered two medium subs and two medium drinks, Mike paid with his debit card and they headed to Joe's house. They sat at the kitchen table and ate their subs, with little conversation.

Finally, about 1:30 AM, Mike spoke, "Is it bedtime yet?"

Joe, standing up, "Past my bedtime, I'm surprised you're still here."

"Where do you want me to sleep?" Mike asked.

"You're not going home?" Joe asked, surprised.

"Not tonight," Mike responded, "I don't want to leave you alone."

"We only have two beds, ours, and DJ's—this seems so strange," Joe said, sadly, "I guess it's not our bed anymore, just mine, and DJ's—well I guess that is maybe a guestroom?"

"I guess I can sleep in the guest room," Mike said, "if it's ok with you."

Joe showed Mike to DJ's—the guestroom, and headed into what used to be Doug's and his bedroom. Since Mike has evidently decided to spend the night here, Joe decided to break with tradition, and wear his underwear to bed. He wouldn't feel comfortable to be naked in front of his patrol partner. Mike removed his uniform and slipped into DJ's bed wearing just his underwear. Mike fell asleep believing that Joe might be in a little better frame of mind than he was earlier.

* * * * *

Sunday morning Joe woke up about 6:30 AM, feeling like he'd just awakened from a bad dream. He looked at the bed, wondering where Doug was this early in the morning. He walked into the bathroom to relieve his bladder and noticed that he was wearing his underwear. He and Doug always sleep naked. He then quietly pushed DJ's door open slightly, and saw Mike, sleeping peacefully in DJ's bed. Maybe it's not a dream.

He picked up his phone from the nightstand in his bedroom and tried to call police dispatch, only receiving the message that his call could not be completed as dialed, try again later. The cell tower is still out! He looked out the front window, Doug's car was gone, and the cruiser was parked in the driveway. It wasn't a dream, he knows now that he has lost everything!

Joe pulled a sheet of paper from the printer, picked his police revolver out of its holster and walked into the kitchen. Sitting at the kitchen table he wrote a note, leaving it on the table. He pointed the revolver to his forehead and pulled the trigger.

"BLAMM!"

The sound of the gunshot woke Mike up, he jumped out of the bed and headed toward the kitchen, but he was too late! Joe's head and body were slumped over the table, and his police revolver had fallen to the floor. Blood was spattered everywhere.

Mike's police training taught him not to touch anything, but that didn't mean he couldn't use his eyes. The note that Joe had written was lying face up on the table. Tears streamed from his eyes as he read the blood spattered note.

'The two most important people in my life have been stolen from me! My loving husband and my wonderful son meant more to me than life itself. They've both been torn from my heart, ripped from my soul, and taken from my arms. God, forgive me, I have nothing to live for, and I just cannot go on.'

The End

* * * * *

EPILOG:

Carl and Karen Seldon arranged for a dual funeral for Jamie and DJ. They bought a four-plot gravesite, and had the two young men buried between their own eventual graves, indicating their love for both boys.

The single headstone for the boys had two joined hearts with Jamie C. Seldon in one heart and Douglas J. Kendall written in the other. What more could they do to show the eternal love that these two young men had for each other.

Doug and Joe had made prior arrangements and were buried together, next to Aggie Reynolds's grave.

What became of Antonio and Maria, They were buried together by the state, as there were no known relatives to handle final expenses.

Chuck and Serena had Fernando cremated, and are keeping his ashes in an urn until they decide what to do with them. Serena has broken off any contact with her parents, blaming them for Fernando's death.

Daryl Cartwright contacted Randy Shultz's parents as soon as he found out about his fiancées tragic death. Randy's parents arranged a memorial service for Randy. Randy was cremated and Daryl is keeping his urn close. Even though they didn't quite make it to their wedding day, Daryl considers Randy to have been his first husband.

Damion and Brandon Whitlock lost all contact after the tornado, and didn't even know about it for several months. They finally were able to make contact with the Seldon's, and learned about the tragic deaths of their Uncles, and their beloved cousin, DJ and his boyfriend Jamie. They were heartbroken, when they were told what had happened.

They pleaded with Karen and Carl, asking them to try and get the irreplaceable things from Doug and Joe's house, mainly the photographs of things like Doug and Joe's wedding, and pictures that Grandma had and photos that were taken at the time of Grandma's funeral. The Seldon's told them they would try, and if successful, they would hold on to them, until a time they could give the things to the boys.

* * * * *

Author's Note:

This was the final chapter of DJ. I'm going to take a break from writing for a while. I still have stories to write, when I get more time (and urge) to write. I'm planning to do one more of the DJ saga, probably titled something like 'DJ Epilog - Ten years after the tornado' but it might not appear for some time.

Doug, aka o2byoung