The Cockney Canuck - 145. Chapter 145 Family Day

Monday was Family Day; a provincial holiday in Ontario, which I had planned to spend looking after my former ex-boyfriend.

That was before the Cobourg Taxi Service, and a creepy man in a car forced me into an unscheduled sleepover that subsequently revealed my location to Sue. Now I had to assume that Don also knew where I was, and he would almost certainly jump to all the right conclusions. Yet I was strangely unperturbed about the probability of a looming confrontation with my adopted father. I didn’t have the time or inclination to worry about something I couldn’t control, so, I tried to sweep it under the carpet and concentrate on more important matters like figuring out my new role in my boyfriend’s fast-evolving family.

Earlier as I crept out of Nathan’s bedroom wearing an assortment of his clothes, I bumped into his dad and froze. Despite everything I had been told, I still wasn’t comfortable with him seeing me walking out of his son’s room, knowing I had spent the night in there. The usually jokey Morgan also looked a little uneasy as he forced a smile and asked me how I slept. I could have been banging Nathan silly all night long for all he knew, and I wished I had. At least I would have had a good reason for avoiding eye contact.

I must have looked as guilty as sin, but my first full night with his son was a relatively tame affair. All we did was share the same bed, albeit with a lot of warm, sexy cuddles and the inevitable grope or two from me. Anything more than that, was dependent on a negative test result from my family doctor later that week, which, as far as I was concerned, was just a formality.

As I sat down for breakfast, I received a message from Sue—a simple text to let me know she was coming to collect me at midday. I replied with an ‘Okay’ and a love heart, but it was probably a waste of time trying to butter-up my adopted mother. She only sent texts when she was angry with me, and I didn’t need a ride home.

“Maybe she’s worried in case that weird guy shows up again.”

I disagreed with Nathan’s assessment. “She’s probably more worried about the weird guy sitting next to me.”

When Liz called her the night before, Sue didn’t ask why I was at my ex-boyfriend’s house, but I wasn’t expecting her to be so relaxed when it was my turn to be questioned.

“What are you gonna tell her?”

“The truth, of course.”

Nathan looked sceptical. “You mean, you're gonna tell her we’re dating again?”

“No, of course not, silly. I’m gonna tell her I came here to look after you. That’s the truth.”

He chuckled. “That sounds totally lame. She’s never gonna believe you.”

“Why not? As far as she’s concerned, I’m still seeing Conner and I’m not gonna tell her any different. Not until I have to.”

Nathan tried to make it look as if it didn’t bother him, but I knew it did.

“Does Conner know about this little arrangement?”

“No, of course not. He hates me now; there’s no way he would cover for me. But he has no reason to contact any of my family either, and he lives a million miles away, so he’s not likely to bump into anyone.”

Nathan took a deep breath and stared at me. I had seen that look on him enough times to know he disapproved, but he resisted the opportunity to judge me. He must have realised my options were limited.

“How long were you expecting to get away with this?”

“Longer than a couple of days, that’s for sure. Look, the truth is, my only objective was to get you back. I didn’t make any plans beyond that because I wasn’t sure if you were gonna say yes. I don’t know what happens next. You're gonna have to help me out here, because I’ve run out of ideas.”

His mom was hovering on the other side of the table. She placed a plate of toast in front of us and sat down to offer some advice.

“Maybe you should tell them. There’s no point in lying. It’ll only make things worse. They know you're gay; I’m sure it’ll be okay.”

I wasn’t so confident. It was impossible to guess what Don’s reaction would be if he discovered that I was back in a relationship with Nathan, but it wasn’t going to be good. He had already forbidden Daniel to have any contact with him citing allegations that he was a drug dealer, and Nathan was no longer welcome in our house.

“It’s not Sue who worries me. She doesn’t have a problem with Nathan. It’s Don. No matter how much she stands up to him, I think she’s still frightened of him, and to tell you the truth, so am I. Sometimes I think to myself he has to back down, but he never does. I don’t think he ever will.”

Liz looked saddened. She reached across the table and tapped my arm. “It’s not your fault, dear. We’ve always known he was a bad apple.”

Nathan agreed. “Yeah, I suppose you can’t help it if your dad’s an asshole.”

“Don’t call him that,” I mumbled.

“I hate to break it to you, Robbie. But the man’s definitely an asshole.”

“I know that, but he’s not my dad.”

My boyfriend looked as if he wanted to laugh, but he managed to catch it before resting his head on my shoulder. “I’m the one he hates, not you. He’s always hated me, even before he found out I was gay; isn’t that right, Mom?”

“He probably doesn’t hate you, dear.” Liz was trying to be tactful. Most people were unwilling to vent their true feelings about Don when I was present, perhaps fearing it would somehow upset me. Nathan knew me better.

“Yes, he does, and I’ve never done anything to him.”

He looked almost angelic when he said that; like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. But we all knew that statement wasn’t true. They may have been mismatched physically, but Nathan gave as good as he got, and rarely missed an opportunity to get one over on Don. The school play was a perfect example. If anything, my boyfriend probably had the upper hand, until recent developments gave my adopted father a reason to banish him forever.

“He sees you as a threat,” I said. “You're too … I mean you can be a little too …. You know.” Mother and son stared at me as I tried to think of a phrase that wouldn’t offend him.

“Camp,” ventured Nathan.

“That’s it, camp. You can be a little too camp at times.” I forced a smile as he raised his eyebrows and shared a look with his mom.

“Oh, my God. No one’s allowed to see me because I’m too camp, but he allows farm boy in the house, and you don’t wanna know what he was getting up to.”

I glared at my boyfriend and then silenced him with a piece of toast. “Do you want some jam on that?” He shook his head and started chewing as I turned to Liz. “He’s talking about Conner; the boy I was seeing. He could be quite manipulative at times. Don liked him because he looked … normal.”

Nathan nearly spat out his toast in an attempt to voice his displeasure. I think it rattled him that Conner was able to worm his way into my family so easily. I was digging myself into a hole in an attempt to explain Don’s twisted psyche. This was why I didn’t want to talk about him. He could poison a conversation without even being there. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes. I was still tired after a late night, and I could feel a headache coming on.

Liz brought some more toast and offered to cook us something. She was always trying to feed me, but this time I wasn’t hungry. “Are you okay, dear? You look very pale.”

“I’ve got a headache.”

Nathan had his head in my face, closing one eye and looking up my nostrils until Liz swatted him away. “Leave him alone. I’ve got some Tylenol somewhere.”

I needed more sleep. Caring for her son was a demanding job.

“Robbie.”

“What?”

“You're not going to sleep, are you?”

“No.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Okay, I am.”

There was a silence while I tried to think of what I was going to say to Sue, but Nathan was never quiet for very long.

“You can put it in my mouth if you want.”

My eyes sprang open. “Put what?”

He laughed. “Some more toast; what did you think I meant? Pervert!”

I huffed, but before I could shove another slice in his gob, he attacked my lips, pushing me back in my chair. There was an urgency in his kiss and pieces of toast on his tongue as he forced it inside my mouth. This was more like the Nathan of old and totally unexpected.

When we broke, I looked around the kitchen in a panic expecting to see his mom.

He kissed me on the nose and smiled. “Relax, she’s gone upstairs. Do you feel better now?”

“A bit.”

“Only a bit. Do you want me to try some more?”

A smile was all the consent he needed to launch another strike, and this time I was ready. I welcomed his tongue and slid my hand under his t-shirt to stroke his sweaty skin and pull him closer. He was sitting on the edge of his chair with his knee between my legs and pressed hard against my crotch. We were caught in the moment, and neither of us heard his mom until she coughed loudly.

Liz politely looked the other way while her son jumped back in his chair with a red-face and a naughty look of surprise. I was still wiping his spit from my chin when she sat back down.

“How’s your headache?”

“Oh, err, much better thanks. I think I’ll skip the Tylenol.” I smiled, but I couldn’t look her in the eye.

“Well, you’ve got a little more colour back in your cheeks now, but it looks like we may have to work out some rules around here.”

Nathan rolled his eyes. “We were only kissing, Mom.”

His mom agreed, but it wasn’t the kind of kissing she wanted to see at the breakfast table. I could see her point. By allowing me to stay over in Nathan’s room, his parents were already a long way out of their natural comfort zone. We were pushing our luck, and it wasn’t necessary.

“I know you two are doing more than just holding hands,” she said, which was pretty obvious considering Nathan didn’t have any at the time. “But there’s a time and a place for that kind of thing.” She looked at me. “Robbie, dear. If you do decide to tell your parents that you're seeing Nathan again, you need to remember that he’s still underage. If anyone asks, you sleep in the basement.”

I could have argued that despite sharing his bed, our relationship at the time was mostly platonic, but it wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have with his mom. It was less embarrassing to take the rap and change the subject, but Nathan had to have the last word.

“I’m only two months underage. I’m sixteen in April, don’t forget.”

He winked at me as I placed another piece of toast in his mouth, then pulled my hand back quickly when he tried to bite my finger.

My boyfriend was in a playful mood. It was the happiest I had seen him since we started dating again, but soon I would have to leave, and I wasn’t looking forward to going home. If I were grounded, then it would likely be another week before I could see him again.

“Have you heard back from the police yet?” I asked.

“About what?”

“About the guy who beat you up. Are they even looking for him?” As I talked to Nathan, I could see his mom behind him. She waited a few seconds until it was clear he wasn’t going to answer before replying on his behalf.

“I talked to them a couple of days ago, but they had no news.” She stood behind her son and put a hand on his shoulder. “He can’t hide forever.”

‘He can if they don’t know who they’re looking for’.

It didn’t make a lot of sense. Nothing about this whole episode made sense to me. When I opened my mouth to ask a question, I was stopped by his mom’s stare. It looked as if her eyes were going to jump out at me.

“I’m starting to smell,” said Nathan.

I was confused as my eyes darted between my boyfriend and his mom. “Huh?”

“You promised to help me shower, remember? And we only have two hours before Sue gets here and you're grounded for the rest of your life.”

I jumped up, showing way too much enthusiasm. “Okay, I’m on it. I’ll have you smelling of roses in no time.” I told Nathan to wait upstairs for me while Liz searched for the plastic water-proof sleeves the hospital had supplied. She waited until her son had gone before changing the subject back to the police.

“We’re worried too, dear. I know it seems like we’re avoiding the subject, but I don’t want to cause him any more stress. He has enough to deal with as it is.”

This confirmed what I already suspected. “Do you think the man I saw last night has anything to do with the attack?”

“I’m not sure what to think, but we have to report it to the police. I talked to Sue last night, and she agreed.”

“Okay, so do you want me to go downtown?”

“No! Don’t do that, at least not on your own. Until this is sorted out, you shouldn’t go anywhere on your own. I mean it. We don’t know what’s going on and you have to keep yourself safe.”

“I am safe,” I assured her. “And I’m not scared of the guy who attacked Nathan. If I meet him, he’ll know that.” I was pumped up. I could feel my jaw tightening as I clenched my teeth and my fists. There was no one I hated more than the coward who attacked my boyfriend and caused all this pain. In my imagination, he was just a bloodied face that I kept punching relentlessly in anger, over and over until my fists were numb.

The violent daydreams always made me feel better, but it was all bravado. When it mattered, my temper had deserted me. If the guy in the car had anything to do with Nathan’s attack, then he had nothing to fear from a frightened teenager trembling in the shadows.

I jumped when Morgan’s hand rested on my shoulder.

‘Where the fuck did he come from, and why does he keep doing that?’

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, but violence isn’t the answer, Robbie.”

I turned to stare at him.

‘What are you; a mind reader?’

“The police will find whoever’s responsible.”

I disagreed, and Nathan’s dad must have seen it written across my face in bold capitals. “Yeah, right. Just like they found the guy who pushed me down the stairs, you mean. I don’t trust them.”

Morgan sighed and rubbed his face. “I’ll be honest with you; we’re not getting a lot of answers at the moment. They have a pretty good description of him, DNA, fingerprints. I’m not sure what else they need, but we can’t take the law into our own hands.”

Liz handed me the plastic sleeves for Nathan’s arms and smiled at my angry face. “It’s not your job to fight the bad guys, dear. You have enough on your plate with Don.”

“We’re here if you need us,” said Morgan. I was wondering what he meant when we were interrupted by his son shouting from upstairs.

“WHAT’S TAKING YOU SO LONG?”

I turned to Morgan with a sudden need to explain.

“I’m supposed to be helping him shower. He can’t do it on his own. Wash himself; I mean.”

Morgan put his arm around my shoulders and smiled as he walked me to the stairs.

“Well, you’d better hurry up then.” He gave me a gentle shove and chuckled as I ran upstairs, taking them two at a time. When I reached the top, I stopped dead in my tracks and gasped. Nathan was standing in the middle of the hall, completely naked.

“You’ve got no clothes on.”

He rolled his eyes. “Not much escapes you, does it? What gave me away?”

“Your dinkle,” I giggled.

“I thought as much. Not sure about you, but I usually take off my clothes when I have a shower. Are you gonna give me a hand or not?” He must have noticed my mouth curling up at the ends. “Not that kind of hand.” He rolled his eyes and mumbled. “Not yet, anyway.”

I wasn’t sure how he managed to undress himself and do it so quickly, but I was glad for the extra help as I followed him into the bathroom with my eyes shamelessly glued to his bare butt.

“You're staring at my ass, aren’t you?”

“No. What made you say that?”

“I can see you in the mirror.” He spun around and surprised me with a kiss. “It’s okay. I forgive you this time. It must be frustrating.”

“You have no idea.”

After pushing the door shut with my foot, I put my arms around my boyfriend and pulled him closer, hoping to carry on where we left off downstairs. I looked deep into his eyes, but as I leaned in to kiss him, he wiggled away.

“Robbie. I need to shower.”

I shook my head and smiled. “Yeah, of course. Now, let’s get these things on you.” Nathan held out his arms while I gingerly pulled the plastic sleeves over his plaster and sealed them just above his elbows with rubber bands. Then I turned the water on and waited for it to heat up. Nathan was right; their shower was much smaller than ours, and there probably wasn’t enough room for two.

“Are you getting in?” He sounded eager, and there was nothing I wanted more, but I was having second thoughts. My loins were still hurting after a night spent snuggled up against him—an erotic experience deserving, but ultimately deprived of a happy ending. It was asking a lot of me. I wasn’t used to exercising that level of self-control.

“It’s probably best if I don’t. It’ll be easier that way.”

This wasn’t about sex; it was about getting him clean, and I wanted to prove to him that I was there for the right reasons. I remembered Lorna helping me shower at the hospital; washing my dick while she talked casually about her holiday in the Caribbean. I needed to apply the same level of professionalism with Nathan, but it wasn’t going to be easy.

Nathan looked disappointed, but not enough to challenge my decision. “It’s okay. I understand.” He smiled apologetically and then let out a high-pitched squeal as he stepped under the spray. “Ahh too hot!”

The sight of his succulent buns wobbling in the steamy heat as he danced around on his tiptoes, brought back an erection that I had been fighting to control all morning. It hindered my attempt to reach the taps and prolonged his torture.

“Sorry.”

“It doesn’t matter; I didn’t need my skin.”

My boyfriend was now a delectable shade of red. He looked ripe enough to eat, and it took a herculean effort to resist ripping off my clothes and smothering his wet body with mine. I squirmed uncomfortably and slipped my hand down the front of my jeans to make a few adjustments.

“Are you okay down there?”

“No, I mean yes, of course,” I grinned. “Fine.”

“It doesn’t look like it.”

I pulled my hand out to show him. “Just needed to get comfortable.”

He nodded and dipped his head under the spray. “You can start by washing my hair if you want.”

“Right.”

I wasn’t looking forward to this. His hair was much longer than mine, and he was ultra-fussy about people touching it. I grabbed the shampoo as I watched the water bouncing off his face and cascading down his steamy body. A tiny stream flowed from the end of his partially flaccid member.

“You have to squeeze it.”

“What?”

Nathan spat out a mouthful of water and giggled. “The shampoo silly.”

“Oh, yeah. Of course. I know that.” I frowned at him then squirted way too much of it into my hand. “Turn around; I got this.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

He stood with his back to the open shower door and tilted his head as I went to work armed with enough shampoo to clean a fleet of buses. My boyfriend kept his eyes closed and looked surprisingly relaxed as I massaged his scalp and ran my fingers through his jet-black hair. He hummed himself and smiled as I turned his head towards me and surprised him with a kiss. I got a mouthful of soap and a wet back, but I couldn’t help myself. There were moments when he was irresistible.

Nathan’s Brittany Spears’ t-shirt loaned to me less than an hour earlier was already soaked and sticking uncomfortably to my chest. He was covered in suds, which I used to wash his face, before grabbing his waist to position him under the shower hose.

He coughed and rinsed his mouth. “A bit too much shampoo, but you're doing good. I think we should skip the conditioner.”

Buoyed by his words of encouragement, I lathered my hands and worked quickly along his shoulders. Then I moved in small circles down his back, across his chest, and under his arms before kneeling on the puddled floor. I was no longer even trying to keep dry. My t-shirt was drenched, and my jeans—the only item I was wearing that belonged to me—were going the same way.

His feet were next. He never wore socks indoors, so they badly needed cleaning. I took my time working my fingers between his toes and scrubbing his soles with his facecloth while he balanced precariously on one leg. Then I inched my way up to his calves and thighs to his most private of places.

Even in this capacity, I felt privileged to be allowed such unfettered access to a part of him that was strictly off-limits to almost everyone else on the planet. Yet, at the same time, it was the area with which I was most familiar.

At the front, his tight walnuts dangled alone while his penis—now as stiff as a board—pointed in the other direction. He jumped as I rubbed the bar of soap up and down his manhood and rinsed it under the spray with a couple of quick tugs that made him gasp. When I finished, he was as hard as I had ever seen him, and his expression was begging me to go further.

The boy needed some relief, and I was happy to help, but only after cleaning him. Until then, his erection provided a convenient place to hang his facecloth while I concentrated on his backside. I turned him around and grabbed his cheeks with both hands, squeezing and pulling them apart to reveal his tiny pucker. A soapy hand down the middle was greeted with an encouraging moan and ended with a gentle exploratory prod into the cave of wonders. He drew a sharp breath and tried to pull me in.

“Geez, I nearly lost a finger in there.”

“You should be more careful where you put it then.” He shook his head under the spray and laughed at the sight of me. There was a price to pay for getting him clean. My clothes were soaking wet, and Brittany Spears was clinging to my chest.

It was a look that appealed to my sex-starved boyfriend. He stood on the shower doorstep and placed his bulky plastic-wrapped forearms on my shoulders, sending a steady stream of water down my back and onto the tiled floor.

“You're making a mess.”

“Then get in the shower with me.” He had an impish grin and a familiar look of desire that was impossible to misread. “You haven’t finished yet. There’s something I need you to do for me.” He laughed before planting kisses across my face and rubbing his nose against mine. “I don’t think I can wait until you're here again.”

I smiled and kissed him back. “I told you, I don’t mind.”

My offer still stood, and I licked my lips at the prospect of finally resuming our sexual relationship. My hand clamped around his penis as I pushed him back under the spray. I could service his needs without getting in the shower, but Nathan was determined to squeeze me inside.

“Get in the shower, you coward. It’s not like you can get any wetter.” He stepped forward and countered my resistance with a mouthful of my t-shirt as he tried to pull me in with his teeth. I wasn’t even sure why I was struggling.

“Okay, you win.” I stepped away and began clawing at my sodden clothing.

“No, leave them on.”

“You want me to wear my clothes in the shower?”

“Yeah, I think it’s sexy.”

The word sexy coming from Nathan’s lips was a trigger word for my dick comparable to a dozen of Nicola’s Viagra pills. Still, there was something instinctively wrong about stepping into a shower fully-clothed. It was surprisingly difficult to do, even with the added incentive of a sexed-up naked boyfriend. Water and clothes were an uncomfortable and constricting mix that brought back memories of my life-savers training. Diving into a cold pool in shirt and trousers to rescue a heavily weighted doll from the bottom wasn’t easy. On this occasion, however, the doll I wrapped my arms around was warm, soft, and a lot more responsive.

Nathan giggled at my discomfort, then gasped as I pulled him against me. I wasn’t sure exactly what he had in mind, but it was clear from the moment I stepped inside the shower that this was going to be more than a simple hand job.

The situation rapidly got out of control as he kissed me hard; pushing me against the wall and knocking my head on the tiles. I was sucking on his tongue and trying to breathe as the water pounded our faces. Then my hands found his backside, and he moaned as I reclaimed his fleshy cheeks. I had waited a long time for this, and there was no way I was going to be able to stop. I was prepared to cum in my pants if necessary, and I could already feel it building in my loins as he ground his hips into mine.

He bit down too hard on my lip, drawing blood, then we both fell against the shower door while struggling to keep our balance. I was standing on his foot, still wearing the socks I had borrowed from him. They were waterlogged and uncomfortable, but there wasn’t enough time to take them off. I was too busy sucking his bullet-like nipples into my mouth and desperately covering every inch of his skin with my hands.

I was certain Nathan’s theatrical moans could be heard far from the confines of their relatively small family bathroom, so I gently covered his mouth to calm him down. Then I watched him tremble with expectation as I dropped to my knees in front of him. He said he wanted our first time together again to be special and I knew how to make that happen.

Sucking Nathan’s penis was an erotic experience for both of us and something I badly wanted to do. Unlike Conner, he wasn’t trying to force himself down the back of my throat, and I wasn’t praying for him to finish either, although I made sure he didn’t last very long.

I was getting good at this and was keen to show him how much I had progressed since I last had his dick in my mouth. With a little effort, I could get all but about an inch of him inside without choking and hold him there for a couple of seconds. I did it three or four times with his head touching my tonsils, before allowing him to plop from my lips.

“Oh my God, how did you do that?” My boyfriend looked as if he was about to pass out as I dragged my tongue along his shaft and kissed his tip. I was eye to eye with his manhood. That tiny, unassuming slit seemed to be breathing all on its own, opening and closing as it prepared for its secondary, but most celebrated function.

I loved seeing him so excited, and I desperately wanted to please him, but I also had needs to contend with, which could no longer be ignored. As I took him back into my mouth with one hand, I used the other to beat myself off. I was never that ambidextrous, but that day I surprised myself and impressed my boyfriend. My warm splashes against his leg provided the catalyst for his own finale, and I watched his tummy fold inwards and felt his penis swell between my lips before he squirted his seed against the roof of my mouth.

I wanted to laugh and nearly choked when I heard him singing my name. Thankfully, his pornographic soprano was masked by the sound of the shower and the soap dish clattering to the floor. How much I missed Nathan’s theatrical orgasms.

Afterwards, I rinsed my mouth under the shower, and we kissed, swapping mouthfuls of hot water, and gasping for air. I was sure he tasted better than any of the other boys I had done that to; even better than Tom. It was something else that was unique about Nathan, or was it just love?

Whatever it was, I was still buzzing from the experience half-an-hour later as I meticulously dried and dressed him as if he were the most delicate object in the world. His eyes were glazed over as his head popped through the neck of his t-shirt with a dreamy smile that lit up the room and demanded my instant attention. It was one of a hundred such kisses we had shared since stepping out of the shower, but we had barely uttered a word.

I couldn’t remember us kissing this much the first time around or ever feeling as light-headed and giddy as I did that day, even after such a one-sided experience. We were unable to look each other in the eye without blushing and launching into fits of giggles. Not even Sue’s impending arrival was able to spoil the mood.

Nathan felt guilty because he couldn’t return the favour, but I knew he would make good on his promise of untold pleasures ahead. This was just a teaser yet nothing I had done with Conner had come anywhere close to the level of passion we shared in that shower.

“I’ll make up for it, you wait and see. I’m gonna make you so happy,” he said before invading my mouth for the last time that day. We had already seen Sue pulling up outside the house, and Nathan waited until his mom rushed past us to open the door before breaking our kiss at the last second and stepping away.

It was hardly ideal. I was forced to greet my adopted mother sporting a raging hard-on, which I managed to conceal behind a bag containing yesterday’s clothes. She chatted briefly with Liz before turning to Nathan.

“You're looking better,” she said. “Have you been doing the exercises I showed you?”

He nodded and lied to her. “Of course. Robbie’s been helping me.”

“You shouldn’t need any help lifting your arm,” said Sue. “And Robbie would be more helpful if he were honest with me and told me where he was going.”

I hated it when she talked about me as if I wasn’t there. I was standing right behind her, but she gave me only a passing glance, while Nathan attempted to take the blame for my mistake.

“It’s my fault. I asked him to come over because I needed someone to talk to, and I knew he wouldn’t judge me like everyone else. I’m sure he didn’t want to be here.” My eyes were urging him to stop before he overcooked it, but it was too late. “Don’t be mad at him, Robbie saved my life yesterday.”

I cringed and covered my face as my boyfriend’s misguided attempt to help out spectacularly backfired. There was no way Sue was going to fall for such a blatant piece of overacting, and she looked as if she wanted to laugh as she opened her arms and threw them around his shoulders, making him grunt.

“Thanks for telling me that, Nathan. I’ll bear that in mind after he explains to me why he wouldn’t answer my phone calls.”

I tried to explain, but she wouldn’t listen, and I was sent outside to sit in the car while she talked privately with Liz. It didn’t matter to me; my head was still in the clouds as I floated out the door, licking my lip where Nathan bit me and laughing at his ridiculous statement.

‘Robbie saved my life.’

I was sure to be grounded, but our shenanigans in the shower made it all worthwhile. When Sue finally joined me in the car, I was still trying to hide my smile as I asked her if I was in trouble.

“I’m not angry at you for going to Nathan’s house,” she said. “And I can understand why you were frightened, and why Liz didn’t want you to go home, but you should have let me know sooner instead of ignoring my calls. I was worried.”

“But you knew I was okay.”

“How did I know? You didn’t call me or message me, and your phone was switched off.”

“But I told Mr Symmonds.”

“Mr Symmonds? When?”

“Last night, he called me after you did.” There was a long pause, and she looked confused. “He didn’t tell you, did he?”

‘I fucking hate you, Symmonds!’

“It’s not his job to pass on messages for you.”

“He did that on purpose. He’s a fucking wanker! I hate him.” My kneejerk reaction was shouted down by an angry Sue. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s too late for that.”

“Am I grounded?”

“Can you give me a reason why you shouldn’t be?”

“Yes, I haven’t done anything wrong. It’s Symmonds; he did it to get me in trouble because I refused to let him pick me up. He’s not a nice person. Please, I don’t wanna be grounded.”

Sue sighed as we pulled away from Nathan’s house, but she kept me waiting until we were nearly home before giving me her verdict.

“I’m not going to punish you, Robbie. But I want you to tell me the truth. Why did you go to Nathan’s house?”

“He already told you. He needed my help. You know he can’t manage on his own, and his sister couldn’t be there yesterday.”

“Well, why didn’t you tell me where you were going?”

“Because I didn’t want him to know.”

“You mean Don.”

“You know who I mean.” I was taking a considerable risk by being rude and slumped in my seat, expecting to be reprimanded, but just as she seemed to have me pinned down, she changed direction.

“What does Conner think?”

“Conner, what’s he got to do with it?”

“Doesn’t he mind you playing nurse to your ex-boyfriend?”

“He doesn’t know. Why are you asking me this?”

“Because I’m concerned about you, dear. I know you’ve been avoiding Conner lately, and I think I know why. Maybe you shouldn’t see him anymore.”

I was confused. This wasn’t what I expected. “What do you mean? I thought you liked him.”

“I don’t like the way he acts around you. I’m not stupid. I know what he’s doing, and he shouldn’t be doing it. It’s wrong. I think you know what I’m talking about.”

I stared at her completely bamboozled. “No.”

She pulled onto our driveway and stopped inches from the garage door. “He’s very touchy, and I know that it bothers you. I get the impression that he’s putting pressure on you to do things with him.”

The penny dropped, and I wanted to laugh.

“Things?”

“Yes, Robbie. You know what I’m talking about. Sex or other things that are inappropriate.”

I couldn’t help smirking. If it weren’t so embarrassing, it would have been hilarious. I wondered what she meant by inappropriate. Everything he did was inappropriate.

“Whatever gave you that impression?”

“Don’t be sarcastic, dear. This isn’t easy for me. I’m trying to help you. I thought maybe this was the reason why you were avoiding him. I totally understand if it is. He shouldn’t be forcing himself on you.”

“You think I went to Nathan’s house to avoid having sex with Conner?”

“Did you?”

“No! Well, maybe. I’m not sure. But he’s not forcing himself on me.”

Sue looked exasperated as she looked me in the eyes and sighed. “Judging by that answer, it may be a little late to be having this conversation. Am I right?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“The ship has sailed, Robbie.”

“Oh, I guess so. Can I go in now? I have homework to do.” I opened the door only to be pulled back by my sleeve.

“When you stay over at Conner’s house, where do you sleep?”

“In his room.”

“And his parents allow that?”

“They’re Swedish.”

“What’s that got to do with it?”

“They’re not so uptight about things. They think sex is normal.”

“I find that rather disturbing considering your age.”

“I know it’s daft, isn’t it? They even talk about it as if it’s nothing to be ashamed of.” I chuckled, but Sue wasn’t happy.

“Don’t be sarcastic, dear.”

“Are you going to stop me from staying over at his house now?”

She thought about it. “I’m not sure, but I’m curious to know why you didn’t lie to me. You could have easily said you sleep in the spare room or something; I don’t know.”

“You said you wanted the truth.”

It was one of the most insane conversations we ever had, and I wasn’t sure at the end who was more confused. She looked completely baffled by my honesty.

*     *     *

The next few days were ominously quiet. Don spent most of his time at his office in Toronto, working on a big client presentation, and Sue seemed unusually distracted. As a result, the confrontation I was expecting didn’t materialise, and no one questioned me when I arrived home later than usual on Wednesday after an appointment with the family doctor.

I wasn’t expecting anything other than a clean bill of health, but it was still a relief to hear it first-hand. As our family doctor, she had known Don and Sue for years, but this was the first time I had seen her independently, and for obvious reasons, I didn’t want them to find out.

“If you don’t want them to know, then I won't mention it, but it will still be on your record. It shouldn’t be a problem; lots of people have these tests. You did the right thing by coming in.” She stood up to show me out. “There’s a way to avoid them, you know. It’s called safe sex, and it works. You were lucky with your head injury, don’t gamble with your health after going through all that; it’s foolish.”

“Yeah, I know.” I was hoping she would skip the lecture; it was already embarrassing enough for me.

“I was going to ask you to say hi to your mom for me, but not to worry. There’s something at the desk for you to take home.”

I was intrigued as the pretty, young receptionist handed me a plastic bag and smiled. Inside were half-a-dozen pamphlets on safe sex and an assortment of freebies that included a tube of lube, some kind of genital cream, and enough condoms to open a brothel. It made me laugh. There were plenty of things wrong with Canada, but healthcare wasn’t one of them.

There was a good chance I would get to use some of those condoms at Nathan’s house that weekend. It would be almost six months since we last had sex on my sixteenth birthday at the now infamous Palm Springs Motel, and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate. This time we wouldn’t need to book into a seedy motel. I could spend the whole weekend at Nathan’s house, and everyone would think I was with Conner.