Brian: Taking Courage - 30. Noah

Noah and Toby dashed into the apartment building, eager to get to Brian and Gordon’s flat and pursue whatever enthusiasm they were currently sharing. Brian suspected that the flowering of one of Toby’s new plants might have something to do with it. Marina, however, remained standing outside as if it was the most natural thing in the world, or perhaps she had changed her mind and didn’t want to come in for a drink. Noah was spending the night, they were doing Marina and Val a favour, but Toby was so delighted that it hardly felt like that at all. It had seemed the polite and obvious thing to suggest Marina might come into the flat for a drink, until now.

Gordon looked at Brian, who discreetly pulled a face. However Marina spoke up, “Isn’t this building designed by Maxwell Frearson”, she quoted the name of a moderately well-known architect. At least, Brian and Gordon had heard of him.

Gordon shrugged, “Sorry, I’ve no idea.”

“I’m pretty sure it is”, Marina nodded, “he did a few housing projects to show that you could have affordable housing with good design. Val will know.” She shook her head, “Look, I wanted to talk to you. Privately. And this seems as good a moment as any, whilst the boys are busy inside.”

Brian looked at Gordon, the two stiffened. Noah? Shit a problem? Them being gay? Toby?

“It’s about Noah. Does Toby ever talk to you about sexual matters? I don’t mean the birds and the bees stuff, but what interests him?”

“A bit, why?”

“Sorry, I’m not doing this very well”, she took a deep breath. “Look, we think that Noah might be gay and wanted to do the right thing, but he’s never said anything.”

“What makes you think?”

She wrinkled her nose, “He seemed a bit too interested in the guys at Ares, oh nothing dodgy. Just”, she shrugged, “a bit too curious. About what they wear.”

Brian pulled a face, “Or don’t wear.”

“Oh, you’ve noticed.”

“Yeah, I had words about dress when the boys were about. Though it wasn’t anything too bad.”

“Except, Noah was clearly interested. And then I found some material in his room. He isn’t the tidiest of boys and I was sorting things out and I found some information about being gay. It set us wondering, and then he and Toby have got rather thick. But he’s not said a word, and we wondered whether you and Toby discussed things.”

“Perhaps he’ll say something when he’s ready.”

“Val’s family are very conservative, his mother still has strong views on everything from sex outside marriage to homosexuality, and makes her views known. Val’s not like that”, she gave a dry laugh, “At least, not anymore. But Noah’s bound to have picked up on his Grandmother’s attitudes.”

“You think he’s worried to talk to you openly, in case Val feels like his Mother.”

“That’s about it. Our other son, Gabriel, didn’t come out until he was at Uni. We never talked about it with him growing up, it never occurred to us.”

“Well away from his family.”

“Yes. We’ve tried to be supportive, but Gabriel keeps things quiet when he comes home and I’m not sure it is something he and Noah have ever talked about.”

Gordon nodded, “The age gap won’t help?”

Marina nodded, “Gabriel has lived at home properly since Noah was 12 or something.”

Brian took a breath. “Toby and I talk, I’m lucky in that. But things came to a head rather earlier than they might have done. Toby ended up admitting his liking for boys partly because he was worried about getting bullied for it by his Mum’s current boyfriend.”

“Hell. Has he? Been bullied.”

“Not so far, at least not about being gay though Jasper, the boyfriend, seems to have a pretty nasty tongue on him all round. But Deirdre has Toby living with us full time. It’s all a bit of a mess, like you she found stuff in his bedroom, freaked out and then went further when she realised Gordon and I were an item. End result, Toby’s with us now, which at least shelters him from Jasper. But before the proverbial hit the fan, Toby was worried enough to tell me.”

“Sorry, I hadn’t realised it was all so messy.”

“It’s OK. At the moment, things have settled a bit. Anyroad, Toby likes Noah, in that way I think, and we’ve got the impression that Noah feels the same way.”

Marina nodded, “Mmm. That sounds about right.”

“I hope that I’ve dinged into Toby that he can’t assume that because he likes Noah, that Noah feels the same.”

“Fair enough. Like as in…”

Gordon butted in, “Thing to remember, at that age, there’s a lot of hormones, when things settle, the attraction might just be one of many things. So, labelling them gay, bi or whatever…”

“Is a bit previous”, she pulled her mouth into a tight line. “We’ve no problem with Noah liking boys, now we’ve got over the initial surprise. But how do you think we should approach the problem of getting him to talk about it.”

Gordon snorted, “Getting a teenage boy to talk about his feelings, best of luck.”

Brian glared at Gordon briefly, “Take a leaf out of my Mum’s book. When she wanted to let Toby know it was OK to be gay, she talked about me and how she’d got comfortable with the idea.”

“So, we talk about other gay people?”

“Us if you like, your elder son…”

“Gabriel.”

“Yes. Make it clear that you and Val are not Val’s Mother.”

“Thanks.”

“And are you OK with all this, the idea that your son and my son might be…”

Marina gave a dry smile, “As of this moment, doing the nasty upstairs. As Gordon pointed out, Noah is a raging mass of hormones. If he’s going to experiment, I’d rather it be with someone as level-headed as Toby, with a supportive family. And, you know what, I think I’m ready for that drink.”

---

“Dad, where were you? Did you get lost?” Toby grinned at his Father from across the kitchen table where the two boys seemed to have found juice and cake.

Brian rolled his eyes, “Marina was looking at the outside of the flats, turns out they were probably designed by a well-known architect.”

Noah looked at his Mother, “Does Dad know?”

Marina smiled, “Not yet, but believe me, he will.”

Drinks sorted, Brian and Gordon escorted Marina onto the balcony. She looked around, “Congratulations, this is terrific.”

Brian smiled, “Don’t look at me, it’s all Toby, isn’t it, sport?”

Toby went all bashful but nodded in acknowledgement of her congratulations.

Gordon grinned, “And we’re not allowed to call it the jungle.”

Toby gave a snort, “It’s all local plants, ones that give stuff back to the environment or attract insects, we did a project at school. I’ve got a list.”

Marina didn’t stay long as she had an event to attend that evening. “Look, thank you for this. You’ve saved our bacon. I hadn’t imagined I’d need to go this evening, but it was made clear to Val that partners were expected”, she pulled a face. “It’s all very old-fashioned, men are supposed to have wives and I was furious. But it’s his career and being part of this academy would help.”

“Academy? A school?”

“Sorry, it’s a fancy charitable enterprise, high-level health-care officials, business contacts, that sort of thing. Boring as hell.” She pulled a face, but grinned.

“You sure you’re comfortable with all this. About Noah?”

Marina’s mouth drew into a line, “Yes. No.” She sighed, “I’m not sure. We don’t have a problem with folk being gay and know plenty. It’s just it never occurred to us, about Noah, especially as Gabriel is.”

Gordon gave a dry laugh, “I don’t think anyone does, try talking to my parents.”

“Val’s Mother was sounding off one day and I noticed Noah stiffen, get uncomfortable. Started us thinking if he had a problem with it. Then Toby”, she laughed. “Val’s going to have an entirely different set of serious talks. How do you talk to a 15-year-old about AIDS for God’s sake.”

Gordon smiled, “With difficulty “

“We never had any sort of talk like that with Gabriel, more the other way around”, she gave a wry smile.

“If it’s any consolation, I never thought Toby would be interested.”

Gordon laughed, “Till his interest in men bits! I don’t think anyone’s prepared.”

Marina nodded, “Can we talk again?”

“Sure, if you ever need to. Just say.”

“What if…”

Gordon held up a hand, “Don’t what if… Best just deal with things as they come.”

After dinner, the four of them watched TV and then Brian started shooing the boys off to get ready for bed.

“Dad, it’s still early.”

Brian shrugged, “Well, you can watch TV a bit on your laptop, or I’m sure you and Noah can find things to do. Which reminds me. I’ve put a pack of wet-wipes in your room. Use them, OK?” He stared at his son.

“Dad!”, a wail, “OK.”

“And you won’t need anything heavier will you”, it was a statement not a question.

“Dad!” Toby blushed furiously, “NO, we won’t. Thanks.” And the two dashed out of the room before any further embarrassment.

After they disappeared and could be heard in the bathroom, Gordon laughed, “Well, I think you just won embarrassing parent of the year award.”

“Oh, don’t. It came out all wrong, and”, Brian sighed, “I haven’t the slightest idea what I’m doing.”

Gordon gave him a hug, “I think you’re doing just fine. Only, perhaps ease up on the mother-hen act, OK.”

Brian pulled a face, but nodded, “I never imagined that I’d have to be dealing with him having sex at this age, and besides, it was always Deirdre who handled that side of things.”

Gordon rolled his eyes, “And she has such a balanced view of sexual matters?” The two laughed.

A bit later, Brian was pottering about in the kitchen, whilst Gordon was watching TV, when Noah appeared though Brian could hear Toby in the bathroom.

“You OK, Noah?”

“Yes, it’s just. What you said to Toby.”

“About the wet-wipes and condoms?”

Noah blushed, “Yes. You think that Toby and I are going to…”

“I’d assumed so. I knew Toby wanted to. You OK?”

“Yes. Thanks. And yes”, he gulped, “I enjoy doing stuff with Toby”, he gave a shy grin, “He’s the first boy I’ve liked that I could do stuff with. You really don’t mind?”

“Mind! Hell no, as long as you two are happy.”

Noah nodded, “It’s just my Grandmother has strong views.”

“Yeah, so your Mum mentioned. Good job that your Mum and Dad feel the same way as Gordon and me, so no sweat there.”

Brian continued with his preparations for tomorrow, but he didn’t miss Noah’s eyes widen. The boy mumbled his thanks again and disappeared.

Back in Toby’s room, the two boys talked for ages in whispers, marvelling at the turn of events and going over whether Noah dare tell his parents. But there were other things to do. Friday, both Toby and Noah had things at school as it was nearly the end of term, so they wouldn’t be going to Ares. Once holidays started, there might be more visits, however Noah was away for most of the holiday. But no Ares meant no possibility of watching Kostas and Bruno. The boys would have to make their own entertainment, and that they did.