Tales of the Underground: Blinded - 28. The Man in the Chair

Aaron took a look from me to Carter then right back to me, thinking over everything he had learned just half an hour ago. I could see a million questions flashing in his mind, yet nothing was coming out. Aaron never seemed to be at a loss for words, but right now, it was like he was a mute.

“So Aaron, how was northwestern?” Carter smiled, trying to break the awkward silence.

Aaron shrugged his shoulders and looked over to him “It was alright, I still want to go to University of Chicago though”

“I’m sure you can get into it, when are you taking the SATs?” Carter poked, making painful small talk.

“In June, July then a last one in August, it shouldn’t be…”

“Oh my fuckin god!” I interrupted “This is the most borin conversation I ever fuckin heard! Aaron if you got somethin to say, just say it bro!” Aaron shook his head but didn’t say anything “There! Then we good! So can we please stop bein so awkward!”

“I just don’t get why you would date someone like Carter…” he began finally speaking his mind. I let out a long groan and threw my head back…what is with these people? Why can they never jus be straight up with you?! “Nothing against you Carter, but you two just seem like such opposites…I mean Carter is so cleaned up and proper, and Cy you’re so…rough.”

“Opposites attract” Carter shrugged with a smile “He keep things exciting…it’s fun to hear what he has to say, and to see how he reacts when I push his buttons…I can’t really explain it…it just happened.”

“You mean you forced it to happen.” I mumbled, peering at him out of the side of my eye.

“Did not…”

“You complimented me, and tol me what would look good on me…you forced me to try out for the team so we could spend time together, you flirted with me constantly…”

“And you sent signals encouraging it all!” he reminded, with a proud smile “Don’t put this on me because I’m more in touch with me sexuality than you.”

“I ain’t gay” I muttered with a roll of my eyes.

Aaron shifted from me to Carter “Has he been in denial this whole time?”

“Oh yeah” Carter nodded “He says he’s only gay for me.”

“Cause I am!” I insisted, giving him a light shove “Watch I’ll break up wit you today, and have a girl on my arm tomorrow.”

“Is that right?” he provoked, with trouble in his eyes “And what was that you told me on your birthday? About how when you tried to do things with girls you couldn’…”

“CARTER!” I shouted cutting him off “I swear to god! I can’t tell you nothin! What the hell is you problem lately?”

“What?” he giggled to himself “This is the first time I shared anything.”

“Nu-uh” I let out shaking my head “You tol your mom bout us, and I didn even give you shit for that cause I figured you had your reasons, but apparently you just throw shit around.”

“You didn’t give me shit for that because you just wanted to get me upstairs!” he defended, pushing me away.

“Enough! Enough!” Aaron shouted waving us off “Okay, I get it! You’re a normal couple! You have your issues and like to keep secrets! Let’s just play or watch something!”

We gladly took Aaron’s advice, and threw on the TV. Throughout the evening Carter would slowly make advances, seeing if Aaron would mind, but I had to draw the line as he leaned his head against my shoulder…I just wasn’t ready for that level of PDA…I don’t think I’ll ever be! I have to admit, after the initial wave of awkwardness passed, Aaron started taking things really well. He let us have our space, he let us have our whispers…he just let us be a couple…maybe this wasn’t such a bad thing after all!

“So you really love him?” Aaron muttered, as the thoughts kept him awake that night.

“Yup” I let out, not really putting much thought into it “Still want your own room?”

“Yup” Aaron let out just as fast as I did “I mean, I accept you both…just not in my room.”

“This is my room jus as much as yours.” I corrected “I wouldn mind if you had girls in here, but you don’t talk to none.”

“I do too” he insisted. I could tell by the volume of his voice he had turned to face me.

“Who the last girl you spoke to?” I dismissed in a laugh “You and Noah might as well jus be gay for one another, god knows you won’t find no one.”

“Shut up” Aaron bit “You don’t need to know who I do and do not speak to.”

“Especially if they ain’t real” I giggled as a pillow flew across the room and landed on my bed “I’m gonna miss sharin a room with you” I confessed in a sigh

“Me too” he let out in support “Maybe we can convince mom and dad to give you the guest room, but leave a bed in here…and every now and then…well maybe you can sleep in here.”

“How the hell we gonna convince them to do that?” I grunted, not believing it was possible.

“Dude” Aaron exhaled, as if I was stupid “You’re the baby, literally anything you ask for they’ll do.”

“That ain’t how that works…”

“It’s totally how it works!” Aaron interrupted “Just say that when you get your nightmares you want to have someone else in the room, they’ll totally buy it.”

“Hell no” I dismissed in a yelp “That’ll make me seem weak as hell!”

“Who cares?! It’s mom and dad!” he laughed, but after a few seconds I heard him turn back over “Enjoy sleeping alone…good night.”

“Fine” I mumbled “We’ll do it your way”

Sure enough the next day, after 30minutes of pleading our case, Mom and Dad finally gave in. I could sleep in whatever bed I wanted, whenever I wanted…well, so long as Aaron was okay with me in his room that night…but we all knew Aaron was the only person who would actually care about that rule.

As the week passed by I could tell Aaron was keeping a close eye on me and Carter, inspecting us for anything he could’ve missed…anything that should’ve tipped him off to our secret relationship. At first I would shoot him nasty looks, but after a while I just got used to it…if he wants to watch us every second of everyday, that’s on him. Meanwhile I seemed to blow up around school. Every time I walked from classroom to classroom someone would wave or say hi. Every now and then some of the girls would even try to flirt with me, and Nicole…well she was just as annoying as before, if not more! It seemed like everyone was starting to accept me. Their judgmental looks turned to accepting ones, I guess as long as I continued to produce for the team I was cool. It was all so shallow, but who am I to complain, it doesn’t hurt to be liked, or to have people offering you favors. Everyone but Owen Avery that is. That freakin snake would do his best to avoid me any way shape or form, and if he had to cross paths with me he kept his head down. He was scared of me…and well…I strive on that shit!

“Stand still!” Nancy reprimanded, fixing the collar on the polo shirt she was making me wear “My parents will be here any minute now, and you need to look perfect!” Aaron faked a gag, and rolled his eyes. He had given me the rundown during lunch…mom’s parents are “superficial” and stuck up, while dad’s parents are super cool , funny and kind of insane. “I saw that young man” Nancy yelped, turning her attention towards him “Is that a nice way to talk about your grandparents? Walter!” she shouted “I blame you, he sees you making fun of them, and think’s it’s okay!”

“Relax Nancy” Walter nervously laughed “Everything will be fine!”

“Easy for you to say!” she yelped, only growing more nervous “Your parent’s aren’t snobs!” Aaron frustratedly threw his hands up at the double standard “I can say that, I had to grow up with them! Now you, you have to respect them!” She turned towards her husband and shook her head “and please keep your father under control tonight!”

Aaron let out along groan as the doorbell began to ring “Alright gang” Walter sighed “Let’s get this over with.”

Before I knew it, four old people stood in the front of my house, all staring at me. “Mom, dad” Nancy began, pointing towards me “This is your grandson Cy.”

“Cy?” One of the old men let out “What kind of name is that?”

“His real name is Riley” Walter exhaled, starting to grow concerned about how this would go.

“Well why didn’t you just say that?” The old man continued, trying to get a closer look at me.

“Because he prefers his nickname.” Walter explained, trying to keep his cool.

“And where did he get it?” The old man poked, slowly beginning to walk forward “Well? Can you speak?”

I looked to Aaron, but he shrugged his shoulders not sure what I should say “I go it from my ex gang.”

The 3 other people started to mutter out of concern as the older man got closer “Gang?” he laughed “This is what gangsters look like now a days? Back in my day they were real men! They were big, and scary, and if you didn’t pay up you were sleeping with the fishes!”

“Okay dad” Walter groaned, trying to steer him away.

“No really! You ever hear of Paul Ricca?” I shrugged my shoulders, actually kind of interested to see where he was going with it “He was a force to be reckoned with! He went from prostitutes and narcotics to extorting Hollywood! I bet you weren’t doing that were you?!”

“Dad!” Walter yelped, starting to get embarrassed by the way his father was acting.

“Nah” I giggled “I used to steal stuff, ya know, sneak around and jump rooftops.”

“So you’re not a real man then!” The portly old man, shakily reached out and poked me in the chest “Anyone who has to hide in the shadows isn’t worth a dime! You want to be tough? I’ll toughen you up myself!”

“Alright, I think he gets it” Walter hurriedly walked over, starting to steer his father away.

“Nah” I called out, taking it a lot differently than Walter had thought “I want to hear more”

“See!” The man shouted in his son’s face “At least someone around here respects me!” He slowly made his way back over, except this time he reached out for the sleeve that faintly covered my tattoo and pulled it up “And what in god’s green earth is this mark?! In my day, only real man got tattoos! You think you’re worth a tattoo?” he began, as we both walked towards the living room so he could sit. To Nancy and Walter’s surprise I sat there and patiently listened to what he had to say. It was kind of interesting…I mean he was old as dirt, and shaky as hell…but god damn if he wasn’t determined to be tough as hell! “And what the hell happened to that eye of yours?”

“Okay” Nancy let out finally drawing the line “Cy dear, why don’t you tell them about basketball.”

“Oh he plays basketball?” Walter’s dad began once more “He can’t even play a real man’s sport like football or baseball?”

“Dad!” Walter exclaimed once again “You’ve said enough for now, let’s let everyone else talk. Cy is the starting shooting guard for the varsity team.”

“Yup” I nodded “we 2-0 right now…I think we got somethin special cookin.”

Nancy’s parents worriedly looked at one another hearing me speak a full sentence for the first time. “What’s wrong with him?” Walter’s dad began, fully ignoring his son’s words “Son, why do you talk like you’ve never read a book before?!”

“Mom” Walter angrily stared, looking for assistance in controlling his father.

“It’s cool” I laughed “I don know why I talk like this, I was raised on the streets, and its just how we spoke out there…I didn have anyone to correct me.”

“Frank” Walter’s mom began “Why don’t you lay off of the boy for a while, I think you’ve made your points.”

“No” I refused “ I like it, It’s better than bein all passive aggressive and shit” Nancy’s parents eyes grew wide as they heard my curse, while Walter’s father only began to laugh.

“You’ve got a real fire cracker here Walt!” his dad laughed “Why are you two so offended?!” he asked, turning towards Nancy’s parents “Like you’ve never heard a curse word before!”

“Well we certainly don’t approve of curse words from someone so young.” Nancy’s mother answered, clearly upset that I had even dared to curse in her presence.

“Oh get over yourselves” he shakily yelled at them, before turning back to me “Never turn into a prude like them! You miss out on a lot of fun like that!”

“Excuse me Frank?” Nancy’s father gasped “I don’t appreciate your tone!”

“Not surprising coming from a draft dodger like yourself!” Frank defended, with some anger in his voice.

“You was in a war?” I eagerly perked up.

“Damn straight I was! We chased those Nazi bastards right out of Europe!” Frank shouted, as his anger turned to excitement “I would’ve put a bullet right in Adolf Hitler’s jew hating brain if I had the chance!”

“So did you ever kill anyone?” I quickly poked, hungry to learn about his life. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nancy nervously turn to Walter, not sure if the connection me and my new grandfather were building was good or not.

“You bet I did!” He shouted, reflecting back on his time in the war “I was on the beaches of Normandy watching good men die, while the likes of him sat back at home in luxury!” he exclaimed, pointing towards Nancy’s father.

“Okay dear” Walter’s mom quickly stood up, maybe you need some fresh air.

“Normandy?” I repeated, not understanding what it meant “Was that the war?”

“Was that the war?” Frank repeated, looking over at his son “What kind of school do you have him going to?” Walter let out a deep sigh as they once more slowly lost control over his father “It was the first US battle in the 2^nd world war! Keep up!” He did his best to fend off his wife as she tried to get him to stand up “No! Let me talk to the boy!”

“Come on” I stood up, joining Walter’s parents “I’ll walk wit you.”

“Cy, you don’t have to do that.” Nancy nervously started “My parents would love to get to…”

“There’s time for that later!” I dismissed “I want to hear Frank’s story!”

“That’s Grandpa Frank to you!” He correctly, using his cane to prop himself up.

“Grandpa Frank’s story” I corrected, to my parent’s shock “Aaron, you comin?”

“I’ve heard his stories a million times” Aaron groaned “Go without me.”

“You borin” I teased, beginning to walk with the elderly man to the back porch.

“So there I was, in a boat destined for the beach we called Judo in Normandy, France…the whole allied army led by General Eisenhower against Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Army!” the old man began, as I helped him into a lawn chair “Mortars and bombs flying over our heads as we bravely sailed to the sand! And when the doors opened it was like I was walking through hell! Bodies we’re everywhere! I saw people I ate breakfast with that morning die before me!”

“But wasn’t you scared?” I poked, not understanding. I had never been one for history class…but for some reason, hearing his stories…seeing the passion in his eyes…it just clicked with me.

“Scared?” he laughed off “We were fighting for our families back home! There wasn’t any time to be scared!”

“But what if you died?” I quickly asked, still not able to grasp his message.

“Then I fell for my country!” he proudly exclaimed “Back in those days it was an honor to die for your country! Now a days…I don’t know how you young people see it…but we we’re honored as heroes! We were heroes! Hell the soldiers today still are!” he shouted full of excitement. My whole life I had never heard death talked about that way…I mean sure every now and again my shot caller would say pawns died for the good of the gang…but we all knew it was horseshit…in a gang death means you failed…it means you were a pussy. But to Frank…death was an honor, they fought not caring what happened to them, they fought selflessly.

“You still don’t understand, do you?” he questioned, reaching out and poking me again. I shook my head no, and once more he began to ramble on and on about honor…about what it meant to be a man “I fought in many more battles after that…” he began, telling more war stories “and I always kept a picture of Lucy in my front pocket, knowing what awaited me when I would return home! Find yourself a women like her!” he instructed, as he pointed to the elderly woman inside “A woman who will be loyal to you no matter what! As strong as I am, I could’ve never done most of the things in my life without her…always be thankful of the people around you, you understand that?” I slowly nodded my head as I thought about Carter…I don’t think my new grandpa would understand a gay relationship, but in a way he was describing exactly what I had with Carter. “Now where was I? ” he drifted off, returning back to his stories. For a good hour I sat there, listening to his stories…learning about World War 2. From the beaches of Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge, I never would’ve guessed I would find some old person’s stories so interesting…yet here I was.

“Okay Dad” Walter interrupted walking outside “Cy needs to get to know his other grandparents now.”

“No” I complained, wanting to hear more and more “They all fake and stuck up!”

“Cy” Walter reprimanded, as his father began to laugh “Dad, please don’t encourage him!”

“Go talk to the fake people” Grandpa frank waved off “I’ll be here when you get done” I unwillingly groaned and stood up, but before I got to the door he reached over and grabbed my arm “Look at these” He instructed, reaching into his shirt and pulling out two small dog tags “These are from the war!” he exclaimed “They were supposed to go to Aaron when I passed…but there are 2 of them…and now I have 2 grandsons, so it’s only fair that you each get one.”

I couldn’t help but smile at his acceptance “Thank you” I nodded, walking back into the house. I looked up at Walter and immediately looked away as I saw him start to get misty eyed.

“You two really connected?” he poked, trying to hide his emotions.

“Yeah” I nodded, still looking down “He’s not snobby, or rude, he tol me what a man is…he tol me things I never heard before…and he didn treat me like I was a kid, or like I was any differen than Aaron.” I looked out at the window at the man in the chair “Why’s he so nice?”

“He’s from humble beginnings” Walter explained, shaking off the emotions “He built himself from the ground up…he knows what it’s like to be alone on the streets…and he’d never judge anyone for it. I guess he’s a lot like you…just from a different generation.”

I nodded my head, realizing where Walter had learned to be such a warm and loving father. “Can he visit more?”

Walter thought if over and shrugged “He’s almost 90, it’s hard for him to make the trip…we can go visit him if you really…”

“Yeah” I quickly interrupted “I wanna hear more from him…I wanna be that proud one day.”

Walter smiled, once more getting emotional and softly patted me on the back “Come on, Nancy is going to kill us if you don’t spend time with her parents.”

“Sorry about him” Walters mom softly laughed as I reentered the living room “He’s starting to ramble in his old age.”

“Don be” I shook, rejoining an extremely bored Aaron on the couch “I liked it.”

Walter proudly smiled and nodded to his mother, letting her know the connection was true. Nancy’s parents were a different cut…they were dressed to high heaven in fancy clothing and expensive jewelry. They ranted on about their business, or travels, and poked and prodded me about my broken past. With every word I spoke I felt more and more judgment rain down from them. It was clear they weren’t pleased with their daughter’s choice to adopt me. Finally as Frank wandered back into the room, I knew I had the backup I needed, to really start talking about myself.

“So Cy...” Nancy’s father began, keeping the emphasis on my name “What do you want to do with your life?”

I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head “Basketball would be fun…but if that doesn’t work out, I don know.”

“Well what colleges are you looking at?” he pressured, as tension began to fill the room.

“I don know” I shrugged once more “I don even think I’m gonna go to college…it’s jus not for me.”

Nancy’s father snickered at the answer, and disappointingly looked to his daughter “What kind of answer is that? How will you go anywhere in life without college?”

“An honest one!” Frank defended, immediately coming to my aid “I didn’t go to college and I turned out just fine! I even built my own damn business!”

“That was a different time, now a days…”

“Oh bullshit!” Frank dismissed with a wave of his hand “Then, now…just work hard and do what you love in life, everything will pull together.”

“Don’t fill his head with that-that…garbage!” Nancy’s father exclaimed “He needs a real guiding hand in his life, I mean it’s clear he hasn’t had that! Just look at him!”

“What the hells that mean?” I yelped, staring at him from across the room

Nancy’s father awkwardly laughed and stared into my eyes “You have tattoos, broken English, scars…”

“Scars mean you survived whatever tried to kill you!” Frank defended, starting to get a little too excited “Not that you would know anything about that!”

“It’s okay” I waved, trying to calm him down “I can handle it.”

“You shouldn’t have to” Frank insisted “Aaron, that’s your brother, don’t just sit there! And Walter, I raised you better than to let your son be talked to like that!”

“Oh come on Frank” Nancy’s father exhaled “We’re from the same generation, I mean you’re already going to refer to him as their son, he has to earn…”

“He’s a kid! He doesn’t have to earn anything!” Frank bravely let out…even at his age he wasn’t afraid to fight for what he thought was right…to get in people’s faces…it’s no wonder we’ve connected.

“I have to agree with my father” Walter began “You’re out of bounds saying he shouldn’t be referred to as my son, and you’re out of bounds telling him what he should and shouldn’t do with his future.” Nancy began to stare him down but he shook it off “I’m sorry Nancy, but my father’s right! Why did we bother having everyone over to meet him if they’re only going to judge him? You go on and on about wanting him to feel welcome…but your parents aren’t doing that in the least!”

“Nancy…” her mother began

“What would you like me to say here mom?” Nancy exhaled, torn between her husband and parents “you and dad haven’t exactly been all that kind to him, and your judgmental stares are getting old fast.”

Nancy’s father stood up, and pulled his jacket off the chair “You know, it’s getting late, maybe we should try this again another day. It was very nice to meet you Cy” he lied, hugging my mother, before shaking my father’s hand and heading towards the door.

“It was nice meeting you.” Nancy’s mother followed, repeating the actions of her husband.

Nancy followed them out to say goodbye, while Walter turned to his father “Thanks for that Dad.”

“Don blame him” I exclaimed “Mom’s dad was bein a complete douche!”

“Cy” Walter scolded, giving me a stern look “Watch your mouth. He was being rough on you, but that’s no reason to make him feel unwelcome.”

“That’s not why we made him feel unwelcome” Lucy let out, joining in on the conversation “We made him feel unwelcome because he made young Cy here feel like he wasn’t a part of the family.”

“Your damn right!” Frank yelped, supporting his wives’ words “If anything he owes Cy an apology!”

“I didn’t expect you two to feel so passionate about this.” Walter nervously laughed.

Lucy proudly nodded her head and glanced over at me “We raised you to always stand up for the little guy, you should know we would fully accept when you did that.”

“Well” Nancy sighed walking back into the room “That was a complete and utter disaster!”

“Nah” I shook off “They needed that kick in the ass! I don know how in hell they raised you!”

“Because your mother was always smart enough to see right from wrong” Frank happily pointed out “She never judges people the way her parents do.”

“Thank you Frank” she exhaled, taking a seat “but they’re still my parents.”

“So are we!” he argued, showing the same love and acceptance his son had shown to me all those weeks ago “If those two prudes really love you, they’ll love and accept your new son no matter what.” Nancy took in a deep breath, but nodded along with the words “Boys!” Frank called out, turning towards Aaron and I “Never forget that family comes first!” he lectured with a quick nod of his head “Friends come and go, but family is there forever.”

Going into tonight I just wanted to get the day over with…but after meeting Grandpa Frank…after hearing his stories…well I’m sorry it’s almost over. He’s tough, brave and strong…he’s everything I’ve ever wanted to be…and even now he doesn’t let his age stop him. I’ve never connected with another person like I have with him…but boy am I glad to have met him..I’mma grow up to be like him…to put my family first.