Kyle and Kodi - 7. Chapter 7

“Hello Mr Thompkins,” Kodi said, as the front door opened.

“Hi boys. I take it you two know about why we’ve all been assembled here?”

“We do sir,” I said nervously.

Mr Thompkins invited us in, and we followed him through to the kitchen.

“Hi boys,” Mrs Thompkins said.

“Hi Mrs Thompkins, Mr and Mrs Rabbins.” I also nodded at our friends in greeting.

“I won’t drag this out. There is something that Kyle and I need to tell you. Before, I do tell you, I wanted to let you know that Jon, Jenny and Mika already know, and they’ve kept this from you. Not because they wanted to keep it from you, but because we asked them to keep it from you.” Kodi paused as he took a deep breath; allowing his heart rate to return to normal whilst also preparing himself for a lynching. “Kyle and I are gay.”

The looks on the faces on the adults around the room was one of shock. I think that whatever they may have been expecting to hear today, Kodi and I being gay certainly wasn’t top of the list; I doubt it was even on the list.

Mr Thompkins was the first to speak. “How long have you boys known you were gay?” he asked, looking at Kodi and me.

“We’ve known for a couple of years.” I said, “We came out to Mika, Jon and Jenny last year. Don’t blame them for keeping this from you. Kodi and I were scared about how you would react; we were all afraid that you wouldn’t allow us to be friends anymore.”

“Why would you boys think I would have problem with you being gay?” Mr Thompkins asked.

The question threw me completely. I wasn’t sure whether to be honest or not. But I figured that in the current situation, we had to be honest.

“Well, Mr Thompkins, with all due respect sir, you have practically disowned your own sister for marrying a Jew and for converting to Judaism.”

I saw a tear form in his eye as he answered me. “Oh, boys. I was a much stupider man back then; I allowed my parents’ stupid bigotries to fill my heart, it wasn’t until later on that I realised how stupid I had been. After I finally sorted myself out, and got my head out of my behind I went looking for my sister. About 5 years ago, I finally found out where she had moved to. After a couple of months, I plucked up the courage to visit her and ask her forgiveness. When I got to the house, I found out I was too late. My sister had died three weeks before from cancer. She died thinking I hated her; she died never knowing her baby brother was no longer the bigoted hateful man she remembered. Even on her deathbed, she refused to allow anyone to try and contact me. She said that as far as she was concerned she had no brother; that I had died on that day 15 years ago. I never knew until then, how much I had really hurt my sister. She left me a letter that was to be opened only after her death. The first time I read it, I wept. It was filled with such hate and anger; there was not one word of compassion, love or forgiveness in it. She didn’t even sign it; she simply ended it with a line from Moby Dick ‘for hate’s sake, I spit my last breath at thee’. I’ve kept it as a reminder of what bigotry can do. So you boys have nothing but my love, and my blessing, and I wish you nothing but a lifetime of happiness.” At that point he broke down completely. Mika rushed over to her dad, and hugged him as though she had never hugged him before; her own tears falling, smearing the thin layer of mascara she always wears.

Her dad looked into her eyes and asked through his own tears, “Mika sweetheart, do you really think so little of me, that you felt you had to keep this a secret? You’ve never kept anything from me and mum before.”

“Dad that was precisely the reason why I’ve kept nothing from you guys. If you both thought I told you everything, you’d have no reason to think I was hiding anything. I’m so so sorry I misjudged you.”

“So are we Mr Thompkins.” I said; Kodi nodded his agreement.

“Well, I agree with my husband. I wish you both nothing but happiness.” said Mrs Thompkins.

“I’m now almost afraid to ask, but why did you two feel you had to hide this from your father and me?” Mrs Rabbins asked her kids.

“Well mum, again with all due respect, you’re not exactly quiet about your feelings regarding the black and Indian kids in our school, and you’re not exactly choosy over your choice of language either.” Jenny said, with a certain level of trepidation.

“Honey, I was simply raised in a different time. I may not use the new-fangled politically correct language and I think that’s given you the incorrect idea that I’m a racist or something. May be on some small level I am, but I was raised to believe that birds of a feather should stick together. It’s been difficult for me accepting the changes in society over the past forty years or so, but I’d like to think that like most people I’m getting there.”

“Mrs Rabbins, how do you feel about Kodi and I being gay? You say birds of a feather and all that; but we are still the same kids you knew this morning, the same kids you’ve babysat for years. Does that mean we should only be with other gay kids? Do you not want us hanging around with Jon and Jenny anymore? I suppose what I want to know more than anything. . . what I need to know is. . . are Kodi and I still welcome in your house?”

She walked over to me, and for the first time in years she hugged me and with a tear in her eye said, “Always.” I was so overcome with emotion at that point, that I hugged her back. I hugged her so tightly to me I thought I might crack a rib.

Mr Rabbins said, “That goes for me too. You boys are welcome over anytime you like.”

“That’s good to know, because there’s something else we need to tell you as well,” Kodi said.

“Kodi and I are together,” I said, as I released Mrs Rabbins.

“Well I can only speak for myself, but it sounds like we have something to toast.” Mr Thompkins said, walking into the kitchen. He returned with nine glasses and a bottle of champagne.

He got a look from his wife, “They’re a bit young to be drinking don’t you think?”

“Come on Margot, one little sip of champagne isn’t going to hurt.”

He popped the cork and filled the glasses. He raised his own glass and said, “I would like to propose a toast. To Kyle and Kodi. May they know as much happiness as they want, may they spend a lifetime together and may they love each more with each passing day.”

“To Kyle and Kodi,” the room echoed.

“Cariad,” we said smiling to each other. We interlaced our arms as we’d seen couples do in films and I took a sip of the champagne; my first taste of champagne, and to be honest I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. I gave Kodi a quick kiss on the lips and told him I’d love him forever. We had a few looks from the parents but nothing was said – I suppose our first kiss in front of them would have to be a bit of a shock.

Mrs Rabbins was the first to speak after we had all finished our glasses. “I understand why you kept this from us, and we’re not angry with you. Actually, I’m pleased that you kids are more enlightened than we were at your age. Though, I would ask that you keep us in the loop of any developments you feel we should know.”

“Mrs Rabbins I assure you, you’ll be the first to hear when Kodi gets pregnant,” I said. The whole room started laughing.

As we were leaving, Mr Thompkins said, “Boys, if you ever need someone to talk to about anything, I know your parents and your friends will be there for you, but I wanted to let you know that my door will always be open for you.”

“Thanks Mr Thompkins,” I said. He then did something he has never done before, he hugged me.

“Thank you for telling me about you two. I would hate for you two to have the same impression about me as my sister did. I’ll never forgive myself for the way I treated her, but I promise you boys that I’ll never treat you like that and for as long as I live I promise you that no one will ever get away with treating you like that.”

“Mr Thompkins, I really appreciate that, but as someone once said ‘no one is the worst thing they have ever done’. I’m sure wherever your sister is; she knows you’ve changed for the better, and that you’re sorry for what happened. I’d like to think, that when we die, our last act is to forgive everyone who has done anything to us, just as God forgives us for everything we have done.”

“Thanks for the sentiment Kodi. It feels like I’m getting a second chance at this with you two; a chance to do the right thing, a chance to make Mika proud to have me as her dad. You know something Kodi? I really don’t know how or why you’ve gotten a reputation as being some kind of an idiot at school, you are far smarter than anyone gives you credit for. You’re certainly smarter than I’ve given you credit for.” Mr Thompkins then hugged Kodi as well, and closed the door.

I was glad that was over with; it couldn’t have gone any better as far as I was concerned; we had managed not to alienate our friends’ parents or turn it into a slanging match.

We got back to my house, just as mum and dad were getting back from shopping. Kodi whispered a plan to me and I agreed to play along.

When mum walked in she saw me crying.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

I just shook my head and whimpered.

“We just told Mika and the twins’ parents about us,” said Kodi, coming back into the room, his eyes red raw, “It didn’t go too well,” he finished. Kodi sidled in next to me as he sat at the kitchen counter and wrapped his arms around me.

“What happened?” dad asked with concern in his voice.

“Well, we told them about us being gay and being boyfriends. Matthew Thompkins went nuts when he found out Mika had known for over a year and hadn’t outed our queer arses to her parents. Peter Rabbins started yelling at Jon, demanding to know if Kodi or I had tried to force him to do queer stuff. Sally Rabbins started crying, and pulled out a Bible and started praying for us, and quoting passages from the Bible at us,” I let a large wail, as Kodi continued, “and Margot Thompkins practically threw us out of her house, saying she wouldn’t have her children associating with our sort.”

“That’s it! Clare grab your coat. I’m going to give that bunch of narrow minded bigots a piece of mind.” dad fumed.

“GOTCHA!!” Kodi and I yelled, smiling.

“You lousy, no good, offspring. Just wait til I get my hands on you. You’re not too old to go across my knee sonny,” my dad yelled, and started chasing me around the kitchen laughing his head off.

“I’m sorry dad. Actually it couldn’t have gone any better. They were all really supportive, and we also got a surprise or two, we even got a hug off Mr Thompkins!”

“He opened a bottle of champagne and toasted us,” Kodi added.

“Well at least it went well. Don’t you boys feel relieved now that you’ve finally told them?”

“A lot more so than I thought I would,” Kodi admitted. “I didn’t realise just how stressful it was keeping it from them, and it’s not as though we’re particularly close to them. We knew them through you guys and our friends, but still . . . .”

“It’s amazing how much one little thing can niggle at you, especially if you’re keeping it a secret. You now have some idea of what your friends have been going through this past year on your behalves.”

“I’ve got to be going; I need to help mum with the shopping. What time you coming over Kyle?”

“See you at seven.”

“Anything in particular you want?”

“You. Naked. Covered in whipped cream and chocolate sauce.”

“I meant for dinner?” Kodi said, rolling his eyes.

“Spoilsport. Whatever your mum picks up is fine.”

As Kodi left, I shouted after him, “And I wasn’t joking about the whipped cream and chocolate sauce,” and closed the door.

Mum looked at me and said, “Whipped cream and chocolate sauce . . . those were the days.”

I ran up to my room to try and escape the mental image that my brain was slowly putting together – that is one sight I can well live without.

Tonight will be Kodi and mine’s first official sleepover as boyfriends. I wonder if his parents will come up with a load of ridiculous rules?

Discuss story