To See You - 10. Chapter 10

Andrew had trouble sleeping. It had been a very emotionally and exhausting day for him, but that night, he found himself turning, like a rat in his cage, in bed.

At two in the morning Andrew decided that he wouldn’t be able to get any sleep until he talked to someone so he could get some stuff out of his system.

While still laying in bed, he took his cellphone from the nightstand and flipped it open. He browsed through his contact list until he found the one person he wanted to talk to, needed to talk to, right now.

As he laid on his back the phone started to ring until finally he heard a voice on the other end.

“Hello?” Brendan said in a sleepy tone.

“How are ya?” Andrew shyly asked.

Brendan tried hard to wake up a little. “Andrew, what’s wrong?”

“My mum knows! My parents know!” Andrew replied.

Brendan resisted the urge to tell him to call back at a decent hour . “What? What happened?”

“She just did it. She did it tonight, right after you guys left. She confronted me and said she knew I was gay!” Andrew exclaimed.

In the last few weeks Andrew had done a lot of thinking about coming out. He had come to the conclusion that he was ready to officially out himself to his family. In fact, those thoughts were occurring on a regular basis. He knew that he didn’t have the guts to simply say it at out loud, but he always thought that he’d be happy to have his parent confront him. In his mind he had only to confirm their suspicions and that would be the end of the discussion. Afterwards, he would return to being his same old boring self. So he was surprised when he felt weird and bad about what just happened with his family. He didn’t understand his emotions.

“How do you feel about what she did?” Brendan inquired.

Andrew, was too tired to lie and answered honestly. “I don’t know, I kinda feel weird about it all.. It’s like nothing I had expected, really. At least, mum seems nice about it.”

“Well, I kinda expected that she’d be good about it. Didn’t you say that she had a gay brother?” Brendan asked.

“Ya, in fact she was also his godmother. As far as I know, she was perfectly fine about him being gay,” Andrew answered.

“Exactly,” Brendan said.

“But, having a gay brother and a gay son is not the same thing when you think about it,” Andrew explained.

“You’ll just have to take it one day at the time and I’m sure that you’ll realize that she loves you and cares about you just as much as she did before,” Brendan said.

“Ya, I guess that you’re right about that one, and that’s more or less what Jamie told me too. Anyhow, I just wanted to tell you what happened. I’m gonna let you go back to sleep. Drive safe tomorrow,” Andrew said.

“Yes mum. Now, you go back to sleep too,” Brendan replied.

“Oh and Brendan? Thank you for listening to me. And be sure to bring some rubbers, I don’t want you knocking Nancy up,” Andrew said sarcastically.

Brendan laughed. “I’m going to sleep now. Nite.”

**

Despite having woken up late that morning, it was still too early for Nicholas to call anyone. That was one of the unwritten rules growing up and he was still going abide by them. Nicholas had always been taught that it was impolite to call someone before ten in the morning or after nine in the evening. He could remember well the dirty looks his mum would give him if he was caught trying to call a friend at the wrong time when he was growing up.

Nicholas remembered perfectly the one time that his ex-best friend called him late at night and his mum picked up the phone. She told that friend in not so kind words that it was impolite to call at such an hour. She had made such an impression that he never tried to call Nicholas at home again.

Nicholas decided that he’d go and get something to eat and that when he finished, he’d be ready to make his call.

Mrs Parent was working on some reports on the kitchen table when Nicholas arrived downstairs.

“Hallo! As-tu bien dormis?” she said. (“Hello, did you sleep well?”)

Nicholas answered as he was heating a couple of croissant in the microwave “Oui, assez bien.” (“Yes, good enough.”)

“Est-ce que tu travailles aujourd’hui?” his mother inquired. (“Do you have to work today?”)

“Non, mais j’ai quand même des travaux à faire,” Nicholas replied. (“No, but I still got some work to do.”)

Nicholas just knew that his mother was obviously trying to make conversation, but he wasn’t in the mood and therefore he had no intention to start one with her at that moment. He simply read the morning paper and ate his breakfast, doing all he could to keep his answers to a minimum every time his mum tried to start a discussion. More than once, he was tempted to simply take his plate and go eat up in his room.

After he finished reading the paper, Nicholas got back to his room. In his room he took a look at himself in the mirror and realized that his dark blonde hair was getting a little too long and that he needed a haircut.

Getting out of his chair, Nicholas rummaged through his drawer and finally found what he was looking for, his address book. Finding the entry he was looking for, Nicholas started to dial the number on his cell. There was a time when he knew that particular number by heart.

He listened to the ringing on the other end and after 4 rings, someone finally picked up.

“Hello?”

For some reason, Nicholas suddenly started to shiver. The thought of hanging up right away crossed his mind.

“Hello?” the voice said a little louder this time.

Nicholas mentally kicked his own butt and forced himself to answer. “Hello Port!”

“Nick? is that really you?” Porter exclaimed.

“Ya, it’s me. How are you?” Nicholas asked.

“I’m cool dewd. But what about you? Are you back in town?” Porter said in an excited voice.

“Nah, I’m still in the middle of nowhere in Michigan,” Nicholas replied

“Ugh, that sucks,” Porter said sounding a little less excited that his friend wasn’t around.

“I know it’s been a very long time. I know that I should have called you, or at least gotten in touch with you much sooner. I’m really sorry. You were after all maybe my only friend who didn’t turn their back on me and shun me,” Nicholas started to say.

Porter was surprised by this unexpected call and really didn’t know what to make of it all. In fact, he thought that he’d never hear from Nicholas ever again after learning he had moved out of town.

“Nah, Nick, it’s alright really. I’m sure you had more than enough to worry about over there what with moving to a new town and all. There’s no need to feel bad. Let’s forget about that,” Porter simply said. “So, wassup?”

“I know it will sound more than selfish to ask you this now, the first time we have talked since in like forever, but I really need a favor and I dunno who else to ask,” Nicholas asked unsure he was doing the right thing.

Porter knew his old friend good enough to know that, if he was asking him a favor, it was because he had exhausted all the other possibilities.

“Nah, it’s not selfish, not at all. Tell me, I’ll do my best,” Porter said.

“Well, it’s about Evan,” Nicholas started.

“Yes, what about him?” Porter said, waiting for Nicholas to tell what he knew.

“Well, you know where my aunt’s shop is, right? We went there at more than once. Well could you go and visit her? She’ll remember you, that I’m sure of that,” Nicholas continued.

“Sure I can, but what would I tell her? What does she have to do with Evan?” Porter asked.

“Well, the other day, he called me and told me things really weren’t good. Apparently it’s really bad with my dad over there, they’re always fighting, and other stuff. He’s asked my dad often about moving here with us. I need you to go and talk to my aunt about it. I know she’s the only one that can talk to my dad,” Nicholas said, finally giving up what has been eating him up for a while.

Porter was really concerned now. “Of course, I will, but why don’t you call your aunt and talk about it yourself? I mean wouldn’t it be better?”

Nicholas answered immediately without thinking. “I could, but as nice she is with me, I know her, she’d simply say that I’m overreacting. She’d say that I’m just being silly. She wouldn’t believe me and dismiss anything I said.”

“Alright, but will she believe me more?” Porter asked.

“Don’t tell her that I’ve put you up to this. Just go there and tell her that you’re one of his friends and that you’re growing concerned about Evan’s well being. She will trust you. Tell her that you believe that my dad is abusing him,” Nicholas said.

Porter got caught off guard by that accusation “Is that true? Did he tell you that? Cause if that’s true, it’s not your aunt that we gotta talk to.”

“Also, can you just look out for him too?” Nicholas added ignoring Porter’s previous question.

“Ya, I will naturally. But Nick, if he’s being abused, we need to get that son-of-a-bitch, it’s not your aunt that we should talk to,” Porter answered.

“Porter, you know us, when we ask for help, it’s cause we’re at the point where there’s no other solution. I’m scared for Evan, I’m really really scared,” Nicholas said with emotion, his eyes choking back tears. “You gotta help him.”

“I will, promise,” Porter said.

**

“What are you doing tonight?” Andrew asked.

It was at the end of the afternoon, a boring one for Andrew. Just instant earlier, Jamie had come online taking Andrew out of his afternoon misery.

“Well, we’re supposed to go to the movies tonight. So, I’ll have to get going in not so long,” Jamie answered.

So much for talking with Jamie’s. Andrew realized it wouldn’t be today that they’d have time to talk more just like Jamie had promised him the previous night.

“Ah, okay, that sounds like fun,” Andrew commented, trying to hide his disappointment.

“And you? any plans just yet?” Jamie asked.

Andrew shook his head sideways. “Nah, not really, no. I’ll prolly take it easy and relax. I’ll most likely be around when you’ll be back after the movie.”

“Don’t wait for me, I’m not sure when we’ll be back home. You see, it’s kinda a family night. We might have a small party after the movies,” Jamie warned his lover.

Andrew couldn’t believe his bad luck. He really wished that things could just go a little better for him. He couldn’t really get angry at Jamie for having a good time, and enjoying a Saturday night with his family. He also knew and understood that until the time when were together or at least living closer to each other, he couldn’t expect Jamie to stay in his room talking to a computer screen. It just wasn’t Jamie’s personality.

Also, despite every kind word that Jamie had spoken to him, despite any promises that had been made, Andrew had a secret fear. He feared that Jamie would eventually find someone that he likes who lives in the same town as him. Andrew certainly knew enough about Jamie to understand that it wouldn’t happen just like that or that Jamie would look for someone on purpose. Jamie would never do anything to hurt him, at least not intentionally. But in his mind, Andrew couldn’t stop thinking that given enough time, Jamie could realize that a long distance relationship is too hard and would simply drift toward something easier.

Andrew simply had to ask him, he simply needed to see him, and explore Jamie’s cute and tight body by himself in person. Andrew wanted to run his fingers through his boyfriend’s short hair and softly caress Jamie’s baby face. He needed it, it would be a confirmation that they’d both wanted to stay together. Andrew just knew out that after having met once, Jamie would never want to go with any other guy knowing that Andrew is there somewhere waiting for him and that nothing would keep them apart.

“Jamie, I need to ask you something,” Andrew started to say.

“Ya, what is it?” Jamie simply replied.

“Well, you might know that my mid term break is coming up really fast, and Brendan and me had this idea. We want to go to Toronto for a couple of days, and hang out,” Andrew said.

“Oh, that could be a fun thing to do,” Jamie commented.

Andrew was happy that Jamie thought that way “And we would really like for you to meet us up there. The three of us could share a room, it would be fun.”

Andrew waited a little for some sign of approval or rejection coming from Jamie but it didn’t come. Jamie said nothing.

“So? What do you think of that?” Andrew asked.