To See You - 8. Chapter 8

It wasn’t until Friday morning that Jamie saw Nicholas again due to their conflicting work schedules. Jamie hadn’t had any contact with Nicholas since he had had dinner a couple of days earlier at Nicholas’ house. He was looking forward to talking to Jamie again.

Most of the morning, Jamie was busy cleaning the tables, washing the cups and putting them back in their places. It seemed like the tables were constantly full with someone new taking the place of one who had just barely left, making it a busy friday, although it was just about usual for the time of day.

Jamie was so occupied that he didn’t realize that Nicholas had barely took part in the conversation with their coworkers.

Finally, after the morning rush had faded away Jamie got back behind the counter and said to Nicholas “Nick go on break, I’ll cover you, it’s quiet now.”

“Thanks,” Nicholas said in a whisper before going to the back of the store.

“Jamie, how did Nick seem to you?” one of their coworkers asked.

Puzzled, Jamie responded. “What do you mean?”

“Well, he told us yesterday how you hung out at his place the other day,” the coworker said.

Another one added. “What she means is that, aside from talking to the customers, he has kept to himself even more than usual. We thought that you might know if something was up.”

“I’m not sure, I don’t think so,” Jamie answered.

Jamie was taken aback. He hadn’t seen anything different about Nicholas. In his defense it wasn’t like he had much of a chance to see if there was something wrong with the shop being so busy but Jamie certainly intended to get to the bottom of of things.

Jamie went to the lounge a little later looking for Nicholas. He really wanted to talk to Nicholas. As Jamie walked in, he noticed immediately that Nicholas had reddish, watery eyes. Nicholas had obviously done some crying. Nicholas tried to wipe his eyes dry when he saw Jamie coming in, but it was pointless.

Jamie immediately became concerned about his friend, so he closed the door behind him and locked it. He pulled a chair and sat close to his friend.

“Nick, what’s wrong,” Jamie asked.

“Nothing really. I’m alright,” Nicholas stubbornly answered.

“Yeah right, everyone cries for nothing, ‘specially when they’re alright,” Jamie ironically said.

“Dammit Jamie, I said I was alright,” Nicholas said, his voice rising as he started to get on his feet. “My break is over, I gotta get back.”

Jamie stopped him. “Nope, you’re not going back, you’re gonna tell me what’s wrong. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m the acting boss today, they can’t say anything if you don’t come back right now. I’ve got time, beside if there’s a problem they know where to find me.”

“Jamie,” Nicholas pleaded.

Jamie didn’t listen to Nicholas’ plea “No! Nick, I want to know. Please. I’m your friend, right? I want to know.”

Nicholas paused and looked directly into Jamie’s eyes trying to size him up, wondering how much he should tell Jamie.

“It’s Evan, he called me the other day,” Jamie started to say.

Jamie interrupted. “Oh no, is there something wrong with him?”

“No, he’s fine. You want me to tell you, or what?” Nicholas irritably said.

“Sorry, go on, I won’t interrupt you again,”Jamie apologized.

Nicholas continued. “You know, when I told you that I don’t talk to him often, it wasn’t totally true. In fact, that was the first time I heard from him since I got here. I miss him too much.”

Seeing that Nicholas had stopped talking, Jamie asked, “Why was it the first time that he called if the both of you were close?”

Jamie almost regretted that he asked that question when he saw the great sadness in Nicholas eyes as tears started to form again in his eyes.

“It’s cause of my dad, he won’t let me talk to Evan,” Nicholas answered.

“That’s stupid, why would he do that?”Jamie inquired.

“You’re my friend, right, you can keep a secret?” Nick said to Jamie in a near whisper.

Jamie nodded his approval and waited, intrigued to know what was going on.

“My dad doesn’t want me to talk to Evan cause I’m gay,” Nicholas said in one quick breath, hoping the words would come out easier if he said them fast. “He thinks that if I don’t hang around him anymore, I won’t turn him gay too. So now you can leave me and never talk to me anymore. I’m used to that from my friends.”

Jamie was surprised, he would never have pegged Nicholas as gay. Above all, he couldn’t understand why a father could turn against one of his own sons, especially in this day and age and coming from a place where people supposed to be tolerant toward others.

“He said that?!?” Jamie exclaimed.

Nicholas shrugged. “Well he might not have said that word for word, but that’s basically what he thinks.”

“So, he sent you as far away as possible,” Jamie stated matter-of-factly.

Nicholas responded, “Well, like I said the other day, Dad didn’t want of me near Evan..And mum, she opposed dad of course, so when I left the house she came with me. At about the same time, she got the transfer here, so I guess it worked alright. Mum did try to make Evan come with us but dad didn’t want to let him go.”

Jamie felt really bad for Nicholas and couldn’t exactly fathom what would have happened to him if one day, just like that, his dad would decided that he didn’t want him around.

Jamie couldn’t find the right words to express the way he felt. “I don’t want to offend you, but your dad is a jerk, and that’s being polite.”

Nicholas didn’t feel hurt by Jamie’s words whatsoever. He himself already had way worse thoughts about his dad over the past few weeks. Hearing it from someone else was something completely different though. Of course, that kind of language about his dad was, more or less, part of the daily routine for his mother. Getting that speech from Jamie made Nicholas feel really good. Actually, Nicholas was almost sure Jamie would tell him that his dad had been right, with all the luck he had been having lately.

“It’s quite alright, believe me I’ve already said much worse about him,” Nicholas said.

For a moment, Jamie’s curiosity rose, he wanted to know what Nicholas and his brother talked about the other day on the phone. But he decided against asking Nicholas, thinking that it would probably be inappropriate for him to ask about it. It was after all something private between the two of them.

Nicholas sat there for a moment and studied Jamie, trying to find out what Jamie was thinking about him now. Yes, they had had a nice time when Jamie came over to his place and it seemed like they had started a good friendship. Despite that, based on his recent experiences, Nicholas knew that there are things that can shatter even the strongest friendships. If that could happen between the oldest of friends, it could certainly occur with someone you just barely gotten to know.

Nicholas had to ask, he just needed to know “You didn’t tell me. You don’t mind that I’m gay?”

Jamie gave a reassuring smile and answered “Of course not, Nick, I don’t mind, ‘cause I am too. Even if I wasn’t, it wouldn’t change anything between us.”

Both of them fell silent. Jamie was almost certain that he saw for a moment his friend’s eyes sparkle as he said that it didn’t change anything as far as he’s concerned.

“We should get back to work,” Nicholas said as he broke the silence that had grown between them.

Jamie didn’t argue and let Nicholas compose himself and regain a certain dignity and then they both went back to work.

**

Later that day, after supper, Brendan and Andrew were hanging out in Andrew’s room playing computer games as they passed the time.

“So, what time will you guys leave tomorrow for Ottawa?” Andrew asked.

Brendan frowned and gave his best puppy dog face to his friend. “We thought about leaving around ten or eleven tomorrow morning,” Brendan said, “so when we arrive there, Nancy will have time to go to the mall!”

Andrew chuckled. “What for? I mean surely there’s better stores here in Montreal than in Ottawa.”

Brendan agreed. “Ya, I know, but Nancy still wants to go shopping!”

“I won’t be there to save you like last time, you know,” Andrew joked.

“Save me?!? Heck, you enjoyed it just as much as her last time, so much for solidarity between guys,” Brendan exclaimed.

“Bitch!!” Andrew laughed.

“Then after the mall, we gonna eat at the restaurant just before the game. After the game we’ll get back to the hotel and finish the evening nicely,” Brendan said with a little smirk.

“You seem to forget that after the game Nancy will prolly either be too tired or she’ll have an headache,” Andrew said with a smile.

“You know, I’ll hate you and I’ll hold you responsible if that is the case,” Brendan said.

Andrew laughed. “Hey don’t shoot me, I’m just being realist here!”

“Ya right, hush it and play, it’s your turn,” Brendan said.

Brendan looked at Andrew for a moment, realized something and said, “Andrew, can you promise me something?”

Andrew turned his head to face Brendan and responded,“What is it?”

“Promise me that you won’t spend all weekend locked up in your room on the computer,” Brendan asked.

“Brendan!” Andrew pleaded.

Brendan spoke seriously. “I’m not kidding here. Andrew, you should go out, and do something. Go to the movies, anything as long as you don’t spend all day and night in front of the computer waiting.”

“Fine, I won’t,” Andrew said.

Brendan knew his friend well enough to know that Andrew will most likely stay home and do nothing all weekend. In a way, Brendan felt bad that he’d be leaving his friend behind all alone. He was sorry that, aside from him, Andrew had virtually no friends.

Suddenly, an idea came to Brendan, “Andrew, wanna go somewhere for the mid-term break?”

Andrew looked puzzled for a second. “Whatcha mean?”

Brendan explained “Well, I just thought that we could perhaps go away for a few days to Toronto.”

“I dunno,” Andrew said.

Brendan tried to sell his idea to his friend. “C’mon, it would be lots of fun. We’d spend a few days together, hang out, and did I mention that we’d have some fun?”

“Alright, why not? But, why Toronto?” Andrew asked.

Brendan, having a little trouble containing his excitement, said, “Well check this out, I thought that you could invite Jamie to meet us there. It’s not that far from him.”

Now, Brendan had sold the idea to Andrew. For a moment he could see himself going there, sightseeing with Jamie. He could also picture in his head different reasons he could make up to get to see his boyfriend’s body with and without his clothes on.

Seeing that Andrew still hadn’t answered, Brendan asked again. “So? Whatdaya think?”

“Umm, yah huh!” Andrew exclaimed.

“Let me get this straight, when it was only with me it was ‘I dunno’ but when I suggest that Jamie could meet us there it’s all ‘yeah let’s go.’ You know, I could get offended by that kind of attitude,” Brendan said teasing Andrew.

“Exactly!” Andrew teased back.

“Good to know,” Brendan said. “We’ll ask our parents after I get back from Ottawa and then we’ll work out the logistics.”

“Perfect, I’ll ask Jamie the next time I talk to him,” Andrew said.

They went back to playing their game. They played until they heard a soft knock on the closed door.

“Wait!” Andrew shouted as the door handle started to turn slowly. “Brendan get dressed! Quick! Don’t worry, I’ll finish you off next time,” Andrew said in a hushed voice while still making sure that he’d be heard behind the door.

Unexpectedly, Brendan was blushing enormously as Nancy came in the room and closed the door behind her.

“Oh, hi, Nancy!” Andrew casually said.

Brendan shoved his friend hard on his side.

“I see that you guys have some unresolved issues here, I can come back a little later if you want,” Nancy said.

Andrew was the first to respond “Perfect, ‘cause I kinda could use that twenty bucks Brendan offered me.”

That comment earned him another nudge from Brendan.

“How did you know that it was me and not your mum?” Nancy asked.

“I didn’t” Andrew answered in a matter-of fact voice.

“Good thing that it wasn’t her then,” Brendan commented. “That woulda been a giveaway don’t you think? ‘Specially because must she already have her suspicions.”

“She woulda know that I was only joking around,” Andrew said. “Although, I gotta ask. What make you say that?” Andrew asked.

“What he wants to say is that parents usually know their kid, plus, umm, you kinda give her big hints.” Nancy answered.

Puzzled, Andrew asked, “I know, I don’t really care if they find out, but what hints did I give?”

Brendan chuckled “You might want to look at your taste in music.”

“C’mon, Brendan, that’s stupid, you listen to the same music, it doesn’t make you any gayer than me.” Andrew commented.

Nancy was there for the save “Well, it’s not just the music, it’s combined with other little details, like the fact you never talk about girls or go on dates. You spend a lot of time talking on the phone with boys, you’re chatting only with guys. Each means nothing on its own, but taken together it makes it enough that, if someone knows you well enough, they’ll figure it out.

Nancy interrupted Brendan before he could get a word. “Anyhow, we have to get going.”

Brendan couldn’t resist anymore. “Oh and there was that other time when you were singing To Mika at the top of your lungs. Your dad even asked me when you were going to tryout for Canadian Idol,” Brendan said quickly before Nancy yanked his arm and led him downstairs out of Andrew’s room.

“Okay I get it!” Andrew said with a smile giving Brendan a playful shove as Andrew followed them downstairs to the front door.

Before getting out Brendan repeated himself. “Andrew, remember, don’t spend all of the weekend in your room in front of the computer, alright?”

“Blah, blah blah, yeah, yeah, yeah,” Andrew said grinning as he was closing the door behind them.

Andrew was about to go back upstairs to his room when he heard his mum yell out, “Andrew, viens ici, je veux te parler.”