by
Mark 'Ponyboy' Peters
Chapter Thirty-Four
It was almost lunch time when I arrived home, after first saying goodbye to Raffa and promising to see him Monday morning. As I climbed out of my car I could hear the sound of the lawn mower running out back, so I headed that way, to be greeted by the sight of my family, along with Uncle Bryan.
Olly was the one pushing the mower, which was a first, while Bryan was offering him advice, with a beer in hand. Mum and dad were sitting at our picnic table in the shade of the house with drinks in front of them, so I went and joined them.
I could have been annoyed, as the lawn was one of my chores and the main reason I had come home when I did, but I didn't really care. It was about time that Olly started earning his keep, as he didn't have many chores or responsibilities, being ten years old.
'Did you have a good night, honey?' mum asked as I sat down opposite her.
'Yeah, it was, thanks. Raffa and I beat our friends Hoppy and Nathan at ten-pin bowling. A lot of fun, and after everything that has been happening these past few weeks it was great to be able to just forget all that and enjoy ourselves.'
'I'm so glad, honey. And I see you picked up a new shirt along the way,' mum added.
'Oh, it's one of Raffa's.'
'Wow, you guys must be getting serious if you're sharing clothes now,' my father remarked.
'Don't tease him, Richard,' mum scolded him.
I had no idea what to say to that, but I think I managed some kind of smile.
'So, what's with Olly and the lawn? Have I lost my job?'
We all looked down the yard to see my kid brother pushing our old mower along, smoke pouring out of it as usual.
'We thought that seeing as you are earning your own money now, and it looks like you also have other things to, ummm . . . occupy you, your mother and I figured it was finally time we gave Olly some responsibility and the opportunity to earn his pocket money raise. He is old enough to handle it. Hope you don't mind?'
'No, that's cool. For a while there I thought I would be stuck doing it forever,' I answered, with a chuckle.
'So, just about you and Raffa and your staying over at his place,' mum ventured to ask. 'Can I ask, how his parents feel about that?'
'Well, they're fine with it. I don't know if I've mentioned it previously, but he doesn't actually live with them. He has a flat . . . originally they converted the garage for his older brother and after he moved out then Raffa moved in, so he's basically independent,' I replied. 'Why? How do you feel about me staying over with him sometimes?'
A look passed between them, which I couldn't read. They had obviously discussed this already, however.
'Son, we're both fine with it, honestly,' dad offered. 'It's important to us that you know you can be yourself, wherever you are, and if that means exploring your boundaries with your relationship with Raffa, then we don't want to hold you back or for you to feel like we are judging you. We like Raffa and we honestly think it's wonderful that you've found someone like him.'
'And,' my mother added, 'should there be a time when you want Raffa to stay over here, then we would have no objections to that.'
'Provided of course, the two of you can behave yourselves and show some restraint and respect, especially around young Oliver,' my father interjected.
'Totally understood,' I replied, as I got to my feet and moved around to their side of the table then hugged them both. 'Thank you.'
Seeing how quickly my family had accepted Raffa as more than just my friend was extremely gratifying, and it was great to know that there would be no awkwardness between us all as the relationship between Raffa and me continued to develop.
I also felt that Olly would be more than happy about the potential of having another big brother around whom he could annoy. He would need to quickly learn, however, that there were some boundaries that he just would not be able to push with Raffa, such as anything to do with sex stuff, as he liked to put it. Raffa and I had already discussed this and that was to remain strictly my domain when it came to answering questions arising from his growing curiosity.
When the lawn mowing was finished Bryan joined us, while Olly put the mower back in the garden shed, before then coming over to us as well.
'You trying to steal all my chores, twerp?' I teased him, as I ruffled his sweaty hair.
'You've got another job, so now it's my turn to make some cash. And besides, you haven't got time to do the jobs around here now you've got a boyfriend! You're never here!'
I had to laugh at that, as he did have a point. And looking around the table at the grins on the faces of the others it was evident they agreed.
'Alright then, Olly, how about you go have a shower while I get some lunch ready for us all. Uncle Bryan has to get back to the city this afternoon,' mum suggested.
'After I have a drink first,' he replied, before getting to his feet and sauntering to the back door of the house, while pulling off his wet and grubby t-shirt as he went.
Just before he disappeared inside I called out to him, 'Hey, twerp, me and Uncle Bryan want drinks too.'
'You know where to find them then!' he replied, before we all heard the back door slam shut.
After a moment of stunned silence it was dad he spoke first. 'That kid's got your number, Gray. You're all wrapped up around his little finger!'
'And don't I know it,' I replied, before getting to my feet. 'You want a beer or something?' I asked Bryan.
'Whatever's handy and wet will be good, just not a beer thanks. I need to drive this afternoon and one’s enough.'
With a nod I headed inside, leaving the three of them still sitting outside.
Olly was just leaving the kitchen as I entered it, having quickly downed a glass of something and then placing the empty glass in the sink. As he came past me he quickly wrapped his arms around me and pressed his sweaty body against mine.
'Love you, bro,' he said, then in an instant he was gone.
'Love you too,' I replied.
Looking out through the kitchen window as I retrieved two cans of soft drink from the refrigerator, I could see my family talking away as if there had never been any issue between any of them. I was proud of my father for finally coming to his senses and seeing that how he had treated Bryan for so long just wasn't right, but I was also proud of Bryan for the fact that he didn't hold it against dad for all these years of what could only be described as unwarranted rejection. The fact that they were now sitting in the back yard and talking civilly was testament to just how far my family had come in these past few weeks.
As I pulled the tab from the top of my can of soft drink and took a mouthful, a thought soon flashed through my mind. Despite everything bad that had happened in recent weeks, something good had come of it. I was now in a relationship that not so long ago I would never have believed possible, while at the same time my father, and therefore my family, we were all moving on from years of pain. How's that for progress?
Just before I headed back outside I filled a small bowl with some crisps, then moments later I met mum at the back door.
'I'm about to make some sandwiches,' she said, once she noticed what I was carrying.
'Just hungry,' I replied.
'Must be all that exercise you're doing lately,' she smirked, before continuing on inside.
'What do you m...' I started to say, but then it clicked. 'Please don't tell me you were referring to what I think you were referring to!' I said.
'Okay, I won't tell you that,' mum replied.
Geez, what is it with all the smart mouths in this house lately? Can't a guy come out of his shell and have some fun these days without getting hassled by everyone?
With a shake of my head I went outside and handed Bryan his drink, while I placed the bowl of crisps on the table and sat down beside my father.
'Here's cheers,' Bryan said, after opening the can and then offering it up for us to 'clink' with ours. 'It's been a hell of a few weeks around here.'
'Ain't that the truth,' I replied.
'But things are turning out okay,' he added. 'And I'm proud of all of you for the way you're handling everything.'
'Well, it hasn't been easy, but I think we're getting there,' dad replied.
'You're doing more than that, Richard. I've seen so many families almost disintegrate when a family member comes out, but the fact that you are not only coming to terms with that, but also your own past, is monumental. You should be proud.'
'Oh, I'm proud of one thing, and that's my son,' my father replied, before placing an arm around my shoulders and hugging me to his side. 'I'm just sorry about what it's taken for me to realise that.'
I didn't know how to respond to that, other than to embrace him.
* * * * *
We enjoyed lunch in the back yard, with mum's sandwiches being followed by a cake that she and Olly had made earlier. There was plenty of laughter, some gentle ribbing and a little probing, especially directed at Bryan when I had let slip – accidentally of course – about his meeting someone.
I figured that the look he gave me, along with the mouthed threat that I would be paying for that later, were worth it though.
It was mid-afternoon when he was ready to push off and start his trip back to the city, with the promise of another visit soon, of course. He did also invite me and Raffa to visit at some point, and I had every intention of taking him up on that. I couldn't wait to let my boyfriend know.
While the rest of my family had said goodbye in the backyard, I followed him out to his car. I thanked him again for everything that he had done for me in these past few weeks.
'Having someone to turn to has been a godsend, and I know that I will never be able to pay you back for your support,' I said to him.
'Don't sweat it, Grayson. That's what family is for, and you know now that your entire family is right behind you. You're going to be fine, kiddo. Trust me on that.'
'Yeah, I know that now.'
'Just look after yourself, and look after that boyfriend of yours. He's a special one . . . but I think you already know that too.'
'Yeah, he is, isn't he.'
With that he then embraced me, hugging me tight and kissing my cheek, before eventually letting me go and turning towards his car.
'Have a good trip,' I said.
'Thanks,' he replied, then climbed in and started it up, before backing out of the driveway.
As he set off down the street he gave a blast of the horn and stuck his arm out the window for a wave. Then he was gone.
The rest of the afternoon was a relatively quiet one, the majority of which I spent in my room trying to sleep. Maybe my mother was right; all the exercise was having an effect on me? Was it making me both hungry and tired? Who could know?
Even through the house was quiet and I had drawn the curtain across the window to block out some light, sleep wasn't easy to come by. Thoughts of Raffa and what we had done these past few nights kept swirling around inside my mind, with the result being that I soon found myself hard and crying out for relief.
So what's a guy to do in this situation? Yeah, you guessed it. And it was wonderful.
* * * * *
With the following morning being Monday, another work day, I had arranged with Raffa to meet him in the car park as we did most mornings. I was excited at the thought of seeing him again. A little less than twenty-four hours apart can be a long time when you are in love; with every waking thought and every fibre of your being wired with just that one person in mind.
As I turned into the street where the entrance to our car park was I noticed that Raffa was also turning into it from the opposite direction. It looked like we had timed our arrival to perfection. As we drew closer to the entrance he flashed his lights at me, so I did the same, then he put on his indicator and turned off the street and into the car park, with me right behind him.
As he often did, Raffa gunned it as he headed for the ramp that led to the top level, but in an instant I knew that there was something wrong today. Some of the cars that would normally be parked where we would park were now stopped on this lower level, and when I glanced ahead to the ramp something else seemed different.
There was a flash of something up ahead, like sunlight shining off a shiny surface. What was that across the top of the ramp blocking access? Was it a rope or a chain, with a sign hanging off it?
Christ! The bastards had blocked off that entire parking level! I immediately thought about the hoons that had been using the car park for burnouts.
Raffa was accelerating towards the barricade.
'FUCK!' I screamed inside my head! Would he see it in time?
Time seemed to slow down. I watched as the heads of some of our workmates who had just climbed out of their cars turned and followed Raffa's progress. Someone tried to wave him down, but he mustn't have seen them, as he powered on.
Then he hit the bottom of the ramp at speed. Was it too late?
Jamming my foot on the brakes and skewing my car slightly sideways in doing so I was out of my car in seconds, already expecting I would soon have to run up the ramp and cradle the broken body of my boyfriend.
To be continued . . .
Authors Note:
Hi there. It has been a while since I have posted anything new on Nifty. I guess life gets in the way sometimes.
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