Date: Fri, 21 May 2021 15:57:00 +0100 From: Andrew Passey Subject: Queerantine Part Three (Young Friends) "You're not coming?" Ben asked his dad in surprise and some disappointment. He'd expected his Dad to come along to meet his Mum and Archie but his dad clearly had other ideas. "No, they're here to see you not me. Now behave yourself and be nice. I know it's going to be hard but do your best. Here's some cash in case your Mum doesn't offer to pay," Ben's Dad said, handing over some notes to Ben. Ben assumed his Mum would pay but then again he wouldn't know. It's not like they'd ever been out together before. His Mum had chosen to meet Ben in central London at an Italian chain restaurant. Fairly boring choice Ben thought but then again he assumed his Mum didn't know what sort of food he liked to eat. Italian was very much neutral territory. Who didn't like a bit of pizza or pasta after all? Ben got off the tube at Oxford Circus and walked through the throngs of people spending their Saturday afternoons shopping in the myriad of shops in the area. Ben felt nervous as he made his way towards the restaurant. He might have told himself he didn't care about it all but he clearly did. The pain of abandonment and the stress of cutting his Mum out of his life rose again. He just wanted this lunch to be over. He entered the restaurant and saw his Mum and brother already sitting down at a table by the window. "I'm with them," he told the waiter pointing at the table. He slowly walked above and watched the two of them stand up to greet him. "Oh Ben, you've grown so much! And so handsome! You look like just like your father!" His Mum said gushing as she pulled him into a hug that Ben didn't reciprocate with . "I certainly have grown since you walked out on me when I was only one years old. I guess I should expect you to walk out of here again now if I look like my Dad. After all neither of us was enough to keep you here," Ben said bitterly. He felt pleased to see that the words had hurt his Mum. Fuck her he thought. She'd hurt him over and over again. However Ben had remembered what his Dad had said and he decided to at least be nice to Archie. "You've grown as well Archie," he said ruffling his hair. Archie was shorter than his brother with shaggy brown hair with some blond streaks in it. Ben thought he looked like a surfer boy from an Australian soap opera. While Ben might have been getting on toward six foot, Archie was more like a few inches over 5 foot. "Well as you decided to cut me out of your life as well as cutting Mum I guess it's been a long time since you saw me. And please don't ruffle my hair like that. I'm not a small child," Archie said to Ben. It wasn't only Ben who had residual hurt leftover. Archie had been resentful towards Ben for the past few years. Why had he ignored him all those years? Archie hadn't done anything wrong. He'd loved and idolised his brother and then the door had been slammed firmly in his face. He wanted Ben to know that the way he had been treating their Mum hurt him too. "Well this is going to be fun!" their Mum said as they all sat down. She then looked at Ben seriously. "I am sorry Ben. I can only apologise again about leaving you all those years ago. I was a different person then. It's no excuse and I feel terrible. I also should have come to see you before now. It's all very complicated but suffice to say I want to be back in your life. More importantly I want you back in Archie's. You cutting us off really hurt him. I want you boys to have a good relationship together. " Ben shrugged, "Words are cheap. Actions leave a wound even more years later. I don't want you back in my life." "That is your decision but please don't cut Archie out." His Mum said placing her hand on Ben's which lay on the table. He withdrew it hastily and saw the look of hurt on his Mum's face. He was going to remain strong. He looked over at his brother who was staring at him with smouldering anger in his eyes "I don't care Mum," Archie said. "If he doesn't want you in his life then that's his loss. We're fine without him." "Archie, I hurt him terribly. I know that and I've been a terrible mother to him. Please promise me that you'll give him a chance if he gives you one," she said to him. "Fucking hell Mum, I'm sitting right here," Ben said annoyed that his Mum was now acting as if he wasn't. "Look it's not Archie's fault you fucked my life up. I messed up cutting him off. I'll try and be better at that. We'll exchange numbers so we can message each other, I can't promise anything more than that. Now I'm hungry and I've come all this way so we might as well eat food." Ben said, wanting to move things along. He wasn't going to give his Mum a chance but Archie did probably deserve one. He just wanted to eat and get the hell out of there, "That's all I can ask or hope for," his Mum said smiling sadly at him. They all got engrossed in the menus before ordering food. Ben's Mum made small talk but the whole atmosphere was a bit uncomfortable. Once they'd eaten mains Ben though he'd be free to go but Archie wanted dessert so he decided to have some too. It was hard for Ben seeing his Mum. It brought back so many memories and he wished he could let the bad ones go. He felt so resentful towards her past behaviour he wasn't sure he'd ever get past that. As for Archie, well Ben thought he seemed different to before. There was something about him that Ben didn't think he used to have. Mind you it was hard to tell from the video calls a few years back. After all this was the only time they'd ever been in the same room together. Initially Ben thought it was an air of self entitled arrogance about him. Then as he spent longer he thought it was just something Ben wished he had. Pure unadulterated self confidence. Although Ben wondered if that was just him thinking that because he was Australian and he was a bit louder than Ben was used to. Their Mum went to the toilet leaving the boys alone together. "I meant what I said about being sorry Archie. Let's keep in touch from now on," Ben said offering a peace offering. "Yeah cool. So you got a girlfriend?" Archie asked. "Nah you?" Ben replied. "Nope. Some half decent options at school but I'm biding my time." Ben smiled at his brother, "Lucky you! I go to an all boys school so none of that there." "All boys school? Sucks there are no girls there but I bet you like checking all the boys' cocks out in the shower don't you?" Archie asked with a smirk and wink. Ben blushed bright red, how did Archie know? And why did he blush over such a simple question. "Er...no..." he stammered You don't sound sure! Maybe you could make one of them your boyfriend!" Archie said with a giggle. "I'm not....it's not my.." Ben started to say still stammering before Archie laughed loudly. "I'm just fucking with you Ben although you didn't deny it that strongly! Anyway all boys check each other out, it's natural. I can see Mum coming back so that's probably enough cock talk for now!" Archie said. They both giggled at that. Archie had a sense of humour that Ben liked and he did feel bad about cutting him out of his life. He'd try and not cut him off again. His Dad was right, Archie was blameless in this situation and it would probably be nice for both of them to keep in touch. His Mum sat back down and ordered a coffee which Ben knew meant the meal was almost over. He quizzed his Mum about why she was here other than to see him and then got bored in the answer about some climate change campaign. It didn't all quite add up that she'd fly all that distance to campaign about it but he didn't want to prolong the meal anymore than he needed to. He knew it hurt his Mum that he said he didn't want a relationship with her. If he was being honest with himself he was glad it hurt her. He wanted it to. He wanted her to feel the raw pain of betrayal and hurt that he had felt over the years. She was right though. Archie didn't need to pay for her crimes and Ben was really glad he'd met his brother face to face. "Thank you so much for coming, Ben. It means a lot. I know you said you don't want to see me again but I want to tell you that I definitely do want to see you. So just think about it. I know I hurt you but I want to make amends. I love you Ben and it hurts me how much I hurt you. You're so tall now and growing into a man. But you're still my son and I'm still your Mum. I'll always love you and that will never change," Ben's mum hugged him goodbye. This time he hugged her back without much affection but he wanted to show willing. He then hugged Archie to both of their surprise. They'd exchanged phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. Ben watched them disappear off back towards their hotel. He knew they were off to Europe for a week or so and would then be coming back to the UK at the end before their flight home. He would definitely keep in touch with Archie and he was fairly sure his Mum would try and see him before they left. He didn't want to though and he doubted he would see her again for a long time. However a storm was fast approaching and unbeknownst to him Ben was about to be swept up in it all.