Date: Sun, 23 May 2021 15:15:10 +0100 From: Andrew Passey Subject: Queerantine Part Four (Young Friends) Ben looked at his parents nervously. He didn't like that they were sitting together. It felt serious. Just having them together in the same house was unprecedented. The first he'd known of it was when his Dad called him downstairs to say they needed to chat. To his surprise and horror his Mum was there. What was going on? He'd been exchanging messages with Archie over the past few days since he met him and Archie hadn't said anything about their mum coming to see him. "What's she doing here? I told her I didn't want to see her again. And where's Archie? He didn't tell me he was coming over?" "He's not. He's at the hotel. To answer your question I'm here at the invitation of your father. We need to talk to you," His Mum said to Ben looking very serious. Ben's Dad cleared his throat. The usual bad sign. "Ben, this is going to be hard for you to hear and hard for me to say. You know it's been crazy at work with this new coronavirus thing. Well I'm afraid I know quite a bit more than is currently out in the public domain. Things are getting worse and it's quite likely I'm going to be moving into emergency accommodation at the hospital. My specialism means I will be heavily in demand. It's clear from what we know the virus spreads easily and I can't risk either giving it to you or catching it from you. You can't move into the hospital accommodation with me either as the rooms are too small." "Can't I stay with one of my friends? If it's only for a few days? Matt's family would have me I'm sure." Ben said thinking that would actually be good fun. "That was what I hoped for originally. But we had a meeting today and it looks like things are only going to get worse. We don't know how long this will last. I know the politicians originally said it was a short term problem but I've spoken to friends working in the field and they are very worried. They're already trying to sequence the genome and work on vaccines. This shows how serious it is. It could be like this for a few months. So you're going to go and live with your Mother for a while. Just until things improve. It might be a couple of weeks, it might be a couple of months or slightly longer. But don't worry, as soon as I'm able I'll get you back here. " "I don't want to go with her. I don't want go to fucking Australia. You're my Dad. I NEED you. I'm more important than your work!" "I know Ben and of course you are the most important thing to me. Of course you are. Never forget that. Right, let me try and rephrase all this. You've seen the pictures from Italy? Of bodies piling up in hospitals. Say I didn't go to work for the next few months and we just stayed here together. You'd have me and that would be great. But hundreds maybe thousands of patients might die if I'm not there to help. Respiratory treatment is my expertise. What If I ignored the call for work to look after you and people die I could have saved. I'd have that on my conscience. You might have it as well." "I understand all that Dad. But seriously NO ONE expects you to abandon me to save lives. Let ME rephrase what you've said. The guilt you would feel if someone died because you weren't there and you felt you could have saved them seemingly outweighs the guilt you would feel abandoning your son and sending him halfway across the world. I might never see you again if you catch it and die!" Ben's Mum has been quiet up to now but she smiled supportively at Ben as she squeezed his Dad's hand. "Ultimately Ben as adults we have responsibilities to the wider world that we have to meet. I know it's hard but when you're older you'll understand. Hopefully this will just be a nice three week holiday for you but with the uncertainty it might be longer. Your father would feel more comfortable if you were with family and of course so would I," His Mum said to Ben. If she'd hoped this would placate Ben she couldn't be more wrong. "Family eh? Didn't you give up the right to use that word when you walked out 14 years ago and moved to the other side of the world. This is the first time I've seen you since. So cut the bullshit about giving a shit about me or that I'm suddenly part of your "family"" Ben said angrily. "Ben..." his father said in a disapproving tone but Ben ignored him. "So this is all very convenient isn't it. I said I didn't want to see you again and yet here we are. You've got what you wanted. This time when you walk out of my Dad's life you're kidnapping me leaving him alone. I guess a fifteen year old boy is easier to handle than a one year old," Ben said bitterly, still angry about the situation. "Ben, I want you to go. It's for the best. It won't be for long. Your Mum has booked you a ticket back with them. It's only for a few weeks and you'll be back here before you know it. Ultimately she is your Mum and she has the right to spend time with you. Anyway it'll be a good opportunity to visit a new country and get to know Archie better. Sorry say Ben it's non negotiable I'm afraid," His Dad said firmly. Ben protested until he was blue in the face. It did no good. The decision had clearly been made. When his Mum left the house he still continued arguing his case. To no avail though. Despite all the very persuasive arguments he thought he came up with each one was firmly rejected by his Dad. Ultimately his Dad was very clear that there was no choice in the matter for Ben. He was going to Australia for a few weeks whether he liked it or not. None of it made any sense to Ben though. It wasn't like he was going to stay with his Mum halfway up the next street. It was literally halfway around the world. When it was day here it was night there and vice versa. If he'd forgotten something he needed it wasn't like he could just pop round his house and get it. His Mum had at least booked him a return flight so he had an end date in mind. Just over three weeks over there before he'd be out and back home. That also didn't make that much sense. Would the whole coronavirus shitstorm really have passed in such a short period of time?. Eventually he very very grudgingly went along with it. That week he spent as much time with his Dad as he could which proved difficult with the shifts he was working. He voiced the fears he had and to his relief his Dad understood. His Dad listened and then gave a reassuring reply to Ben: "You're right Ben. This might go on for many months. I will not allow you to be away from me for that long. This is like a short holiday for me to get my head around work and for you to be with family. It's not a medium or long term solution. Ultimately you will be back here living with me before you know it. If it's still tricky with me being at the hospital then we'll sort something out with your friends. Your Mum is desperate to spend time with you and this is a good opportunity. I love you and I'll always be here for you. It'll do you good to spread your wings anyway. Go and have some new experiences! If it all backfires it doesn't matter as you'll be back home before you know it!" Ben was pleased he was being listened to but it didn't stop him complaining to his friends when his Dad wasn't there. He moaned bitterly to Matt as they walked home from the bus stop every day. "It sounds shit but it's only for a few weeks isn't it? You'll miss school anyway!" Matt tried to put a positive spin on things but Ben was having none of it. "I'd actually rather live at school than with my mum! It'll be a fucking nightmare. And they have big spiders down there and I fucking hate spiders!" Ben said with a shiver. "Me too! Just remember if you feel something hairy crawling into your bed it's not some girl's pussy but a poisonous dick eating spider!" Matt replied making a spider like shape with his hand "You're gross. I will be keeping my dick safe in about ten pairs of pants. No spider is nibbling on my balls. God this is going to be a complete load of shit," Ben said feeling overwhelmed by everything. To his surprise Matt put his arm around his shoulder pulling him in close to him. "You'll get through it Ben. I know you will. I've got your back and you send me a message and chat to me whoever you like. I'll be here to support you. I wish you weren't going and I'll definitely miss you. But stay strong! Anyway you might meet some fit Aussie girl or something. Stranger things have happened!" He said with a smile at Ben. It meant a lot to Ben that Matt was there for him. He knew the next few days before they left would be tough and the journey would be long. Ben dreaded what was coming but hoped it wouldn't be as bad as he feared.