by Zane Menzy
Damon narrowed his eyes, doubting Matt’s answer.
Matt gave him a triumphant grin. “You taste like the breakfast of champions.”
Damon burst out laughing. “Fucking classic!” He ruffled Matt’s hair, affectionately. “I think that is the nicest lie anyone’s ever told me.”
Matt felt his spirit blaze with hope. He absolutely knew him and Damon would be friends for life.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
Pink Drinks
Matt sat in Jason’s car looking up at the old villa with its crème walls and green tin roof. For a building nicknamed rainbow house, it sure did look fucking dull. He hadn’t been sure if he could go through with launching a surprise visit on his mother, but after yesterday’s frisky fiasco with Damon, Matt had felt a strange sense of empowerment. If he could suck a guy’s dick—twice—then he could face any awkward situation.
“Are you ready, Matty Pie?” Jason asked. He sat in the driver’s seat, his pink painted nails tapping the steering wheel.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Matt said. He opened the car door and stepped out onto the grass verge of the footpath. The late afternoon sun beat down on his pale skin. Noisy insects sang songs of spring while the streets pretty, colourful gardens puffed out floral scents.
Matt turned to see Jason standing by his shoulder. Tiny and shiny as he was, Jason carried a ferocious attitude—he was not someone you underestimate and Matt was glad to have such a warrior on his team.
Jason marched ahead, leading the way up the garden path which led to the grand old home’s wooden front porch. “Unless your mother answers, let me do the talking,” Jason said, he gave Matt a slight nod of the head.
Jason knew the people who lived here. Matt hoped the association would help break the ice. He rubbed his sweaty palms on his shorts and took a deep breath, trying to compose himself.
Jason knocked loudly on the door. Three loud bangs that Matt could tell were echoing throughout the large house. As they waited for someone to answer, Matt noticed a row of tiny rainbow flags planted in a flower box along the porch. The message, although small, told the world the residents here were loud and proud. After what felt like a gruelling long wait, footsteps came thudding speedily towards the door. When it opened, they were greeted with a skinny man in his forties wearing a loose-fitting Hawaiian shirt. His salt and pepper hair was spiked up in a style befitting a man half his age. “Hello, can I help you two boys?”
“Hi Graham,” Jason said, sweet as candy.
Graham leered his head forward, taking a double look at the two guests on his doorstep. “Jason. Is that you?”
“Port Jackson’s one and only,” Jason replied, he bust out a snazzy smile.
Graham chuckled. “Oh, darling, there are many Jason’s in this town.”
“But none quite so stunning as Jason Tuki.” Jason did a twirl, giggling like a girl.
Graham clapped his hands together. “I can’t argue with you on that note. We haven’t seen you at Pink Drinks in donkey’s years…by donkey’s years I mean months, but still it’s been a long time.”
“It’s been too long,” Jason said, sounding as fake as the blond dye in his hair. “I will have to come for the next evening you put on.”
Graham nodded. He turned his focus to Matt, an almost animalistic grin growing across his face. “And who is this handsome chap? Is this a new boyfriend?” Graham asked, winking at Jason.
Jason waved his hand in the air, dismissing the notion. “He wishes,” Jason joked.
“No I don’t,” Matt snapped back.
Jason rolled his eyes at Matt. “Okay, calm down, chickabee.” He looked back at Graham. “No, Matty here is a breeder I’m afraid.”
Graham dropped his shoulders in disappointment. “Oh, I should have known. I always want what I can’t have. Chocolate, abs and sexy straight men.” He blatantly eyeballed Matt head to toe.
Matt rubbed his heels together, uncomfortable with the flirty older man’s compliment.
“Don’t we all,” Jason added. “Anyhow, Graham. I just wondered if Lydia was home. I understand she’s staying here at the moment.”
Graham pulled a funny face. “How do you know Lydia? She’s very new to the family here.”
Jason took a breath, letting his voice pour out with smug authority. “Matty here is her son… from her old family. The one she left behind.”
Matt nearly choked on Jason’s audacity. His friend sure was ballsy.
Graham coughed, he looked at Matt again, his eyes bulging. The man suddenly appeared flustered, probably uncomfortable for his earlier flirt. “I… I don’t think her and Stephanie are really wanting to see anyone…sorry,” Graham spewed out the words in jerky bursts. He saw the disapproving frown Jason was throwing his way. “I’m not saying I agree with their plan of hiding, I just know that they are trying to lay low.”
Jason nodded. “I understand, Graham, but this is Lydia’s son. And Matty hasn’t seen his mother for months and it would be nice if he got a chance to talk with her, don’t you think?”
Matt felt his cheeks transform into a rosy glow. He gave Graham a weak smile while Jason gave the man an intimidating stare.
Graham cleared his throat. “Okay. But if Stephanie kills me then the blood is on your hands, young man.”
“Will she really be that mad?” Matt asked, concerned. He turned to Jason. “Maybe we should just go.”
Graham touched Matt’s shoulder, giving him a reassuring rub with his thumb. “I’m just being a silly old queen. She has to face the music sooner or later.”
“Exactly,” Jason agreed loudly. “Besides, even if she does cut Graham or me, we won’t bleed blood, we’ll bleed rainbows and pink unicorns.”
Graham laughed at the joke while Matt groaned to himself, not feeling any better.
“Follow me. They’re out back.” Graham held the door open for them, letting the pair inside. After quietly closing it shut, he led them through a long, darkened hallway ‘till they turned a sharp left into a funky, renovated kitchen. From here, Graham led them into an empty utility room, past a toilet and out the backdoor to the garden. They rounded the corner of the back deck and found two women sitting closely together at an outdoor table with their backs turned.
Matt recognised the broad shoulders of Stephanie and her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. The other woman with short, spiky pink hair didn’t look familiar. But when Graham called out to the two women and they swivelled around, Matt saw that the woman with pink hair was very familiar.
Jason gasped. “Holy fuckaroony!”
Matt was shocked at the transformation. “Mum?”
CHAPTER NINETEEN:
Pearls of Wisdom
Matt blinked, making sure if he was seeing right. His mother, whose jet-black hair he had inherited, looked completely different. No longer was her hair scraggly and long, falling halfway down her back. It was hot pink and cut shorter than his own.
“Matt, is that you?” his mother said, sounding shocked.
Stephanie stood up from her seat, marching straight over towards them. She didn’t look at Matt or Jason, her hostile attention was focused entirely on Graham. “I thought I told you very clearly that we didn’t want anyone to visit.”
Graham sighed. “Stephanie, you have to face the music eventually. Better now than later.”
Stephanie shook her head, anger seeping into her voice. “It’s not up to you, Graham. It is up to us when we’re ready to see people.”
“Cool your heels, big bird,” Jason snapped.
Stephanie’s jaw dropped, she turned her head to face Jason. Matt half-expected her head to keep spinning completely around and spew green vomit up over them both. “Excuse me, missy?” Stephanie said.
Jason laughed. “I prefer madam but missy suits fine.”
“You need to learn some manners, little man.” Stephanie puffed her chest out, looking like she wanted to hurl a punch.
“Maybe you should take some of your own advice, St
ephanie. The polite thing to do would be to let Matt and his mother talk alone for a bit.” Jason smirked, looking pleased with his smart-mouthed self.
“Steph, it’s okay,” Matt’s mum called out, striking a diplomatic tone. “Let me talk with Matt for a while.” She smiled at her girlfriend, willing her to calm down.
Matt looked at Jason, giving him a look, urging him to do the same.
Stephanie tilted her head, looking back at Matt’s mum. “Are you sure, Lydia?”
“I’m sure.” Matt’s mum laughed gently. “I appreciate your concern.”
Graham piped up. “How about us three ladies go inside for a beer-flavoured beverage?”
“I guess so,” Stephanie muttered.
“Sounds deliciously grand,” Jason said. “Maybe Stephanie can teach me how to chug back a whole can in one gulp.”
“I’ll chug your face if you don’t watch out, fluffy,” Stephanie snarled.
“I was only joking,” Jason insisted. As the three of them walked away Matt could hear Jason beginning his schmoozing, “No shit, but I really dig your boots, Steph.”
Matt smiled, knowing Jason would entertain the socks and boots off Stephanie like the social butterfly he was. He looked over at his mother who patted the seat beside her, encouraging him to go sit down. Matt replaced his smile with a concrete expression that gave little away. He pulled the seat out from the table, dragging it a metre away from where his mother sat. He thumped down into the chair with a heavy thud, shook his head and asked, “Why?”
His mother said nothing. She just stared at him with an appreciative look. “Gosh, you look nice, Matty. Are they new clothes?” She pointed at Damon’s yellow t-shirt that draped over his top half. “It’s so good to see you not dressed all in black for once. We both added a bit of colour to our style.” She ran a hand through her pink hair, smiling.
Matt kept his frosty glare on her, unmoving. “I said, why?”
Lydia took a deep breath, breaking away from his accusing eyes for just a second. “Matty, I didn’t choose to fall in love with Stephanie it just—”
Matt scoffed. “That’s not what I’m asking. I don’t care who you…” Matt shook his head struggling for the words, “fall in love with. What I want to know is WHY! Why did you not say where you were? Why didn’t you come see us? Why didn’t you at least give me a fucking phone call.” He felt his anger morph into sadness, his tear ducts beginning to moisten. “What the fuck is so wrong with me and dad that you didn’t have the decency to let us know you were at least alright and not dead in a ditch somewhere?”
She reached a hand out touching his knee. “There’s nothing wrong with you Matty. Nothing at all.”
Matt sniffled back a tear. “Well, I think there’s something wrong with you for not bothering to come tell me that months ago.”
His mum retrieved her hand. She leant her head back, sighing. Matt couldn’t tell if it was sadness or frustration. She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I know that probably doesn’t mean much to you right now but I am sorry, Matt.” She faced him again, her own eyes looking moist with a layer of brewing tears. “It hasn’t been easy for me either, you know.”
Matt let out a nasty laugh. “I bet. It must be so hard running away and starting a new life while having a blast at rainbow bloody house.”
She exhaled in contempt. “No, Matt. I meant everything before that. The years after Aaron died, stuck in a house where I wasn’t appreciated and made to feel like the odd one out. Running off with Stephanie wasn’t fun… it was a survival reflex. I was being suffocated in that house.”
The words chipped at Matt’s heart like a pick axe. His face gave away his hurt.
His mum tried reaching out to pat his arm, he flicked her comfort away. She gave him the saddest smile he had ever seen. “It wasn’t you Matt. And it wasn’t even your father if I’m being completely honest. It… it was the situation.”
“The situation?” Matt muttered, not sure what she meant.
“My heart just crashed after your brother died. And I know, so did yours and your fathers. We were a house of crashing hearts.” She stared at her petite hand resting on the table. “You and your father have always been close and had each other. With Aaron gone I didn’t feel like I had anyone. I felt like I wasn’t needed any more. Like I’d lost my purpose, my place in the family.”
Matt shook his head, equally annoyed and confused. “Your place? What are you on about? You make it sound like me and dad picked on you or something.”
“I’m not saying that. But, I don’t think either of you appreciated me. I always felt like an afterthought. I’m not going to get into the details about me and your father’s love life. I know you don’t want to hear that.”
Matt cringed at the words love life. He was grateful his mother knew he would not want to hear the details—or lack of—in regards to his parent’s sex life. He stared at his mother. “I appreciated you.”
His mother laughed. “Did you?”
“Yes,” Matt replied stonily.
“The way I remember things is a bit different. Nobody ever complimenting me for constantly keeping that house clean. Neither of you ever asking how my day had been when I walked in from a whole day’s work. You’d both walk away, go sit in the lounge and chat amongst yourselves. And if I did go in to join you both, the pair of you usually disappeared.” His mother let out a frustrated sigh. “If you ever had any trouble at school or had a question you needed answering, you never came and asked me, you’d always go straight to your father. You always have.”
Matt felt guilty at the truth of what his mother was spilling out. He went to remind her though why he always ran to his father instead of her, how he always felt like second best with her behind Aaron. “That’s because you—”
She cut him off with a pitiful laugh. “Because I favoured Aaron. Is that what you’re about to say?”
Matt nodded. It was weird to hear her pre-empt his counter-attack. “So you admit it?”
“No, Matty. Aaron wasn’t my favourite. I loved you both the same. It was your father who played favourites not me.”
“Bullshit,” he mumbled under his breath.
She laughed at his surly response. “It’s not bullshit. Ask your dad if you were his favourite. I know he would struggle to answer it without feeling guilty, but I think he would tell you the truth if you ask him.” She sucked in a long breath. “I always had to go out of my way to make sure Aaron didn’t notice the favouritism. Your dad always enjoyed you more. Aaron was such a handful, always up to no good ever since he could walk.” His mum laughed, her eyes glazed over with a memory. “But you were always the sensible one. Very caring and polite.”
“Boring you mean,” Matt whined.
“You’re not boring, Matthew,” she said firmly. “You know you have a sense of humour. It’s the same as your father’s. More than Aaron’s was. Probably another reason he took to you so much.”
“Whatever,” he mumbled.
“No. Not whatever. You were much easier for him to love than your brother and I’m sure Aaron noticed that.”
Matt chewed on his lip. Beginning to feel bad for his dead brother. “I just assumed…” Matt couldn’t finish his guilt-laced sentence.
“Never assume. I’m sorry if you ever felt like I didn’t care enough but you are such a strong person, Matty. Underneath your shyness is this amazing determination. I have never doubted you will do the right thing, make a success of yourself. And you will. Mark my words!” She nodded at Matt, encouraging him to believe the faith she had in him. She broke her nodding with a shake of her head. “Aaron though, he did make bad decisions. Including the one that cost him his life when he chose to ride that bloody bike drunk. That’s why he got so much of my attention. He needed it until… until he didn’t.” Her tears began to fall freely as did Matt’s.
Matt’s anger had subsided, giving into a flood of guilt and sadness. His mother’s reasons for leaving were messy and disconnected, but like her te
ars, they were real. He hovered forward off his seat, meeting his mum halfway for a sobbing hug. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
His mother squeezed him tight. “Don’t be sorry, Matt. You did nothing wrong.” She let go of him and sat back down, wiping her wet cheeks. “I just want you to know that sometimes in life, the way we see things, or how we view other people, isn’t always the truth.”
Matt nodded, blinking away his tears as he tried to absorb the meaning of his mother’s words. “Any other pearls of wisdom you want to pass on?” He finally gave his mum an overdue smile.
“Yes, there is.” She narrowed her eyes, sharpening her intent. “I am your mother and I will always love you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY:
A Date with Matt’s Mouth
Damon paced the length of his bedroom, back and forth, trying to comprehend why someone would send such a disgusting note. When he first read the words, he had felt something deeper than anger; he had felt raw hurt.
He had kept the note in his room, hidden under his bed like a dirty porn mag the past three days, unsure what to do with it. The motivation for it being sent was bad enough, but the reason for it being scrunched up in the rubbish bin was just as troubling.
It was only a complete fluke that he had found it. After Matt’s favour—favour was all Damon could call it, afraid saying blowjob or sex labelled him something he wasn’t—Damon had helped Matt make up lost time with his cleaning by taking the rubbish out for him. When Damon walked outside with the black rubbish bags in his hand, a scraggly piece of paper had drifted away from the untied bag. Damon had chased after it, intending to throw it back in the rubbish sack, but the messy handwriting he saw written on the paper made him curious to read it. He wished he hadn’t.
When he had returned inside with the foul letter stashed inside his pocket, it must have been obvious something was wrong. Matt had stared at him peculiarly; the shaggy-haired boy’s usually sleepy-looking eyes were bright with concern and he asked Damon, “Is something wrong?”