We went to a movie and he and Gene finally decided on a comedy; neither Chris nor I cared what we saw. Chris said as long as she got a soda and some M&M’s she’d watch anything. I just wanted to sit next to Jesus. This happened. When the lights dimmed we left the girls in the middle row and ran up to the back row. Neither of us saw much of the movie. Frankly, whenever I popped up and looked down toward the screen, the girls didn’t look like they were watching much of it either. When we could actually see them, that is.
Here’s a tip; the movies are the best place to make out, except maybe for the back seat of a car. Not Jay’s car though. That thing has springs sticking out of the seats. Oh my God. Kissing Jay wiped my mind clean of everything. The whole past disappeared as his lips found mine, caressing them, while his hands slid down my shoulders to my arms, my hands, and beyond. There were two old guys sitting near us who applauded quietly after a while. I won’t say what for but I think they knew Jay. He fluttered one set of the eyelashes at them. I found the other one later stuck to the hair near my—navel. I died when I finally saw them watching us, but I knew, I just knew, that had they been fifty years younger, they would have been doing the exact same thing. That was something I hadn’t known that I needed to know. It made me see that I had a future as myself. I know that probably doesn’t make much sense, but there they were, ancient, together, and happy. No matter what else happened, a gay boy could have that. Not that I wanted to get old, but I didn’t particularly want to die young either. Not when this kind of thing could happen at any time.
As the movie credits rolled, we pulled ourselves together. We went out to the lobby and met the girls. They looked a little bit the worse for wear, let’s say. Plus they were holding hands and it was obvious they didn’t care who saw. And believe me, people saw. As we came blinking out into the light, the two geezers applauded loudly and called out, ‘Bravo!’ Three of us blushed, but Jay bowed grandly. Maybe he learned how in Hamlet. Everyone was staring at us. Finally we laughed too and ran outside to catcalls and whistles. Luckily there are three other movie theaters nearby because I never want to go back to this one.
We piled into Jay’s car laughing hysterically and headed for the Soda Shoppe, a leftover from the fifties, where our dads or grandfathers had likely gone. Finding a quiet booth, we piled in. I’d never been here before but surprisingly, even Chris had and both the others who didn’t even live here. It was new to me except the music; I loved the music and kept feeding money into the jukebox.
Things might have been okay except for me starting a food fight that spread from our booth to others. In all, six sets of us were kicked out. They made us pay too, of course, but we fixed them; none of us left a tip! Ha ha! I don’t know what came over me. I’d never done anything like that before in my life. Maybe I should have. Maybe I will again. It could happen. I want to be able to say haughtily, like Cornelius might, “I’ve been kicked out of better places than this.” It felt good to have a goal.
Just the same, I wasn’t sure I wanted to ever go back there again either, even if they’d let me in.
As we climbed into the car, me in the front with Jay of course, the girls in the back, Jay said, “My mom said you should all come over to my house. She doesn’t know you don’t want to go home though, so it’s probably just to eat some more.”
Chris let out a belch that startled all of us. Gene laughed, Jay looked shocked, and I slid down into my seat, laughing. My hand that I put on the seat beside me was grabbed by Jay. He squeezed it and winked at me. That made me think of the condoms back in my bedroom. Dad would either be drunk or asleep by now, I thought wickedly. “Listen, Jay, I need to run by the house a minute. If you drive down the street behind ours, I can run across the back yards and climb in my window and get—something.”
“Jay, would you take Chris and me to my house first?” Gene asked. “Then when you guys are done, you come over too, all right? Obviously nobody’s home there. And I want to change, too, before we go over to Jay’s house. For some reason, I have ice cream melting into my bra.”
Jay finally noticed he had one eyelash missing. He fussed with trying to get the other one off. “I must have looked like a freak,” he muttered. “I wonder where it went? These aren’t cheap you know.” Then he turned and looked at Gene. “You just want to get those things out of that bra, dear, and show them off to your girlfriend because they’re pretty.”
Chris giggled and Gene went to slap at Jay, calling him names. “La la, can’t hear you!” he sang, starting the car with a roar.
We dropped the girls off and waited like gentlemen to make sure they got in. Lights went on in the living room, hallway, and bedroom. Then the bedroom one went out again. We laughed and then sat there looking into each other’s eyes, drifting away into the la-la of romance. I sighed first. He started the car and we drove off toward my house.
He giggled when he saw the deserted stretch of road that ran behind our more populated one. He pulled over under some trees and turned off the engine. We turned to each other at the same time.
Getting technical here, but nothing involving the ‘exchange of bodily fluids’ had taken place yet. Apparently there’s all kinds of things two people can enjoy that don’t involve that. However, certain parts of me wanted to investigate that one, last experience. But safely. All the schools around had done posters and contests and sex education classes (with a signed permission note which everybody forged for everybody else as necessary.) We were hip; we did not want to be careless. At least I didn’t. I wasn’t too sure about Jay which made it all the more important for me to be careful. So after a long kiss that left me breathing hard and trying to regain my senses, I pulled back away from him and said I’d be back as quickly as possible. I added that I thought he might like what I had to get. He just pouted. I left him to it.
There were lights on all over my house and music floated out the kitchen window. Shadows moved beyond shades, bodies were visible moving around where the shades and drapes had been left open. My inner child kicked in and made the stalk across the field and yard into a hunting game, or a spy game, both actually. I reached the safety of the tree outside my window and my feet found the little boards I had nailed into it years ago. There were still a few larger boards up near my window, where I’d made a small treehouse at one time. My window was open and I was able to climb inside without being seen.
Once inside my room I stood stock still in the dark, listening carefully for any sound of an approaching voice. I realized I could smell dope. For God’s sake, is that why he wanted us out of the way, because he smoked dope? Who the hell did he think he was? I wondered where he was, actually, which part of the house, because someone was having noisy sex in his bedroom and other people were downstairs and in the kitchen. I slipped across my room as quietly as I could, opened my closet and slid inside, kneeling down and reaching for the old shoes in which I had stashed my loot. As I groped around I realized I heard footsteps approaching. I knew from the familiar creak that the person was right outside my bedroom door. I just had time to pull the closet door almost shut behind me, and slid farther back behind my old coat and dirty gym clothes. My hand was just touching my old shoes where I’d put them earlier. I froze where I was, my heart pounding so loud I thought surely the person could hear it.
My door opened, and someone came in. They went toward my desk. A moment later there was a horrific smashing sound and I could hear things falling to the floor. Someone said, “If that fucker had anything on his computer, it’s gone now. It’ll look like it went up in the fire.” I swear my heart stopped beating as I recognized my Dad’s voice. Looking out the crack of the door, I could just make out his legs; he was standing at my desk, turning around. I slammed my eyes shut as if that would make me more invisible.
His cellphone chirped and he said, “Hello? Mike, yeah, it’s me. Yeah it’s a go, as soon as everyone leaves. I’ll leave the drugs here in Nick’s room with an empty whiskey bottle. I’ll have the rest of the house ready, an
d I’ll leave the lit cigarette on his bed—near some tissues, ha ha, I like that touch. Whether they’ll remain intact or not, it should lead any investigation right back to him. I see he’s not in his own bed. Did I tell you I caught him with Chris? He’s probably asleep in there with her and that Gene girl both. That’s fine with me, the door won’t open if they smell the smoke and it’s a hard drop from her window to the ground, not like in Nick’s room with that stupid tree right there. And your idea about Cornelius? What a putz! Yeah he’s drunk and medicated and in my bed with that girlfriend of his. What a slut. No loss to the world when they leave it.
I told you about the note? Yeah, we can’t have that crawl space opened up the way it is. They found the cat, too, man, I never did like cats. I can’t even remember this one’s name. Jesus, if they knew about their mother they’d forget about the stupid cat! Well, okay, I’ll see you later, a 3:00 A.M. flight out, right? Later, Mike. Oh wait, what? Yeah, the money’s all been transferred. No worries, mate!” He chuckled, and I sat in the closet inhaling the scent of my own dirty gym shoes, and in comparison to my father, they smelled pure and clean.
When Dad finally left, I had to work just to get my heart and breathing slowed down enough that I could move. I jammed everything I could reach into my gym bag, and crept back across the room. I only thought I’d been scared before. Now I was terrified. I slid back out the window, made my shaky way down the tree and then just ran across the yard like the devils of hell were after me. I made it to the safety and sanity of Jay’s car, ripped open the door and even though part of me wanted to just slip it closed as silently as possible, I slammed that sucker so hard if my foot had been in the way it would have been cut off. Jay took one look at me and started the car, maneuvering us away with the lights off, as quietly and yet speedily as he could.
I was okay for, oh who am I kidding…I was a basket case, a mess. I was whimpering and hyperventilating. When we were far enough away to be safe, Jay stopped the car, pulled over and reached out to me. He didn’t say a word, just pulled my still shaking body close to him, where I snuggled in as if I could hide in there, and be lost in his warmth and protection.
After a couple of moments I stammered out. “God, dude, I gotta tell this, I have to tell someone, what I overheard. What my Dad said! Oh my God, Jay, Jesus!”
He continued to just hold me but his heart was speeding up. I could hear it louder than my own; I was pressed up so tightly against him.
We were maybe half a dozen miles from my house by then. I had just sat up and was still trying to slow down my heart and breathing when there was a glow in the sky behind us. We saw it in the rear view mirror. Seconds later, Dad’s car went flying past us. We didn’t even have time to duck, but it didn’t matter. He was going too fast to have seen us.
I didn’t know what to do—I still had to tell someone, even though it might be too late. As it turned out, it didn’t matter anyhow, because Jay’s car wouldn’t start. We couldn’t go to the police, nor back to the house. We were basically in the middle of nowhere with a long walk in any direction. So, somewhat in shock and denial, I showed him what I’d brought out of the house with me, and he enfolded me in his arms, kissing me and then, just when things really started heating up—I mean, this was only my third or something kiss but whoa baby, it was sure even better than the first one. And believe me, I was more than willing to forget not only safety and sanity, but the craziness I had just overheard and witnessed as well.
But right then the fire engines started screaming by, and the mood was totally ruined by a sudden slam back into reality. Those few minutes though, well, we could follow up on that later. I hoped.
In the end a police car pulled up behind us. By then we were sitting on the hood wishing we had cellphones. I did, but I’d left it back in the house on the charger. But at least I’d saved the condoms, right? The officers took our ID’s and when they read my name and address, suddenly I found myself in handcuffs and on the way to the police station. Jay got the same treatment because after all, he was with me. And a minority, plus when he said his name was Jesus, the officer got his panties all up in a twist and an angry look on his face, at least until he read Jay’s driver’s license.
Jay’s mom and dad and two grandparents and an uncle showed up at the station. We were in separate rooms and since I was stupid (no phone, get the condoms), I was spilling my guts. I was innocent after all, but that didn’t enter into anything. I wished so hard I’d been able to tell someone before Dad’s plans had been, pardon the phrase, executed. After a while they brought me a soda, and an officer came in and talked to the ones talking to me. I was told that yes they’d found bodies in the upstairs bedroom. No they hadn’t gotten down into the basement or crawlspace yet. I suggested they should. When in the course of all this they asked me where my mother was, I knew, instantly, that she was there behind the wall behind that couch, scant feet away from where I’d hidden and felt her presence. Weird, huh? Oh and no, I had no idea where my sister was but I knew she wasn’t in the house, unless she’d gotten really stupid and learned to fly, and found her way back home like I had. Jay’s uncle said he’d go find the girls. I don’t know why he knew where Gene lived, but he did. Oh, later I found out he was a mailman. That explained that. Sort of. When much later I found out he was a mailman who was sleeping with Gene’s mother, that explained even more.
An hour later we were all at Jay’s house, sitting around a table spread with food. Some of us—Jay for instance—ate like they were starving. I could barely get down a few cookies. Okay more than a few, they were really good. Chris and Gene were fine, still not really knowing what had happened. We talked our heads off, well I did and Jay pitched in what he knew, and the mailman uncle had a friend on the force and he knew even more than we did. Finally we all ran out of steam and separated to get some sleep. I ended up sharing Jay’s bed, only we were both too tired and upset to enjoy any potential it offered. The girls were in with Jay’s sister Janetta. We hadn’t been told anything actually official, but I hadn’t been arrested either, so there was that at least. Jay’s mom gave me a slug of medicinal tequila, and I dropped off to sleep like I was falling off a cliff. I think she meant for me to do that; she also confiscated the condoms which was kind of a gamble if you think about it.
I think I also slept well because I knew I was surrounded by love, and was completely safe.
Chapter 4
Morning. I woke up with an elbow in my face and something equally hard but more interesting pressed up against my side. It took me a minute to remember where I was. While I was doing this Jay rolled over and threw a leg over me. Uh oh. I was already way over to the side of his narrow bed anyhow. At home I had—had had—a queen sized bed which I never shared. Not since the cat disappeared. Ugh, why in heck did I have to remember that, or any of it? I had to stifle a sob. I refused to cry. Maybe later it would hit me but right now I was able to keep all that at bay, don’t ask me why. Jay let out a big snort and trumpeted a fart. I then had to stifle a laugh. Shoving his leg off me, I managed to fall right off the bed and landed with a thud on the floor.
Jay was still sound asleep but I suspected that wouldn’t last long. I made my way to the bathroom, shared it with some grumpy brother who was in the shower, and left, embarrassed. I’d never lived with a large family before.
Bacon? Did I smell bacon? I’d slept in my clothes and so went down to the kitchen, which was full of women. Someone pointed a wooden spoon at me and I slunk into a chair at the table, which was groaning under a Thanksgiving dinner sized breakfast. Arms and hands of all sizes reached for and passed food. The older people ate quietly, other than shushing the younger people. After a while my people—Chris, Gene and even Jay, appeared, and we ate together, not talking, except for Jay of course, who knew everybody and made introductions that nobody would remember or even care about. Did the boy never shut up? I didn’t care. It’s not like I was ever going to be married to him. Now at least I was learning what an extended fa
mily was, and some of what it meant. I loved it. I was as lost and confused as a baby duck in the middle of a highway, but I loved it.
After breakfast we were all shooed out of the kitchen and Jay and Gene and about six smaller kids were playing various string games like cat’s cradle on the floor when there was a knock on the door. I was so stuffed I felt like I was a grandfather and needed to fall asleep with one hand in my waistband. Chris was helping in the kitchen. Several detectives came in when Mrs. G opened it. She gathered up the little kids, scooted Chris in to sit beside me, and closed the kitchen door behind her as she left. Jay got up and sat down quietly on the other side of me.
So it was mostly just us kids plus one of Jay’s grandfathers and his uncle in there, the latter two looking like mafia overlords protecting us from the vicious FBI or something. That thought got me worrying; was I still considered a suspect? Because after all, as it turned out, I knew where the bodies were buried. I shivered and revisited the bacon for a moment. I had a headache too but didn’t relate that to the tequila, just stress.
“I’m Detective Decker. I found this necklace in the ashes. Does it look familiar?” he was holding out a string of pearls, studying me hard.
“It’s just like the one I found in the thrift store, Chris,” I said incredulously. “Remember, I got it because it reminded me so much of Mom’s missing pearls, and I gave it to you, and you gave it to that other little girl and she was so happy about it?”
Chris gulped. “I hadn’t realized the connection, Nick. I’m really sorry if I hurt your feelings giving it away. I’m just not a girly kind of girl, you know?” She had tears in her eyes and I knew we had something important to talk about very soon.
“That was my daughter you gave that to,” said Decker. “She still insists on wearing it to church every week. That was very nice of you to follow through with it afterwards. Sitting with her.” So Detective Decker was human after all; that was lucky.
Family Jewels Page 4