Book Read Free

Dad is not gay

Page 18

by N. Schwalbe


  »No,« the saleswoman laughed, »but you could stick your finger into it instead.«

  Tom smiled miserably.

  That was worse than one of Zoe’s Tupperware parties where he was forced to admire one can to the next, and where he was always convinced of its quality at the end of the party so that he bought more cans than his guests. Now, seven pairs of eyes – three of them very hostile – looked at him so that he finally probed his finger into the toy. He noticed with surprise that the inside indeed felt soft. Embarrassed, he passed it on to Sandra.

  »I’ve got no-one to give it to,« she said shrugging.

  »And what’s up with your cute officer?« Biggi asked.

  Sandra shrugged again. »He is supposed to have his fling together with me before he’ll acquire a taste with it.«

  »Probably, I should buy one for my husband, then, at least, he wouldn’t be unfaithful with other women,« Pamela said looking at Tom meaningfully.

  Immediately, Tom had to think of Luca.

  Heat was incessantly crawling up his neck.

  Super!

  They knew it!

  He left the living room on some pretext and went upstairs. The kids were not there – he supposed that Zoe had brought them to his parents to celebrate her dildo-party. Disappointed, Tom went to bed and fell asleep.

  Suddenly, someone shook his shoulder. »Tom! Tom, wake up!«

  Drowsy, Tom squinted against the harsh light.

  Where the hell was he?

  »Lights out!« He turned and continued sleeping but the person was persistent and roughly pulled at his arm. »I don’t want to stand up, darling! Let me sleep!«

  »Tom, stand up!«

  Tom wiped his eyes, then, he straightened up. »What’s the time?«

  »Midnight.«

  »Are you crazy? Why don’t you let me sleep? I’m over a twenty-three hours flight.«

  »Poor you! Next time I might feel sorry for you. But now, you’ll explain this to me!« Zoe held the opened magazine under his nose.

  The picture showed Luca tightly hugging a man. Tom was awake all of a sudden.

  Had Luca an affair with another man?

  He tore it away from Zoe and stared at the photo.

  ›Is Luca Steffen queer?‹ the headline asked in big letters.

  Tom’s eyes flew over the page. At the end of the page, there was another photo and this time, he recognized Luca’s escort: It was him! Obviously, Franz did not get hold of all gossip rags, since he had not seen these photos as yet. »That’s why you’re waking me up?« Tom complained.

  »Yes, that’s why I’m waking you up. You can look for another bedchamber. Probably, Luca has one free bedside?«

  »That’s for sure but, unfortunately, he is in Australia.« Tom rubbed over his face.

  The photos did not say anything about a secret affair. But Zoe was better rested than he. She took out a second and third magazine behind her back where Tom and Luca hugged each other, kissing passionately.

  »›There’s no doubt – Luca Steffen is queer! Who is that handsome man at his side?‹« Tom carelessly threw the gossip sheet on the bed and took the next one. »›Tom W., sword fighting coach, is Luca Steffen’s lover, one eye-witness reported to the Point of View…‹« Tom snorted as he read the third magazine. »›Luca Steffen and Tom W. are lovers. But Luca’s love is married – with a woman! Can their gentle joy of love survive?‹ That’s bullshit!«

  »I don’t think so at all.« Zoe folded her arms. »What do you have to say for yourself?«

  Tom sighed. »Am I on trial?«

  »No, but in the presence of your wife in case you haven’t forgotten this by now.«

  »I haven’t.« Tired, Tom rubbed his eyes. »I know very well who you are and how much I love you!«

  Bang.

  Zoe has boxed his ears. »Have you gone mad?«

  Shocked, Tom held his cheek. »Why do you hit me?«

  Zoe gazed at him. »I catch you in flagrante delicto with a man…with a man,« her voice grew shriller with every word, »And I see how you were pushing your tongue into his throat.«

  »Would you have preferred they had shot me giving Luca a blowjob?«

  Bang.

  Zoe had cuffed him again.

  Angry, Tom jumped up. »Now stop that, Madame! That’s physical injury!«

  »Weep!« Zoe’s face was contorted with rage.

  Tom shook his head. »I’m sorry, Zoe! Honestly. It just happened. I couldn’t do anything against it.« Tom jumped onto the bed and screamed into the pillow. »Do you think I’m proud of having fallen in love with a man?«

  »Falling in love? Falling in love?«

  Tom looked up.

  He could not remember if he had ever seen her that hurt before. »I didn’t want to hurt you, Zoe! You’re my wife. I love you, you and the kids.«

  »You could have thought about that earlier.« The sex toy, in which he had stuck his finger only four hours before, was thrown at his head. »You can use this thing while you’re waiting for your lover to return!«

  »Zoe…«

  »There won’t be a Zoe for you anymore! Just go to your cocksucker!«

  Tom leaned his head against the wall. »Now let’s try and stick to the facts.«

  »Oh, am I not objective? How is it that I’m not objective? Let me think about it…« Zoe played the thoughtful one. »My lord and master has fallen in love with a man. He is shown in one of the most widely read high-society-magazines and has probably fucked himself through Luca’s whole asshole.«

  »Thank you for this summary, missus!« Upset, Tom took his bedcover and was about to leave the sleeping room.

  »Wait!«

  Annoyed, Tom stopped.

  He was zonked and had absolutely no desire to endure Zoe’s tirades and insults.

  Why did women always choose the most inopportune moments to confront men?

  »Have you two fucked each other into your asses?«

  Tom opened his mouth. »No comment.«

  Zoe clutched at his arm. »Did you?«

  Tom’s eyes became narrow slits. »You don’t want to know seriously what I did with Luca, do you?«

  »Yes, I do!« Zoe said stubbornly.

  Even as he answered, he knew that he would regret it, but Zoe had provoked him so much with her dreadful behavior that he could not help it.

  »We have given each other blowjobs and I have to admit, sperms taste awfully good. Of course, we have also done the whole program like ass fucking, anal sex toys…«

  Bang.

  Taken aback, Tom stepped back.

  Zoe lost control.

  She raised her hand a fourth time and hit his chest with her wrist.

  Tom tried to catch her hands, but he failed. He withstood the wish to embrace her and fled out of the room before he changed his mind and put her out of action.

  ***

  »Morning!« Tom squeezed past Maik and went into the men’s locker room. He put on his uniform and entered the common room.

  Ten colleagues were watching him in silence.

  Immediately, Tom had the funny feeling that they knew about Luca and him, too.

  »Good morning!«

  »Morning,« said Hans and bit into his bred.

  Nobody said a word.

  Tom walked over to Frederik but he only turned way, insulted.

  »Maik what did your wife bring home yesterday from Zoe’s party?«« Tom asked his colleague who has just entered the room.

  Maik raised his brows and gave him a wide berth. »No idea, Tom.« He stopped and looked him up and down. »Do you have a black eye? Is that a custom with you…?«

  »Operation!« Fritz popped up and chased them. »Shoplifting in the center, who takes over?«

  Silence.

  Tom threw his lunchbox on the table and raised his arm. »I’m coming, Fritz.«

  »Again?« Hans said sarcastically and earned soft laughter.

  »Very funny, Hans! If you have any problem with me just tell me!« Angry, Tom
planted himself in front of his long-lasting colleague and friend.

  Annoyed, Hans looked at him. »I don’t have any problems but you obviously have some.«

  »Really? What kind of?«

  »Did you go under the fags?« Jan looked at him challenging. He folded his arms and grinned disdainfully.

  »What I do in my free time is none of your business!« Tom stormed out of the room. His pulse had accelerated to one hundred-eighty, adrenalin rushed through his body. He put on his cap and left the police station without waiting for someone to accompany him, even though he knew that they had to be sent in in twos.

  Idiots, he thought crossing the street. He reached the center at a run and went to the telephone shop where someone was said to have stolen something.

  »Morning,« Tom tipped at his cap, «Did you call us?«

  »Glad you could come so quickly! The offender has just left.« The young woman pointed out.

  »How did he look like?«

  »Smaller than you, blond, jeans, white jumper.«

  »Okay, I’ll be back in a minute.« Tom left the shop and ran to the right.

  At the same time, several young men jumped back into the shop, among them one blond wearing a white jumper.

  Tom noticed them out of the corner of his eye and turned. He saw through the shop window how one of the guys pulled out a rattle.

  »Gun down! Police!« Tom stood in the door with his drawn service weapon face to face to four armed young persons. One of the boys slapped his baseball bat on his palm and sneered. »What do you want, old man? Do you really think we are scared?«

  »Gun down!«

  The boy raised his arm and aimed at Tom.

  Tom had exactly a quarter of a second to decide whether to shoot or not. He decided for the first alternative and shot, although, the young sales woman stood almost behind the boy.

  Struck, the young man yelled. »Ey old man, have you gone mad?« Blood seeped through the white cloth. Tom has hit his shoulder.

  The sales woman was not visible anymore.

  Tom tried to make out whether she was hiding or whether he had hit her accidentally. »Lady, are you okay?« he called towards the sales counter.

  »Yes, I’m fine,« the woman answered.

  Relieved, Tom turned to the boys. »Anyone else without a license?«

  »Don’t throw your weight around, old man!« one of the young barked at him, chewing his gum open mouthed. Finally, he spat on the ground.

  Tom had troubles to restrain his anger. First, the insults by Zoe last night, then, the reactions of his colleagues and, now, he stood face to face to four snotty little brats to be treated like that.

  »Guns down!«

  The hit ringleader waved at his folks who let their bats sank.

  Tom took his transmitter and sent out to the police station. »Peter thirty-one for thirty-two Anton?«

  »Peter thirty-two Anton!«

  »I need reinforcements and an ambulance. Four armed juveniles caught at a robbery red-handed. One of them got hurt at his right shoulder during shootout.«

  »Got it. We’ll send colleagues.«

  »Got it.« An eternity later, Maik, Hans, Frederik and Jan came with the fire brigades and helped Tom with the arrest and medical first aid.

  »Shootout?« Maik looked at Tom suspiciously.

  »It was self-defense. He had pointed his gun at me and his finger was at the trigger.«

  Maik examined the gun of the young man. »It’s not loaded.«

  »What you can’t know by just looking at it,« Tom replied irritated.

  »Nevertheless, I need your gun for the forensic examination, Tom.« Maik held out his hand.

  Tom knew that his weapon had to be checked at the forensic examination because he has hurt a person with it. So he gave him his duty weapon under the sneering of the unhurt juveniles.

  »Now you’re cut, aren’t you, old man?«

  Tom would have liked to show the middle finger to this Iroquois and so he turned before his fist slipped. While his colleagues brought the young men to the police station, he took down the sales woman’s testimony and particulars. Then, he went back after making sure that she did not need any psychological help.

  As he arrived at the police station, Frederik got in his way. »Tom, may I talk to you?« He looked at him sternly.

  Tom nodded and followed him into the cellar.

  »Are you two lovey-doveys up to something?« Kevin called through the corridor.

  Tom turned showing him his middle finger.

  »Yes, that’s what you’re able to do! Screwing around until the doctor has to come.« Kevin could not react anymore since Tom ran over to him and pressed him against the wall. »Shut up your stupid mouth!« He let go of and followed Frederik into the exercise room.

  »What do you want?« Tom folded his arms and waited for Frederik to rattle on how they had lied to him, but Frederik only looked into his eyes and said: »If you need a friend to talk to I’ll be there!« He pushed his way past Tom and left him taken back.

  ***

  »Tom, my boy, come in!« Florentine hugged her son and held him so tight that he got afraid.

  »Did something happen?«

  His mother looked down on him. »That you ask?« She let go of.

  Tom straightened and gave her a flower pot.

  »Thank you. Please come into the living room.«

  Tom followed her and remained in the doorway, astonished to see his father sitting next to his sibs. »Is there anything special today, something I don’t know?« Tom tried to smile but his eyes were serious. He sighed and sat down next to Sophie who hugged him. »Hello, little brother!«

  »Why are you all looking at me like this? I don’t have to die,« he joked but no-one laughed.

  His mother sat down, armed with a writing pad and a pen.

  »Family conference?« Tom asked in disbelief.

  Their last meeting was about fifteen years ago. At that time, he was suspected of having knocked up Kerstin, the daughter of their neighbors.

  Today, things were different.

  His father grunted vaguely and urged his wife to put the evidences on the table. Florentine Weidemeyer forced a smile and banged several magazines on the table.

  Jan looked at Tom as if he had the pest and Sophie looked as if she would love to lay a victims chain around his neck to protect him from demons in these bad times.

  »You know why we meet today?« his father said hoarsely.

  »Now I know,« Tom replied, looking at the headlines. His heart pumped against his chest which seemed to be petrified.

  His mother opened the upper magazine and pointed at one of the photos of Tom and Luca. »You’ve been in Australia!«

  »Mom, you already know that,« Tom complained.

  »Is it true what the gossip reporter has written?« Stern, the eyes of his father rested on him.

  »Why do I have the silly feeling to sit in the dock?«

  »Answer!«

  Tom sighed. »No idea. Shall I read the article to answer your question in accordance with the facts?«

  His father pushed the magazines across the table. Tom started to read them without any enthusiasm. After a while, he pushed the gossip sheet aside and looked up. »Yes, everything they’ve written is true.«

  Immediately, his mother started to cry.

  Tom bent his head. »Mom…«

  »We’re very disappointed, Tom!« his father said.

  Tom pricked up his ears, incomprehension on his face. His father reacted harsher than feared, even though he was not fifteen anymore.

  Tom jumped up knocking down his chair. He lifted it up and was about to go but his father took hold of his wrist. »Why didn’t you talk to us?«

  »Pardon?« Tom understood less than nothing.

  What was his father talking about?

  Tom sighed and fell back on his chair.

  His mother wiped her eyes. »What happens to the kids now?«

  »Florentine!« Peter said reproachfu
lly. »That’s not important now.«

  »Children are always the one who suffer,« Florentine complained.

  »Folks…«

  Tom’s parents talked at the same time.

  »Folks!« Tom raised his hands. »Would you kindly inform me now, please, what the reason for our meeting is? If you want to know whether I’m queer, then, you’ve already read the answer in these gossip rags.«

  »And?« His brother looked at him questioningly. »Are you really queer?«

  »No, damn it!« Tom yelled. »My God, I’ve fallen in love with a man, yes. But Luca is not somebody…«

  Sophie sighed longingly and patted Tom’s arm. »You’re so romantic, Tom, despite this serious time!«

  »Sophie!« Peter gave her a severe look.

  »What? Love is something unbelievably beautiful. It doesn’t matter whether a man loves a man or a man loves a woman.«

  »You’ve forgotten the lesbian,« Jan interjected sarcastically.

  Sophie rolled her eyes. »Yes. They are allowed to love each other, too. Love for everyone!« She grinned and opened her arms over the top.

  »World peace,« Tom joked and gave Jan a high-five.

  »So, you love this…Luca Steffen?« Tom’s father pointed at the photos in the magazine.

  »Yes.«

  »Then, we’ll support you. You’re our son, no matter what you think, say or do. The moment, we decided to have you we’ve sworn to stand by you in every situation.«

  Tom looked at his father in disbelief. He had expected everything except so much understanding and support.

  »Thank you, Dad!« Tom stood up and threw himself at his father.

  While his father caressed his back, Tom felt a sob slip inexorably higher. Without being able to suppress it, he started to cry and soiled his father’s shirt.

  Ten minutes later, they all sat at the table with freshly dried tears, eating Florentine’s snow-white cake.

  »What did Zoe say?« Jan asked eating noisily.

  Tom shrugged.

  He was again on the verge of tears.

  »Is that black eye from her?«

  Tom nodded.

  »She’ll calm down again,« Sophie said understanding.

 

‹ Prev