Kalin reached over and squeezed Skyler’s knee.
“Oh,” Skyler whispered. If only you knew what I’ve been through.
Dale slid the slider shut and returned to his chair. He rested his book on his lap and listened to Daren speak.
“Don’t worry, I know you’re taken. And I’m glad you are. I’m really sorry about what I did to you. I think I was on overload. I could barely contain my home life with my desire to be out and when you came on the scene, your good looks messed me over good.”
Skyler nodded. “But you never picked on Kalin, at least that I saw or he said. Why not?”
“Good question. Maybe cuz I’ve known Kalin and Kyle longer? I dunno. I guess I should have picked on him since he snatched you up, but…it didn’t work out that way. Skyler, I’m sorry. I don’t know what more to say. You too, Tommy. You were a little too gay for me to handle and I was jealous. I’m sorry. Never again.”
Tommy laughed and reached over and grabbed Daren’s shoulder. “It’s in the past, let’s move on to more fabulous pastures, shall we?”
Daren rolled his eyes and laughed, “Um, yeah, let’s get to the pasture first before we make them fabulous, okay?”
“Fine,” Tommy said, sounding defeated.
“No, no, that’s not what I meant.” Daren said. “You can go there. I’ll be a few weeks behind, that’s all I’m saying. I’ve got a little gay coming-out catch-up to do, you know?”
“Okay, okay, I can be patient.” Tommy teased.
“What’s next for you, and your dad?” Liara asked.
“Oh, right. The police station called me on Monday. Dad won’t be released any time soon as I can’t post bail and no one in the family really knows yet. Well, maybe they do now. I don’t know. Apparently, he woke up with a raging hangover and since he has no access to alcohol, he’s been transferred to the secure psych unit at the hospital for detox. He’s not coming home for several weeks.”
“My goodness,” Liara said. “That will be difficult for him.”
“He deserves it,” Tommy said. “Especially after all the stuff he did to Daren.”
“The police already called social services, too. Early this past week, I had several conference calls with the police, social services, Cody, and his parents. I thought, since I’ll be eighteen in like four months, it was silly to start the foster program. That’s when social services told me foster care could end at eighteen, but it legally ends at twenty-one unless I opt out. They told me the courts would most likely not let me go back to the house and let me live on my own. The only thing I had to do, they told me, is find someone I can live with locally who can be a capable temporary guardian or I’d have to emancipate myself or be placed somewhere. I guess I lucked out and got the right social services person. She told me she’d play this case close to the chest, but at the first sign of trouble, we’d have to revisit things.”
Now you could be an orphan, just like me, just like that. Holy crap.
“If none of this had happened, you technically could be on your own but because the arrest happened you have to report to the State?” Kyle asked.
“Seems that way.”
“Even though you’ll be eighteen in four months.”
Daren shrugged. “Don’t know what to tell you.”
“I suspect,” Dale offered, “They are looking out for your welfare and don’t want to put you in a situation where you cannot fend for yourself. Houses and property come with bills to pay, and unless you have a paying job on top of your schooling and extracurricular activities, or access to your dad’s bank accounts, they don’t want to see you strapped with those responsibilities when you turn eighteen.”
“Oh, right,” Kalin said. Kyle nodded.
“Anyway,” Daren continued, “After the expectations were laid out and the social worker asked if I knew of anyone who might take me in, Cody’s mom spoke up and suggested I move in with them if I wanted to.”
Cody smiled and nodded. “Yeah.”
“No way,” Tracy exclaimed.
“That is so generous of them,” Liara said. “With Skyler, we had several weeks to plan and work with the State to welcome a teenager into our home.”
“Yeah, and they had like forty-eight hours to decide,” Daren said. “It was a complete surprise and I’m blown away by their kindness. Even though all I’ll legally need is the four months, Cody’s mom insisted, that for stability throughout the school year, I remain with them for the year and beyond if I want to. Dominic’s old room will be mine for now.” Daren smiled and nodded to Tommy. “You’ll love this part. It’s already decorated with gay pride flags and everything. So it’s, uh, fabulous.”
Tommy laughed and gave Daren two thumbs up.
“And your dad’s house?” CK asked.
“It’s not my problem. I don’t know, that’s probably the shittiest part of the deal. I’ll have to move out, I guess. No one will live there for a while. Maybe my uncles will deal with it, but none of them live near here.”
“What about…Annika?” Skyler asked. This is what’s really going to settle my heart on where I stand with you.
“Annika, yeah. She’s uh, hurting, like me,” Daren said. “When my dad saw me hanging out with her, he immediately thought she had made me a man or something. He always liked it when we hung out together. Probably thought we were dating or something.”
“Why is she mean to people?” Skyler asked, hoping to glean some information.
“My dad and her dad are high school buddies,” Daren said flatly.
“Oh.” That explains a lot.
“Yeah, so they grew up together and have the same backwards views. That’s why she bullies people. There’s more, but, it’s too personal for me to share. She’ll have to come around in her own time, but it won’t be with me at her side, that’s for sure.”
Skyler nodded. At least I understand the connection makes sense to me now.
“Maybe if there’s no one else for her to be bullies with, she’ll stop bullying people,” Kyle said.
“I’d hope so,” Kalin said.
“But you know what they say,” CK said. “Some people are born mean.”
“Thorn in the paw,” Dale said, sloshing the almost melted ice cubes in his glass of lemonade. Skyler chuckled.
“Thorn in the paw?” Tommy asked.
Everyone groaned and Dale eagerly sat forward to explain the parable of the thorn in the lion’s paw to Tommy.
“That makes a lot of sense,” Tommy said. “But I’m willing to bet she has more than one thorn in her paw. She’s nasty.”
“Whatever her issues are, we will hope for the best that she can find peace in her life, right?” Liara said.
“I guess,” CK said sheepishly.
“Well, this has been fun and particularly heavy for a second and third time around,” Cody said. “But I think it’s time to jump in the pool. Summer’s come to an end folks, and we’re heading back to school on Wednesday.”
“Amen to the pool part,” Daren said. “I’m sweating sitting here in the sun.”
“Ditto,” Tommy said.
“All right, kids, have fun,” Liara said.
The guys and Tracy pushed themselves out of their chairs and headed over to the pool. Skyler hung back on his lounger, and Kalin waited with him.
“You okay?” Kalin asked.
“I think so, yeah. I never thought I’d be having real fun with Daren, ever. He seems so…okay with everything now. I’d be a wreck. I was a wreck.”
“I think Daren is used to hiding behind a mask. He’s putting on a good show and yeah, he’s pretty open about everything but I’ll put money on the fact that he’s got some serious healing to do.”
“Right place, right time, I guess, huh?” Skyler asked, gently poking Kalin’s arm with his right index finger.
“I guess so.”
“Wanna cuddle after dinner, like when everyone leaves?”
“Yeah, I’d love to.” Kalin gazed into Skyler’s eyes an
d they smiled together.
“Come on,” Skyler said, standing and pulling Kalin up. “Let’s go swim with the others.” Skyler grabbed Kalin’s hand and led him to the pool, where they jumped in together, hand in hand.
* * *
Stuffed after eating too much pasta salad, burgers, and grilled chicken, Kalin and Skyler cuddled together on the double lounger on the main deck. Kalin draped his legs over Skyler’s and snuggled into his right side, with Skyler’s arm wrapped around his shoulders. Everyone else lounged around the pool deck and chit-chatted about last minute preparations for the first day of school on Wednesday. As the sun set, the evening air became less humid and cooled to a comfortable end-of-summer-almost-fall temperature.
“Are you doing anything tomorrow morning?” Skyler asked. He gently stroked Kalin’s back with his fingers.
“Not that I know of, why? Wanna go shopping?” Kalin shuddered. “Hey, that’s giving me the shivers.”
“You’ve got goose bumps.”
“It feels really nice. Don’t stop.”
“I won’t. I wasn’t thinking about shopping though. I was thinking maybe I’d take you somewhere special. You’ll have to drive us there, unless you want to go running in the morning.”
“Meh, pass. I’ll drive. Where are we gonna go?”
Skyler chuckled. Skyler had learned Kalin wasn’t enthusiastic about running. “If it’s okay with you, it’s a surprise. Pick me up at like ten-thirty or eleven?”
“I can do that. You should know, I like surprises,” Kalin said, nuzzling his face in Skyler’s neck. “Especially when they’re from you.”
Skyler squeezed his boyfriend and kissed him on the head.
“I hope you like this one. It’s nothing amazing, but it’s special to me. And I want to share it with you.”
Kalin’s head popped up. “Skyler,” he said, looking into his eyes, “You don’t have to qualify it. I’m sure it will be amazing. Time with you always is.”
Skyler smiled and they kissed on the lips.
“Are you two lovebirds going to make out all night?” Tracy asked.
“Get a room,” CK quipped.
Skyler and Kalin laughed together. “We’re enjoying a nice moment together on this perfect evening, that’s all,” Skyler said.
“Yeah, it’s the last Sunday night of summer vacation,” Kalin added. “Give us a break.”
“It’s our last Sunday, too,” Tommy said. “Why don’t we be old school and play a game or something?”
“You mean like a board game?” Kyle asked.
“I could go for a game of Monopoly, actually,” Daren said.
“You like board games?” Tommy asked.
“Love them. Used to play them with my cousins all the time when we were younger. I kind of miss it now.”
“We have Monopoly,” CK announced.
“Perfect,” Daren said.
“I’m in,” Cody said.
“Me too,” Tracy said. “As long as I can be the banker,” she added.
“Fine, let’s do it,” Kyle said.
27 | Where My Heart Is
SKYLER HELD KALIN’S HAND AS they drove to the parking area at the base of the rock ledge that overlooked the town. Mother Nature had sent several spectacular thunderstorms through the area during the night and swapped out the heat and humidity with cool, dry air. The temperature change was so stark that Skyler wore a hoodie sweatshirt over his tank top.
“Are you okay?” Kalin asked.
“I think so,” Skyler said. “Why?”
“You’re squeezing my hand.”
“Oh.” Skyler loosened his grip. “Ha, didn’t mean to squeeze. This place is special to me. There’s rarely anyone up here and it’s where I go to think. In fact, it’s where I was when you called me to go kayaking. Man, that seems like so long ago.”
“Ah, okay. I understand. So, you are sharing something super special with me.”
“Yeah. I know it’s silly, but it feels like if I bring you up here, I’m letting you in all the way. Like, trusting you completely.”
“Is that a bad thing?” Kalin asked, stopping the car at a stop sign.
“Turn left here. No, not at all. It’s what I want. I’m a little nervous, that’s all.”
“Nerves are okay. I promise I won’t spoil your special place.”
“I don’t think you could. I’m fine, really.”
Kalin looked over at Skyler and winked at him. “That you are, handsome.”
Skyler laughed as the car started moving again. “We’re almost there. There’s a parking area near the trailhead you can park in.”
“I’ve lived in this town for most of my life. Would you believe I’ve never been here?”
“Seriously? How could you not? It’s amazing.”
“I dunno. Just one of those things, I guess. I could always see the ledges but I never got here.”
“Now you can check it off your bucket list,” Skyler said.
“Okay. Is this it?” Kalin asked, pointing to a trailhead parking sign.
“Yep. That’s it. Looks like you have plenty of spots to choose from.”
Kalin steered the car into the empty parking lot, nosed into a parking space, and shut off the engine. “Before we go, I have something for you.”
“Really?” Skyler said. He scanned the back seat but didn’t see anything.
“Really,” Kalin echoed. Then he reached behind Skyler’s seat and pulled something out. When he brought his arm around, Kalin handed Skyler a wrapped package that was slightly larger than a piece of paper and about an inch thick. The wrapping paper was silver and had multi-colored balloons on it.
“I couldn’t find any gay rainbow wrapping paper so this will have to do.”
Skyler laughed. “It’s fine, thank you. What’s the occasion?”
Kalin smiled and shrugged. “Just because, and us. Thought I’d get my boyfriend something cool.”
“Aww, thank you,” Skyler said. They leaned in and kissed. “Can I open it?”
“Of course. That’s the point of a present, right?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Skyler said. He tore open the wrapping paper and realized he was looking at the backside of a picture frame. He flipped it over and studied the canvas-printed image inside the frame. It was a picture of a summer night sky with its stars set against a horizon of dark purple and deep blue. He studied the silhouette of two men sitting on the ground, looking at each other and talking in the center of the picture. Above them, one meteor streaked across the sky. The person on the left rested his hands on the ground, listening to the person on the right who gestured as he spoke.
“This sky looks really familiar to me.”
“Does it?” Kalin asked, grinning.
He’s waiting for me to figure something out. Oh! The meteor shower! Our date night!
“Wait, is this us?” Skyler asked, feeling excited and happy.
“Yeah,” Kalin smiled. Kyle took a couple of pictures of us with his camera that night. I thought this was the best one. I think this is right before we started listening to Wonderful. I remember gesturing with my hand as I explained the song to you.
“I’m glad Kyle didn’t take pictures of what happened after you played the song. Or did he?” Skyler asked, concerned for a moment.
“I don’t think so. Besides, you don’t have to worry about Kyle. We’re twins. There’s no vendetta between us. We’re inexplicably connected and support each other. Like I said, this is the best of the pictures, and I wanted you to have it.”
“It’s gorgeous, like you,” Skyler said, unable to stop grinning. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for being you and letting me get to know the real you.” Kalin leaned forward and Skyler met his lips.
After several moments, Skyler carefully set the frame onto the back seat and then grabbed the water bottles he brought as the boys got out of the car.
They started walking toward the trailhead. “Is it a long climb?” Kalin aske
d.
“Nah, it’s pretty easy. I usually do it with my mountain bike. It only gets really steep up near the top.”
“Okay.”
The trail was wide enough for both boys to hike side by side and hold hands along the way. With no one around, the trail and surrounding woods were theirs to explore and enjoy. As they hiked deeper into the woods to the base of the ledges, the trees and ferns began to thicken around them. Occasionally, they had to jump over muddy parts of the trail that were still rain-soaked from the overnight thunderstorms. Squirrels scurried around them as birds chirped overhead in the trees.
“I can see why you like this place,” Kalin said. “The air smells so clean and fresh here. I didn’t think we had much pollution around us, but when there are no cars or houses, it’s amazing how different it is.”
“Wait till we get to the top. There are some wildflowers up there that smell so good. I hope they’re still in bloom.” Feeling warm from their hike, he unzipped his sweatshirt. Kalin took his sweatshirt off and tied it around his waist.
As the ascent intensified and the trail narrowed, Skyler took the lead to the top.
When they broke through the tree line, the bare rocks of the ledge’s summit welcomed them. Skyler swung his arms out to the view in front of them.
“Voila,” Skyler said, announcing their arrival.
“Wow,” Kalin said, as he took in the view afforded by the summit. In front of them, the town bustled with morning activity and the faint sound of an eighteen wheeler’s engine brakes echoed in the distance. Around them, signs of autumn had already taken over the summit where the tall evergreens swayed in the breeze. Hundreds of acorns littered the rocky ground and the leaves of the thick oak and maple trees started turning bright shades of orange and red. The mostly green wildflowers and browning ferns that covered the ground were dripping with dew in the morning air. Skyler smiled and stepped behind Kalin. He wrapped his arms around Kalin’s arms and chest and nuzzled his nose into Kalin’s neck, inhaling his scent.
The Climb Page 40