17 #3
The boy nodded and wiped his cheeks. But he kept crying, and the highway kept unrolling, and Jem kept his hand on the boy’s shoulder until he had to signal to exit.
Daniel was silent as they went inside, his eyes still puffy, and he answered Tean’s questions in monosyllables and focused on petting Scipio, who was gently head-butting Daniel in case the boy had forgotten he existed.
“Do you need anything?” Jem asked.
Daniel shook his head.
“Okay. You know where we are if you do.”
Back in their bedroom, Tean said, “What happened? Why’s he upset?”
“Teenage boy. Big emotions. And I think he’s still messed up over all the stuff with Ammon.
” And then Jem told him about the conversation on the drive home.
“It’s that boy Justin. I don’t know how far it’s gone, but we probably need to buy him some lube and make sure he knows he can ask if he has any questions. ”
“Can we do that? It feels…I don’t know. Weird. Inappropriate.”
“Who’s he going to ask? His dad?”
“His dad would be the right person, yes. And before you make a joke, I’m aware that Ammon is not an ideal person for a number of reasons, but in terms of the act itself, he can make sure Daniel knows what he needs to know.”
“Do you want to tell him? Or should I?”
Tean opened his mouth. Then he shut it again.
“Look, I’m not saying we have an extensive conversation with Daniel about his sex life,” Jem said.
“He’s a smart kid when he’s not thinking with his wiener, and he’s got the internet.
But he’s also still a kid, and you should have seen him tonight—he put on his angry face, but he was terrified when he realized I’d figured out what he was doing. ”
A long moment passed. And then Tean said, “Yes. I imagine he was.”
“We don’t have to do anything right away. Hell, maybe we don’t do anything. But I wanted you to know we talked about it.”
Tean rubbed his cheeks. “It feels like what everybody said growing up. Like we’re recruiting him or something. That’s what gay guys do: they find younger guys and turn them gay.”
“What?”
“I know it’s crazy. I’m not saying that’s what’s really happening. But it’s— I’m just trying to tell you why I’m uncomfortable.”
“You know we didn’t turn him gay, though, right?”
“Yes, Jem, I know.”
“If anything, you might have actually made him straighter because you wear those really butch boots.”
It took half a second before Tean said, “Is that a compliment or an insult?”
“It’s a fact, babe. Oh! You know what would really make him straight? You should help him with his makeup.”
“I’m going to get ready for bed,” Tean said. But he kissed Jem and said, “Thank you for talking to him.”
“When he came out of there, ass to the wind, I figured somebody had to.”
“And thank you for making it not be me.”
Jem grinned. “I got you, babe.”
Tean offered a flash of a smile before he disappeared into their bathroom. Jem kicked off his shoes. The room felt strangely empty without Scipio in there, but he was clearly taking advantage of having Daniel all to himself.
And then the water began to run in the hall bathroom.
Let it go, Jem told himself. Forget about it. It’s been a long, weird night, and the best thing you can do now is forget about it.
But the next moment, he was swinging his legs off the bed.
The door to the hall bathroom was closed, and from behind it came splashing sounds—Daniel washing his face, maybe. Scipio lay on the sofa, getting fur all over the improvised bed, his tongue lolling as he watched Jem approach.
Jem gave the Lab a quick scratch before starting the search.
He didn’t find anything in Daniel’s bag except a pair of underwear that would have given Ammon—and, for that matter, Tean—a stroke.
He checked the side tables. And then, ignoring Scipio’s grunt, he peeled back the sheets and stuck his hand behind the couch cushions.
Scipio was wriggling around, trying to decide if this interruption was serious enough to make him get off the couch in protest, when Jem’s fingers brushed something.
He drew a velvet box out from behind the cushion. Inside, a gold chain caught the light.
Two hundred dollars. Three. Maybe more. Not something most kids could even afford. Not something a kid buys another kid, even if they were jacking buddies. Hell, even if they were in love.
But somebody with spare cash. Somebody who could drop two or three hundred dollars and not think anything about it. Who might think of it as an investment.
And the way Daniel had hidden it. If it had been Justin, he’d have been wearing it.
If it had been Justin, Jem would have had to hear Daniel talk about it the whole way home.
But instead, Daniel had hidden the box inside his hand because he’d worn that damn skirt and didn’t have anywhere else to put it.
The sound of a door opening came from the hallway, and Jem snapped the lid shut.
He shoved the box behind the cushions again and straightened the sheets as Daniel stepped into the living room.
His cheeks were pink, his skin so clear it was almost see-through.
His eyebrows drew together. He put one arm across his chest, hand resting on his shoulder.
“Trying to convince this guy to give up on you and sleep with me,” Jem said. He brushed a hand over Scipio’s ears again. “But he’s a traitor.”
Jem tried to ignore the judgment in Scipio’s eyes—like father, like son.
Daniel still hadn’t said anything.
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Jem said. “I don’t want you to feel like you can’t tell us something.”
“I know,” Daniel said.
Scipio nudged Jem’s hand with his head.
“So,” Jem said. “We’re good?”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“All right,” Jem said. And it was on the tip of his tongue to ask about the chain. To say something. To say anything. Because what if? He could ask. He should ask. He should say, Did he give it to you? And the he in that sentence was like a hole in his head.
And Daniel would laugh, and he’d tell Jem no, it was costume jewelry, and Justin bought it for twenty bucks at Hot Topic.
Jem could ask. Just to be sure.
But what if Daniel said yes?
His mouth was dry, and it took Jem a second to work up enough spit. And then all he said was “Night.”