Chapter 14 – Turning Point
"How could he do this to me again?" Cody angrily stated. "I thought I meant something to him. I'm such an idiot."
"Cody stop, you may be a lot of things, but an idiot is not one of them."
"He cheated on me, not once but twice…and I was stupid enough to believe that….grrrr!" Cody growled kicking the edge of the sofa.
"That he loved you?"
"Yes," Cody sighed his anger deflated. "That he loved me."
Barbara shook her head before making her next statement. "Look Cody, I know Zack and I have had our differences in the past, but…are you sure that what you saw is, legit?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean are you sure you have the whole story?" Barbara asked as Cody paused in thought. "From what you've told me, it seems you didn't give yourself too much time to find out."
"They were lying in bed, and Maddie was draped all over him like some damn tramp," Cody growled.
"Wow, I think that is the first time I've ever heard you cuss like that before."
"I'm sorry Barb, this whole situation is just so frustrating."
"I know, that's why I suggest you talk to Zack and listen to his side before you jump to conclusions."
"I know what I saw?" the young boy exclaimed.
"Look sometimes the mind can play tricks on us," she tried again. "Just talk to Zack, I know him and he would never hurt you."
"He may not want to hurt me, but that doesn't stop him of doing it."
"Cody…"
"No, I figured out the truth tonight," he stated then bit his bottom lip to keep it from trembling. "He's in love with Maddie."
"You don't know that for sure," she replied. "Call him."
"I can't, not right now."
"Cody if you don't then I will," she said. "I think it's only fair that you give him the benefit of the doubt."
"Who's side are you on?"
"I just want to see you happy again, and call me crazy but I think Zack is the person who can make that happen."
"But what if he's not, what if he tells me that she's the one he wants to be with?"
Barbara put a comforting hand on his shoulder and turned him around to face her. "Then you smile, wish him well and get on the plane," she quietly stated. "But if he doesn't then you fight for him."
"Fight for him?" he told her. "Fight for him, how?"
"If you love him as much as you claim too," she stated. "I think you'll be able to figure that part out on your own. But first, you need to talk to him."
Cody pulled out his cell phone only to stare at the small device in his hands. He wasn't sure why he was so frightened, after all this was his lover, his best friend, the keeper of his heart. Yet as he continued to stare transfixed by the object, he couldn't bring himself to push a single button. He was terrified of getting hurt any further, and worst of all he was scared of being shunned by his better half.
There was a part of him that knew what Barbara was saying made sense. That he hadn't given Zack the opportunity to explain himself. He was just so filled with anger and pain when he saw them lying there together, that he couldn't stop himself from thinking the worst.
"You're right," the blond boy replied with conviction. "You're absolutely right, but I can't, not tonight."
"Alright then, maybe it's time to say goodnight."
"I can't sleep, would it be okay if I pop in another DVD?" Cody asked walking over toward the television set.
"How about I watch it with you?" she smiled grabbing a blanket and a couple of pillows from the linen closet.
"Aren't you tired?" he asked looking over at her. "Don't stay up on my account."
"No, I'm fine. Besides I can't sleep either."
"Well then, come on over," he smiled patting the seat next to him. "We can watch this together."
Smiling Barbara sat down beside him and pulled a blanket over their shoulders. About twenty minutes into the program, they were fast asleep and leaning on one another for comfort.
The next morning found Zack still conflicted. He had been thinking about what Maddie had said and how his mother had reacted, the devastation on her face was too much to bear. But was breaking up with Cody still the answer?
How did everything get so complicated? He knew all this was his fault, if he had just broken up with Maddie the night of their anniversary, he would have been home free. He would have been with the one he loved and would not have hurt him.
Yet that didn't say anything for their parents. He knew eventually they would have to be told, but it would have been different right. After all he would have had Cody sitting beside him and not Maddie. How could he have been so stupid? He should have waited.
He knew what the answer should be, he should break up with Cody to save everyone from further heartache. But, he just couldn't do it, he loved him so much. Could his heart really take that kind of pain? He needed to talk to his brother and he needed to do it soon. Picking up his phone he dialed the corresponding numbers and waited for him to answer his phone.
Cody and Barbara were still on the couch and fast asleep when the phone rang. Barbara awoke first, and looked over to the sleeping figure beside her. They must have fallen asleep while watching the documentary. She smiled at the cute way he snuggled up beside her and couldn't help but think of those few times they had been intimate.
Gay? She thought, how could he not have told her. How could he have not known while they were together? They slept together, true it was never what she would call satisfying and it only happened a couple of times. But she figured it was just due to the fact that they were both virgins and had never done anything before. So the awkwardness would have eventually passed. Gay? She just couldn't wrap her mind around it.
Barbara thought back to a picnic they had a few years back in Liberty Park. There had been a young couple there that appeared to be so happy and so much in love. She cooed over the fact that she hoped one day they could be that happy. When she tried to voice her opinion, she was surprised by the look on his face.
He looked almost mesmerized by the couple, as if he was hypnotized into a deep trance. Gazing back at the two men, she didn't think there was anything extra ordinary about them that should have caused such a reaction, besides her initial thoughts on the two, they seemed rather ordinary.
Yet, for a time, it seemed as if he almost wished he could trade places with one of them. Of course the fleeting thought vanished as fast as it had materialized. The thought was too farfetched for her to even consider, after all wasn't he dating her?
However, thinking about it now, she realized there had always been little hints here and there, little indications that there might be something else going on. Of course she always pushed those back into the far corners of her mind. Now as she gazed over at the sleeping form beside her, all those little thoughts resurfaced and instantly she knew that he was indeed gay, because for the first time they all made sense.
Still this left her in quite a predicament, because now, she was in love with a gay man.
Barbara was brought out of her resolve by another ring tone. She fiddled around the carpet for the cause and hit send, just as Cody still lost in dream land did what he always did, he pulled the covers toward him leaving her exposed to the cold morning air.
Conflicted between answering the phone and smacking him with a pillow, she opted for the first choice not realizing that the person on the other end of the line could hear her. "Cody stop stealing the covers, I'm cold," she laughed when he just grunted and pulled them further around his shoulders. "Hello, hello?" Figuring the caller had just hung up she ended the call and didn't give it another thought.
"Who was that?" a half alert Cody asked her.
"I'm not sure, I said hello and they didn't answer me. So I hung up."
"What time is it?" he asked trying to keep himself from snuggling back underneath the covers and resuming the dream that he'd been having about his brother.
"Ten o'clock."
"Ten o'clock," he stated jumping up and off the couch. "Shit, I need to get home."
"Cody are you sure," she stated watching him hop on one foot as he tried to get his shoe on the other foot. "At least stay and have breakfast."
"I can't," he replied. "I need to talk to Zack. You were right Barbara I love him way too much to let him go without a fight."
"Good call," she smiled as he placed an affectionate kiss on her forehead.
"I'll call you later, bye." Barbara watched as he practically sprinted out the door and smiled.
Zack flipped his cell phone shut and sat frozen in shock by what he had heard. He didn't know what to say, when he couldn't get a hold of Cody on his cell phone he thought he would try Barbara's number. To his surprise it worked to validate Maddie's story. Cody was indeed cheating on him.
A deep ache began to form in his chest and he swallowed hard to force a lump down his throat. He felt like he'd been gutted and every emotion that hit him the last few days bombarded him at once. He didn't want to believe it, he kept telling himself that he might be hearing things. Pouting and still sitting up in bed, he didn't move when a few minutes later he heard his twin in the other room calling out to him.
"Zack there you are," he stated as he walked through their bedroom door. "I need to talk to you."
"So talk."
Cody smiled, walked over, and tried to place a kiss on his brother's lips only to see him turn his head.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "Look Zack if this is about last night, I understand and I'm not mad anymore."
"So how's Barb this morning?" Zack scowled.
"Oh she's fine," he smiled taking a seat next to his twin. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you…"
"Did she get enough blankets?" he whispered staring directly into his brothers eyes.
"Enough blankets?" he asked a bit taken back. "What are you talking about?"
"It gets pretty cold in the mornings," he asked.
Cody's eyes suddenly widened realizing that Zack must have been the caller.
"Zack I can explain."
"I'm waiting."
"After I left here I was so mad, because I kept thinking the worst. When I walked in on you and Maddie I thought you had cheated on me again and Barbara was the only one who seemed to understand. She's been a really good friend the last few weeks and I owe her for that."
"Is that right?" he stated.
"Yes, she's been there when I needed someone to talk too or to just hang out with."
"Talking, is that what you call it?"
"What, Zack what are you talking about?"
"Come on I'm not stupid, maybe you wanted to get back at me for sleeping with Maddie and having sex with Barbara would have been the best way to do it."
Cody stood up fuming, "What the hell, nothing happened. We were watching documentaries and fell asleep on the couch. Not that you care."
"And I'm supposed to buy that?"
"Excuse me?" he angrily shouted. "Fuck you Zack, I'm not you."
"You've been cheating on me this entire time."
"That's bullshit," Cody wanted to knock some sense into him, but at the same time he knew he needed to calm down and state his case. "I was mad at you last night when I first left for Barbara's. I needed someone to talk to, that's all."
"Sure you did," Zack stated brushing past him only to feel Cody's hand roughly grab his arm and spin him around.
"By the way, who the hell do you think you are? I waited almost four hours for you yesterday. I had candle light and music, I even made your favorite meal, which for your information, I slaved over most of the day to prepare. Only to be stood up. Did you even get my note?"
"What note?"
"The note I left on your pillow," he added. "The exact same one that asked you to meet me downstairs in our special place for a romantic dinner."
"I never saw a note," he replied. "But that's not what we are talking about here. We're talking about you and Barbara."
"You know what you have some nerve to stand there and accuse me of cheating, after what I walked in on last night. Maybe I should have slept with Barbara only there's one problem, I don't want her, I want you."
"That's what we need to talk about."
"I think we have quite a few things to talk about," Cody huffed then his face softened.
Zack lowered his voice and prepared himself for what he was about to do.
"There's one thing I need to do first," the younger boy replied.
Before Zack could say or do anything, Cody had pressed their lips together and as always his body reacted to the touch. Feeling like jelly and melting into the embrace he closed his eyes and fought the urge to take this further. They suddenly stopped when they heard the very distinct sound of someone clearing their throat in the doorway.
"Mom!" Cody exclaimed frantically. "We can explain."
"Codes she knows."
The younger boy froze and gazed into his mothers eyes, expecting to see anger and disappointment. But instead only saw two vacant orbs devoid of emotion, which scared the hell out of him. He would have been happy with anger or sadness because those were genuine and easy to understand. The hollow look in her eyes and the voice that reverberated off the walls was empty.
"Breakfast is ready," and that is all she said before quietly closing the door leaving her boys in solitude.
AN: Sorry this was so late in coming. But I have most of the next chapter written so it won't be too much longer for that one. Again let me know what you think, please read and review. :)