THE ONLY WAY IS UP
Nathan had been thinking about tonight all day. He had come home, stuffed his food down his neck, then went up and got showered.
Of course his dad Patrick knew that Nathan had plans. He just wished he knew what they were, that's all. The trouble with Nathan was, you didn't always know how to tackle him. If he was not in the mood to talk to you, he wouldn't, the wall was up straight away.
It had been 3 months since he came out. When Nathan admitted he was gay. Patrick thought at first the poor boy was just confused, but Nathan was completely convinced that he was. And felt disgusted with himself by it.
Since then, father and son had got closer, and the only other person to know Nathan was gay was his best friend from way back from high school, Adam, the very source that had brought out his true self to begin with. He had misread the signals one night and kissed him. Adam had been okay with it, but things were weird between them for a while.
But Patrick wished the lad would tell the whole family. They wouldn't be that bad to him, would they? But with the likes of his brother Brad...or Grandpa Zachery...all who harbored old fashioned values, it was impossible to tell.
Patrick looked up as he cradled the baby on the couch, Nathan was coming into the room raising his eyebrows, he was dressed entirely in black. Black jeans, black vest, even black sneakers.
"Crikey! Just wait until it gets dark, nobody'll be able to see you!" the garage owner laughed.
That was the idea, thought Nathan, but failed to enlighten him of that.
Nathan grabbed him self an apple from the fruit bowl and made for the front door, "Have you fed the dog?" asked his father.
Nathan pulled a face as he crunched into his apple, "yeah, he's settled down for the night...now I'M GOING OUT" he told. Patrick stood up clutching the baby, " well...have a nice night...where ever you go...get to...get up to..." he was starting to fluster a bit. Nathan just slowly shook his head at him and disappeared out the door with nothing else was said.
Xxxx
At the loft, Brian clutched his cell as he sat on the couch. Justin was faffing around in the bedroom with yet another outfit. Why couldn't he just be simple like him...nice pair of navy blue jeans and a light blue shirt.
The executive had half texted a message: Sorry can't make it...can we reschedule...
That was as far as he got to. Because he looked up to see Justin parading in front of him AGAIN.
"What about this...you like me in this shirt, don't you?", Brian was shaking his head and pulling a frown, " I liked you in the other one as well...does it matter?"
Justin looked at him as if he was an idiot, " I want to look good for you! So if you are saying you liked the other shirt then THAT SHIRT it will have to be..." and the artist was running back into the bedroom unbuttoning the shirt he had on.
Brian watched him go, then quickly turned back to his cell to finish his message to Nathan. He was disappointed. He wanted to see the lad again, after there once and only brief meeting a while back in the wood.
...can we meet another night?
His thumb hovered over the send button. But it was Justin's cell ringing that stopped him. Justin was hurrying back into the couch answering it, "hello, Justin speaking...what! NO! me?...why me?...ohhhhhh, well...if it really can't be helped...thanks...no I MEAN IT...THANKS" and Justin empathized a sarcastic tone.
Brian was looking up at him open mouthed, " what it is...who as that?"
Justin sighed, " it was work... Jill hasn't turned up for her shift...some crisis at home allegedly...they've asked me to cover her shift!" he sounded all sad.
Brian stood up...there was just the tiny bit of him that was so pleased to hear that,
"Ohhhh that's a shame! I better call the restrautant and cancel our table, huh?"
Justin was too disheartened to even care, " whatever..." he went back into the bedroom clutching his cell.
Brian deleted his text to Nathan, and went to grab his keys, " hey Justin, I'll give you a ride in, if you like...", he called.
Justin was in the doorway looking at him, amazed by the attitude, " ohhh I see...I can see YOU ARE REALLY disappointed that our night out has been well and truely flushed down the toilet"
Brian felt bad... he came forward and pulled Justin into his arms, to reassure him, "hey...come on, YOU KNOW I was looking forward to tonight as well. It's not my fault that you are so much in demand...It can't be helped"
Justin leaned in and rested his chin onto the older guys shoulder, " does this mean you are gonna go out looking for somebody else...a random fuck?"
Brian swallowed down, his eyes moving to look at him, " don't you want me too?"
Justin pulled away and shook his head, " can I stop you? I just wanted tonight to be about us that was all, and now it's all ruined"
Brian brushed his lovers cheek with his fingers, " hey, come on! We are getting married arn't we! We've gotta life time together to go out to dinner, huh?"
Justin shook his head, "you right...YOU ALWAYS ARE! Right...better get myself ready for my shift at the bar then..."
XXxx
Nathan stood at the gates of the park. His hands were dug in his pockets, and he was looking up and down the street for a sighting of a jeep.
He was nervous. He was alright on the bus journey from home, but once he had got here...he started to have the butterflies in his stomach.
He looked at his watch, the sun was getting increasingly low over the park now, the trees causing long dark shadows that seemed to want to alure him through the gates.
It was 19:45
He was early...and was a bit disappointed that Brian wasn't early too. Maybe the older guy wasn't as keen to see him.
He hated to come across as some desperate kind of twot.
Xxxx
No sooner Brian had pulled up outside the the all night club, he was practically shoving Justin out of the jeep.
"What's the hurry?" asked Justin as he grabbed the door handle, but refused to open it. Brian turned to see 'that face'. Justin was suspicious.
"I'm not...it's just that...I might go and see if any of the gang are down at Woodies, that's all", he turned and gave him one of his winning smiles.
Justin melted, but knew the score. And pulled a sign, " WHATEVER you get up to...just remember the rule..."
Brian quickly placed his hand over his lovers hand on the seat, " I always do...YOU COME FIRST...always...", at a glance, the jeep clock was reading 19:56.
Justin leaned over and Brian met him on the lips. And then the artist turned bar attendant was jumping out the vehicle to start his shift.
Brian waved at him...and then put his foot down on the gas.
Xxxx
Nathan realized that it was dark. He looked at his watch beneath the street light. it was now 20:09
Brian wasn't going to show up. He shook his head to himself, why the hell did he call him? Now he looked like a right jerk. He decided that he had had enough of waiting around here like a prize turkey, and was about to cross the street to the bus stop, when he noticed the jeep come screeching to a halt opposite him.
Brian was jumping out and caught sight of him straightaway, " hey...you weren't gonna do a runner just then, were you?" he asked with a big smile on his face.
Nathan pulled a face at him, from where he stood on the curb, " no!...what do you take me for?"
Brian looked both ways and hurried across the street to him, " Fucked if I know. I have to get to know you first, won't I?" he said, still smiling.
Nathan led the way through the gates into the park. Brian dug his hands into his jeans pockets and looked around him, " so why did you want to meet here for, apart from the obvious...I've had a few 'good times' here myself over the years..."
Nathan shrugged, "I didn't want to meet in a bar...have you a problem with that?" he asked glancing at him. Brian shook his head and sucked in his cheeks, " No course not...so'a...why did you call me"
Nathan tried to be clever, " because YOU left your number in my cell"
Brian laughed at him, "yes I did! ...was you annoyed about that?"
Nathan shrugged, "I suppose not..."
They walked a bit further along the trail and Brian pointed to an iron bench, " do you want to sit down-?"
Nathan shrugged his shoulders, " if you want to...I'm not bothered"
Brian frowned at him, " you are not bothered by much are you?" he went and sat down, Nathan sat next to him, eyeing him up nervously. They both sat there in silence...just like they did that first night in the jeep, when they first met.
Brian turned and broke the ice, " look...why DID you call me?"
Nathan didn't look at him, " I just wanted to thank you, that's all..." he turned to him, " for returning my cellphone..."
Brian laughed at him, " You could of just called to thank me! So...do you want to go out somewhere...I know a place in town, it's a bit shitty, but I kinda like it..."
Nathan knew that the older guy was talking about a gay venue and he wasn't sure whether he was ready for all that...
Brian could see that Nathan was mulling over it, " ...I'm a REALLY good pool player...do you like pool? I'll give you a game if you want..."
Nathan jumped up and turned, "look I've gotta go..."
Brian watched him begin to walk away. He stood up and chased after him towards the gates,
" Oh fantastic! You call me and arrange to meet, JUST for this shit?"
Nathan turned around, " what was you expecting?"
Brian shook his head, "not this!", The advertising executive waved his hand at him, " you know what? forget it...you've got your cell phone back, I got it SO wrong?" and he walked off.
Nathan couldn't get the words out. He wanted to stop Brian, but he just stood still, watching the guy climb back into his jeep and fire up the engine. At the last minute Nathan found the strength and raced over and stood in front of the vehicle, waving his hands up to the windshield to halt him.
Brian popped his head out the drivers window, " what are you fucking playing at?". The man looked annoyed.
Nathan came to the window, " I will..." he said shakily staring at him with an unsure gaze. Brian softened and faced his dashboard, " I will what?"
"Come out with you...to that...place...". Nathan was crapping himself.
Brian smiled and looked back at him, " Sunday night...meet me outside the pink parrot..do you know where it is?
Nathan nodded. Brian put his jeep into drive, and turned back to him, " I'll be waiting outside for 9...and we'll go from there" and with that Nathan jumped back, and Brian sped away.
Nathan hinted a smile. But the butterflies were fluttering inside him again...
Sunday night...he was crapping himself even more!
xxxxxx