A Shift in the Universe Christian Mitchell Copyright 2004
CHAPTER EIGHT:
It was around six o'clock when both of my parents arrived home. My mother greeted us both with a kiss on the cheek. "How was school?"
"Oh, it was fine. Same old thing, but a different day," I replied.
She frowned. "Well, I would like to think that you learned something you didn't know yesterday."
Kyle cleared his throat and sipped from his glass of water. "Well, I learned that rumors and news travel a hell of a lot faster than I thought they did. Especially within our group of friends."
"Really?" she asked with raised eyebrows. "About the two of you?"
I was somewhat stunned that Kyle was about to talk to my mother about our relationship.
"Sort of. When we got to school this morning everyone wanted to know why I broke up with Ashley. Then Ashley confronted us. She said that she had figured out the reason I broke up with her was so that I could be with Marcus."
"Very perceptive girl," my mother remarked with a smile. "You confirmed her suspicions?"
"Basically, we didn't have to say anything," I answered. "She pretty much told us and we didn't deny it."
Kyle added," plus I talked to her after school. So now she is completely in the loop, as far as Marcus and I are concerned."
My mother poured herself a glass of orange juice and sat down at the kitchen table. "How is she handling it?"
"She seems to be fine with it," Kyle replied. "Obviously her feelings are hurt, but she seemed to be taking it a lot better than I thought she would."
"Well, her heart is probably broken," my mother stated. "Does she harbor any anger toward the two of you? I mean, do you think she's going to start telling stories to people?"
"Well, she calmed down once I talked to her. I think that she understands how much I care for Marcus. I mean, it was hard for her to accept, but since she thought she already knew, I guess she just accepted it."
"I'm glad to hear that," mom said. She reached over and picked a piece of lint from my black T-shirt. "Have you guys told the rest of your friends?"
"No," I responded. "We're going to do that soon. Probably as soon as Kyle tells his parents."
"That's probably a good idea," she nodded.
"In a way, I don't feel like I have to tell them anything," Kyle replied.
"It's not like I want it to be a big secret or anything. It just seems kind of silly to have to sit them down and tell them. But I know I need to."
"Well, I wish you the very best of luck when you do sit down with them," she replied as she pushed her chair back and stood up.
"Thank you," Kyle smiled.
"If you boys will excuse me, I need to change into something a little less professional."
"Mom, Kyle and I are going to go out to dinner."
"That's fine. Don't be too late though. It is a school night. And if you haven't completed your homework, I'd appreciate it if you did."
"I will," I agreed.
"Is Vanessa home?" she asked while she removed her earrings.
"She's at Amber's house," I answered as I glanced at the clock on the wall. "She should be home soon."
My father entered the kitchen. He greeted us with a smile as he crossed the room to give my mother a kiss. Then he walked over and rested a hand on my shoulder and the other on Kyle's shoulder. "How are you guys doing this evening?"
"Fine, Mr. Anderson," Kyle smiled.
"Yeah, everything's good," I beamed.
"Good, glad to hear it," he replied as he followed my mother to their bedroom.
Kyle had decided that he wanted to tell his parents about us that night. Because the past few days had been such a whirlwind of events and changes Kyle thought that it was best to talk with them as soon as possible. He was nervous and fearful about their likely reaction so I offered to sit and talk with them, too. Naturally, he thanked me, but didn't want to subject me to potential drama. Yet, he did ask me to be at the house while he talked with them.
It was nearly nine o'clock when we arrived at his house. Once we walked into the house I immediately saw Kyle's mother sitting at the dining room table. She appeared to be paying bills and weeding through the mail. She greeted us with a smile. "Hey, boys."
We said hello and approached.
She stood up and gave me a quick hug. "I haven't seen you in a while."
"Yeah," I confirmed. "Since the school year is almost over I've been pretty busy lately."
"Well, that's good," she replied. "You should convince Kyle to take his school work more seriously."
"Mom!" Kyle called out in protest.
"Well, honey, it's true," she grinned.
"Are you busy?" he asked.
"I'll be done here in a few minutes. Why, what's up?"
"I just wanted to talk to you and dad about something."
"Sure. Just give me a few minutes."
"Where's dad?"
"He's in the family room watching TV."
"It was nice seeing you again," I said before we left the room.
"You, too, Marcus. Don't let too much time pass between visits."
"I won't," I promised.
Kyle and I walked into the family room and discovered his father sitting on the sofa watching some sports program. He glanced in our direction and smiled. As he approached me he continued to keep one eye on the television. "Hey, Marcus. How ya been doing?" he asked and firmly shook my hand.
"Good, Mr. Levine. I have no complaints."
"Good for you," he replied and slapped me on the back a couple times before he returned to the sofa.
Kyle's father owned a mechanic service in town. Although he was the boss he did not hesitate to get in or under a car to fix a problem. Sometimes he would return home from work looking just as he did the minute he walked out the door that very morning. Other times he arrived home soiled with dirt and oi l. He always kicked his shoes off outside and left them on the porch to avoid having his wife complain about the dirt that he tracked through the house.
Mr. Levine and Kyle looked very much alike. They pretty much shared the same good looks and muscular bodies. Yet, Kyle's personality was much more friendly and inviting while Mr. Levine's persona was one of intimidation.
When I first met him in the second or third grade he scared the shit out of me. At the time, he seemed to be a moody and loud giant. Yet, as time passed I became quite fond of him because he was always the most enthusiastic person at our softball games and swimming matches. He was very encouraging and supportive whenever sports were concerned. However, according to Kyle, he was not a very affectionate father.
"I'm going upstairs to give Marcus some of his clothes back. Then I need to talk to you and mom."
Mr. Levine kept his eyes glued to the television. He nodded his head then allowed a few seconds to pass before he finally said," okay."
Kyle returned the clothes he had borrowed from me the morning after my birthday party. "I even washed them for you."
"Thanks," I smiled.
"Okay, I'm going to go talk to them now."
"Call me when you're finished," I said as I began to walk toward the door.
"No," Kyle quickly responded. "Don't leave yet. Stay up here in my room. Then I'll come and get you when I'm done talking to them."
"You really want me to sit in here while you tell them?"
"Yeah. They might want to talk to you, too," he answered. "If they do, then you'll still be here. Otherwise, they might be upset if you were here and then suddenly vanished while I was talking to them about you and me."
"I wasn't sure if you were serious about me staying here while you talked them," I responded.
"Please," he begged.
I admit that I was a bit reluctant to remain in Kyle's bedroom while he talked with parents downstairs. But I agreed to stay.
I entertained myself by taking attentive notice of everything in Kyle's bedroom. Naturally, I had been there many times, but I don't think I ever paid attention to everything in the room.
There were a few articles of clothing about the floor. Obviously Kyle was not very tidy. His desk was covered with loose pieces of paper and books stacked in a sloppy fashion. The trophies and medals that he had earned from sports were on a shelf next to the closet door. There weren't many photographs about the room. He still had a picture of Ashley in a frame on the desk. Pictures of our friends were posted on the wall by the bedroom door. There was one single photograph of Kyle and me placed on the top. It was a picture that he and I had taken of ourselves at a softball game the previous summer.
I envisioned the countless times that we had played in the bedroom when Kyle and I were children. At the age of thirteen we had been wrestling around and Kyle accidentally punched a hole in the wall. We frantically patched it up with extra wallpaper and moved his desk in front of it so that his parents wouldn't discover the hole. I glanced behind the desk and admired the patched up hole. However, it didn't look quite as professional as we thought it to be years ago.
I had been sitting in Kyle's bedroom for about five minutes when I was caught off guard by the door suddenly swinging open. His dad appeared in the doorway looking stern and very unhappy.
"Marcus, I'm going to ask you to leave the house now."
He was voice was very harsh in tone and it immediately transported me to the time when I was perpetually intimidated by him.
I did not know if I should say anything at all. I'm sure I looked surprised and really nervous. I simply said," yes, sir" and started to walk toward the door to make my grand exist.
Kyle suddenly appeared behind his dad. "What are you doing?"
"I asked Marcus to leave."
"Why? He didn't do anything wrong," Kyle argued. "Don't take it out on him."
"I'm the man of the house," Mr. Levine stated. "I decide who stays and who goes. And right now, Marcus is going."
I had arrived at the doorway but I was unable to walk out of the room because Kyle and his father were standing in the way. I became more uncomfortable with each passing second.
They continued to argue without shifting their position elsewhere so I could leave.
"Why are you being this way?" Kyle asked loudly.
"Don't use that tone with me," his father warned.
I wondered if I should ask for permission to leave the room. That would have made me feel like a complete idiot. I remained silent. Then I decided that I didn't have to stay there like a helpless child unable to stand up for myself. I squeezed my body between the two of them and pushed my way out into the hall.
"Excuse me," I grunted.
"Marcus, you don't have to leave," Kyle said.
Mr. Levine looked me directly in the eye and pointed downstairs. "Go."
I began to descend the stairs with Kyle and his father in tow.
"I'd appreciate it if you stayed away until I invite back in my house," he continued.
I felt Kyle's hand try to grab my arm as I marched downstairs. "It's fine, Kyle. Your dad doesn't want me here right now. So just let me leave."
"I don't want you to go!" Kyle shouted.
When the three of us reached the bottom of the stairs I spotted Kyle's mother standing in the middle of the living room. Her face was completely void of expression. Once she made eye contact with me she quickly turned away from me. Yet, it seemed like she was not able to keep herself from looking at me.
So she returned her gaze to me. For a moment I thought she might have been sympathetic then I believed that I felt anger and disappointment directed at me.
Kyle's cell phone rang. I could tell by the programmed ring that it was Brandon.
"Don't answer that fucking phone!" Mr. Levine shouted.
I opened the front door as quickly as possible and turned to face the Levine Family. "I'm sorry," was the only thing that I said before closing the door behind me. I heard Kyle's mother begin to shout but I didn't understand what she was saying. Then the door opened.
I turned around and saw Kyle walk outside as Mrs. Levine grabbed her husband's arm and screamed," Frank!" I stopped walking and looked at Kyle in complete disbelief.
"I'm sorry," Kyle said over and over. He repeated it three or four times by the time he had appeared at my side.
"Obviously the talk with your parents didn't go so well," I said and ran my hand through my hair.
"No, it didn't," he replied. "My father totally went off on me and told me that he did not want his son to be gay."
"So your father is homophobic," I stated.
"No. He said he didn't have a problem with gay people, but he didn't want me to be gay."
"And what did your mom say?"
"She basically sat there and didn't say anything. She tried to calm him down. But I could tell that she wasn't very happy about it either."
"I knew things were going too well," I said. "I'm stupid for believing that this was going to be easy and painless."
"Well, then I'm stupid too," Kyle replied. "I'm sorry, Marcus. My dad is being an asshole right now."
"What the hell are we going to do?"
Kyle shook his head. "I don't know. Hopefully, my parents will calm down soon and be reasonable."
"Do you even think that's possible?"
"I hope so," he frowned. "When Brad comes home from his camping trip he will help me talk to them."
"I don't know what to say, Kyle. I hope things get better."
"If I can sit down and have a civil conversation with them, then maybe things will return to normal."
"Or, at least, as close to normal as possible."
Kyle grabbed me and pulled me into a strong embrace. His hand rubbed the back of my head. "I'm sorry," he repeated.
Mr. Levine opened the front door and glanced at us. He looked sad. He shook his head and closed the door.
"You can come to my house if things become too difficult around here, " I offered.
"Thanks. Maybe I can talk with them now. If not, then I'll see how things are."
"Okay," I whispered and pulled myself away from him. "Call me later, if you want."
"Alright."
I looked at Kyle for a few seconds. I did not know what I could say to possibly make him feel better or give him a more positive outlook on the situation at hand. I wanted to tell to him that everything was going to be fine. But, at that moment, I didn't know if they could be. Because I didn't feel confident about Mr. Levine becoming more accepting of us I did not know how to convey a sense of security at all.
I felt defeated and powerless.
I watched Kyle as he walked inside the house then I turned toward my car.
Once I was seated behind the wheel I exhaled heavily and took a deep breath to fill my lungs.
I was still shocked by what had just taken place. I felt bad.
The longer I sat there the more angry I became. I did not understand how Mr. Levine could suddenly have so much animosity for me. We had known each other for the past ten years. He was present to witness Kyle and me become the best of friends as we grew up. Kyle was a part of my family and I seemed to be welcomed into their home as a part of their family. Now I was an unwanted guest. It was as if I had become a stranger to them. I didn't deserve to be treated that way. I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't lie to them, steal from them or hurt them in any way. I was the exact same boy they had always known me to be.
I decided that I wasn't going to allow myself to be treated that way.
I opened the car door and marched up the steps of the porch.