Chapter 12: Ebb & Flow
I was in my room sitting at my desk when I heard my dad come back home. I heard him as he marched up the stairs and barged in my room. My heart was pounding and my eyes threatened tears as he walked straight to me before pulling me up and into a hug.
"I love you Bobby. I'm sorry if I scared you." I let out an audible sigh of relief as he continued. "I went over to give Mr. Evans a piece of my mind. I told him how proud I was to have you as my son, and if he or his son had a problem with you they could take it up with me. My heart stopped aching as I was flooded with relief. I cried on my dad's shoulder as he patted my back.
"Thanks dad." I said wiping my eyes on my sleeve. "I love you too." He tousled my hair and gave me a final hug before he headed out the door. He stopped in the frame and turned around before asking "are you and Rob...?" I nodded and gave a nervous smile to my dad. "He's a good kid Bobby." Dad said as he headed out the door. I collapsed into the bed and felt like every burden had been lifted from my soul.
Rob came over the following morning and we went for a walk downtown, bundled from the winter cold. We stopped in the gas station and he got a coffee and I got a hot chocolate before heading out of the station.
"Well if it isn't Rob and Nancy." I groaned as I saw Eric heading towards us. "What brings you and the fairy out this morning?" He said and made sure to emphasize the word 'out.'
"Don't you call him Nancy, or fairy Eric. His name is Bobby and he deserves your respect. He's a great person." Rob said pointing at his chest.
"Respect, for the queer?" Eric laughed maliciously as he spat on the ground beside me. "Honestly Rob, if you want people to have respect for you, you'll quit hanging around this fag."
"Fag? Fag. I'll show you fag!" Rob's eyes were wild and his face was red. Rob grabbed me and pressed a possessive, needy kiss onto my surprised lips. "I don't give a fuck what you think Eric; you're a piece of shit." Eric's jaw dropped open and he sat staring as Rob grabbed my hand and pulled me down the road. I know a look of shock and awe was on my face, but when Rob finally looked at me he looked relieved. He just started laughing.
"I'm sorry Bobby. I just thought that might shut his dumb ass up." I shook my head smiling at him as I reached up and kissed him.
"Thanks for sticking up for me Rob... This is going to cause some drama. I guess you're out of closet." I said as we walked back to my house sipping our drinks. Rob headed home after lunch and I just lounged on the couch watching movies with Emily the rest of the day.
We were sitting down to dinner when we heard a pounding on the door. Mom got up and answered the door to reveal a distraught Rob.
"I'm sorry Mr. & Mrs. Thompson, can I talk to Bobby please?" Rob asked, his eyes glazed and blood shot.
"Sure sweetie." My mom said, "we're about to eat dinner. We'll set you a place. Come down when you're ready."
Rob followed me up to my room and sat beside me on my bed. "Eric's dad told my dad." Rob said as he hung his head. "He kicked me out, said he wasn't going to have a queer living under his roof. Mom tried to defend me, but dad wouldn't listen. He said he didn't have a son." Rob was almost crying as I wrapped my arms around him and tried to comfort him.
"I'm so sorry Robbie. I'll always be here for you. I'll talk to my parents, I'm sure they'll let you stay here. We'll go pick up some of your stuff after dinner and you can stay here until you work things out with your dad." I said as reassuringly as I could manage.
"Thanks Bobby." Rob sniffled as he tried to hide the evidence of his tears and rubbed his face in his sleeve. "I don't think I will be able to work things out with my dad. My mom seemed to be okay with it, but she won't go against him." I just sat there holding him until finally he stood up trying to regain some composure.
"Come on Bobby, supper is getting cold." He smiled half-heartedly and we headed downstairs.
"Everything alright Rob?" Mom asked as she gave Rob her warmest smile.
"Not really, but I'll manage." Rob answered with chagrin. I squeezed his thigh under the table before speaking.
"Mom, dad, is it okay if Rob stays here for a while?" I asked with a pleading look on my face.
"I don't mind if you stay here Rob." Dad began, "but I need to know why you need a place to stay, what happened?"
Rob took a few seconds to compose himself before speaking. "Eric Evans has been picking on Bobby for being..." Rob hesitated.
"Gay." Dad said plainly as he nodded for Rob to continue.
"Well I just couldn't take Bobby bearing the burden alone. Eric was harassing Bobby this morning calling him names and I kissed him in front of Eric to shut him up. It worked too." Rob gave a mirthless chuckle before continuing. "Well the little shit--, sorry for my language Mrs. Thompson." Rob apologized as she waved him off. "Well he told his dad, who told my dad. My mom seemed to be okay with it, but dad disowned me and kicked me out. I don't want to impose, but I don't have anywhere to go. Maybe my uncle..." Rob trailed off looking down at his plate.
"Oh honey." My mom got up and gave Rob a hug through the chair and kissed the top of his head. "Of course you can stay here, as long as you need."
"I will let you stay here Rob, but we are going to need to figure out the sleeping arrangement. I can't have you two lovebirds shacked up In Bobby's room." Rob and I blushed as Emily laughed.
"I can't thank you enough." Rob said to my parents, "I'll earn my keep." After we ate dinner we headed to Rob's to pick up the stuff he needed. After a couple of hours we had packed up most of his clothes, his books, and computer and were making the last trip to his truck.
"I'm so sorry Rob, I love you. You know your father; he's stubborn as a damned mule." We looked up to see his mom looking sadly at Rob. "You going to stay with your friend?" She asked looking at me.
"Yes ma'am." I answered nodding, "my parents said he could stay with us until Rob and his dad worked things out."
"That's sweet dearie, but I wouldn't hold your breath." She came down the stairs and gave Rob a hug. I was surprised when she gave me a hug. "He's very handsome Rob; I think you made a good choice." Rob grinned and I blushed as he tousled my hair.
"I made a great choice." Rob said as he held open his truck door for me to get in. We waved bye to his mom before heading back to my-, our house.
"Your mom is sweet." I said grabbing Rob's hand.
"She has her moments." Rob answered lacing his fingers with mine. We were hauling some boxes and bags upstairs when we heard a strange noise coming from my room. Peeking in we saw my dad with a mess of tools, screws, and lumber strewn on my floor. My full sized bed was no longer in the room.
"What's going on?" I asked as my dad looked up at the two of us.
"I was going to make Rob sleep in the attack, but your mom thinks it's too cold. She thinks you'll end up sneaking to see each other anyway. So I got bunk beds. I know you're both 18, but if you're going to be sharing a room, you won't be sharing a bed. This door is going to be opened a lot more than it's closed. Do you two have a problem with these rules?"
"No sir." We said in unison. Rob walked in and immediately started helping my dad organize the parts for the beds.
"Do you want two twin beds, or bunk beds?" Dad asked looking at me.
"Surprise me." I said as I grinned and headed down the stairs. I hauled the rest of Rob's things to the upstairs hallway before settling down to watch TV. I knew what a pain dad was when trying to put something together and I didn't want to be around during his frustration. I felt bad leaving Rob with my dad. That fear faded when they came down the stairs an hour or so later, they were happily chatting and I saw dad pat Rob on the back before heading to the fridge. He grabbed a bottle of beer for himself and handed Rob a Coke.
"Thanks for the help Rob." He said as he sat on the couch.
"It was the least I could do Mr. Thompson, I can't express my gratitude to you and Mrs. Thompson." Dad waved him off and Rob led me to our room to show me the new addition. The beds were stacked on top of each other.
"I got top bunk." Rob said laughing at me.
"Oh I know how much you like being on top." I rebuffed and he burst into laughter.
"You got that right." Rob said as he pulled me into a hug. "I was upset at being kicked out, but now I realize I get to spend all of my time with you." He kissed my forehead before heading into the hall and bringing in one of his boxes. We rearranged my room the best we could to fit all of his things in with mine. It was getting late when we finished and Rob gave me a sweet kiss before he climbed the ladder to his new bed. I closed the door so it was just opened a crack before climbing on the bottom bunk and drifting off to sleep. I don't know how long I had been asleep, but something caused me to stir.