The Lockdown

23

A loud rumble woke Andy up. He was on Cam's bed tangled up in his sheets, his face somehow ended up buried in the boy's stomach, the origin of the annoying sound. He knew the youngster was awake because he felt him playing with his hair, so he blew a raspberry into the exposed belly making the boy laugh hysterically. He looked at the bedside clock, they had an hour before he was supposed to meet his uncle at the bar, which gave them plenty of time to clean up and eat a huge breakfast.

"Uncle Joe, this is Cam," he introduced the suddenly shy boy as they entered the bar.

"Whew, your mom was not kidding he is cute as hell," and he shook the blushing man's hand warmly.

"Cam helped a lot with the inventory and we thought he could be useful with other things around the bar," Andy explained his presence.

"I see. Does this mean that he will help you run this place?" Uncle Joe was always very perceptive and his judgement was important to Andy. "Well, your parents managed to build a company together, so why not, you should give it a go. It always helps to have a partner to shoulder the work."

They worked in harmony all day, Cam picking up on the challenges of the job easily, asking the right questions, listening intently to Joe explaining the intricate details of the workings of the bar. His uncle left at lunchtime, Andy brought some takeout from the restaurant next door and he showed around Cam explaining the changes he thought would improve the bar. They went home late, had sex, got back to the bar the next day, had sex in the afternoon in the bar after his uncle left and slept through the night in each other's arms.

Bright blue skies and a warm spell ushered in the weekend and the boys went for a long run on Saturday morning. They raced the last fifty yards coming back, Cam raising his hands in victory. Andy picked up the champion to acknowledge his defeat when he felt the boy tense up. He slowly put him down, the youngster was staring across the street at a man leaning against a red car looking at the boys pensively. He crossed the street slowly with Andy on his heels. Andy could have picked out Cam's dad from a line-up. He had slightly darker skin, but his features were very similar to the boy with a few wrinkles around the eyes and a peppering of gray in his otherwise jet black hair.

"Grandma called you," stated the boy simply.

'Yes."

"And she threatened to whoop your ass if you didn't find me."

"Yes."

"How did you find me?"

"Sarah. It took me a long time to convince her to give up your address. She kept hanging up on me."

"Well, job done, you can go, you can tell grandma that you found me."

"I'd like to talk to you."

"I don't think we have anything to talk about. I am still gay and I am not going to change whatever you say."

"I miss you."

"I've missed you for a long time, but not anymore."

"I haven't slept well in over a year."

"That must have been hard. I feel so bad for you."

"I am sorry, Cammie, for everything. I was wrong, what I did was terrible and indefensible and I understand if you never forgive me."

"Don't call me that. What does mom say?"

"She doesn't agree with me, but I am working on her. She came to a meeting with me once."

"What meeting?"

"Parents with gay kids. I've been attending for about six months. I won't claim that I will ever comprehend what being gay means, but they have been helping me to accept it. To accept you." Cam stared at him silently. "I left our congregation two months ago and joined another. Our pastor is gay."

"Took you long enough."

"Too long," he conceded. "I went to Samuel to find you before Christmas but he shut the door into my face. I later found out you two were no longer together."

"What do you want from me?"

"To see you again, to talk to you. I want my boy back, the way you are, not the way I want you to be. Would you let me come and see you again?"

"Maybe."

"I should go now if I want to catch the bus back to the city."

Cam looked at him in confusion glancing at the car. "Didn't you drive here?"

"It's not my car, it's yours. We promised to buy you a car when you graduate. I already signed the lease when you... left, and they delivered it four months later. It's been standing in front of the house ever since."

"You can't bribe me."

"It's not a bribe, it is a promise. I broke enough of my promises to you as it is, please, accept it." He pushed the keys into Cam's hands. "The registration in your name is in the glove box," He started to walk away.

"Dad, wait! .... We can drive you back to the city."

The journey back was silent and full of tension, Cam made his father sit in the back and refused to answer any of his questions. He turned to Andy once "Are you his...."

"You don't talk to him."

They arrived back in Minneapolis and got out in front of his parents' house. Cam took the keys, threw them into their mailbox and turned to his father. "I won't accept the car from you. Not yet. We will take the bus home."

On the long bus ride back, Andy held the boy closely the whole way. "I love you."

"I love you, too."