Stranger Nights

Chapter 6

When the sermon was over the Bakers arose from their seats. Eddy immediately waved his family goodbye and hurriedly went off with the rest of the field workers to work on the crops. Linda looked over at her son and niece.

"See now that wasn't so bad was it?" She asked him putting her hands on her hips.

"I guess not." Henry lied.

"So Charlotte what are you doing here?" Charlotte just shrugged in reply. "Well I better leave for work now, you kids have fun."

Then Linda left too and they were left all alone.

"So what are you doing here?" Henry asked.

"I don't want to talk about it in this place." She said looking around as if she was being watched.

"Alright then let's-" but before he could finish is sentence a voice came from behind them.

"I haven't seen you kids around here before!" he said. It was the minister. He smiled at them. Charlotte quickly turned her head away avoiding his gaze and Henry tried to smile as real as possible.

The Minister was a tall man making him seem like a giant. His hair was grey and he had silver sideburns on either side of his face. He had round small glasses and he was always seen wearing a black suit.

"Oh..um..we.." Henry stuttered nervously his fake smile faltering.

"We were just leaving." Charlotte said bluntly. She grabbed Henry's arm and quickly tugged him out of the church.

Only when they were out of sight did the Minister frown.

"That was weird." Henry said as they walked. They were walking briskly as if the Minister was still following them. "Freddy has to live with that guy."

Charlotte stopped in her tracks. She tugged the scarf down from her nose.

"About Freddy....." she said unsure of what to say. When she didn't continue Henry asked,

"What about Freddy?"

"I may have let it your secret slip." She sighed staring at the ground.

"You mean the fact that I'm gay." Henry asked her.

"I thought you already told him...." She said looking up at him, "So I brought it up....I didn't just come out and say it.....but I think he figured it out....."

There was silence and she quietly let out a "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Henry said gently, "He was going to find out sooner or later....it's probably best he found out sooner huh? Besides I'm sure he won't mind I mean he doesn't listen to his dad anyway.''

"Yeah..." Charlotte whispered not really believing what he was saying.

"We better go talk to him though. He should be at Aaeesha's place by now."

Henry started to walk in that direction and Charlotte followed.

Henry Baker was gay and only one person knew up until that point. He only ever dared let one person know. They had grown up being taught that people like that were disgusting.....that Henry was disgusting. Henry knew it for a long time, but repressed the feelings deep down inside of him. One night though he couldn't take it anymore. So in the middle of the night he walked over to Charlotte Baker's house and he told her in her bedroom. He remembers how scared he was.

She didn't waste a minute replying.

"Henry, I love you." she said to him. He was hit with so much relief and acceptance that he cried in her arms. Henry was pretty sure that if the sun was still around then it would have risen before he stopped.