A Home For Timmy (boyxboy)

Chapter 12: Two truths, one lie

Chapter 12

"I noticed you don't talk about Timmy's mother." I commented when he'd taken his last sip of orange juice and he shrugged.

"Aint nothing to talk about."

I watched him twirl the ice around and around in his glass. "What was she like?"

Another shrug. "I don't know...loud I guess."

"Were you two close?"

"No I hardly even knew her."

I continued to watch him, taking in the bruises on his neck, the slight crease of his brow and his small frown as he twirled the melting ice. It was clear he wasn't interested in talking about her, but then he was never really interested in talking about anything, so I kept the questions going.

"You two had a kid together, there must be something you can tell me."

"Why does it matter?" he was glaring at me now, his mouth turned down into a frown and I looked him dead in the eyes.

"Is it a crime that I just want to learn more about you?"

He shrugged before setting the glass on the counter. "You should know, you're the cop."

I smiled despite myself and reached over to pull on a strand of his hair. This time when he looked at me, it was with that same shy smile I'd long ago grown accustomed to.

"At one point, she lived on the street." He began softly and I watched him as he knotted his hands together on the counter, his gaze having already gone back to his glass. "I helped her get away from this asshole once and we were friends for a while."

"So you were close." I surmised and once again he shrugged.

"She was cool and tough and loud." He continued "But she was my friend."

"Did you love her?"

He glanced up at me then with a small frown. "You wanna know how come I had a kid with her if I like men right?"

"No, not at all...I'm just—"

"We got drunk... I hardly remember that night. She wasn't really excited about having a kid though. When Timmy was born she..." he trailed off. "Now she's dead and I don't like to think about her."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

Another shrug.

"What will you tell Timmy?"

"What do you mean?" his brows were creased in confusion as he watched me and when he reached over to fidget with the glass again, I took it up and placed it into the sink.

"He'll ask about her when he's older. What will you tell him?"

"The truth." Was all he said and when I handed him the bag of ice he set it against his neck once more.

He looked depressed now I thought and I felt a twinge of regret for bringing her up, but he never talked unless I hammered it out of him.

"That's good... he should know."

He nodded and while I watched him I asked the question I probably shouldn't broach...especially not so soon. "And what will you tell him when he asks why he has two fathers?"

He looked up at me, the shock clear on his face and his brows furrowed. "Who says he's gonna have two fathers?"

This time it was my turn to shrug and when I did, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Well it's no secret you're gay...one day if you do decide to get into a permanent relationship with someone, it'll be a guy right?"