Phytoremediation

While I tied my boots like a tightrope noose

Basil set down the phone he just called Sunny from.

Now he had to make a call he was less excited about. To his parents.

Basil picked up his phone nervously. He knew his parents wouldn't judge or be mean to him, it was just apathy. Regardless, he never enjoyed trying to call them.

"Hello, Basil, what are you calling me for?" His father asked flatly.

"Um... hey Dad, I just-"

His father cut him off. "No calling me dad anymore, you're 16. Grow up, I'm Heath to you now."

Basil frowned and looked down. "O-Okay... Heath... um... I need to get a birthday present for my best friend... a violin..."

"Great timing, then Basil. I had just bought a few Stradivarius violins as investments. I could spare one for your best friend. If that's all I'll be hanging up." Heath replied.

Basil felt tears form in his eyes. Even if it was anger, feeling anything come from his parents would have been an improvement. He decided to come out to his dad right there. Even if he disowned him, it would be an improvement on how he felt about him right now.

"A-Actually Heath, I... I'm gay, ok?" He said loudly into the receiver.

"Ok, Basil. Just make sure you adopt. Your mother's company won't end with you, understand?" He answered without even a hint of surprise. Not a sliver of emotion.

"That's all..." Basil said quietly.

Without even saying goodbye, his father hung up. Basil felt tears begin to stream down his face. Not even a reaction. His parents didn't care about him, they just cared about their stupid companies. Lining their pockets with as much money as possible. They even bought some violins, not for him, but because then they wouldn't pay as much tax as they sat their with their value climbing.

Polly came into the hallway, where he was yelling. He felt a wave of regret wash over him. She must've heard him when he was yelling that he was gay.

"Are you okay, Basil?" She asked quietly.

Basil couldn't help but sob.

Polly tried to hug him, but Basil ran into his room and began crying into his pillow.

Polly followed Basil into his room, and sat on his bed, next to Basil's feet. "I... I know it seems like they don't care about you, but..." Polly couldn't finish her sentence. They both knew that they didn't care.

"Basil, I promise, everything will get better. You will be okay." Polly said as she stood up, and rubbed Basil's back. "I'll let you cry it out for a little while, ok?"

Basil cried for what felt like hours, though had only been a bit over half an hour. He stood up, wiped his face, and walked to his window, looking down at the dirt patches where he planted the seeds. He needed to water the tulip seeds today, and any sprouting sunflowers.

Basil went downstairs and out his door, grabbing his watering can to fill up in the sink.

"Hey Basil, are you okay? Do you need anything?" She asked. Her eyes looked a bit red from crying.

"I'm okay... I'm just going to water the plants."

The faucet splashed at the bottom of the watering can, and slowly filled it up. Basil made sure it didn't go too high, and turned off the faucet when the watering can was full enough to use.

Basil walked out the front door, then inspected the left and right flower beds for any grass or weeds before watering them.

Basil looked at his bland front yard. No dandelions, no daisies, just short grass. Probably mowed and cleaned before the new family would move in, after all. Basil decided to water the lawn a bit, hoping some seed would receive the water, and make the lawn less bland. Basil looked at the occasional clover patch on lawn. and would water them too. They always looked so pretty, Basil loved clovers. His favourite non-flowering plant. A really specific category, maybe, but still, the top of it.