The Things That I Know || George Michael

nineteen - don't cry, daddy

Note: chapter contains homophobia.

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"Alright class, it's home time now. Gather your school bags and your other things ready to go and meet your mummies and daddies outside."

Mrs Hall's polite instructions cause around two dozen excited children to run towards the cloakroom, practically climbing over one another to grab their belongings in preparation for going home for the day. She opens the door of the classroom, letting in the crisp autumn air from outside; a few kids immediately see their parents waiting for them, so they bound over to them. Kieran fastens the zip on his jacket, before lifting his bag from off his designated hook in the cloakroom. As he heads outside to look for either one of his fathers, he is met with the familiar, jarring voice of his classmate.

"Where are your daddies, Kieran?" Esme taunts from behind him, causing him to turn around.

"I'm waiting for them to get here, Esme," he responds innocently. "Where's your mummy?"

"She's probably on her way here now. She has a really important job, and she's really important there," Esme rambles. "So sometimes she has to stay at work for longer. She's the most important person there. And she works for famous people."

"No she doesn't," Kieran argues. "You're lying. She doesn't work for famous people."

"She does. I've even met loads of them," Esme lies. "Famous people like One Direction and Bruno Mars."

"You're crazy, Esme," Kieran scoffs.

"Yeah well, you're just jealous that I've met cool famous people because I have a cool mum. But you have two daddies and that's dis—gus—ting." The latter word of her statement is sung, much like a jingle.

"No it's not. They both love me," Kieran defends. "And I love them."

"Maybe that's why they have stupid boring jobs. Because they shouldn't love each other. They should find a real, actual mum to love you instead."

"I knew you were still bullying my little boy!" George pops up seemingly out of nowhere, much to the children's surprise, and accuses her. "So you're Esme, the girl who's been making nasty comments about Kieran's father and I?"

Just George's demeanour alone causes Esme to falter. "I-I didn't say anything bad. I-I didn't—"

"I heard you with my own ears, sweetheart," George corrects her. "Seems like I need to have a word with Mrs Hall, and your mum about this."

"I'm sorry Mister," Esme cries, in a feeble attempt to undo what she's said. "I'm sorry Kieran."

"This needs to be sorted," George decides, heading towards the classroom door to see Mrs Hall grading some class work at her desk. "Mrs Hall? A word please?"

"Of course." She looks up from what she's doing, before rising from her seated position. "How can I help you, Mr Panayiotou-Jones?"

"I just want to ask you again — have you heard Esme making comments about me and my husband since the first time?"

"I already reassured you, Mr Panayiotou-Jones, that I would tell you immediately if I heard anything untoward being said in my classroom. Why do you ask?"

"Because I've just heard Esme disrespecting us with my own ears," George divulges. "Saying to my son that we should be finding him a mother to take care of him instead of two fathers. Something needs to be done about this behaviour immediately."

"I'm so sorry to hear this," Mrs Hall frowns, resting one hand on her hip, and the other on her forehead in contemplation. "I really thought that this had stopped. It makes me wonder what else has been said while I've been out of earshot. Kieran hasn't said anything to me if she has said anything."