A Walk in the Park--Larry Stylinson

Bottled Joy

Louis called Brooke a few days later and asked if they could meet her at the park area next to the dog park that evening.

She was silent for a moment, uncertain about the tone of his voice. He sounded so . . . solemn. Of course, he didn't mean to. It was just that he was nervous and hoping he'd be able to word it right, without upsetting her unduly.

"Sure, no problem. I'll leave Peanut here so Aaron can deal with him," she laughed.

They met before Louis and Harry were to go to the gym. They had an hour or so.

"You guys are scaring me! Is everything okay?" she asked as soon as Louis and Harry got out of the Rover and she exited her Toyota.

"Everything's fine. We just wanted to discuss sommat with you," volunteered Harry. It didn't really put her mind at ease. Whatever did they want to talk about that would involve going to the park instead of talking in her living room?

"The thing is . . . " Louis began. "Your uncle Phil, well, he said sommat to us about our . . . sexuality."

Brooke's already large eyes, sporting her usual thick eyeliner, widened even more. "He did? Oh my God, I had no idea! Shit, I'm so sorry, you guys!" She was so sincere that Louis almost felt guilty for having told her.

"What did he say, and where did he say it?" she asked.

Louis explained about what Phil had said to him at the barbeque, and as they were walking to the car after he'd worked on her computer.

"So he's said something twice?"

Louis nodded.

"I had no idea, and I sure hope you guys will stay friends with me and Aaron!"

"Of course we will. We just wanted to talk to you as soon as we could, and not keep it from you," said Harry. "We were gettin' really uncomfortable."

"And that's why it might be better if we keep meetin' somewhere besides your house," said Louis. "Like our place or wherever."

"Yeah! Yeah, sure. The reason Uncle Phil is around so much is because he's lonely. I don't think he has many, if any, friends. He's a little obnoxious, and opinionated, as you've found out, and it discourages people, and I'm pretty sure they avoid him once they find out how he is. I'm one of the few family members who puts up with him, so he hangs around and overstays his welcome, but I feel like I can't be mean enough to ask him to go home. It's a little awkward."

Brooke popped her gum and twirled the end of her hair with a pointer finger as she thought the situation over.

"It's nice of you to include him like you do," offered Harry.

"Well, he's family. But there's no excuse for him making comments about you guys! And to your faces too! I'm going to have to have a talk with him. I feel terrible about this!"

"I don't want this to ruin your relationship with him," explained Louis.

"I've put up with his prejudices and bigoted ways for a long time. He's gone too far this time."

"We were afraid of this," Harry said, "and that's why we were hesitant to say sommat at first."

Brooke was getting more angry by the second. "Harry, no! I'm glad you told me! I should know about these things. I'm pissed off at him. He's got a big mouth and shouldn't be saying stuff like that, no matter how he feels about it."

"We honestly just wanted to ask you and Aaron to meet us somewhere besides your house, not stir up trouble between you and your uncle. But we felt we should be honest about why we wanted to meet elsewhere. I kind of wish we hadn't told you now," Louis said mournfully. He really did feel responsible.