where we left off

5

The warm early-summer sun was setting as Stan Uris sat down on a park bench and cried.

Where can I go? He thought.

But the answer was already obvious.

Sharon Denbrough was helping Georgie clear the table when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Bill! Can you get the door please?" She called up the stairs.
Bill raced down and opened the door. Sharon heard the door shut and then the sound of muffled crying. Confused,she went to see who was at the door.

Out of all of Bill's friends,Stanley is not the one who she would expect to see sobbing at the front door. No,Sharon would expect Beverly or Eddie. But,much to her surprise,Stanley was crying into Bill's shoulder as Bill hugged him tightly.

"Hi." Sharon said.

Stanley stopped hugging Bill and looked at Sharon,wiping away the tears streaming down his face.

"Hello,I'm very sorry to intrude." Stanley regained all of his usual composure quickly. "My father threw me out. I just dropped by to explain to Bill where he could find me. I'll go to Bev's,she owes me."

"No!" Bill grabbed Stanley's hand before he could walk back out the door. "He can stay here,right Mom?"

Sharon dithered for about one whole second before accepting.

"But,I'll need a proper explanation. I can see that there are things that you two are not telling me."

Bill smiled and Stanley thanked her.

"Come into the living room,I'll make some...tea and coffee!" She smiled.

Bill and Stanley,"Please call me Stan.", sat down on the sofa. Georgie had gone upstairs to play and Zachary Denbrough was tinkering in the garage.

"Tea or coffee,Stan?" Sharon asked.

"Tea,please?" Stan answered.

Sharon set down a tray and Stan and Bill each took a mug of tea. Bill sippped delicately,Stan just held the warm mug in his trembling hands.

"So,what is going on here?" Sharon questioned.

"S-Stan got k-kicked out." Bill stuttered.

Bill only stuttered when he was lying or very anxious nowadays. He'd gone to the speech therapist for three years and the doctor had managed to fix his stutter.

"William. I know when you are lying,I am your mother after all. What is really going on?" Sharon pressed.

"Stan and I are...dating." Bill said.

"I knew that. Georgie told me last week."

"I am going to kill him." Bill whispered.

"None of that. I knew you were...bisexual. You told me once I think. Also,I had a fair guess that Stan was gay. No heterosexual has that good hygiene. What is really going on?" Sharon repeated.

Bill looked anguished.

"Well,Mom, you know how Stan has a vagin-"

"I'm pregnant." Stan interrupted.

"Ah. Well,how far?" Sharon asked.

"Four months and a bit." Stan looks at the tea tray.

"Okay..." Sharon mulled this over. "What's your plan."

Bill bit down on his lip and Stan had blushed peony.

"Stan got into Columbia. I'll go to New York with him and take a gap year to care for the baby and work. We're saving up money. Well,I'm saving. Stan has been saving since sophomore year."

"Good. How are you,Stan. I understand that your mother died in childbirth. That must be worrying you." Sharon asked.

"You sound like a shrink,Mom." Bill chuckled,his posture was slightly more relaxed now.

"I am worried. It does freak me out." Stan said quietly.

"Good. Only bad parents aren't worried." Sharon smiled.

"Thank you." Stan and Bill said in unison.

"Well,I guess you can stay here until you figure things out with Donald or move to New York. Whichever comes first. Go put your stuff in Bill's room. I guess the damage has already been done." She took the tray over to the sink.

"That went pretty good,no?" Bill said that night,his arms wrapped around Stan. Sharon had told Zach and Georgie,who had both reacted rather well.

"Yeah. I guess. Should we tell the Losers tomorrow night?" Tomorrow was Friday,and the Losers had planned to chill out at Bill's.

"Mmh. Probably." Bill ran a hand through his hair and shut his eyes.

Just as Bill was drifting to sleep,he heard Stan inhale sharply next to him.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I think the baby just kicked." Stan whispered. "Holy fuck."

"Can I..." Bill asked.

"Go ahead." Stan replied.

Bill could feel a slight flutter of movement under Stan's tee-shirt.

"Wow. That's...Wow." Bill breathed.

"Yeah. Though I have the distinct feeling that this'll get old fast." Stan smirked.