Westpoint Tales - Heroes, 6

Their kiss was interrupted by Justin calling on the intercom. “Good morning, Handsome Boys! Hello? Are you awake in there? Billy T? JH?”

“Hey, Granddad. We’re awake.”

Oh good. I hate to rush you, but hurry up! Sunny has almost got your breakfast ready, come and get it, the sooner the better. You don’t want to see how grumpy he can be in the mornings.”

They heard Billy in the background. “Shut up, Justin.”

“Thanks, Granddad. We won’t be long.”

“Good Boy. See you soon.”

There was a click as Justin disconnected. “Sunny?” JH queried.

“It’s Justin’s name for Granddad Billy. Don’t ask why, I don’t know. It’s just what he calls him.”

“Oh, okay. We’d better get dressed then.”

“Yeah. Worse luck. I’ll pay you back later.”

“Pay me back? You don’t have to do that.”

“Maybe not, but I want to. We’d better get dry now.”

“Okay. Where are the towels?”

“There are no towels.”

“There’s not? How do we dry off then?”

“Like this.” Billy T touched a button and they were enveloped by hot, dry air coming from all of the shower-heads.

“Okay, all done.” He turned it off. “Can you take me back to the bed now please?”

“Of course. I’ll take you to bed any time you like. That’s never going to be a problem.”

They dressed quickly. Billy T took no longer to get his school clothes on than JH did. JH was amused and intrigued at all the little tricks and gadgets that Billy T used to help him dress. He realised that Billy T meant it when he said that he didn’t think of his family as being wealthy, but they did have everything he needed to make his life easier. ‘Fair enough too.’

“Umm, Billy, you know we were talking yesterday, about working? Well, I’ve decided. I don’t know what I’m going to do for money, but I know what I want to do with my life.”

Billy T looked up at him. “What’s that then?”

“I want to be your servant.”

“You bloody will not!”

“I bloody will. I want to be with you and love you and do everything I can to help you live your life. My legs are your legs. My body is your body and my life is yours, now and always. I love you.”

“JH! Blast. Thank you, but, well – thanks. But don’t you think that it’s a bit soon to be giving your life away?”

“Too soon? No. No way. I know what I want; I want you, nothing else. My life began when you smiled at me.”

“I, umm. I wish that I could say the same. I do like you, JH. I like you very much. Please, give me time. I’m not as decisive as you. Just be patient with me and let’s keep it in today. Okay?”

“Okay.” JH leaned over him and kissed him. “I love you, I’ll wait.”

“Cool, thanks. Now, let’s go eat!”

“Well, all right, but not too much. I don’t eat breakfast at all usually.”

“Tell Granddad Billy that, and good luck to you.”

They went up to the top floor. Justin greeted them. “Good morning, Lovely Boys! About time too. Much longer and Sunny would’ve been kicking your door down.”

Billy came out from the kitchen. “Shut up, Justin. Hello Boys – sit.”

They sat at the table to eat and Billy served up two large breakfasts.

“Granddad!” Billy T protested.

“Too much? Just eat what you want. You too, JH.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“What? What did you call me?”

“Sorry. Thank you, Billy.”

“That’s better, much better.” Billy smiled.

Justin sat across from the boys. “Did anyone do any homework last night?”

“No, not a bit,” JH replied.

“We didn’t have much anyway,” Billy T said. “And we were busy. Could you give us a note, Granddad? Tell the school that we had other stuff to do – they’d listen to you.”

“I could,” Justin agreed. “I could but I’m not going to. If you get in trouble, then it’s your fault. Consequences, Boys. Deal with it.”

“Gee thanks, Granddad. I love you too.”

“You know I love you, Billy T. I love you very much and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do you for. Almost nothing – I’m not going to help you to be a slacker though.”

“He’s right you know,” JH said. “Absolutely right. That wouldn’t be doing us any favours. Thanks, umm, Justin.”

Justin sat looking at him over his coffee cup. “Billy T, I think that you’ve got a good one here. I like this boy.”

“So do I, Granddad. I like him very much. Now please stop embarrassing him.”

They finished breakfast, said goodbye and went off to school, surrounded by cousins. JH didn’t know the names of half of them, but they all knew who he was and why he was there. He was a bit embarrassed, but thrilled to be there and accepted as one of them.

Billy T said that he could ride on the chair if he wanted to. But he said no; he’d walk like all the others. Besides, he needed to work off that great breakfast.

Billy T said, “Yeah, thanks. It’s all right for some people!”

We’ll find other ways for you to work it off.”

“Oh yeah!”

Peter and Carl met them at school.

“There you are,” Billy T said. “I thought that, maybe, you’d be taking the day off.”

“And miss an exciting day in Westpoint High?” Carl grinned. “Not likely!”

“Not today anyway,” Peter agreed. “How is it with you guys? Everything good?”

JH replied, “Everything is very good. Thanks Peter, I owe you.”

“No you don’t; I’ve already been paid in full. Thanks to you two, Carl has sorted things with his father and everything is sweet now. Life is good!”

“It is.” They all agreed. “Life is good.”

JH almost said that life was perfect, but it wasn’t, not quite. His life was much better than it was, but it wasn’t perfect. A couple of little things were worrying him. One of which was that he had to see his father, meet Bobby and apologise for the way he’d been for, well, all his life really.

Billy T wasn’t going home with hi after school, not today. He said that it was better for JH to go and talk to them alone. They’d have plenty of our days to be alone together.

They went into the school with grins, all but, fixed on their faces.

The day went well, interminably long, but it passed. After school, Billy T said goodbye and went home with the crowd. They’d talk later. Peter and Carl started off to Carl’s home. Carl’s dad wanted to see Peter; he had no worries about that, not many anyway.

JH stood talking to Claire Lyons while he waited for the bus. She told him that she was delighted about his news. He said that he was too!

Anthony Lyons walked past them. JH smiled. “Hey, Cousin.”

Anthony stopped and looked at him. “Hey yourself. Gone queer have you, JH?”

“Well, yeah!”

“I always knew it.” Anthony walked away, JH stood watching him go.

“Damm. I’ve got some bridges to mend there, Claire.”

“Ah, don’t worry about him,” she replied. “Our Anthony can be a little bitch at times. He’ll come right.”

“I hope you’re right. I don’t want an enemy.”

“Give him time. He’ll be okay. If he’s not, I’ll boot his butt for him.”

“You will? Thanks, Cousin.”

“You’re welcome, JH. I must say, I like the new you a whole lot more.”

“Thanks. So do I.”

The bus arrived, stopped in front of them, the door opened and Daniel O’Brien grinned out at the group on the sidewalk. “Hello, Beautiful People. Sorry we’re a bit late. You’ve got me today because your regular driver is busy. She’s having a baby actually, so don’t forget to congratulate her. Jump in and we’re gone.”

“Bye, Claire.”

“Bye, JH, and stop worrying. Uncle Bobby’s a good guy.”

“I’m trying not to worry.”

“Try harder.”

The bus dropped him off outside the Carvers Beach Billy’s Burgers. As he was going out of the door, the driver said, “JH?”

“Yeah?”

“I hear that Bobby’s home.”

“He is, I think. How do you know that?”

“It’s a small town. Tell him that Danny says ‘hello’.”

“I will. Thanks, Mr. O’Brien.”

He went in through the hamburger restaurant, elevated to the top floor and walked into the living-room. His dad sat, alone, on the big couch. He looked up and smiled.

“Hello, Son. Did you have a good night then?”

“Oh yes! Thanks, Dad. I had an excellent night. I love Billy T and his family are all great people too.”

“They are. They’re the best. So, everything’s all right in your world?”

“It is. Well, almost everything. There’s a couple of things. First of all, I need to apologise to you.”

“To me? What do you need to apologise to me for?”

“For being a prat. You’ve been nothing but nice to me ever since I turned up at your door. You’ve been great, but I was so full of prejudices and ignorance and hate that – well, I was a prat. Sorry. I’ll try to be a better person from now on.”

“I, umm, wow! Thank you, Son. What’s happened to you?”

“I’ve been washed.”

“Washed?”

“Yeah, washed in the sunshine of a smile.”

“Sit down, JH. Come and sit here with me. Whose smile are we talking about, Billy T’s?”

“Oh yes! I love him, Dad. I really, really love him and I think that he loves me too. I never thought that would happen.”

“Neither did I, but I’m glad if it has. Everybody needs somebody to love. Now your life can begin.”

“Now my life has begun!”

“That’s great.” Jon smiled and nodded past JH’s shoulder.

“Look behind you, Son. Someone wants to meet you.”

Jon turned around and saw a tall, slender, black-haired and blue-eyed guy standing there smiling at him.

“Oh, wow! The famous Bobby Lyons!” He rose to his feet. “Nice to meet you, Sir.”