Horizons (19 page)

His parents sat on the sofa, enjoying the sight of their grown son opening presents like a little boy, exclaiming with delight after each revelation. Clark was just as excited, stunned when he saw the amount of boxes that had his name on them.

“Jody, did you see this?” Clark asked, shock written all over his face. He hoisted the soft leather jacket that the Williams had purchased. It was the same as the one they’d bought for their son.

Jody was touched that his parents had gone to all the trouble for Clark. They were obviously fond of the man and wanted him to feel at home. His dad had purchased a book on the history of sports in the city of Chicago, a veritable who’s who of the sporting world in this Midwestern town. They teased Clark and told him he may as well read up on it in case the Bears drafted him.

Dinner that night was a traditional standing rib roast with popovers, mashed potatoes, and a green bean casserole. His mother had even made a platter of macaroni and cheese from scratch; a heart attack waiting to happen, Jody teased, digging into one of his favorite comfort foods. Dessert was a three-layer chocolate cake that tasted every bit as good as it looked.

Everyone sat at the table groaning. After a few minutes, Clark stood and started to gather the dishes. Marge attempted to get up and help, but he firmly pushed her back down on her chair and said, “No, the cook never cleans up at our house. Now is your chance to just sit and enjoy your tea. Jody and I will do the dishes.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.” She smiled at Clark gratefully, touched by his thoughtfulness.

They finished cleaning up in no time, went back into the living room to sit in front of the fire, and have after-dinner drinks. Jody sipped at his Courvoisier while Clark nursed his. It wasn’t one of his favorites, he’d said when handed the drink, but he accepted it anyway.

Finally, around ten thirty, Jody’s parents made their departure. They’d had a long and happy day, and it was time for them to rest.

Jody and Clark stayed in front of the fireplace, watching the flames and listening to the crackling and hissing of the sap as it was released. There was soft music playing in the background, traditional Christmas carols they’d put on earlier.

Jody stood and pulled a small box that he’d hidden behind one of the branches of the Christmas tree. “I saved this for last,” he said, handing over the gift.

“Why’d you go and do that? You know we already exchanged gifts.”

“I know, but I wanted to give you something special,” he said. “A little something that would remind you of me.”

Jody watched as Clark ripped at the paper, and looked in wonder at the contents of the box. He pulled out the necklace that had the small charm in the shape of a bulldog with the words “Jo-Jo” written on one side and the date on the other. It was a manly-looking necklace, similar to a soldier’s dog tag, except it was made of eighteen-carat gold.

“It’s beautiful,” Clark said gently, his eyes shimmering and looking more jewel-like than ever. “Do you have one?”

Jody reached inside his shirt and pulled out his matching necklace to show Clark. His charm, in the shape of a cat, was also engraved, the word “Kit” clearly evident.

“Thank you,” Clark whispered, bending forward and kissing Jody deeply. He stayed close to Jody, pressing his forehead against him. He let out a deep sigh. “Jo-Jo?”

“What?”

“I love you.”

Jody pushed him away so he could look in Clark’s eyes. The tears that hovered earlier finally pushed out of his eyes, and fell in slow drops down the beautiful face that was clearly apprehensive about what he’d just said.

“Kit, I’ve loved you almost as long as I’ve known you.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t want to scare you.” Jody felt just as vulnerable as Clark and it showed in the quiver of his lips. “I’ve been in love with you for weeks,” he confessed, taking Clark’s hand and pressing his mouth to it. “You are everything to me.”

“You’ve changed my life, Jo,” Clark said, pulling Jody toward him and encircling him with strong arms. “I’ll never be the same person.”

“I hope you never have cause to regret it.”

“I love you, Jo. How could I possibly regret it?”

A
S
SOON
as the plane pulled up to the gate and the doors opened in Oakland, we were off and running.

We took a cab because Jody’s car was still at the shop. I dropped him off at his place, and then the cab headed toward the Cal campus and my apartment. There was the usual mess I had to deal with, the accumulated mail and listening to messages on the answering machine. Nothing earth-shattering had occurred in my absence, even though the world, as I knew it, had shifted drastically. Now that I’d finally said the words, I knew that I’d have to deal with the consequences and face my parents first and my team second.

I picked up the phone and called home, determined to get this over with. Jason picked up on the second ring.

“Hey, bro! What’s doing?”

“Clark! When’d you get back?”

“I just did. Who’s at home?”

“Mom.”

“What are you doing there?”

“I’m taking down the bloody tree.”

“You drew the short straw, huh?”

“Yup, I’m so blessed.”

I laughed, imagining the look on Jason’s face when he found out he had the dreaded task of taking down the Christmas tree and disposing of it.

“Would you get Mom on the phone, please?”

“Sure,” he answered. I waited a few minutes and, finally, my mother picked up.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hi.” It was obvious from her tone that she was still pissed about my leaving.

“I’m back.”

“That’s nice. Did you have fun?”

“It was great.”

“I’m glad.”

“Can I come out there and talk to you and Dad?”

“What about?” she asked, the tone of her voice shifting quickly.

“About me and Jody,” I answered, practically holding my breath.

“No,” she whispered, the world escaping from her lips unconsciously. “What are you planning on telling him?”

“I’d rather do it once, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh God! You’re going to tell him you’re gay?”

“Mom, I said I’d rather do this in person.”

“You can’t do this, Clark!”

“Why?”

“He’ll blame me! He already blames me for the ADD. If you tell him you’re gay, he’ll say that he’s been right all along. That I babied you more than I should have!”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

She started to cry, barely able to get the words out of her mouth. I stood there and held the phone so tight my hand was going numb. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I tried to change tactics, see if I couldn’t put her in a better place.

“Was he upset that I left for Chicago?”

“He was surprised. He couldn’t figure out why you’d want to be away from your family at Christmas.”

“But he wasn’t angry?”

“No, of course not! But he will be if I tell him what’s really going on.”

“Mom, you need to calm down. This is my life we’re talking about, and I have to do it my way.”

“I beg to disagree. What you do with your life will affect mine! I’ve put up with his verbal abuse for years, every time you’d bring home a failing grade. Somehow your disability became my fault. Whenever he’d see us going over your schoolwork, he’d tell me I was turning you into a big baby and that I’d better watch it. No son of his was going to grow up a mama’s boy!”

I was so stunned I couldn’t venture a reply.

“And now you are not only going to confirm the fact that you are a mama’s boy, you’re going one worse. You’re a fucking queer!”

She spat it out like vomit. She may as well have slapped me in the face, it hurt that much. I had never heard my mother use a cuss word, and for her to drop it so easily in conjunction with the word
queer
was as devastating as a physical slap. “I’m hanging up now.”

“Don’t!”

“I can’t talk right now. Bye, Mom.”

I put the phone down and then took it off the hook. I had no intention of speaking to her again. Not until she apologized. I wiped the tears off my face, not even realizing that they had been pouring out. I sat down on the sofa and then curled up into a ball, wanting to just make it all go away. How could this be happening? What kind of people would reject their own child because he didn’t conform to their idea of perfect?

J
ODY
sorted through his mail, the first step in transitioning from vacation mode to daily living. Clark’s parting kiss was still on his mind, and he smiled when the phone rang, expecting his lover on the other end. Instead, he heard a female voice.

“Dr. Williams?”

“This is he.”

“It’s Mary Stevens.”

“Oh, hello.”

“Stay away from him!”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Stay away from Clark, or you’ll regret it. Last time, it was your car. The next time, it’ll be you!”

“Mrs. Stevens, we need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about! You’ll destroy him and this family in the process. Stay the hell away!”

She hung up, and Jody stood there, staring at the phone in shock. He couldn’t believe what she’d just said. Admitting to the vandalism was bad enough, but threatening him was another thing altogether.

He picked up his phone and hit Lil’s number on speed dial.

“Hi, sweetie! When did you get back?” Lil was his usual, perky self; a breath of fresh air in a day that was rapidly turning to shit.

“Hey! I need to talk to you,” Jody said seriously.

Lil picked up on Jody’s tone instantly and shifted to his business voice. “What’s the matter?”

Jody told him briefly what was going on. He tried to keep the emotion out of his voice, but forgot whom he was talking to. Lil knew exactly what was going through Jody’s mind. The fear had to be obvious to his best friend.

“I’ll be right over,” Lil said, even though right over meant a forty-five-minute drive.

“Thank you.”

“Sure thing, sweetie. Don’t move from that spot.”

“I won’t.”

Jody opened the door of the refrigerator and saw that there were a couple of Coronas left over from before they’d left town. He pulled one out and drank half the contents in one gulp. He made his way out to the deck, where he sat for a little bit even though it was chilly and he was only in a T-shirt. The cold air didn’t bother him as much as everything else that was going on with Clark’s family. What kind of woman would say such things to a man she didn’t even know?

Eventually the cold penetrated the fog in his brain. He shivered and went back into the house to grab a sweatshirt. He sat on the bed and tried to decide whether he should tell Clark. He was sorry now that he’d never told him about the vandalism incident. How was he going to tell him what had just happened? The fact that Mary had threatened him was hard enough to believe. He couldn’t imagine how Clark would react, and he wouldn’t be surprised if Clark thought he was lying. The whole situation was hard to comprehend.

He lay on the bed and waited for Lil to bang on the door. Finally, he heard the unmistakable sounds of a car in the driveway. He made his way out to the front door and stood there in silence, waiting for Lil to get out of the car. Lil walked up the pathway and immediately took him in his arms and held him tightly. “I’m here.”

“Thank God.”

“What is it, Jodes?”

“He loves me,” Jody answered, “but it’s about to ruin his life.”

I
T
MUST
have been six in the evening by the time I got off the sofa and started to move around again. My tears had dried up, but the ache in my heart persisted. I needed to be with Jody. I needed to feel his arms around me, to hear his voice reassuring me that this would all work out. His was the voice of reason, the only thing that made any sense. I grabbed my keys off the kitchen counter and left the apartment.

When I got to Jody’s house, there was an unfamiliar car in the driveway. Maybe it was the rental. It was a newer vehicle, an Audi, with San Francisco plates. I got to the front door and knocked, even though I had a house key. I wasn’t sure who was inside so I thought it best to let him answer.

The door opened, and Lil stood there, looking unusually conservative. He was dressed in business attire, his hair slicked back and his manner grave. I almost didn’t recognize him.

“Hey, Lil. Can I come in?”

“Of course.” Lil moved aside, and I followed him into the house. We went into the living room. Jody’s face lit up as soon as he saw me, and I went up to him and kissed him on the lips. I didn’t really care that I had an audience. I just needed to kiss my man.

“You okay?” I asked, sensing that something was wrong. What was Lil doing here on a weekday anyhow?

“I’m fine, now that you’re here.”

I looked at Lil, who observed us from the other side of the room. His facial expression was serious, but he seemed to be content with my behavior so far. There were no snide remarks coming out of his mouth.

“Are you hungry?” Jody asked, pushing my hair away from my forehead. It had grown drastically since the end of football season, and I kind of liked having it this length for a change, except when it got in my eyes.