Summertime Haze
Part 1.5 - Summertime Hangout
Henry clicked a few buttons on his computer, then sat back and smiled.
“It’s done,” he said to himself.
Graphic design never truly had been Henry’s passion- he’d taken the job with that company just because it was available and he’d used Photoshop a couple of times. If he had gone on to college, he would have learned how to code websites and programs and such, so that was exactly what he’d done.
He’d spent the last couple of days designing and encoding a new website to advertise his freelance coding business. Jadyn Coding, he called it. He’d named it after his foster mother. Jadyn always had been quiet, but she left him to his own devices, and so far, had respected his wishes not to be followed. His foster father had passed a few years back, so unless Jadyn’s brother, José, was over, Jadyn was working hard to care for little Henry.
He felt guilty for leaving Jadyn all alone. He truly did. But she was a strong woman, and Henry knew she’d get through it.
Someday, when he knew he could make her proud of the man he’d become, he’d go back and visit. He knew it. Henry owed it to the woman who’d given up so much of herself to raise a poor little boy like himself, who’d been left on a church doorstep as a baby. Sure, he hadn’t grown up to follow the Mother’s ideals- mainly because of people using it to discriminate against people who weren’t following the traditional idea of marriage- but Henry was still a very spiritual person. He knew the mother or something existed out there, he just wasn’t about to worship someone who people regularly used as a reason for why people like Henry shouldn’t exist. It was part of the reason for why he’d never worked up the courage to tell Jadyn who he liked. There was no telling how a religious woman like herself would react, and the last thing he wanted to do was damage the best thing in his life; their relationship.
With this new business, he'd work up to a house he was proud of, a family, perhaps, and then, only then, would Henry dial Jadyn’s number and invite her over to see how he had improved as an individual since the fateful day when he had to runaway from home.
Henry took a few moments to truly gaze at his now published website. This was perfect. Until Ellen finished getting his diploma to him, he could pursue his passion fully. Once he had a diploma he'd find a part time job at a place with decent pay, and then, with the money from the two jobs combined, he’d be golden.
A few hours later, Henry got a call from Bennett. Over the last week, the two had really bonded, totally moving past the tension that existed after their first meeting.
“Hey man, wanna come over, watch the game or something?” Bennett asked.
Henry laughed. “You know I don’t care about sports, Bennett.”
“Aw…”
“But I’ll be there anyway, just for you,” Henry sighed dramatically.
“Awesome, see you in ten,” Bennett said, hanging up.
If Henry truly thought about it, he’d started to develop a bit of a crush on Bennett. He’d never thought it’d happen, him liking a man into sports with a mohawk as high as his ego, but here he was. Part of Henry chalked it all up to him being thirsty. He’d dated a boy secretly for like a week when he was 14, but neither of them were able to handle the secrecy and ended it quick. Henry hadn’t seen any action since.
When it came down to it, Henry didn't go and watch a sports game for just anyone.
Bennett opened the door, beer in hand, when Henry came knocking.
“Hey man!”
“Is Regan home?” Henry asked, almost anxiously.
Bennett shook his head. “You don’t have to worry about her today, she and mom went out to discuss her future college options.”
“Thank the Mother,” Henry breathed.
“Henry! Good to see you!” Layne called out, noticing him from the living room. “I’ll be heading out too, the wifey needs me to pick up groceries.”
“Way to abandon me with Henry,” Bennett pouted. “This is the day you sent me over to meet him alone all over again.”
“Hey,” Henry scolded.
Bennett laughed. “Just kidding man, we’re friends now. Bye dad!”
Layne saluted and headed out the front door.
“Well come on, TVs this way,” Bennett said, gesturing to the living room.
Henry tried his best to decipher the complicated dance he was watching on tv but could never quite get the gist of it. Didn't help that Bennett was shouting over half of what the announcer had to say.
Halfway through, Henry turned to Bennett. “Could you like… try to explain this? I can’t understand what’s going on for the life of me.”
“Of course,” Bennett said, putting down a bowl of chips.
Henry looked on attentively.
“See that brown, oblong object that player is holding? That’s the ball.”
“I get that much,” Henry sighed.
“Gotta start with the basics,” Bennett grinned. “And we both know you could honestly care less about what’s going on in that game right now. You came over to hang, so let me make it up to you! Next half-hour, we can shut the game off and talk somewhere else.”
“…are you sure? I know how much you love these games, and-“
“One team’s so far ahead that there’s no way the other is catching up,” Bennett shrugged.
“O-okay,” Henry stammered.
“Why don’t we go outdoors? Get some air or whatever,” Bennett suggested.
“Sure!”
Bennett picked up the bowl of chips and pushed open the door that led to his back patio. Henry followed him outside and watched as Bennett put the bowl of chips on the ground and sat down at a bench that overlooked the pool. Henry sat down next to him, and the two starred into the pool for a few moments.
“So… how’s that business of yours coming along?” Bennett asked, breaking the silence.
“Oh!” Henry said, surprised. “I actually, er, got the website up today. Hoping someone gets in contact with me soon.”
“If I ever need some coding done, I’ll be sure to hit you up, man,” Bennett smiled.
“Please do,” Henry laughed. “I need all that I can to keep on paying the bills.”
The two lapsed into silence again. A full minute passed, and Henry’s mind went back to the crush he’d developed on Bennett. Henry himself couldn’t believe how thirsty he’d been recently. He frowned, deep in thought.
Bennett noticed. “Is everything okay, man? You keep on-“
Henry cut him off by suddenly kissing him.
Bennett didn’t push him off, but he didn’t kiss back either.
Henry pulled himself off Bennett, thoroughly embarrassed. “I am so sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, it was wrong, I totally understand if you never want to speak to me again-“
“Henry, Henry, Henry! Slow down, man!” Bennett said loudly, trying his best to speak over Henry. “I’m a single man in my 20s, do you think I don’t get urges too? Come on, calm down.”
“I doubt you act on them!” Henry sobbed, convinced he’d lost his new best friend.
“No, I don’t,” Bennett said, dropping to a calmer tone. “But I’m older than you, and have so much more experience with self control. Henry… you should know. I don’t, uh, swing that way.”
Henry laughed nervously.
“I’m not going to let this get in the way of our friendship, just, uh, don’t do it again, okay man?” Bennett said, giving Henry a tiny smile.
“Okay,” Henry nodded quickly.
On a nearby sidewalk with full view of the Reardon family’s patio, Ellen shook her head, frowning. She’d been on her way to an early dinner before she spent the evening at church, and had just so happened to look to her left at just the right time. This was definitely… interesting.