Summertime Haze
Part 1.8 - A Budding Friendship
Henry woke up the next day feeling bitter, angry, and completely betrayed.
The emotional wound Ellen had left him with was going to take a while to heal, and even after that, Henry could already tell it would definitely leave a scar.
As he cooked himself breakfast, Henry considered calling Bennett. It’d be great to have someone to rant to about Ellen, someone Henry actually knew was okay with his sexuality. But at the same time, he still felt like he shouldn’t impose on Bennett and his family because his dumb ass had decided to kiss him.
After finishing breakfast, Henry settled on a plan driven more by pettiness than logic. He slipped on his gym clothes, and headed outside to wait for the next bus. The bus dropped Henry off in front of the church, and he scowled bitterly at it as he passed. He bet that Ellen was in there right now, praying that his homosexuality would go away overnight.
One of the faithful called out to him as he hurried past. “Young man!”
Henry turned around. “What?” he said angrily.
The faithful put her hand over her chest. “I meant no ill will, sir. You just look to be under such stress-“
Henry laughed bitterly. “I don’t even want to hear it. This is all just some plan cooked up by Ellen to get me to come into the church so you all can exorcise the gay demon out of me, is that it?”
“The Mother has nothing against-“
Henry put up his hand to silence her and stormed away.
The faithful stood there for a moment, at a loss for words. Then, she quickly hurried inside to discuss the situation with her fellow sisters.
Henry arrived at the gym he’d once followed Toby to what seemed like an eternity ago now. He stood outside, watching through the window for the woman at the front desk to leave for the bathroom. Henry would be damned is he payed for a membership at a gym that was only nicer than a regular gym in aesthetics. Sure enough, within an hour, the woman had to get up and leave her post momentarily. The brief period was all the time Henry needed to creepy into the gym, pass through the locker room, and hurry upstairs to where he’d seen Toby before.
Scanning the whole second floor, Toby was nowhere to be seen. Henry scowled, and sulked his way over to the nearest bench, As he sat there and took a few moments to mull over his emotions, Henry started to sob. Ellen had become his rock in this new world he’d thrown himself into; she’d made sure he graduated, helped him create a job he could actually get paid for, and above all else, she’d been a friend. Bennett was there for him too, of course, but no where near the level that Ellen had been.
“Hey,” a masculine voice said.
Henry wiped away his tears to the best of his ability and looked up, fully prepared for some security guard that was there to throw him out of the gym.
It was Toby.
“Listen here kid. I saw you checking me out the other day, and I want you to know that I’m happily married, with a beautiful wife and two perfect children. Back off.”
Henry laughed out of the ridiculousness of the situation. “Yeah, that’s something I realize all too well. Ellen- fucking Ellen! -made sure of it.”
“Ms. Bowers? She’s been nothing but kind to me and my family since the day she started attending church.”
“Cause you’re the perfect straight, white, religious family…” Henry muttered under his breath.
“What was that?” Toby asked, obviously still not comfortable with Henry.
“There’s like… a bar on the top of this gym in case you rich folk want to exercise drunk, right?”
“Yes, but that isn’t the intention-“
“Cool. I’ll buy a drink. No homo, or whatever it is you straight guys say when you do something nice for someone of the same gender. Name’s Henry, by the way, thanks for asking.”
Henry got up, and headed towards the stairs to the rooftop, fully expecting Toby not to follow him. Surprisingly enough, he did.
A woman with short black hair smiled politely from behind the bar as Toby and Henry stepped out onto the rooftop. The rooftop bar was otherwise completely deserted. Henry wondered if there was ever anyone up there.
“You know, I’ve never been up here before,” Toby said looking around.
Henry rolled his eyes. That answered his question. The rich people who used the fancy gym with the bar didn’t even bother to get their full moneys worth by using every part of the gym.
“What’s it gonna be?” the woman smiled.
Toby asked for her to make her favorite drink for him, and Henry ordered a sparkling water.
“I’m Jordan, by the way,” the woman said. “It’s nice to finally work for once instead of standing out here in the heat day after day.”
“Finally doing the job you’re being paid to do. Admirable,” Toby said curtly.
“Toby!” Henry hissed. He didn’t know either Toby or Jordan but he wasn’t about to let Toby disrespect a woman who didn’t work specifically because rich people would rather drink at fancy lounges.
Jordan sighed, and slid Toby’s drink across the counter.
“Tell me what you have to say about Ms. Bowers. That’s why I’m here. Not because of you,” Toby said, looking Henry in the eyes.
“You two a couple?” Jordan asked casually, leaning across the counter.
Toby immediately broke eye contact with Henry to face Jordan. “In the Mother’s name, no! I am happily married with a wife and two beautiful children!”
Jordan put up her hands defensively, rolling her eyes a little. “Just asking a question, man. Cool it.”
“I’m super gay though,” Henry said loudly, hoping to see Toby flinch.
Sure enough, he did.
Jordan shared a look with Henry, barely suppressing a smile.
Henry turned back to Toby. “Ms. Bowers thought it’d be a good idea to send me to a hypnotherapist and try to turn me straight. Luckily, the therapist was, shockingly, a decent person, and she told me exactly what Ms. Bowers’s plan was. I know a lot of you religious people have this really twisted, backwards way of thinking, so I don’t expect you to understand how fucked up that is, but there you go. That’s why she’s awful.”
Jordan watched with bated breath as Toby mulled over what Henry had just said. When he did speak, it was slowly, Toby picking each and every word carefully. “Not all of us who are faithful believe that homosexuality is wrong, Henry. You need to understand that. It’s not a life choice I’d make for myself, but if you choose to go that way, it’d your life, not mine.”
“Not a choice, Toby. Not a choice,” Henry sighed.
Jordan nodded. “Oh, definitely not. I experimented once, in college, and… well, let’s just say that she should have cut her nails. And plus, I wasn’t really into her regardless, just wanted to try it and see.”
“No one would choose to face discrimination and possible rejection from family and friends, Toby.”
Toby nodded slowly. “I… I guess I can see that. You know what, Henry? As long as you stop checking me out, I’ll make sure my family never speaks to Ms. Bowers again.”
“How about you try rethinking your perspective on gay people along with that?” Henry asked boldly.
“I think that’s fair. Both of you, please feel free to educate me. I feel like I have a lot to understand.”
“You sure do,” Henry laughed. "Though you were right about me being a bit of a perv, I’ll stop that.”
“To new friends,” Jordan smiled, raising a glass.
Toby and Henry shared a look, then raised their glasses too.