Home of His Own by T. Chase (classic fiction .TXT) 📗

“Well, then I’ll have Margie call. She’s the only reasonable voice we have on the ranch.”

Tony was still laughing when he tossed the phone on the end table. Talking to Les eased him. Maybe it was because he didn’t have to hide his true nature. He didn’t have to be anyone other than Tony with Les.

* * * *

By three the next day, Tony was bored. He’d fixed all the little problems

Tia

Elena needed done. His cousin, Marcus, lived in New York and didn’t get home often.

Tia

Elena didn’t want to bother anyone, so she never complained. Tony decided to help her out as payment for letting him stay at her place.

Pacing through the living room, he tried to think of something to do. If he’d been at the ranch, he’d be helping with the rough stock, working some of the cutting horses, or just out riding the fence line. In town, there wasn’t anything to do and he didn’t have any friends here to hang out with.

When his phone rang, a sense of relief hit him. Finally, something was happening.

“Yeah?” He threw himself into a recliner.

“Tio Tony? It’s Juan. I was wondering if I could come over and talk with you.”

Juan’s voice held a hint of hesitation.

“Sure. Come on over.” Tony didn’t have a clue what to say to the boy, but he’d try.

“Cool. I’m only a few minutes away.” Juan hung up.

Tony set his phone down and headed for the kitchen. When he was Juan’s age, he’d been hungry all the time and not just from being homeless. Opening the fridge, he pulled out stuff to make sandwiches.

True to his word, Juan walked in the back door a few minutes later. The teenager dropped his backpack on a counter and grabbed a soda along with a sandwich.

“What’d you tell your mom?” Tony leaned against the sink and watched Juan inhale the food.

“Told her I was going to a friend’s house to study and I’d eat there.” Juan took a bite from his second sandwich. “Hey man, these aren’t bad.”

“When you’ve been on your own for as long as I have, you learn a thing or two.

Though I do thank my lucky stars I hooked up with Les and Randy. Les’ housekeeper, Margie, is a cook to die for.” He grinned, thinking about Les’ feisty housekeeper.

“Wow. A housekeeper? He must have money.” Juan’s eyes widened.

“Yeah, he does, but Margie’s been with him so long she’s part of the family.” He hooked a chair leg and pulled it over to him. Flipping it around, he straddled the seat, resting his arms across the back. “So talk.”

Juan’s cheeks flushed and the teenager ducked his head. “How did you know?”

“Know what?” Tony wasn’t going to make it easy for his nephew.

“That you were…you know,” Juan gestured to Tony.

“Was what? Come on, kiddo. I can’t help you if you won’t even say the word.” He reached out and lifted Juan’s chin, forcing the young man to meet his gaze. “Look me in the eye when you say it.”

Juan took a deep breath. “How’d you know you were gay?”

“Good boy.” Tony smiled. “I was never interested in girls, except to play with. By the time I was fifteen, I understood my preferences didn’t follow normal social lines.”

“When did you kiss a boy for the first time?” Juan sat forward, eager to listen.

“I was fifteen. He was popular and everything I thought I wanted, but he was just using me while his girlfriend was gone for the summer.” Tony wasn’t going to mention any names.

“Was the guy the reason you told your parents?”

Tony nodded. “I was an idiot. I thought by telling them, we wouldn’t have to hide anymore. Little did I know he just wanted me to blow him.” He’d already decided not to talk down to Juan or treat the teenager like an innocent virgin. It wouldn’t help the young man make the right decision.

“What did you do?”

“I tried to ignore the comments and the snubs from the neighbors. I didn’t understand why it was any of their business. Then one day some boy’s dad came to talk to my father.

He told Papa I’d tried to seduce his son. I denied it. I hadn’t touched anyone since I’d told my parents. My father looked right through me and said he didn’t have a son, only daughters.” The pain ripped through him as if he were hearing those words for the first time.

“Shit. I can’t believe Abuelo would say that.” Juan shook his head.

Understanding why Juan would defend his grandpa still didn’t make Tony feel better. “If you’re gay, Juan, and chose to come out, I can guarantee your abuelo will disown you. He’s very traditional. I haven’t talked to him since I left.”

“I’m gay, Tio Tony. I’ve known for a while now. I just haven’t been able to work up the courage to tell my mother.” Juan picked at the crust of one leftover sandwich.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” He didn’t see how that would be possible without anyone finding out.

“No, but I have a few friends who know. Some weekends, we go to the clubs in Austin.”

“You’re only seventeen.” Tony glared at Juan.

“I have a fake ID. It says I’m eighteen. I don’t drink. We go to dance with other guys like us. Makes us feel less lonely.” Juan smiled.

Tony didn’t yell. He knew how isolated being gay had made him and he might have done the same thing if the option had been open to him.

“You’re safe, right? Don’t leave with strangers. Never accept drinks from anyone.

Condoms?” Juan was a teenage boy. Tony wasn’t going to hide his head in the sand about his nephew having sex.

“Well, I haven’t done anything but kiss. I’m not ready for it and I definitely don’t want it to be with some guy I picked up at the club.” Juan blushed. “Is it too girly to say I’d like it to mean something?