Colors // Joshler

// 77. Much Of The Morning //

As he'd promised, Josh's grandfather called the school to let them know that they wouldn't be in today, and he let them stay at the house. Tyler knew that Josh was close to his grandparents, but he was a bit surprised to find that one of the guest rooms upstairs was set up just for him. The two boys changed out of their uniforms and into some more comfortable clothes--Josh lent Tyler one of his hoodies and a pair of shorts.

They spent most of the morning in Josh's room, just being close to one another. Tyler felt even more clingy than usual, so he was unwilling to be far from Josh's side for any longer than ten minutes. Certainly, Josh wasn't complaining.

They slept much of that morning. Or at least, Tyler did. He hadn't been able to rest much at all since the day his dad yelled at him.

When they came down for lunch, Josh's grandmother was there, and she greeted Tyler with the same warmth Josh's grandfather had. She had apparently been briefed by Mr. Dun about what was going on seeing as she didn't question why they were there.

There were problems and situations to be confronted, but at that moment, no one brought them up. Instead, they ate turkey sandwiches in the living room: Mr. Dun and Mrs. Dun in their easy chairs, and Tyler and Josh sitting on the floor with their backs against the couch. Needless to say, Tyler felt like a little kid again, and something about this made his problems disappear, if only for a while.

After lunch, the two boys went into the backyard. It was still a little chilly, but nobody seemed to mind. Josh did a bit of weeding in Mrs. Dun's rose bed, while she and Tyler sat in the plastic lawn chairs on the back deck.

"You know," Josh's grandmother said, breaking the silence between the two, "we're here to help if you need it."

Tyler put his hands in the kangaroo pocket of Josh's hoodie, nestling his head down a bit. It smelled like him. "I know."

Mrs. Dun didn't say anything else, but she looked at Tyler as if she knew there was more he wanted to say.

"I just," he began, "my dad. He got so mad at me for being with Josh. It's not my fault I like boys..." Tyler clenched his fists out of frustration. "I just don't understand him."

"Maybe he doesn't understand you, either," Josh's grandmother suggested. "You should walk around in his skin for a little while, hm? Maybe his choices might make more sense."

It was at this point that Tyler knew: he really, really liked Josh's grandparents.