One Hot Summer (boyxboy)

Chapter 49: Chicken

"So I take it you love meat!"
☆

As the afternoon turns into the evening, the small group of four gather in the quaint back garden of the farm house. The smell of cooking meat was very enticing and Jasper could literally feel his mouth watering at the sheer anticipation of devouring a tender juicy steak. 

Thomas pulls a chair alongside Jasper, smiling at how the younger hadn't once taken his eyes off the grill for a full ten minutes! "So...I take it you love meat." 

"Oh yes." Jasper nods, finally tearing his eyes away and looking at the man by his side, who was smirking at him. "Yeah I know what you're thinking Tom." Jasper pushes Thomas playfully. "And yeah I do." 

Thomas laughs out loud, causing Jasper to mirror the response and also getting the attention of Molly who has just brought out some homemade lemonade. "What are you two laughing at?" She asks, subconsciously joining in with their laughter. 

Jasper tries to stifle his giggles as he watches Thomas looking up at his sister. "Jasper is hungry Mol." He tries to also kerb his laughter. 

"Well it shouldn't be too long." She smiles, walking over to Jim to see how long the cooking will take.

"So...are you still ok with telling Molly and Jim about...well, you and me?" Thomas speaks lowly so only Jasper can hear. 

Jasper watches the pair conversing at the grill. He knew he had nothing to fear telling them about his feelings towards Thomas and he knew it would most definitely be better coming from him than an enraged grandpa, who might stir up heaps of trouble, but Jasper still had this fear within him. A fear that once the words had passed his lips, they couldn't be unsaid, or unheard. He felt a little out of his depth, but in spite of this, he still told Thomas what he wanted to hear. "Sure Tom. We'll do it after we've eaten." Jasper smiles at the older, hoping it will appease his wonder, even if it didn't settle his own thoughts.

***

Jasper tugs at the waistband of his shorts. He had definitely over indulged, but had no regrets. He stretches back on the garden chair. "Uncle, that was the best." Jasper praises, smiling at Jim, who was sat opposite, swigging at a bottle of beer, Molly at his side. 

"Glad you enjoyed it lad." Jim smiles back, raising his bottle slightly to him in appreciation. Jim then gestures his bottle towards Thomas. "So you've heard we have a new lodger now." He looks back at Jasper, who nods and looks at Thomas, who is starting to get restless in his chair. "I'll help you get your stuff tomorrow after Jasper has left." He declares, adding, "What was the old man angry about this time?" Thomas looks at Jim, then at Molly, who is smiling at him. Thomas knew he didn't have to say anything, but if he was going to live as his true self under this roof, he wanted to be honest from the get go.

He clears his throat, leaning slightly forward in his chair, resting on his elbows. "Actually Jim, there is something I need to share with you." 

Jim doesn't change his pose, staying the same, as he looks a little intrigued as to what Thomas may say. Thomas takes this silence as a means to carry on. "Jim, Grandpa kicked me out because he found out I am gay."

Jim's grip tightens around his beer bottle as he sits up straight in his chair. This causes Molly to look slightly shocked at the man and makes everyone feel a little tense as to why he had reacted in such a way and what he may say next.

"He kicked you out because you are gay?...that ridiculous son of a..." 

"Hey calm down Jimmy!" Molly squeezes his arm to try and quash the rage building up inside of him. 

Thomas can feel his heart beating so fast, it may explode. The mix of relief with the anger Jasper's uncle, stired inside of Thomas. He too felt the injustice but felt powerless to change it. It would take more that an enraged Jim to change the perspective of that old man. "You stay here lad. You stay here as long as you want to. Do you hear me?" 

The words intended as reassurance and comfort were somehow coming across as an order, but Thomas knew what the intention was. "Yes...and thankyou. Thankyou both of you."

Molly stretches forward, placing a reassuring tap on Thomas' knee, mouthing the words 'see, I told you.' To which Thomas nods slightly at with a smile. 

Jim now looks at Jasper, who had gone quiet and had sunken a little into his chair, looking at his own fingers, twiddling around eachother. "Jasper? Do you have something to say, because I won't tolerate any prejudice. Thomas has been a good friend to you over the past few weeks." 

Jasper raises his gaze to meet his uncle's. He glances to Molly, who is looking at him a little concerned and then he looks at Thomas. The man who has changed him beyond recognition. Thomas is looking at Jasper with the hope and belief that Jasper is about to confess their summer of love together. But his face soon changes with the next sentence.

"Yeah...I thought he was gay." Jasper looks down straight away, not wanting to see the holes probably being bored into him round about now. Once again, he was weak. A coward and he had ruined their last night together.

***

Oblivious to Molly and Jim, the tension between Jasper and Thomas had escalated. Thomas felt rejected by the younger.  Used even. After all Jasper had said and what they had shared, Thomas felt like he still somehow was not good enough. Jasper would never be proud to stand openly by his side. Thomas would just be his dirty little secret over the summer. 

As the sky grows dark, Thomas takes a sigh. He was tired and just felt drained. "I'm heading to bed. Thanks again for everything." He nods at his sister and Jim, but doesn't turn to even look at Jasper. "Goodnight Jas." Is all Thomas utters before leaving the group and heading into the house.

Jasper, who was ready to at least offer some kind of covert message to Thomas is left feeling empty. It was then that the enormity of what he had said or didn't say struck. Jasper felt like his heart had been plunged into cold water as he watches Thomas walk inside the house.

"Uncle, Molly. Thankyou for the food. I think I might head to my room too." Jasper gets up from his seat. 

"Is it something we said?" Jim replies with a half chuckle. 

"No." Jasper politely forces a laugh.

It was most definitely something Jasper said...or didnt say.