Page 80 of The Same Flesh
“Who’s he going to ask?His dad?”
“His dad would be the right person, yes.And before you make a joke, I’m aware that Ammon is not an ideal person for a number of reasons, but in terms of the act itself, he can make sure Daniel knows what he needs to know.”
“Do you want to tell him?Or should I?”
Tean opened his mouth.Then he shut it again.
“Look, I’m not saying we have an extensive conversation with Daniel about his sex life,” Jem said.“He’s a smart kid when he’s not thinking with his wiener, and he’s got the internet.But he’s also still a kid, and you should have seen him tonight—he put on his angry face, but he was terrified when he realized I’d figured out what he was doing.”
A long moment passed.And then Tean said, “Yes.I imagine he was.”
“We don’t have to do anything right away.Hell, maybe we don’t do anything.But I wanted you to know we talked about it.”
Tean rubbed his cheeks.“It feels like what everybody said growing up.Like we’re recruiting him or something.That’s what gay guys do: they find younger guys and turn them gay.”
“What?”
“I know it’s crazy.I’m not saying that’s what’s really happening.But it’s— I’m just trying to tell you why I’m uncomfortable.”
“You know we didn’t turn him gay, though, right?”
“Yes, Jem, I know.”
“If anything, you might have actually made him straighter because you wear those really butch boots.”
It took half a second before Tean said, “Is that a compliment or an insult?”
“It’s a fact, babe.Oh!You know what would really make him straight?You should help him with his makeup.”
“I’m going to get ready for bed,” Tean said.But he kissed Jem and said, “Thank you for talking to him.”
“When he came out of there, ass to the wind, I figured somebody had to.”
“And thank you for making it not be me.”
Jem grinned.“I got you, babe.”
Tean offered a flash of a smile before he disappeared into their bathroom.Jem kicked off his shoes.The room felt strangely empty without Scipio in there, but he was clearly taking advantage of having Daniel all to himself.
And then the water began to run in the hall bathroom.
Let it go, Jem told himself.Forget about it.It’s been a long, weird night, and the best thing you can do now is forget about it.
But the next moment, he was swinging his legs off the bed.
The door to the hall bathroom was closed, and from behind it came splashing sounds—Daniel washing his face, maybe.Scipio lay on the sofa, getting fur all over the improvised bed, his tongue lolling as he watched Jem approach.
Jem gave the Lab a quick scratch before starting the search.He didn’t find anything in Daniel’s bag except a pair of underwear that would have given Ammon—and, for that matter, Tean—a stroke.He checked the side tables.And then, ignoring Scipio’s grunt, he peeled back the sheets and stuck his hand behind the couch cushions.
Scipio was wriggling around, trying to decide if this interruption was serious enough to make him get off the couch in protest, when Jem’s fingers brushed something.
He drew a velvet box out from behind the cushion.Inside, a gold chain caught the light.
Two hundred dollars.Three.Maybe more.Not something most kids could even afford.Not something a kid buys another kid, even if they were jacking buddies.Hell, even if they were in love.
But somebody with spare cash.Somebody who could drop two or three hundred dollars and not think anything about it.Who might think of it as an investment.
And the way Daniel had hidden it.If it had been Justin, he’d have been wearing it.If it had been Justin, Jem would have had to hear Daniel talk about it the whole way home.But instead, Daniel had hidden the box inside his hand because he’d worn that damn skirt and didn’t have anywhere else to put it.
