Fix Me - Ch. 7 (Be The Father Of This Child! Side Story, Patreon Exclusive) (Patreon)

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Chapter Seven – Worth Fixing

“April!” Sid exclaimed, turning rigid in Tom’s arms, obviously in shock over having his son walking on them like that. “What are you doing home?”

“Really, dad?” April seemed frantic, and his eyes were making rounds, trying to land on something, most probably other than his half-naked dad and his dad’s boyfriend.

Tom was the first to shake off the shock. It was an emergency, and he had been born ready for that kind of stuff. The first thing he needed to do was to turn the music off. Maybe Sid and April would no longer feel the need to communicate through shouts once there was no background noise.

As soon as the music died, Sid spurred into action. With automatic gestures, he took off his apron and was out the door. Tom watched him and April, waiting for any reaction and ready to intervene. But April just followed his dad out of the kitchen, so Tom hurried after them, too, carefully jumping over the destroyed cake.

Sid grabbed a t-shirt and got dressed fast, while his face remained as unmovable as stone. Getting dressed for a conversation of that magnitude was only normal, Tom thought and hurried to the bedroom so he could grab something to wear. Unlike Sid, he wasn’t comfortable with having clothes spread all over the place.

Now that wasn’t how they were supposed to tell the kids. Tom rubbed his face; what would Jett think now? The moment April would finish talking to his dad, he would call Jett, without a doubt. Damn, they should have opened that topic with the boys already; now, as much as Tom disliked the idea, they would be judged for their lapse in rational thinking by a boy barely out of his teens.

He hurried back to the living room, where the two parties appeared to be already engaged in conversation. April had sunken into one of the armchairs, and Sid stood on the sofa, his hands brought together, his fingers moving nervously. Tom felt a bit fidgety, too, so he quickly sat on the sofa, next to Sid; he stole one look at April, and he then moved his eyes away. Of course, the kid had a right to judge them now. All the time Tom had told him to leave Jett alone now, most probably, seemed like a farce.

“Does that mean that now Jett and I are brothers?”

Tom frowned and stared for a moment at April. His big bright eyes shone, and his entire face was an illustration of utter shock. But, hell, was that the first thing he worried about? “Are you sure he’s the bright one?” he asked, turning toward Sid. 

Sid seemed to have let go of some of his nervousness, because this time, he chuckled and let out a small sigh. “He’s just joking. I suppose it’s a coping mechanism since he, well, walked in on us like this.”

Yeah, that made sense. Tom agreed with a short grunt. Then they had a chance; maybe April didn’t feel all that judgmental if the only thing he worried about right now was whether he and Jett were brothers, now that their fathers were –

Tom wouldn’t think right now about what he and Sid had been doing these last two weeks. Especially after they had come to an agreement about where things stood between them, they had been busy, busy, busy. And what had they been busy doing? He didn’t want April to find out, or even ask. 

“April, ah, damn, how do I start?”

Tom wanted to kiss Sid right now. As ready as he felt to handle the situation head-on, it was good that Sid was taking the reins. After all, he had a better chance at making things right with his boy, which meant that Tom wasn’t at all a coward, and all the distress he felt right now had nothing to do with how guilty he actually felt. He stood straight as a rod, hands resting on his knees, and watched April closely. As long as he managed to put on a brave face, the enemy wouldn’t be able to smell fear on him.

April seemed to know better than to look at him. He made himself small in the armchair. “I’m not mad or anything, dad. Just frigging surprised is all.”

Sid laughed. “All right. I suppose I’m glad that you’re not mad. And this,” he gestured between himself and Tom, “doesn’t make Jett and you brothers. Just so that you don’t worry.”

“Thanks,” April murmured. For a second, Tom thought that the kid would look at him, but April continued to focus his attention on his dad.

“Hmm,” Sid began, “you see, son, we didn’t mean any of this to happen. It just did.”

Oh, and how many things happened and they had meant them to happen, Tom thought, feeling his resolve to be tough getting weaker. But he trusted Sid and his abilities to make this situation right. 

“Okay,” April replied in a meek voice.

By how his eyes were darting sideways and the height of his cheeks were coloring slightly, Tom could tell that April was already picturing in his mind what his dad and his boyfriend’s dad had been doing all this time. 

Sid stole a quick look at him, and Tom read it quickly. It was time for him to step up, too. “It’s true.”

April turned his head fast to look at him. The color of his cheeks was now turning into a brighter red. “How can you be against Jett and me when you --” he sputtered. All the courage he might have had looked like it was draining away.

Tom drew a small, inaudible breath. So far, all they had managed was to make April feel embarrassed for walking in on them. 

“He’s not,” Sid intervened, after another short look at Tom. “I’ve been working Tom up to gather the courage to talk to Jett for the last few days.”

Oh, right. When had that happened exactly? Tom frowned as he tried to recall that stuff. A small warning from Sid’s eyes made him keep his mouth. Maybe Sid had pestered him a few times. 

“The last few days? But Jett’s dad has been away from home for two weeks! What did you two do all this time --”

All right, so April really was putting two and two together. That was enough to make him sweat. Tom adjusted his position, while Sid fidgeted in his place on the sofa.

April’s face was now red as a beet. He was probably conscious of it because he buried it into his hands. “I can’t believe it,” he moaned. “Dad, did you even ever --”

Oh, the big question. Tom knew he needed to make things clear. “Son, don’t question your father like this.” Whatever he and Sid were doing, it wasn’t wrong. April needed to see that and pay his parent proper respect.

“Don’t call me ‘son’,” April protested. “You’re not my dad. Oh, wait, but if you marry my dad, oh, no --”

“April, April, just let us explain, okay? Tom, let me handle this.”

Good. So Sid was still the braver one, not that Tom cared to admit it. Maybe he had too brutish manners of handling delicate stuff like that. But someone needed to make April stop thinking of certain activities his dad and Tom must have – certainly had – indulged in.

“All right,” Tom admitted, a bit harsher than he intended. By how April recoiled in his seat, he must have been misunderstood. But Sid knew what he meant, and that mattered the most.

“I’ve been alone for many years,” Sid started. “Not alone-alone, since I had you and Melinda, but I haven’t had a partner in so long.”

Tom let out a small breath; maybe it was the same he had been keeping in since the beginning of that conversation. He didn’t know exactly.

“I’ve never thought of that,” April replied. “I had no idea you were lonely.”

“I wasn’t lonely, even if I was alone,” Sid explained. “But you left for college, and I guess that sentiment eventually began to get to me.”

“I’m sorry, dad.”

Of course, April was a good kid, and he loved his dad. Tom had an inkling that Jett wouldn’t be as accommodating and pleasant once he learned what his dad and Sid had been up to lately. And by up, he meant -- No. He wouldn’t go there.

“Are you serious about my dad?”

That question was aimed at him. The big green eyes were now set on him like they were actually asking something else. Maybe the kid thought Tom wanted to steal his dad or something. Survival instincts kicked in. “This kid has some nerve,” he said the first thing that came to his mind.

“He has a right to know.” Sid justified April’s question right away. “No, it’s not something --”

What? It’s not something what? “Yeah, it’s serious.” Tom looked at Sid, and a surprised smile was the immediate response. But Tom had been inches from confessing like a teenager only like one hundred times already. Sid should have known the truth by now, or maybe he was trying to appease April and any worries the kid must have had about having his dad stolen away from him.

“It is?” Sid and April uttered the words in unison.

“Yeah, it is,” Tom said the words with all the confidence he could muster. Oh, he would have a little conversation with Sid about that. Was it about insecurities again, or did the man really need a full-blown confession?

“All right, all right, this is a bit too much for me. Mr. Huntsman, why haven’t you called to talk to Jett all this time?” April questioned him, asking quite a logical question.

“Call me Tom.” April straightened up in his armchair again. Damn, the kid was really jumpy. Tom needed to make sure April got a little more relaxed in his presence. “Your dad’s been bugging me for days to do that. I was going to.” It was only fair to spare Sid at least of some of the accusations that perhaps were on the tip of April’s tongue. If he admitted he was the only guilty one, then things would be fine.

April’s eyes became a bit worried and sad. “Jett is … He’s upset. Big time.”

Upset? About what? After all, Jett had won that fight. “For what? Not having his way?” he asked with a snort.

“Losing you, I guess,” April said back, and his green eyes were filled with honesty.

Now that was something new. Tom swallowed hard. A gentle touch on his arm let him know Sid was beside him. “I told you as much. It wasn’t possible for Jett not to feel a thing for you, his father.”

That had been another topic of conversation that they hadn’t quite agreed on. “You did tell me,” Tom admitted, but not without setting his jaw hard.

“Jett would talk to you if you made the first step,” April said. “And now, since you don’t have anything against us ... I mean, do you still have something against us?”

“No,” Tom said sharply. “And I just wanted Jett to have a simple and happy life, nothing else.” Even if Sid was right and April was right, and the entire universe was right, and he was the only one who was wrong, that didn’t mean that he would just lay down and let everyone walk all over him. And he was pretty sure he would get an earful from Sid later, but it was only a preservation instinct that had him react that way.

“But he was happy with me,” April said softly, looking down, and much vulnerable in his large armchair.

“Things are more complicated than they look, pumpkin. Grownups have their hang-ups, too. It’s not easy --” Sid hurried to Tom’s defense.

“I didn’t want Jett to feel caught like me between two worlds,” Tom explained. As much as he loved Sid for taking his side, he needed to own up to his own opinions and mistakes.

“Was the same thing happening to you, dad? Being caught between two worlds?” April asked, his eyes set on his father. 

“No,” Sid replied right away. “It was, um,” he ran one hand through his salt and pepper hair, “rather a surprise.” Oh, and what a surprise, Tom mused. “Let’s just leave it at that,” Sid added quickly. “I believe there’s a bit of a mess in the kitchen that needs tending to. Also, I should finish preparing dinner.”

Ah, so he was running away, after all. It was funny to see Sid a bit flustered over having to confess to his son that he had a thing with another man; Tom made a mental note to tease him a bit later.

“Sorry about dropping the cake,” April said softly. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”

“I suppose it was a surprise, no matter how you look at it. But don’t worry about the cake. I’ll whip out some dessert, too.” Sid seemed to get back in charge again, and Tom liked the show he was putting on. There were many things Sid solved with food, and Tom didn’t mind that one bit.

“No need to,” April said quickly. “I shouldn’t stay.”

“Nonsense. You’re home now, and you’ll stay here. Did you want to visit over the weekend?” Sid inquired.

“Yeah, something like that. Jett took off somewhere with Zane --”

What? Jett had left home? “Did he leave his child alone?” Tom intervened.

“Jay is with Carina,” April pointed out.

“You both left a woman and her child all by themselves?” Kids today. Tom felt a bit of righteousness getting back to him.

It was Sid who quickly intervened, this time to save his son. “I believe Carina is old enough to be on her own for a couple of days, Tom. Stop being so overprotective.”

Well, that wasn’t such an easy thing to let go of. “I shouldn’t have left,” Tom said under his breath.

“They’re all good kids,” Sid said calmly. “April, Jett, Carina, and even little Jay.”

“They need someone to watch over them.” Tom was pretty sure of that. They were too carefree, these kids.

“And? Where did Jett go with his friend?” Tom asked April directly.

“I’m not sure. He was so upset that he just wanted, I don’t know, some time alone.”

Some time alone. Why did Tom find it all too familiar?

“Like someone else we know,” Sid replied with a small snort. “All right, guys. I have a dinner to prepare. April, I don’t even want to hear about you going back. You’re spending the weekend with us.”

“But won’t I be in your way?” April asked.

“You could never be.” Sid ruffled his son’s hair. “It’s so seldom that I have you home, with me, lately. Let me spoil you a little.”

“But, you’re not alone, dad.” April pointed with a small gesture at Tom.

“It’s all fine by me,” Tom replied hurriedly. Now it was a good time to make some amends, even if he didn’t start with Jett. “And it’s a good occasion to get to know you better, April.”

“Should I call Jett and tell him --” April started.

“It’s better if I talked to him in person,” Tom replied. “And let him have his time out with Zane.”

“Do you know Zane, Mr. Huntsman?”

“Tom. Yes, I do. I know more about my son’s life than he might think.” 

He knew Zane as the best friend, and Carina as the best girlfriend, and Jett’s favorite food, favorite music, and even favorite color. But maybe, just maybe, as Sid had already pointed out, he needed to let Jett know that he knew all those things.

Sid was out of the living room, on his way to the kitchen, obviously determined to cook and put everyone at ease. 

And that meant that he was all alone with April. It was time to make good on his promise. “So, what did you say you study?” That sounded like an interrogation, but it wasn’t. Maybe he needed to work a little on his delivery speech, too.

“Computers,” came the weak reply.

Tom offered April a reassuring smile. He wasn’t that great with words, but he could smile. Sid had taught him that, and it did come naturally now. It also seemed to have the desired effect because April smiled back, even if it was just a small and unsure movement of the lips.

“Jett was never the studious type,” Tom started.

April giggled, and then he covered his face quickly. “I guess he’s not that much into books and stuff.”

“I can’t blame him,” Tom explained. “We’re all men of action in our family.”

April watched him with big wide eyes. Maybe just as with the dad, Tom could make the son warm up to him some if he told some war stories.

***

Sid appeared rather stiff as he called for them to join him at the dinner table, and Tom noticed right away. Alone with his thoughts, Sid might have gone over whatever was happening between the two of them and still felt guilty toward April. That was something for both of them to work through, but it would be later. For the moment, it seemed like a wise idea to play along. As Sid asked stiffly how they found the food, he offered an equally wooden reply. Then he asked for the salt with all the ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ imposed by the situation, and Sid offered it with a correct ‘you’re welcome’. It had to be the quietest dinner that had ever happened in that house in a long time.

“You don’t have to be like this for my sake,” April blurted out, interrupting the unbearable silence.

“Like this, how?” Sid asked his son, quirking an eyebrow.

“You know,” April replied right away. “Like you haven’t, err, um, like you didn’t, ah, like you don’t know each other!”

“You don’t have to shout each phrase,” Sid said sternly and put his fork down. 

Tom did find the entire exchange a bit funny, although he understood the source of Sid’s discomfort.

“Sorry.” April looked down and a tiny bit embarrassed. Yeah, he was a good kid. “I never thought I would sit at the same table as my dad’s boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend.” Sid smiled, and Tom’s heart made a quick leap as he watched him.

“I have no idea what’s the right word,” April said under his breath as he examined the food on his plate. “Lover?”

“That sounds sort of old-fashioned,” Sid commented.

“We’re partners, son. How’s that?” Tom cursed at himself internally for using his usual harsh tone. 

April didn’t appear as put off by it, though. “Partners, okay,” he said with a nod.

Now that the cat was out of the bag, Tom needed to consider how and when to tell Jett everything. “I am going to tell Jett everything myself. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call him,” he pointed his request at April.

“No chance of that. I think he went to an area where the signal is poor. Plus, it seemed like he didn’t want to be disturbed.”

Tom smiled. It looked like April had managed to get Jett during their short time together. “You understand my son pretty well.”

“They’ve been living like boyfriends for several weeks now. Although April still didn’t find the courage to tell Jett a pretty big secret,” Sid said, and it looked like the atmosphere was getting a bit warmer.

“Dad!” April protested right away.

Tom quirked an eyebrow and stared at April. The boy appeared flustered, all of a sudden. 

“Do you use grenades and stuff?” April asked and looked at Tom.

How was that the kid’s mind worked? “Grenades?” Tom looked at Sid for some additional explanation.

“Way to deflect, April,” Sid said in a stern voice. “April and Jett have known each other for many years.”

Now that was a bit of a surprise. “Really?” Tom asked, and he turned his attention to April right away.

“It was that summer,” Sid explained.

That summer. He knew very well what Sid meant by that. Tom grunted instead of saying anything.

“They found some common ground, I believe,” Sid continued. “Like us.”

And that, indeed, explained many things. Still, the only answer he could offer was another grunt. His entire range of human reactions was reduced to that when he had to think of his feelings.

“Only that April,” Sid stopped for a moment and let out a small sigh, “told Jett at that time that he was called Theo.”

“Theo,” Tom said slowly. That sounded familiar. For sure, Jett had mentioned that name, but when? “Theo, Theo, Theo,” he said the name, as his mind focused on the slippery memory. Then he snapped his fingers. “The missing boy!”

“The missing boy?” Sid and April both asked in surprise.

“Jett kept pestering me at that time about how one would go about finding a missing person. My mind wasn’t quite on how to help him find such a person. But he mentioned the name many times at the end of that summer. For a while, I thought it could be some imaginary friend. And you two just met again?” Tom asked.

“By accident,” April admitted, “yes.”

“And didn’t he remember you?” By how much Jett had pestered him about that Theo boy, Tom would have expected Jett to see some resemblance in April. That was strange.

“He thought I looked like someone he knew. But I told him that no, I wasn’t Theo.” April’s voice grew so faint that Tom and Sid leaned over the table to hear him.

“Then you should tell him,” Tom said solemnly. 

“Exactly what I told him,” Sid said.

“Great. Now no one’s on my side,” April complained.

“On this topic, I’m not, not the way you want me to be, at least,” Sid replied. “I think it’s long overdue, April. Not telling him is the wrong thing to do.”

“All right, I will,” April promised.

“Just curious,” Tom started, “why did you choose not to tell him?”

“I thought he would kick my ass,” April replied promptly.

“They had a bit of a falling out,” Sid explained. “They didn’t part as friends that summer, although April has had a crush on Jett ever since.”

“Dad!” April moaned. He was such a daddy’s boy, Tom mused.

“Funny thing, I thought Jett, too, might have had a crush on his imaginary friend. He was talking about him way too much to be only friendship, although, at that age, one can never know. Kids obsess over so many things. I believe the distraction was good, even if it lasted so little.” At the time, it had been good for Jett to be distracted by anything, including some friend Tom hadn’t really thought he existed in the first place.

“I will tell him,” April said softly. “Just don’t give me away, please,” he begged.

“I would never do that,” Sid promised.

“And it’s not my job to do that either, so it’s all fine by me. God knows I have my own secrets to tell,” Tom added.

Now that had been a hell of a dinner. Tom had had no idea about Jett’s and April’s shared past. But now he could see it, the unbreakable bond that existed between the two boys. And he understood why Sid had been so adamant about Jett and April having real feelings for one another. 

***

“So, our sons,” Tom said with a strained smile as soon as they were alone. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Sid seemed a bit embarrassed. He ran his hands through his short hair, and Tom felt a small familiar jolt. He liked to do that, too, and then kiss Sid. 

“It was April’s secret. It would have been wrong to say anything before he finally decided to reveal it all to his boyfriend.”

“It could have explained some things,” Tom added. “Do you think April is okay? With us, I mean?”

Sid nodded. “I think so. I still feel sort of strange, but now that he knows it, that we’re together, I’m fine.”

“Okay. Now, do you care to tell me why you were so wishy-washy about us?” Tom came dangerously close, but Sid didn’t back down and stared at his lips as if he needed to focus on Tom’s words to hear them.

“Wishy-washy?”

“Well, if I hadn’t been present, you would have told April that we’re not serious. Why’s that, Sid?” Sid didn’t reply. Tom felt a small shard of ice going slowly through his heart. Could it be that Sid was having second thoughts? After all, he was a straight man who had just happened to have a gay experience. Maybe after two weeks with Tom and going through the shock of having to admit to everything in front of his son – his gay son – he now saw things in a different light.

“Why don’t you say anything?” He didn’t want to beg, but that was how his words came out. He was no longer in charge of them. “Is it something that still needs fixing? In me? Well, damn you, Sid, just put in a bit of work and fix me if that’s what you think!”

He was about to move away when Sid caught him into his arms and hid his face into the crook of his shoulder. “I love your smell,” the muffled words came.

“I’m glad, what can I say,” Tom mumbled, although he felt the need to grab Sid and shake him.

“We’re really doing this, right?”

“What?”

“Once the kids know, there’s no turning back.”

“Why would it ever be a turning back? Wasn’t I clear these two weeks? I want to be with you, Sid.”

Sid moved and then looked him in the eye. “There’s nothing that I need to fix in you, Tom.”

“Oh, so I’m not worth fixing now?” Tom revolted. He didn’t understand one thing about what Sid thought or wanted.

“That was not what I said, you big oaf. What I meant is that I think that, for me, you’re kind of perfect.”

What? Tom couldn’t quite believe his ears.

“I know it’s only been two weeks, but sometimes, I think you just know, you know?”

“Know what?” Tom asked carefully.

Sid looked straight at him. “Tom Huntsman, I think it’s safe to say that I --”

Tom grinned. He shut Sid up with a kiss. 

“Hey, I wanted to say --” Sid protested.

“That I love you,” Tom completed the sentence.

“No,” Sid insisted. “I love you,” he said, pointing at himself.

“Well, I beat you to it. I said it first. What are you going to do?”

“Sneaky!” Sid exclaimed. “I might want to get into a fight with you.”

“You don’t have to. We love each other.” That was such a liberating thing to say.

“Yes, but I heard makeup sex is everything, as young people say today.”

“Well, I’m sorry, but it won’t happen now. We will get into a fight someday, don’t worry about it. Then we’ll see just how good makeup sex is between two guys like us.”

“Promise, and I’ll forgive you for stealing my right to confess first.”

“I promise.” Tom wasn’t exactly sure how he would honor that promise since, right now, he felt so happy, but maybe he could insist on putting the tallest glasses in the back until Sid got mad at him.

TBC

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