The Fathers, the Sons and the Anxious Ghost by Jamie Adams

Author:Jamie Adams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
Published: 2019-07-30T16:00:00+00:00

Part Two – The Sons

Ten Years Later

Chapter 15 (Sam)

It was always interesting having your dad as a teacher, but having your dad as a gay teacher could end up with you getting teased a bit about the whole thing. I didn’t mind though. I could handle it because I liked the fact that my dad had been brave enough to come out and show his true self. The only problem was, him seeing one of my friend’s parents. This is one thing that I just could not get my head around, and it all happened so fast.

Even though that was a week ago and so much had happened since, I still found myself reliving the moment when I discovered them together. If my guitar lesson hadn’t been cancelled, then I would have still been none the wiser; and Dad could have carried on with his sordid little affair without all of this backlash.

“Hey queer’s boy!” came a predictable shout from John across the football pitch. “Pass the ball, faggot.”

I turned around and looked for a better way forward. Noticing Alfie running alongside me, I tossed the ball to him, and the pressure was then off. Alfie surged forward; and as he passed John, he elbowed him in the face. John jolted and then clutched his chin whilst looking at me with disapproval. I shrugged my shoulders as if to say, ‘It wasn’t anything to do with me’.

Later on in the changing rooms, Alfie made a snide comment.

“You think it’s alright to be homophobic on the pitch, do you? Professionals get kicked out for doing anything like that, you know,” he said to John, pointedly.

John was afraid of Alfie and just looked the other way, packing his bag as quickly as he could so that he could escape sheepishly.

“Don’t waste your breath,” I said to Alfie. “It’s no skin off my nose.”

He tutted and then said he would buy me a coke if I wanted. He wasn’t that keen to go home just yet.

In the coffee shop, we sat down in silence, and it was obvious that his mind was elsewhere. It would have been ten years next week since his mother died. All of my problems seemed miniature in comparison. I thought about what I could say to cheer him up, but sadly, nothing appropriate crossed my uncomplicated mind.

We sipped our drinks and stared out of the window for a while. After a few minutes, I asked him how he was coping.

“I’m alright, mate,” he replied, faking a smile.

“You don’t have to hide your feelings from me. We have been through a lot over the last ten years.”

“I know. It’s just this time it is different. I mean it’s not so much about my mum anymore.”

“How do you mean?” I asked as I finished off the coke.

“It’s just I can’t really put my finger on it, but it’s kind of about Tess,” he carried on, getting into his stride.

“Go on…what about your little sis?” I asked, getting more and more worried.

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