The photo was of Will naked holding a fruit basket in front of him with his cock and balls in the basket like they were fruit.
The caption read, “I love it when my fit lad brings me a basket of fruit.”
And there was Will, smiling, seemingly appearing to be offering up his genitals to the photographer.
Will’s dad was surprised and really taken a back when he opened the image from the email he’d just received titled A Fit Lad With A Basket Full Of Fruit. Will’s dad didn’t know what to make of it, seeing his youngest boy as naked as the day he was born, well, not quite the same naked as that.
“Hey Will, can you come here for a minute?” Will’s dad called out to his son.
Will entered the room. “What is it?”
“Oh, um, I just got this photo of you…”
“You what,” said Will. “What do you mean?” Will says as he walks around the desk.
“From someone named…”
“Oh Jesus,” said Will. “Otto,” he said.
“Yes, Otto,” said Will’s dad. “Who is Otto? Why does he have this photo of you? And why has he sent it to me?”
“I um…”
“You are his fit… lad?”
“Well, dad…”
“You are offering your…”
“I was his… um?”
“You were his?”
“Yes, dad. Otto and I were… um… boyfriends.”
“Boyfriends?”
“We split up because I hadn’t told you and mum.”
“That you were boyfriends?”
“Yes?”
“For how long.”
“Oh, um, a year.”
“A year?”
“Otto wanted me to tell you and I hadn’t and he was pissed off about it…”
“You didn’t tell us.”
“No,” said Will. “And I guess this is his way of getting back at me.”
“For not telling us… um… er…”
“Yes.”
Will and his dad gazed at each other silently and with stillness.
“That’s okay,” said Will’s dad. “I still love you. Whatever makes you happy, Will.”
He took Will in his arms and hugged him.
“It’s a modern world, Will. It’s not such a big deal now.”
Will didn’t quite understand his father, and his father must have seen the look on Will’s face. “I mean. You’ll be okay in the world now. The world is okay with it.”
“Gay dad,” said Will. “Gay, you can say it.”
“Yeah, Will, Gay. I get it. You like boys.”
“Men,” said Will. “Men.”
“Yeah. Sure. I meant…” His dad smiled at Will. “I’m on your side.”
“Yeah. Sorry. Thanks, dad.”
“It’s okay,” said Will’s dad.
They gazed at each other, Will and his dad. Will wanted to say more, but his head was spinning.
“So… okay?” said Will.
“Yeah,” said Will’s dad. “As long… ah… as I don’t hear that you are going,” he made gestures in the air with his fingers, “‘girl’ for the lads in the area.’”
“What?” said Will.
“I know what the lads are like.” Will’s dad laughed, rather self-consciously Will thought. “They don’t care.”
“Don’t care?”
“You know, a hole is a hole.”
“Dad!”
“Well, you’re not, are you?”
“Not what?”
“You know… letting the lads… have their way.”
“But I want them to,” Will made gestures in the air, “‘have their way’ that’s how we… get together.”
“But not all the lads,” said his dad. “You know, doing it to you.”
“Dad!” exclaimed Will. “What sort of opinion do you have of me.”
“I just know what lads are like when they go sniffing around for it.” His dad pulled a face. “They don’t care… except for themselves. I’m sure… ah…”
“Gay?”
“Gay lads are the same.”
“Dad?”
“You’ve got to look after yourself,” said Will’s dad. “I’ve got to look after you, you’re my son.”
“Do you ask the same of Sam or Jon?”
“Well, no,” said Will’s dad. “But your brothers are hardly going to be over powered by women.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Oh Will, they are fit strong boys.”
Will questioned his dad with a look.
“All three of you are, but you are dealing with other men, and men can be physically brutal. Look at what they do to women. Why wouldn’t I worry about them hurting you.”
“I’m not a woman, dad.”
“Oh Will, I know that. Can’t I worry about you without you getting all bent out of shape. Guys are tough.”
“I’m tough.”
“They hurt each other.”
“I’m not some weedy kid.”
“Oh Will, you’ll always be my little boy.”
“Dad.”
“Come here.” He held out his arms. Will naturally fell into his dad’s embrace, just like he always had.
“I’m on your side, buddy. Don’t fight it.” Will’s dad rubbed his hand through the hair on the back of his son’s head. “I’m cool with whatever makes you happy, Will.”
“Thanks dad.” Will started to sob.
“There, there, now we all know, it will be much easier,” said Will’s dad. “I am assuming Sam and Jon already know.”
“Yeah, they do.”
“What did they say?”
“Nothing. No big deal.”
“Oh,” said Will’s dad.
“Jon wants to hook me up with his mate Jack’s gay brother Luke.”
“Luke Kennedy’s gay?”
“Yep. Luke’s gay.”
“Oh.”
“Jon thinks we’d make a nice couple.”
“Jon does?”
“Yeah, dad.”
“You and Luke?”
“Yep.”
“Er… do you like Luke?”
Will shrugged. “Maybe?”
“Luke?”
“Maybe, he’d be good for…” Will couldn’t help but smile at the thought he was sharing the fact that he fancied Luke Kennedy with his father.
“Oh, I see,” said his dad. “You… just… want to sleep with Luke.”
“Ah… um… well, not so much sleeping.”
“Yeah, sure,” said Will’s dad. “So…um?”
“So… um?”
“Do you ring him up? Do you make a date? I’m guessing you probably don’t take him flowers?”
“Maybe,” said Will.
“Do you wait for him to be drunk at a family BBQ?”
“Dad.”
“Well, I don’t know how these things work. How does Luke know you are… um…?”
“Interested?”
“Up for it?”
“I guess I have to tell him.”
“So, Luke Kennedy hey?”
“Maybe.”
“With girls and boys there is some basic thought that they could be interested,” said Will’s dad. “But, I guess, with you, and let’s say Luke, you have to really start from scratch.”
“Something like that,” said Will. “But kids of the same age usually know who’s gay and who isn’t more so that their parent’s generation.”
“What has Sam said?”
“Not much,” said Will. “But when does Sam ever say much?”
“I thought he might say more to you and Jon, even if he doesn’t say much to the rest of the world.”
“He said, so you like hairy bums, do you, or something like that.”
“That’s all he said?”
“Yeah, well, pretty much.”
“So do you?” asked Will’s dad.”
“Maybe,” said Will. “I… mean… depends who…” Will smiled, he couldn’t help it, “Yes, fuck it, yes I do.”
“Okay,” said his dad. “There’s something.”
Sam walks into the room.
“So, are you guys still having the fag talk?”
“Sam!” scolded their dad.
“Oh, you know, the gay talk?”
“Yes,” said Will.
“About time,” said Sam. “I don’t know what the big deal is?”
“That’s because you’re not gay,” said Will.
“Not gay, are gay, what’s the difference,” said Sam. “Just come out with it, why has it taken so long?”
“Why? How long have you guys known?”
“Oh, um?” stuttered Will.
“Years,” said Sam. “When did I catch you sucking off Jimmy Little?”
“Jimmy Little?” questioned their dad.
“Shut up,” said Will.
“Both with their pants around their ankles,” said Sam. “Jimmy’s dick in Will’s mouth.”
“Seriously?” said Will. “Piss off!”
“Both as hard as you like,” said Sam.
“Fuck you, Sam,” said Will.
Jon comes to the door. “Don’t forget the cow eyes for Liam Rogers.”
“Oh, come on,” said Will.
“Remember Will following Liam about,” said Jon.
“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that,” said Sam
“Seriously, I hate you two,” said Will.
Sam laughed. “Jesus, you get all bent out of shape over nothing,” he said. “We’ve known for a few years.”
“So, is that how long you have taken to tell me and your mum?”
“Yeah, I guess,” said Will. “Longer, I guess, I’ve known for longer than these big mouths have known,” said Will. He was indicating Sam.
“How long have you known?” asked Will’s dad.
“Since, I was a kid? I’ve always known, I guess.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” asked Will’s dad.
“Why didn’t I tell you?” said Will. “I’ve got to tell myself first.”
“Yes, I guess,” said Will’s dad. “Well, you better go tell your mum.”
Will’s mum was in the kitchen making lunch.
“Mum?” said Will from the door.
“Yes, honey.” Will’s mum looked up momentarily from the salad she was preparing.
Will stood in the doorway.
Will’s mum stopped what she was doing as she gazed at her youngest son. “Will?”
“Um?” said Will. His voice clagged in the back of his throat.
“What is it, darling,” said Will’s mum in a soft, soothing mum tone, holding a knife in one hand and an avocado in the other.
“I’ve got something to tell you?” said Will.
Will’s mum put down the knife and the avocado, she picked up a towel and wiped her hands.
“I’m…” said Will.
Silence.
“Your?” said Will’s mum.
Silence.
“I’m gay,” said Will.
“Oh, Will,” said Will’s mum.
“I think I have always been gay,” said Will.
“Yes, Will,” said Will’s mum.
“It’s something I want you to know,” said Will.
“Yes, Will,” said Will’s mum.
They walked towards each other. Will’s mum took her youngest son in her arms and hugged him.
“Do you want to say anything else?” said Will.
“Oh, Will, I don’t know how to put this, as I’m sure this is hard for you,” said Will’s mum. “But, just now, I thought you were going to tell me something was wrong, really wrong with you, and I don’t want to lesson what you are going through, but, to tell you the truth, I am relieved there isn’t something wrong with you. Darling.”
“Oh mum.” Will pulled his head back and looked at his mum with tears in his eyes. “Thanks mum.”
Will’s mum ran her hand through the front of her 18 year old son’s hair. “Darling, gay, straight, trans, oh, no, not trans. Oh, yes trans, if you were trans…”
“Mum!” said Will.
“Darling, gay or straight, you are still my boy, and I love you just the same.”
“Mum.” Will hugged his mum.
“And I’ll love your boyfriends, is there a boyfriend?”
“No,” said Will.
“I’ll love them just the same as I would love a girlfriend.”
“There was a boyfriend…”
“Oh.”
“He dumped me because I hadn’t told you and dad.”
“Have you told your father?”
“My ex sent him a naked photo of me, that’s how dad found out.”
“Is that revenge porn that I have been reading about?”
“I guess. He may have sent it to you too.”
“Oh, well nothing I haven’t seen before.”
“Mum.”
His mum smiled at her son. She shrugged.
“So, any emails from Otto.”
“Got it.”
“Just don’t open it.”
“Do Sam and Jon know?”
“Yes, those two clowns know.”
“Those two clowns?”
“Oh, they are telling dad stories.”
“That’s what bother’s do, darling.”
“Gay stories about me.”
“How long have they known?”
“They’ve known for a while.”
“Sam and Jon?”
“Yes,” said Will. “They never thought anything of it until this morning when they got to tell dad stories about me.”
“Oh well, darling, you’d miss them if they weren’t around.”
“No, not really.”
“What stories did they tell.”
“Oh, that doesn’t matter now,” said Will. “I’m sure dad will tell you.”
“Will he.” Will’s mum laughs self consciously.
Sam entered the room. “You guys done?”
“Sam?” questioned Will’s mum.
“You done with the gay talk,” said Jon, entering the room. “What’s for lunch.”
“Can you two give us a minute.”
“It’s okay,” said Will.
“It’s okay,” said Sam.
“It makes no difference,” said Jon.
Will’s dad entered the kitchen. “Darling, I have a great new shot to show you of your baby boy.”
“Dad!” said Will.
“It’s okay,” said Will’s mum. “I probably don’t need to see Will naked.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist,” said Will’s dad.
“When are we going to stop all the gay talk about Will?” said Jon.
“Yeh, come on, we’re starving,” said Sam.
