Neighbors

Chapter Fourteen: My Gay Uncle

My eyes flickered over Ian’s naked flesh as he hopped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my waist. He wrapped one around himself, shortly after, a smirk creeping on his face as I brought my lips back to his. He pushed me up against the door of his bathroom, his hand gripping my waist as water dripped down the side of my neck.

“I can’t keep up with you,” he chuckled as he opened the bathroom door, ushering me out. “How are you not tired?”

I think Ian and I were in the honeymoon phase of our relationship. He couldn’t keep his hands off of me and I couldn’t keep my hands off of him. Since the lake house, Ian and I had sex at least once every other day, if I could sneak away from my mother’ s watchful eye. Ian had to make sure his love bites were low and out of sight.

“I’m not tired but I am hungry,” I sighed as I grabbed my clothes from off the floor of his bedroom, sliding them on.

“Of course you are,” Ian smirked running his fingers through hair. Before I could say another word, the doorbell chimed. Ian and I both glanced at each other in confusion as he slid pants on, quickly rushing down stairs to get it. I stood in the hallway as Hercules barking echoed throughout the house. I chewed on my lower lip as soon as I heard my mother’s voice.

“Hey Ian, a few of the girls and I were wondering if you’d be interested in joining the neighborhood watch,” she asked. “We haven’t had a meeting in while, but apparently, there was a robbery not too far from here on Oak. So we want to start it up again. All the ladies would feel much safer if there were more men.”

“Yeah sure,” Ian agreed. “I’d love to be a part.”

“Great, the first meeting is Friday.” I could hear the happiness in my mother’s voice. Neighborhood watch – that was a joke. It was just basically a bunch of mother’s wandering around the neighborhood in the middle of night to spy on one another. Shit. That meant that I had to be extra careful with my nighttime visits to Ian.  I already didn’t like this neighborhood watch idea.

As soon as Ian closed the door shut, I rushed downstairs. “Where are you going?” Ian asked as I quickly petted Hercules.

“Home,” I said quickly as my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was my mother.

“Hold on,” Ian said blocking the front door. “Not without a kiss.”

“Fine,” I replied quickly kissing him on the lips. Ian didn’t move an inch from the door. He glanced out the window for a moment, before he opened the door letting me out.

“Call me before you go to sleep,” he reminded me before slamming his front door shut. I quickly snuck into my house, slamming the door shut behind me. I quickly jumped as soon as I heard my mother’s voice.

“Ryder! Is that you?” she called to me as she walked out of the living room. “I need to talk to you about something. It’s very important. I know you were probably out swimming or whatever it is you do, but your uncle is coming to town to visit.”

She folded her arms across her chest, sighing deeply, before she continued. “Your Aunt Anne told him about Phil and I’s separation. Your Uncle Tommy is coming for the week. You probably don’t remember him. You were just a baby, the last time you saw him. He’s a bit of a character. That’s why I’ve never had him over. But I think you’re old enough to understand. You see, I love Tommy, it’s just he leads a very different lifestyle than us. He’s – she paused for a moment – a queer. Your father, god rest his soul, didn’t like him around you. He thought you’d get funny ideas in your head. ”

I had to hold myself back from laughing. If only she knew, that Uncle Tommy’s presence hadn’t made a difference in that aspect. No wonder I hadn’t seen Uncle Tommy before. I knew he existed, but my mother had rarely ever talked about him. She was ashamed of him, obviously. I knew how my mother felt about gay men. She didn’t hide it neither did my father. I’m sure she had a fit when he said he was coming by. Pear Street would welcome him and smile in his face, but they’d all talk about him behind his back.