Jona had never felt this free in his life, he was walking down a busy street in London. He didn't have to worry about what his mom was going to say when he got home, he didn't have to worry about what time he needed to be back. He really didn't have many worries right now, except for going back home. The fact that his mother hadn't called in months since right before Christophers birthday had him worried a little, but his dad talked to his aunt. The entire thing was odd, his mom went from overbearing mother to a stranger, but Jona wasn't going to worry about that now. He was heading to a music shop that he had found on their way in from the airport, walking in he was greeted by a man who looked like a british Kurt Cobain.
"Good Afternoon, is there anything I can help you with?" The Cobain look alike asked.
"Yeah, I was wondering if you knew any places that let amateurs play?" Jona asked.
"How amateur mate?" He asked looking at Jona like he was a pitiful child.
"I've been playing guitar since I was 5, and my dads fiancé has been teaching me piano."
"Mate honestly you don't look much older than 12."
"Dude, I'm almost 6 foot tall and I'm 15, try again to make me feel like a child. It's not happening my dads a college professor and his fiancée is the music teacher at Juilliard I'm far from an idiot." Jona stood taller, his baby fat as Elio had called it had faded. His blonde hair had nearly touched his shoulders, he was going to have to start pulling it back.
"Alright I wasn't doing anything like that. The pub around the corner does amateur nights after 11."
"Thanks, now can you please give me the best string you got, I've worn mine out." Jona said smacking his dad's credit card on the counter. He and Christopher had both been given one but they always had to pay it back. Christopher and Jona both worked at the pizza joint down the street from their house but this summer they didn't pick up any shifts. But when they got back in August, Mike had their shifts waiting for them.
He thought a little more about home today, or at least New York. He was hoping his dog Chapman was doing ok at his aunt's house. Chapman was a golden retriever he and Christopher had gotten for Christmas five years ago. He couldn't wait to get back to his dog, he missed Chapman laying on his feet and waking up with dog breath aimed at his face.
Jona left the music shop heading back towards the hotel, he stopped at a local pastry shop. Jona ordered multiple cup cakes for his family and got himself a coffee and cronut. Walking back to the hotel he had to finally use the strap on his guitar case in order to carry everything. He nearly lost the box of cupcake when he ran into a red hair girl who was walking out of the elevator of the hotel.
"Sorry, I need to watch where I'm going." Jona apologize
She looked up at him, smiling.
"Oh you're American." She said excitedly, Jona had no idea what her accent was but it was beautiful.
"Uh yeah I am, New Yorker actually." At this point he was beginning to turn on his charm, she was too pretty not to.
"Oh, that's much more exciting than where I'm from."
"And where is it that you are from?"
"New Zealand."
"Well I'm playing at the pub around the corner tonight if you want to come." Jona winked at her and stepped in the elevator. Their rooms were on the fifth floor, Jona walked out hearing laughter coming from their hotel room. Opening the door Jona saw his parents sitting on the sofa with another couple who he recognized.
"JONA!" Nancy shrieked with joy, he had known Nan since he was a baby. She and her husband Mark had gone to school with his dad. Jona couldn't say Nancy when he was little so it came out as Nan and it stuck. She rushed to him wrapping her arms around him and kissing him all over his face, she pulled away looking at him.
"Hi Nan, what are you guys doing here?" Jona asked still in shock by being assaulted by her kisses.
"Jesus Christ, you are taller than me now! Oh, you know we come every year to see all the shows that open, sweetheart. How is it that you have grown so tall and thin since I last saw you in May! Oliver are you not feeding these poor children?" She scolded Oliver over her shoulder.
"Yes Nan, I starve my children. No, they eat like fucking sumo wrestlers, our poor housekeeper in B can barely keep food in the house." Oliver defended himself.
"Oh look at Oliver, has a housekeeper aw he's got such a hard life." Nan mocked him, putting on a pouty face.
"I will never understand how you put up with her, Mark you are a fucking saint." Oliver looked at one of his oldest friends.
"Well when you love someone that much you are willing to put up with anything." Mark said in his thick southern accent.
"That's exactly how I feel Mark." Elio laughed kissing Olivers hand.
"Jona are you going to let them gang up on your old man like this?"
"Hey, I just walked in the room you're on your own pops." Jona laughed, Oliver looked defeated.
"You both need to come to see Le Mis tonight with us, I'm sure we can get two more tickets. With all the money we have spent on tickets we should have our own wing named after us." Nan huffed taking the cupcakes from Jona.
"I think you all should go, enjoy the theatre, we will be fine here by ourselves."Jona encouraged them, setting down his case.
"Oh sweet Jesus! Have I ever told you, you are my favorite child? Don't tell your brother, he thinks he's my favorite, oh cupcakes!" Nan did a little happy dance, her thick curly hair bounced with every move she made. Jona was always amazed that such a tiny woman could command a room, she was loud and made her presents knowns. The front door had opened, Christopher and Valentina walked in. Christopher opened his arms and Nan jumped into them greeting Christopher the same way that she had Jona.
"I swear to fucking god Nan, I feed my kids. Elio don't we feed them?" Oliver fought back with her.
"Yes dear you feed them, before this summer it was clear that you fed them." Elio chuckled, he enjoyed Nan being around, she gave Oliver so much shit. She never let him get away with anything. Mark and Nancy were the only two people in Oliver's world who knew of Elio, Nancy was very much against Oliver marrying Madeline. When they met Elio, they already knew so much about him. Welcoming him with open arms, Elio remembered not knowing how to take Nancy other than absolutely loving her instantly.
"So it's settled, we are going out to eat and then to the theatre." Nancy enosiated theatre.
"Um I mean as much as I would love to go, it just doesn't sound like fun so after dinner Valentina and I will go to the movies instead." Christopher wrinkled his nose.
"Yeah me too, I'm going to this music thing tonight around the corner." Jona said sitting in the arm chair.
"Oh? What's this music thing you are going to?" Oliver asked.
"Nothing just going to watch some bands play, no big deal." Jona shrugged.
"Ok, just please be safe ok?"
"I will, I'll be safe. You don't have to worry about me ya know."
"I will worry about the both of you no matter how old you get, so get used to it." Oliver tossed his phone to him.
The restaurant was packed for a Tuesday night. They sat at a table looking out at the Thames and the London eye. The adults were being loud and happy, Jona watched as his dad told Nan and Mark that he proposed to Elio. The table erupted in cheers and love, Nan stood up telling the entire restaurant that her best friend was marrying the love of his life. Jona and Christopher cringed, this always happened when they got together they celebrate everything. Jona wanted to remember this, it's not everyday someone celebrates the union of two men. He saw the news, he knew of hate crimes that happened to same sex people. He couldn't imagine anyone hating his dad and Elio for loving each other . Even before his dad told them of his sexuality, he saw one of the gay guys in his school get bullied. Jona quickly became friends with his best friend and soon Jona was targeted as well. But he didn't care, Jona knew he liked girls his brother might say he likes them too much.
One night he and Tyler went to the movies and a few of Christopher's friends saw them. It quickly got ugly, they were beat up right behind the theater. They broke Tyler's arm but Jona fractured his hand by punching one of them in the face. When Christopher found out, those boys were removed by the coach. It's what happens when your big brother is the star player. He told the coach either they go or he drops out.
Jona was never prouder of his brother and they knew his dad was too. But he also didn't know at the time that his own brother was hiding a secret about his sexuality. Jona hadn't really thought about what happened the night Christopher came out. His brother was always the strong silent type and Jona was the loud mouth that never shut up. Christopher had always been fearless, Jona tried to be just like him. The last time he did that he ended up with a broken arm and three days in the hospital because he jumped off the bridge that was in the town they grew up in right outside New York.
Jona looked at his watch, it was 9 he only had a few hours before he was at the pub.
"Dad, I'm going to take a taxi back to the hotel so I can get ready."
"Ok bud, well be careful and have fun. I love you." Oliver gave his youngest a kiss on the cheek.
"We will go with you, our movie starts in 15 minutes." Christopher and Valentina both got up. They left giving everyone their goodbye hugs and kiss. The three of them walked out hailing a taxi.
"So what's this music thing you are going to? Do you want us to come?' Christopher asked.
"No, I'm just going to see if it's any good. You two go have fun watch your movie." Jona saw the tense look his brother gave him, Valentina was in the bathroom getting touched up as she put it.
"I beg you please tell her you want us to come." Christopher begged.
"Why? I thought you liked having Valentina around? Awe do you miss David?" Jona poked his brother in the side.
"Right now, I would love to be going to the movies with him. She's dragging me to see a dumb movie about a girl that falls in love with a prince. Dude, I hate romance movies,they are so fucking dumb and cheesy!" He whined. Jona began laughing.
"Nope! You are such a push over when it comes to her, how many things has she dragged you to that you hated?"
"If she wasn't so drop dead gorgeous and fun I wouldn't be doing this, but little brother help a guy out?"
"No, man. I mean if you play your cards right, you won't be watching the movie at all." Jona winked at his older brother. Who perked up a little.
"Oh you might be right, but the last time we went to a crap chick flick she was focused on the movie." He grumbled.
"Well then you aren't doing something right? Come on how is it, that I've more game than you do?"
"You play the fucking guitar, that thing makes girls instantly attracted to you!"
"So you're the quarterback of the football team and girls aren't flocking to you."
"Oh, oh that's rich!" Christopher punched his little brother in the arm.
"Ah god damn it, you're such an asshole!" Jona grabbed his arm trying to walk it off. Christopher took joy in his brothers pain at that moment. They didn't fight like siblings so close in age did, they never did squabble or nearly kill each other, their dad would have none of that. If they had a disagreement they were forced to talk it out like they had sense. But when they got older that went out the window, any chance they had to act like idiots they took it.
"Was there a reason you hit your brother?" Valentina asked.
"Yeah, it made me feel better." Christopher responded grinning like the cheshire cat.
"Use your words next time asshat or I tell Elio who dumped coke in his piano!" Jona groaned still rubbing his arm.
"Oh you wouldn't?"
"Oh I would in a heartbeat."
"Alright then I tell dad about the book." Christopher and Jona were playing a dangerous game of chicken right now.
"Hey that's not far! That's reached the statute of limitations!"
"Yeah but dad would still be pissed."
"Tushay, tushay Christopher. God this sucks! You could kill someone and you will still hold that over my head. I knew I shouldn't have told you I did that!"
"Well, come on let's go. Next time I will maybe let you win."Christopher ruffled up his brothers hair as he got into the taxi. By the time Jona reached the hotel he was by himself, the driver had dropped Christopher and Valentina off at a theatre. He rushed upstairs and changed into a Flogging Molly's shirt and a pair of jeans, he tucked his long hair behind his ears. Jona quickly brushed his teeth,he'd eaten garlic and he was hoping to meet a few of the locals, didn't need garlicky breath to ruin the night. His jean hung on his hips, christ, he was pretty sure these were tight at the beginning of the summer. He wasn't Christopher tall yet, but he was catching up. Neither of them were as tall as their dad yet and he didn't think they would ever be, which was fine, who wants to be six five anyways.
Jona caught a glimpse of the clock, it was 10:30, grabbing his wallet and guitar he rushed downstairs. The walk to the pub took twenty minutes, as he walked it he was assaulted by foul language and the overpowering smell of smoke. The pub was filled with a cloud floating over everyone's head. He caught a glimpse of the guy from the shop, he was waving Jona over, he walked over to the bar.
"Murray, this is the kid I was telling you about. Real cocky little shit if you ask me, but says he can play."
"Alright get up there, but if you fuck up you're off."
Jona thanks them, it was the strangest introduction he'd ever had. He walked up to the stage, he was nervous as fuck, normally not everyone was just staring at him.
Christopher was gladly walking down the sidewalk with Valentian, they had left the theatre before the movie was over. No even she liked the film, thank god! Christophe decided not to hail a taxi back, he wasn't in much of a rush tonight. The hotel wasn't that far, every shop was closed. London was nothing like New York, they had ice cream shops that stayed open all hours, the only thing opened in London this late at night was restaurants and pubs. One pub had so many people waiting outside, as they passed Valentina stops.
"Someone's playing inside, we have to get into hear them."
Christopher saunters back toward her, he's tall enough to see over most of the people in the pub. Scanning to room he doesn't see who is playing, then he sees a familiar figure in the corner belting out the most beautiful harmony with another gentlemen on the stage.
"No fucking way!" Christopher's mouth hangs open in disbelief.
"What is it? I want to know."
"It's Jona, that's him singing."
"No it's not! You're pulling my leg."
"No I'm not, I didn't even know he could sing. Holy shit! Come on we are making our way in there." Christopher grabs her hand, pulling her into the crowd, excusing himself and proclaiming one of them was his brother. They got about six rows of people away, Jona was looking down at his guitar. He sang with his eye closed, Christopher had no idea what he was singing. After the shock of hearing the voice come out of his little brother, he began to cheer Jona on. When he last cord died down, Jona looked up the audience, not realizing how much it had grown. He heard whistling and cheering for his performance, he saw two familiar faces, his brother was cheering for him like a mom at a game and Valentina whistled like not many could.
"Thanks everybody, but um I gotta let some of the other guys get up here." Jona announced, walking off the stage. Christopher pushed his way through, grabbing his brother in a massive hug.
"What the hell was that? Jesus christ I didn't even know you could sing!" Christopher was glowing with approval.
"Well you don't know everything about me you know."
The man he was introduced to as Murray pushed his way through the crowd.
"Oi, kid come in tomorrow night and I'll pay ya for playing." Murray said with a thick irish accent.
"Uh sure whatever you want!" Jona stumbled over himself, shaking Murray's hand.
"Holy shit, we gotta tell Dad and Elio!" Christopher said hugging his brother.
"Let's tell them in the morning, hopefully they won't kill us for being in a pub." Jona couldn't stop smiling, nothing could ruin this for him.