Chapter 22

Who Are You?

"What do you mean?" Danny shouted, "he cannot stay here?"

"This is my house and I have the right to decide who stays." Henry who had already washed and scrubbed his hands twice and was using some fragrant sterilizer now, some pink liquid that he had picked from hospital since they already charged for it though they didn't use it for him.

Well don't be shocked he actually narrated the stuff or spoke in his series of non-stop conversation.

Danny who was used to his blabbering kept on fake yawning and filtered listening as he kept on blabbering "I went for few days, I went to hospital, I wasn't dead, I thought you were exceling in one thing finally, the shop was doing good not that I wasn't shocked, you haven't done one thing worth appreciation in life and when you blabbered about your new recruit, I thought may be you have learnt something from me. Maybe you wouldn't score that bad in life. Maybe you'll live a fairly decent life, not like me though but a little bit here and there. That works fine with me and if you want me to be proud of you, you have to do better than that. And recruiting someone is different thing and being benevolent enough to offer him lodging in different. I condemn it and I completely disagree. He is not staying here, not in my house." Henry did not pause to breath and John noticed though he was tired but the adrenaline he had to teach his son another chapter of life where he shouldn't trust and help strangers made him go on. Or probably he was characterized like this.

John didn't care but only when henry looked at him and commanded "YOU."

John turned around to check if he was actually addressing him. He even pointed at himself. Henry triumphantly said, "yes I am talking to you. Come on pack your bags and leave."

John was stunned and snubbed. He did not know what to do.. He looked at Danny who was busy eyeing his headphone that John had noticed now were left on the center table. John wondered if everything was aright since Danny left the house without his white jumbo earphones.

John was sure he took them along to the washroom even while he pooped.

One of the reasons John never laid a hand on them.

Germs always eewed him!

John now noticed Danny's eyes were rimmed red. Was he that happy that his father is back? He wasn't the kind to show off emotions.

Then...

John thought of not imposing himself on the family of two and picked his clothes that were hanging on the rope and filled them in the plastic bag without even folding making trying to make it as fast as possible.

"Now would you stop playing statue and welcome your father with coffee or something?' Henry addressed Danny for the first time and as if breaking from the trance Danny looked at henry "yes why not John makes excellent coffee." He addressed John now "John make it extra creamy and extra sweet and yes no sugar for dad."

"Were you even listening when I was talking?" Henry asked irritated.

"I stopped listening to you since she left." John noticed the venom in Danny's voice for the first time since his stay there.

A thick silence harder than to be cut with a knife invaded the room. John felt he'd be choked with the tension the father son duo had in the room.

"I loved her," Henry mumbled. John could feel the pain in his voice.

"You had a very strange way of showing it." Danny looked square in Henry's eyes as he mentioned those words.

John felt something amiss. This wasn't the Danny he'd been staying with all the while. Was it his dad bringing the worst in him?

John dismissed the thought as soon as it came.

Danny loved his Dad a lot. He had seen his love and concern over the days

Or was it fear?

Did he fear his dad?

But what for?

"I don't have to show my feelings to anyone. I have my final word. This fellow is not staying in my house." Henry declared.

"I thought this was OUR house" Danny mumbled but in a voice clear enough for John and Henry to hear.

"Nevertheless if he cannot stay here. Neither would I." Danny declared and John's mouth went hanging open. He did not know that Danny cared for him so much. He however knew there was much more to the father son duo than that was visible.

"So you are leaving too just like her?" Henry spat "must have known like mother like son."

"no I am nothing like her." Danny shouted back for the first time "I so wish I was strong like her."

"You" Henry had fisted his hands so hard and he was about to hit Danny but he constrained himself.

"Wait wait" John interrupted "I am sorry. It is because of me you guys are fighting" John said "I think its better for all that I should leave."

"No I am leaving too." Danny stated firmly.

"No" John denied "you can't. Your dad's just home from hospital he needs you."

"No he needs a son who is perfect; smart, intelligent and a man."

'A man?' John thought Danny was too upset at his words to measure his words before speaking.

And Henry might be a cursing and complaining father. He couldn't be that bad; his friends loved him, people around respected him.

"You heard me right dad, john" Danny's voice was choked now "I just had a break up with my girlfriend" he said "and no not because either of us were cheating or I wasn't smart enough for her. Yes I wasn't good enough for her."

"Danny" John compassionately put his hand on his shoulder, a gesture he expected his father to follow "its okay couple's break up. Some times two people aren't compatible enough." He rubbed his back "don't beat yourself over it."

Finally not able to take it anymore Danny pushed John's hand from his back. He knew John might even be disgusted at him once he knew the truth "I broke up with Nova because I am gay. Did you hear me I am gay?" Danny yelled at Henry.

"What rubbish?" Henry said instantaneously "there is nothing like gay. This is what you new generations have made up to defy our morals and religion and have a so-called rebellious life. Just shut up." He put his twinkies in the air "you guys think rebel is cool"

"Henry." John called up to his father for the first time "the boy is upset. All he wants for now is love and support of the family. Don't say this." He begged, "you are the only family he has"

"Love and support bullshit!" Henry yelled, "he wants to bring disgrace to the family because he is stupid and he thinks he is attracted towards boys." He addressed Danny poking on his thick hairy head "Damn you are not gay. You just need a good doctor" Henry was loud "cut their hair" he ordered Danny and kept on blabbering "Don't seem to understand why do they grow their hair, its been a legacy or a tradition men cut their hair, women grow them, they just want to fight everything. Without the consequences! Why are these youngsters so rash?" he kept on with all his negative statements obviously not happy with Danny and his preferences. "And your earphones or earmuffs whatever you call them I just want to pluck them out of your ears and throw them into garbage crusher."

Danny who had disappeared by now was back with a bag strolling behind him.

"Danny! Danny" John yelled "where are you going? Look we can talk this out." He called after him.

But he simply ignored him.

"Where do you think you are going?" Henry asked him "your dad's just returned from hospital. He needs you."

"All he needs is a little distance from me" Danny fidgeted on his toes, John noticed that he even had his sneakers on "especially when my truth is out." When he saw John wasn't convinced he added, "trust me."

John nodded and went inside to get his bag.

"SO" John picked the heavy suitcase from Danny who was not in a position to carry "where to?"

"You tell me where were you going after dad kicked you out?" Danny asked instead.

John shrugged "no where. I have nowhere to go. Remember I am broke"

"And the salary I paid you?" Danny asked.

"Wont suffice for food and boarding in a hotel for two" John kicked a pebble that was there in the pathway "now I guess I have lost the job too'

"Nay" Danny denied, "dad's a man of rules and regulation. He's a professional. He wont kick you out without a month's notice nor will let you quit."

John did not know what to make out of that "that'd be awkward" John muttered "working at that place without you around"

"huh"

"I mean working for your dad in your absence especially after witnessing" he pushed his thumb behind guiding about the scene back home.

"Don't worry you'll live" Danny chuckled.

John noticed although he was wearing those jumbo earphones, and was scrolling through different songs and sometimes typing something trying not to pry keeping distance and giving him personal space, he could still listen, he wasn't actually listening to the music but was shutting himself out of the outside world.

"You know it isn't a bad thing," John said after they had walked aimlessly for a while.

"What being homeless?" Danny asked peeking against his mobile screen for the first time although he knew exactly what he was referring to.

"No I meant being a gay." John was blunt about it.

"Stop being nice" Danny was now dominating the pebble that John was kicking earlier, his fingers halting for a while and then continuing,

They did not realize when they started taking turns and kicking the pebble at each other like it was a game.

His fingers dancing on the screen were a little distractive and was now annoying John but he did not mention it

"I....you know I was attracted towards you." Danny admitted, his fingers continued ferociously on the mobile screen.

"I don't know what to say about it." John was being honest.

"Don't worry I am good." Danny chuckled "I mean I know you like girls especially Kathie and girls like you. So we are good." He stated his eyes on the screen of cellphone, his fingers continuously assaulting it.

John wondered if he was simply using the device as a distraction. Earlier he thought he was simply upgrading his playlist but the speed in which he was typing, he was probably texting

But whom?

Probably his girlfriend or now his ex-, he furrowing brows said he wasn't happy about the replies

John did not give any reaction.

"Do you realize it's been an hour we'd been wandering?" Danny asked. "It's getting dark too. Where do you think we are going to spend the night?

John thought of offering the park bench that he'd been using before he sheltered at Danny's but considering two is crowd and could be easily caught by patrolling in charge of the park gave up on it.

"Danny I have a preposition for you" John offered. Inspite of all the ruckus with Danny's dad, the wellbeing of his now friends at the shelter home was continuously nagging him at the back of his head.

He wanted to know about the wellbeing of all the people there.

He'd considered the possibility of staying there himself but then he'd be in their continuous scrutiny and that wasn't appropriate incase he needed extended help.

"Do you mind staying in a shelter home for a while?" John asked and before Danny could be furious about the offer he added "not for shelter but as my agent"

"Agent?" Danny was perplexed "who are you?" he asked.

"I don't know" John replied abruptly

"You don't know?" danny was even more confused "I don't get it. You were a businessman, homeless, cheated by your own friend." He added "most of it, you just admitted You are broke"

John made a very guilty face. He feared losing Danny but it was high time, he will have to speak the truth

"I lied".... John admitted and he with his words he saw red in Danny's eyes.