"No, it's nice. We're all getting some fresh air. On a midmorning on a Sunday, what am I going to be doing? Playing video games?" Rob said. He didn't want to say that he just liked being out with Julian and Danny, but that was the truth.
"But if you didn't move here, I bet you would have plenty to do," Julian said.
"Actually, I'm glad I got to get away. Things were not going great for me in the job department or personally." Rob didn't expect to tell Julian about it, but he confessed to him anyway. "I made the mistake of getting involved with my roommate. He wanted to keep pretending he was a hundred percent straight, so he freaked out on me, wanted me out of there."
"Sorry to hear that," Julian said, but Rob couldn't read his expression.
He decided to shift the focus off himself. "You must have some friends around here you'll want to look up and introduce to Danny." Rob pointed to the little guy who was throwing pebbles in a clumsy, overhand way that didn't send them flying very far.
Julian shook his head. "No. I don't have any friends here."
"No friends from school?" Rob said, surprised.
"I never went to school here. I was sent to an all boys boarding school," Julian said.
"That sounds interesting. You didn't like it?" Rob said as he remembered that Julian mentioned having a bad time at school.
"No. It was miserable. I was too quiet. I didn't fit in so I was bullied relentlessly. When my grandfather found out – not from me, from the school – he told me it was my own fault, that I brought it on myself, and to toughen up. Of course he was a bully himself. It was because of his influence I learned how not to cry in front of the bullies at school, how to put up a wall to keep the pain in and everyone else out."
That sounded so terrible. It made Rob want to revert to his younger self again and just punch the hell out of some bullies. "Wasn't there anyone who could protect you? What about your parents?"
Julian looked at Danny playing just out of earshot and looked so sad. "My mother abandoned me after I was born, and my father did almost the same thing. Though he did visit occasionally to bring me gifts, take me places, then he disappeared. Between his visits, he sometimes seemed as real to me as Santa Claus. My father left me to be raised by my grandfather. That way everyone got what they wanted. My father had his freedom and my grandfather got to mold me in his own image."
"Obviously he failed," Rob said offhandedly. To him, it was clear as day, but Julian looked doubtful. "Ask Danny if you don't believe me. Hey Danny, is Julian a nice guy?"
"Yes," Danny said immediately.
Moving on together, they watched leaves float in the water then Rob spotted a half submerged log. "Do you think that might be an alligator?" he asked Danny.
"Crocodile," Danny said.
"So it's a crocodile. OK," Rob said. "Should we wave to him?"
Danny waved and so did Rob. But they had to stare at Julian for a little bit before be joined in. "Doing silly things is good for you," Rob told him.
Julian looked skeptical about that, and they kept going along the riverbank. Up ahead an old man with a fishing pole was sitting in a folding chair. Seeing the old fisherman, Danny pointed excitedly. "I know what he's doing. He's trying to catch the fishes."
"I think that's Mr. Jasper," Julian said, recognizing the old man. "We can go say hi to him."
Danny took his hand, and they all went over to the fisherman. As they approached and the old guy noticed them, he quickly covered up the bucket next to him before Danny could see anything. Rob had caught a glimpse of some fish wriggling. Nice of the old guy to make sure Danny didn't see them. Julian noticed and gave him a grateful smile. "Hello, Mr. Jasper."
"Huh, so you know me," Mr. Jasper said as he returned Julian's smile.
"I'm Julian Brenner."
Mr. Jasper nodded like he recognized him now. "Of course you are. Look at you all grown up and with a son," he said seeing that Danny was holding his hand.
Danny shook his head and Julian corrected Mr. Jasper. "This is Danny, my little brother."
"Nice to meet you, young man," Mr. Jasper said to him. He then blinked at Rob. "And this handsome fellow must be your boyfriend," he said to Julian, who got a little flustered. "Or is it husband?"
"I'm just Julian's assistant. My name is Rob," he told Mr. Jasper and shook his hand.
"Oh no. I got it wrong again," Mr. Jasper said and he looked down at Danny who smiled up at him.
Mr. Jasper and Julian chatted for a little bit and then the three of them continued along the river.
"See? I was right. This place is gay friendly," Rob said.
