Page 34 of Don’t Call Me Son

I’m sitting on the couch, leg bouncing, when I hear the front door open.

Sarah and I move into the hallway; I smile for half a second when I see Archie, relief flooding through me, but then Jay steps in behind him and my expression tightens into a frown. It’s not that I don’t like Jay, he’s a good lad; always been there for Archie. But it just makes having any kind of private conversation with him that much more complicated.

I glance past them out the front door and see Jay’s car parked on the street. Fair enough; he wasn’t just going to sit out there for God knows how long.

Sarah immediately goes to hug Archie tight. “So glad you’re okay.”

But Archie doesn’t hug her back, he’s clearly still uncomfortable after walking in on his own mother naked; I think anyone would be. He laughs awkwardly and gently pushes her back.

She frowns. “Oh…”

Jay laughs and closes the door behind them. “Not being rude, Mrs C, but I’ve also walked in on my parents fucking and it’s pretty uncomfortable for us, as the children.”

Sarah laughs despite herself. “Oh, right. Okay.”

Archie turns to Jay and lightly smacks his stomach. “Why you gotta say it like that? ‘Fucking’?”

Jay laughs and winks at Archie, and Archie… blushes a little? What the…

Sarah gasps suddenly and we all just look at her; she grabs Archie’s head and tilts his neck. He groans like he knows what’s coming and whispers, “Fucking hell.”

I grin a little at his attitude, though he still hasn’t acknowledged me yet, but he can’t ignore me forever.

Sarah’s eyes widen. “Archie! Another bite?! Oh my god, you’re going to be covered in bruises. Who did that, seriously?”

My blood runs hot and my heart rate picks up. Another bite? Has he… slept with someone else?

Sarah lets go and looks at him, waiting, crossing her arms.

Archie rubs his neck, looking even more uncomfortable. “Uh…”

Jay nudges Archie playfully with his shoulder, a shit-eating grin on full display. “That would be me.”

Archie makes an embarrassed noise and covers his face with both hands.

Sarah says, “Seriously?”

Jay nods. “Yep.”

Sarah laughs like she’s relieved. “Oh, well that’s alright then. Just… thought you weren’t into men, Jay?”

Jay shrugs, seemingly unbothered. “Well, it is what it is.”

Sarah pats Jay’s arm. “I know you’re a good guy. Maybe less of the biting though.”

Jay laughs and gestures at Archie. “Hey, look, he liked it!”

Archie groans; clearly embarrassed they’re discussing this so casually. But I’m not finding this as interesting as Sarah is. Archie had sex with Jay… and I know I have no right to feel any kind of way about this. I’ve got Sarah; I should be happy Archie could potentially be with someone his own age. Especially Jay; hell, maybe Jay’s the perfect match for him. They know pretty much everything there is to know about each other. But still… it hurts; I wanted to be the one there for him.

Sarah gestures between Archie and Jay. “So… how on earth did this happen?”

Archie lowers his hands, still bright red. “Do we have to talk about it?”

Jay puts an arm around Archie’s shoulders, it looks so easy, so natural. A flicker of jealousy rolls through me because Archie wasn’t this comfortable around me.

“We got drunk, then he started humping my leg and then yeah… just happened,” Jay says casually.

Archie looks at him. “Oh, it just happened, did it?”