Page 6 of Survivor
Chapter Three
Frank
Summer 2007
Thankfully it was Frank, not Val or Charlie, that caught Taylor playing tonsil hockey with the youngster from next door. Was it Billy? No, Bobby. Buddy maybe? Who the fuck cared? Frank only knew he had to put some distance between them before everyone else got down to the boathouse and flipped shit. Clearing his throat, Frank tried so very hard not to laugh when Barry shrieked and jumped roughly six feet away from Taylor.Speaking of six feet, damn, when did the kid get so tall?Frank pondered that thought while staring at a contrite teenager, arms folded over his chest.
“I’ll catch you later, Billy.” Taylor dismissed his tryst.
Billy, yes, I was right the first time,Frank thought, shaking his head as he walked past Taylor. “Your parents are right behind me.”
It wouldn’t be the last time Frank caught the two of them together over the duration of their summer at Martha’s Vineyard. The birds and the bees and safe sex had already been covered, at length, over dinner the summer before when Taylor informed them he liked boys, not girls. His preference was beside the point when considered in the bigger picture. The boy needed to know how to be safe and careful regardless of which sex flipped his switch as far as Frank was concerned. Still, he made Caleb purchase the condoms and packets of lube and give them to Taylor.
That way, he could look Val in the eyes and honestly say, “I didn’t do it. Caleb did.” Then she could beat the big, dumb, schmuck with a spatula, not Frank.
“He’s fifteen, Frankie, how do you even know if he’s having sex yet?” Caleb bitched and moaned as they searched out the condom aisle at CVS.
“What were you doing at fifteen, Caleb?” Frank asked.
“Point taken,” his partner agreed.
When they finally found the contraceptive aisle, it was a study in ignorance, watching Caleb pick through the dozens of choices. “Lubricated, thin, extra-large—oh God, I didnotneedthatmental picture in my head—ribbed for her pleasure.” Caleb looked over at him, and with all seriousness said, “Now that’s just racist. What if gay guys want a little ribbing for their pleasure?”
Frank choked on his gum. “Oh wow, you are a special kind of stupid. That would be sexist, not racist, dumbass.”
“Whatever.” Caleb waved Frank off dismissively. Much like Frank was waving the blond brat from next door off right that second. Little Billy sprinted around the back of the boathouse just as Justine came walking down the slip, winking at her husband, the Stones on her heels.
“Chop-chop, people, we’ve got some sailing to do!” Frank’s dad called out from the helm. Taylor was already on the boat with Hubert, starting the rigging that needed to be done before they could begin their trip to the other side of the island.
Charles and Taylor had come down to the slip the previous day to check the shrouds, turnbuckles, halyards, sheaves, blocks, and sheets to see if anything needed replacing or taping before their trip. It was a task normally completed by Frank and his father. But this year, they’d decided to give the job to Taylor and his foster dad in an effort to help Charles fortify a stronger bond with Taylor. When Charlie hopped into the boat and quickly moved over to assist Taylor with the turnbuckles, Frank could see the sheer happiness in the young man’s eyes and he was hit with a swell of emotions. Memories of being the same age as Taylor and helping his dad run through a similar checklist before they set sail assaulted his senses. It was an experience that money couldn’t buy, a permanent impression painted on a blank canvas that would be forever imprinted in Taylor’s mind.
Val came over to stand beside him, her smile radiant as she watched the two most important people in her life. “You sure you don’t want to join us?” Frank asked. Valerie and Justine had told the men over breakfast that they were going to take a pass and head into town to restock the kitchen and do a little shopping.
“I think it will be good for Taylor to have some time with just the guys.” Valerie waved to her husband and son, telling them to have a good time and be safe.
“Yeah, and us gals need some girl time,” Justine added.
“Don’t forget libations, honey bunch,” Caleb called out, his wife rolling her eyes before turning on her heel and walking back toward the house, Val right beside her.
Untying the dock lines, Frank climbed onto the Catalina 380, his dad’s favorite toy, and eyed the progress Taylor and Charles were making as he walked past them. He was happy to see that Charles was allowing Taylor to work through the steps, only answering questions and offering assistance when needed. “Hey, Pops, as soon as Taylor and Charlie finish, we’re untied and ready to sail.”
“All right, I’ll be up in five,” his dad responded. Hubert was below deck, likely in the kitchen area starting a pot of coffee and verifying that Caleb had actually stocked the small fridge and cabinets with something other than beer, whiskey, and potato chips. Frank still hadn’t discerned how in the hell Caleb could drink like a fish and eat nothing but crap unless his wife was around to feed him, and still maintain his toned physique.
“Yo, Frankie!”Speak of the devil.Caleb was stretched out along the bow of the boat, having already shed all clothing aside from his swim trunks, a pair of aviators shielding his eyes from the sun, and a beer in his hand. “Genius, by the way, letting the kid and Charlie get the boat ready. Come on up here and have a beer with your bestie.” He waved Frank over, reaching into the cooler and pulling out another bottle of IPA.
Frank snorted, taking the offered beer and swatting Caleb’s feet out of the way so he could sit down. “There was no ulterior motive, dumbass. It’s a bonding experience for them.” Leaning to one side, Frank could see Taylor adjusting the boom and the smile that lit up his face was priceless. Had it only been two years since that fateful night? God, it seemed like so much longer. Taylor had gone through a lot the past two years and come out the other side, stronger. The kid, no…the young man was a fighter, a survivor.
His thoughts were interrupted when his dad came up the few steps from the galley below and hollered, “Thar she blows!” and everyone cracked up.
“Taylor, com’ere.” Hubert waved him over. “Good lord, boy, when in the hell did you grow taller than me?” The eldest of their group held his hand up above Taylor’s head for added emphasis. “Let’s learn you how to steer the boat then, shall we?”
“Really?” Taylor bounced on the balls of his feet, eyes darting to Charles, seeking approval. When his dad nodded, Taylor seemed to float on air as he followed Hubert to the wheel.
Charles shook his head, grin wide as he watched Taylor listening intently to every word Hubert uttered. Promptly deciding the two of them were fine on their own, Charlie walked over to the bow and sat right at the point of the boat, in between Caleb and Frank, muttering thanks when Caleb pushed a cold beer into his hand. The three of them leaned back and soaked in the sun while Taylor chauffeured them around Nantucket Sound.
When they returned around dusk, the lights of the cottage could be seen from the slip, the sounds of soft jazz mingling with the laughter of the women waiting for them. Frank hopped onto the slip first, and Caleb tossed the dock lines out for him to secure the boat, then he too climbed onto the slip and the two of them each grabbed a cooler, walking down the dock to the grass to empty the water from them. Taylor had already moved any leftover items into the third cooler that would go back up to the house with them to be refrigerated.
“Wow, whatever that is, it smells amazing.” Caleb spoke, the first one in the back door. Val and Justine were sitting on the cabinets in the kitchen, each with a glass of wine in hand. “Did you ladies have fun today?” he asked, leaning in to steal a quick kiss from his wife.
Taking turns at the sink, the four men and lone teenager washed their hands before sitting down to a dinner that consisted of baked chicken, baby new potatoes with rosemary, and a mixture of steamed veggies. It was delicious, but now that his belly was full, Frank could barely keep his eyes open. Blinking and looking around the table, he noted that Caleb and Charlie were both yawning and bleary-eyed as well. When Valerie started clearing the dishes and shooing them all upstairs to get ready for bed, the menfolk weakly protested as they quickly left the room.
Exhausted, Frank lay back on his bed, passing smooth out with his trunks and tank top still on. The weathered and worn out screen door woke him sometime later, and he managed to pull his ass out of bed long enough to change into clean boxers and shorts and brush his teeth. As soon as he flipped the bathroom light off, his room was bathed by the light of the moon pouring in through the open bay windows, the breeze blowing through and lifting the curtains. “Let’s just shut those or I’ll be up at six when the sun rises,” he muttered, stopping with his hands on the large panes when he heard laughter down below.
Seeing Taylor and Billy sprawled out on a blanket in the backyard, Frank was torn. He knew Val and Charlie wouldn’t want him to be outside this late, but then, he was only in the backyard. He also knew that Taylor was responsible enough not to stray too far, or do anything stupid. Just to be safe though, Frank grabbed the book off his bedside table and took a seat in the chair that sat underneath the windows and got comfortable. He was just about to close the book and go get Taylor when he heard Billy saying good night.
“Thank fuck,” he mumbled, closing the windows and climbing into bed.
He could hear Taylor climbing the stairs, his footsteps stopping just outside of Frank’s bedroom. “’Night, Frank.” Taylor’s voice was barely above a whisper, his words tinged with a hint of sarcasm.
“’Night, Kid,” Frank responded, rolling over and pulling the sheet up over his head.
