Two long-term best friends turned distant over one kiss… a kiss that started something that might just mean a little more...
Carson Lee Whittaker-Jones
Dylan had barely spoken all afternoon once we picked him up.
Don and I tried hard to get him to open up, but he wouldn't. He also skipped dinner, but I was just grateful he brought back empty Tupperware from his lunch, so Don and I had to let it somewhat go. I assured my handsome husband that the kid was just having a rough day for a teenager. He hadn't seen any of them in a year, and just letting him retreat to his room was good for now.
If it persisted, then we could intervene, but it was a bit hypocritical for us to completely get on his case when Don and I had had our fair share of rough days with taking a year off from work, managing the apartment rentals, and taking care of Lisa. It wasn't fair that Dylan didn't get some bad days of his own.
While Dylan remained in his room, Don took a shower after me to prepare for bed. I was already in bed, ready to feel him against me. That kid was old enough to keep himself busy while his father and I took care of our urges, allowing us the most active sex life these last few years. Don got clingy whenever we took too long between these intimate moments, and we had barely done anything in Ireland since we were busy with his family and sightseeing, which was why his mood was so damn sour on that flight home.
But now we were home. Now I could take care of every need of his.
I noticed Don's phone vibrating on his dresser but I ignored it, thinking it was a work call... that was until my own phone started ringing. And when I caught sight of the caller ID, I felt my eyebrows furrow.
"Hi Sheila, what's up?" I asked as I answered. She usually texted honestly, but seeing as it looked like she called both Don and me, I was concerned. "Is everything okay with Isiah?"
And there was a slight pause on the other end of the line before she sighed. "Honestly, no, Carson, and I don't really know what to do. He skipped school and came home drunk and high not too long ago. Nick is out on a hunting trip for a few days, and I'm at wit's end on what to do. The kid won't talk to me."
I sighed at that. Shit. So both these kids were going through it today.
"That doesn't sound like Isiah at all," I told her honestly.
"I know. And I don't know how to get through to him. I have half the mind to kick him out, but I can't abandon him like that. I also can't have him stumbling home drunk and high on a school night. I can't have him fucking up his attendance record."
"I understand." I sat up in bed a little more. "Do you mind leaving him with your phone? Is he still up? Let me try and see what's going on." I told her gently, to which Sheila sighed again.
"Yeah. Let's give it a shot. Sorry for dumping all this on you so late at night."
"Please don't ever hesitate to call. Isiah is like a son to us, and Dylan has been very moody today. We had tried to tell him to talk to Isiah but perhaps it didn't go so well. Let me at least try."
"Alright, and thank you. Give me just a second." There was some rustling on the line before I heard her say in the background, "Here, it's Carson. Bring the phone back to me when you're done. And drink all that fucking water on your bedside." I then heard a little more shuffling before I heard Isiah's voice.
"Hello?" He asked me. I could already tell he was drunk just from how he slurred that one word.
"Hey man, what's up?"
I kept my tone casual. I didn't want to scare him, and Isiah and I had had so many conversations between us two I wanted him to know this was more like a friend checking in and less like a goddamn interrogation.
"Nothing. Just about to head to bed."
"Nice. You should get some rest. Your mum said you missed some school, did you get enough sleep? I know the first week back is always an adjustment."
"Y-Yeah... I did, I just... I'm having a hard time adjusting," he replied, however his words were coming through a bit more clear now.
"I understand," I nodded as if he was sitting right in front of me, just chatting like old times. "Did you try talking to Dylan about it? He's also adjusting after being gone for a year, and I think he could use a friend."
"I... I can't, Carson."
"I doubt that," I spoke lightly. "He's been missing you for a whole year. There's been no one like you in his life like this. I mean, Don and I try our best, but you two were inseparable. Whatever it is can be resolved—"
"I... fucked up. Like badly." His words interjected my own, causing me to pause.
"... how badly is badly?"
"You cannot tell a living soul," Isiah rushed out quickly, "but I'm... I'm like... I'm like... sort of in love with him. With Dylan."
That made me pause fucking immediately.
Shit.
"And the last day we saw each other—the movie night... I sort of, well... I sort of kissed him."
"... oh..." was all that fell past my fucking lips. This was... far more fucking complicated than I originally assumed. "Well, did you two... did you like talk about it with him?"
"... no," Isiah sighed quietly. "I just left. Abruptly. And we haven't spoken since."
It was my time to sigh deeply. This was not what I was expecting. This wasn't something they could just mull over. "So you two didn't speak about it at all? You just kissed him, then left?"
"Yeah," Isiah's voice was now so small with his response that it fucking broke my heart, honestly. He was struggling with a hell of a lot more than just a disagreement.
"Do you want my honest opinion?" I asked gently.
And Isiah spoke in a hushed tone, "You're going to say I should talk to him."
"Yeah. You guessed correct. Do you... well, if he doesn't feel the same, do you think you can still be friends?"
"I don't know," he answered honestly. "Genuinely, Carson, I have no fucking idea. I saw him in my class for the first time today in a year, and I just—I felt my heartbeat quicken immediately. I felt my hands get clammy, and my breathing harden. I know you don't want to really hear this, but he got even more beautiful over the last year, and it's fucking killing me to miss him but force myself to stay away."
Jesus, he really was going through it. I could hear the breaking in his voice.
"He was... he was who I told everything to, Carson, and I don't know how to honestly make it through without someone like that."
"Well, I don't... I mean, I think he feels that way too. I can't speak on the being in love part, but he loved your friendship and really struggled in Ireland without it. Just... talk to him. I won't say anything about us speaking, but he does deserve to know what happened that night when you kissed and then dipped. Perhaps you two can find a way to work through it."
"I'm just... I'm scared. I'm scared of him rejecting me. I'm scared of my mother finding out. Hell, I'm scared of what people at school would think, even if it did work out. If there was even the slightest possibility it would." Isiah explained quietly.
Yeah, those fears were all pretty valid, honestly. "Perhaps maybe try talking to your mum or Nick? Support at home is important, and mind you, Dylan has two dads. I don't think he'd be mad at you for anything. He might not have romantic feelings, but if you can work this out, you would still be a great support for each other."
"I know. I don't know how to describe what I'm feeling to him without scaring him, though."
"Okay," I nodded more to myself. Lord, what a shit show this predicament was. "Maybe just start with having feelings. Maybe explain when you developed them. Just ease into it, yeah? This is the most important friendship to you both, and I want you guys to at least try to talk. You can't just not explain anything; I think it's really eating him up inside."
At this point, I needed Don back in this room pronto. I had not been expecting this tonight.
"Okay. I'll try to take your advice. I'm sorry I'm bothering you with all this."
"It's no bother," I rushed quickly. "If you need to talk about it, you have Don and my numbers; just call us any time. I'll keep this conversation from Dylan and your parents for now, but no more skipping class, alright?"
"Yes sir," he replied more assertively.
"And lay off the booze and weed. I can't stop you from trying that stuff, but it's a slippery slope. Don't get yourself in situations that can leave you defenseless or potentially hurt others. Got it?"
"Yes sir... and Carson?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for listening."
"Anyday, kiddo. Sleep it off in time for school. It's just one year left."
"I know," he whispered low. "Trust me, I know."
-
I waited for Don to finish up in the shower and join me before I decided to get shit off my plate.
"We need to talk," I told him right away, though I was momentarily distracted when he dropped his towel and found some briefs. Dear fucking god, he was as beautiful as the first day I laid eyes on him. All of him.
"Carson," Don sighed as he crawled into bed, "Please, I am so goddamn tired. Can it wait till morning?" He begged.
"For you I'd usually say yes but this one's kinda big. I just got off the phone with Isiah." That made Don hesitate to snuggle up into me.
"Isiah?" He asked, his eyebrows creasing slightly. "Is he alright? Does he need us to pick him up from somewhere or something? I can put clothes back on."
"No, no... this is a rather delicate situation, and Dylan can't know that we know."
"It involves Dylan?" He asked, concern lacing even more of his voice.
"I think I know why Isiah stopped talking to him completely. As it turns out... Isiah kissed him that day before we left for our trip. The poor kid just confessed to me over the phone that he thinks he's in love with him, and he panicked and left right after the kiss."
I watched as Don's eyes got wide before he brought his long fingers to the bridge of his and sighed, closing his eyes.
"I'm getting way too old for this shit, Carson." He mumbled to me as he sat across from me on this bed.
"I know, love. Also, you're only 46. And that fucking body of yours..." my eyes dipped to his exposed chest, taking in the marks I left down his neck and shoulders and chest and stomach, to which Don yanked a free pillow off his bed to cover himself up.
"Focus, you fucking pervert," he snapped at me, which just made me chuckle. "What the hell can we do? Is Isiah capable of being friends if Dylan doesn't feel the same? Honest, I thought the kiddo was asexual; I mean, he never brought anyone home before in a romantic setting. Just friends."
"I know. That's why I'm worried. I think Isiah really fucking loves him. Like bad. I just basically told him to talk to Dylan. Just try and work out a way they could still be friends. Does that sound right?"
"I mean..." Don paused a moment. "What else is there? You and I surely can't speak a fucking word of this to Dylan. It should come from Isiah. Does Sheila know?"
"No, and we can't tell her either. Isiah told me in confidence, and I promised we'd stay out of it until they spoke," I told him.
"Good grief," he muttered. "Alright, we'll just monitor Dylan and see how things go, I don't fucking know. Today has left my brain as mush, so we'll just roll with that for now." And I found myself nodding before reaching forward to pull away that damn pillow he was holding against himself, then I went for this man next.
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The excitement seeing the f**king Carson Lee Jones here 🙌 😍
heyyy one question- do you have an idea of how long this story will be? if it's too early for you to say or tell, no worries xx