How Sandy Met Robbie - Part 6
#6 of How Sandy Met Robbie
Sandy had been given permission by his parents to have the bus driver drop him off at Robbie's house on the same day that the two of them had first met Ethan Ellsworth. Richard and Rachael Atkins were not home, so the boys had the house all to themselves that afternoon. Up in Robbie's room, the couple usually worked on their comic books, but they were too busy conversing about the new friend they'd made that day.
"Did you see the size of the house Ethan lives in?" said Robbie. "And there's even a place in the backyard."
"I'll bet that's a recording studio," said Sandy. "I remember my Dad saying that he read somewhere in the newspaper that some retired musician was building one in the area. I'll bet that's Ethan's Dad."
"Makes sense" said Robbie, sitting at his desk. "I know that a lot of musicians produce albums in their spare time, or when they don't want to tour anymore."
"Hey, how's Ethan's artwork anyway?" asked Sandy, lying on Robbie's bed.
"From what I've seen, awesome," answered Robbie. "Wonder if we could get him to join us in working on the comic books?"
Sandy laughed. "Sure, but something tells me that's not the only thing you want him to join us in, is it?"
"Damn right," said Robbie, grinning. "That is, if it's okay with you."
"I'm all for it," said Sandy. "It would be kind of fun to have a third guy." Sandy paused, scratching his chin.
"You look like you're deep in thought," mused Robbie. "What's up?"
"You think he was serious about being into guys?" asked Sandy. "He was just so . . . casual about it."
"Probably," answered Robbie. "I'm pretty damned sure he wasn't lying about his Dad being gay and having a boyfriend. Who'd make something like that up?"
"Hey," said Sandy. "Why don't we try to find out more about Ethan's Dad? If he's this famous musician, I'm sure we can find something about him doing a Google search."
"Good idea," said Robbie. "Let me get my tablet."
The raccoon opened a drawer on his desk and brought out his tablet. Opening it up, he went to Google and performed a search using the words "famous musicians with the last name Ellsworth". Robbie clicked on the first name that appeared.
"Ah," he set. "Randy Ellsworth."
"You think it's him?" asked Sandy.
"See for yourself," said Robbie. The squirrel got up off his boyfriend's bed to get a closer look at the picture. Sandy nodded his head in agreement that it most definitely had to be Ethan's Dad; the resemblance was just too close to be anyone else.
"Let's see," said Robbie. "Looks like Randy Ellsworth has been in quite a few bands. Personal life? Hmmm . . . says here on Wikipedia that Randy Ellsworth was married from 2000 to 2009 to Laura Arlington, which produced one son."
"Ethan," said Sandy.
Robbie continued. "Randy Ellsworth is currently in a relationship with his same-sex partner, Alan McKenzie since late 2009."
"You think Randy's Dad was cheating on his Mom? Cause it looks like he got together with that Alan guy not long after his parents divorced."
"Who knows?" said Robbie. "I'm sure as hell not gonna go up to Ethan and ask him that question."
"I never said you should," said Sandy, slightly annoyed. "I was just thinking out loud is all. I mean, I'm sure there's other questions we can ask Ethan that aren't quite so . . . intrusive."
"Sure there are," said Robbie. "We'll see him on the bus tomorrow morning, plus we'll have lunch with him tomorrow too." The raccoon suddenly got an idea in his head. "Hey, how 'bout we invite him over to my house, or your house for the weekend?"
"Yeah," said Sandy, nodding in agreement. "I'm sure he'd think it was cool that his new friends wanted to have him over."
"My house or your house?" asked Robbie.
"Your house," said Sandy. "I like it better over here. You've got a better room than I do."
"That's because I'm a better person than you," said Robbie in a smug tone.
"You're such an ass," said Sandy, shoving the raccoon off his chair and onto the floor. Robbie tried to get up, but the squirrel bounced on him, pinning him to the floor. Robbie pretended to struggle, but couldn't help laughing at his boyfriend. Sandy looked down at his boyfriend, smiling.
"Love you," said Sandy.
"I love you too, nut eater," said Robbie. The two boys embraced, kissing each other deeply as they rolled around on the floor, both of them hoping that before long, Ethan would be joining them in their little romps in the hay.
The squirrel and raccoon didn't have much time to talk to Ethan on the bus ride to school because the otter was the last one picked up on the route. Sandy and Robbie used what time they had there on the bus to ask Ethan more questions about other things that he enjoyed doing, deciding to wait for lunch time to ask him more personal, in-depth questions. The bus wasn't the most private place for such discussions, but the cafetorium offered a more relaxed setting for such inquiries. Robbie and Sandy both had a class with the otter before lunch, but they'd be too busy doing school work to have much of a discussion.
Eleven thirty finally rolled around that day, and the squirrel and raccoon couldn't have been more excited. Robbie was the first one to their table, followed by Sandy and finally Ethan. Robbie noticed that, like yesterday, Ethan was wearing a black shirt with white lettering, only this one said "Marshall" instead of "Gibson".
"That a guitar company too?" asked Robbie, pointing at the otter's t-shirt.
"Amp company," said Ethan, opening a bottle of orange juice that he'd purchased in the lunch line. "They've always been my favorite, and my Dad's too."
"Speaking of your Dad," said Sandy, looking around to make sure that none of the other students were eavesdropping on their conversation. "Is your Dad's name Randy?"
"Sure is," said the otter, smiling. "I take it you guys did some research on my Dad yesterday?"
"We did," said Robbie. "Hope you're not upset."
"Not at all," said Ethan. "I mean, it's all public information that you looked up; not like you're sneaking onto my Dad's property and taking pictures from behind the bushes."
"Oh shit," said Robbie. "He found out what we were going to do later on, Sandy."
Ethan laughed hysterically. "You're such a funny guy, Robbie. At first I thought you were kind of an asshole . . ."
"He is," interrupted Sandy. "Believe me, just hang around him a little longer and you'll wonder why retroactive abortion isn't legal."
"Ah, you're funny too, Sandy," said the otter, finding it difficult to breathe he was laughing so hard. The squirrel and raccoon had to wait a few minutes before they could resuming talking to Ethan due to his needing to catch his breath.
"Anyway," said the otter. "I think school will be a lot more enjoyable with you two as friends."
"Feelings mutual," said Robbie. "And you know what friends do? They go over to each others' houses. Sandy and I were hoping that you might want to come over to my house this weekend and hang out."
"Actually," said Ethan. "I was talking to my Dad and he said it would be cool if you came over to our house this weekend. Whadda ya think?"
The squirrel and raccoon looked at each other. They hadn't anticipated that Ethan might want them to come over to his house. Both had seen the large estate that Ethan lived in, and they were both curious to find out what it was like inside of the place.
"Sure," said Robbie.
"I'm in," said Sandy. "I think my parents and Robbie's parents will want to meet your parents before we come over. I mean, they'll want to meet your Dad and his . . . partner."
"Alan?" asked Ethan. "Yeah, I'm sure my Dad and Alan would love to meet your parents. Tell them they're welcome to come over for a visit."
"Um," said Robbie. "Where's your Mom?"
"Back in Indiana," said Ethan. "Just so you know, I'll probably be over there during the summers. She thought it was best that I move out here with my Dad and Alan."
"So, do your Mom and Dad get along okay, even though they're divorced?" asked Sandy.
"Oh yeah," said Ethan it between bites of his food. "My Dad told my Mom that he wanted a divorce, not because he hated her, but because he realized that he was more attracted to guys than girls. My Mom was super cool about it, and she's never, ever said a bad word about my Dad, or Alan for that matter."
"You like having Alan for a . . . what? Uh, second Dad?" asked Robbie who quickly wondered if that was an appropriate question.
"Alan's super great," said Ethan. "And yeah, it's kind of like having a second Dad, although he's not as strict with me as my Dad is, guess cause I'm not his biological son."
"You're not worried about what people will think, you're Dad having a boyfriend?" Sandy was keeping close eye on Ethan's reaction, hoping that he wasn't doing or saying anything that would upset his new friend. "Sorry if that's kind of personal."
"You're fine," said Ethan, not at all bothered by the question. "Nah, I'm not really worried about it. I think most kids today don't really have a problem with it--not like when my Dad was growing up though. He told me stories about some guys he went to high school with who were gay, or at least people thought they were gay, and they got beat up on more than one occasion."
"Fag bashing," grumbled Robbie, curling his lip in disgust.
"That's what he called it," said Ethan. "I mean . . . it still happens, but people are a lot more accepting these days."
"There's always dickheads out there," mentioned Robbie.
"Don't be so cynical," said Sandy to the raccoon. He looked over at Ethan, wanting to change the subject. "You mind if we ask our parents tonight about coming over, when . . . Friday after school?"
"That'd be perfect," said Ethan. "Ah, look at the time. You ready for art, Robbie?"
"Always," said the raccoon, now in a noticeably better mood after the mention of his favorite subject in the world. Sandy watched Robbie and Ethan take their trays up to the washing counter and thought it best he do the same. He wondered how his parents and Robbie's parents would take to hearing their new friend had a father who was openly gay. It would certainly affect how, or if he would one day tell them about the true nature of his relationship with Robbie.