Unnaturally Beautiful

Chapter 03: Karen’s Concern

When Sarah got home from work a couple of days later, she found that her stepmother was waiting on her porch, seated in one of her rocking chairs.

“Karen?” She asked, climbing the steps, Claire following suit. She’d picked her daughter up from school on the way home.

“Sorry to surprise you like this, but I was hoping we could talk.” Karen said, rising to her feet, a worried look in her eyes.

Sarah quickly approached, “Did something happen? Is Dad okay?”

Karen’s eyes lit up, “Oh, no, nothing like that. Everyone’s fine. It’s just…” She paused, looking at their surroundings as well as her young granddaughter, “Can we talk inside?”

Sarah nodded, realizing that was probably best, “Of course. Claire, honey, why don’t you put your backpack up and change into some everyday clothes while I talk to Grandma.”

The little girl nodded and smiled before hurrying down the hall and up the stairs. Sarah watched her go with a smile. She really did have a wonderful daughter. With that, Sarah showed her stepmother to the kitchen, “Would you like something to drink?”

“Oh, no thank you.” Karen said, taking a seat at the bar, resting her elbows on the counter, “I wanted to talk to you about Toby.”

Sarah paused a moment as she poured cranberry juice into a small glass, “Toby?”

Karen nodded, “Yes, he’d been acting strange, well, stranger than normal, and I thought since you two are so close…”

Claire chose that moment to run into the room. Her cotton dress and frilly socks were replaced with worn jeans and a stained T-shirt, her dirty-blonde hair tied back in a loose ponytail. It had been lighter when she was younger, but Sarah knew her daughter’s hair was going to be an even darker shade of blonde yet, liker husband’s if not darker.

“Here ya go.” She said, handing her daughter the glass of juice.

Claire took a big sip, the juice staining her upper lip purple, “Can I watch TV?”

“Sure, honey.”

Claire smiled, taking her juice with her as she hurried out of the room. A few seconds later cartoons could be heard throughout the house.

Sarah turned back to her step mother, “Sorry, what about Toby?”

Karen shook her head, “Oh, don’t worry about it. She’s getting so big.”

“Yeah.” Sarah agreed, remembering when her little girl was still waddling around in diapers.

“Anyway, Toby’s been acting strange. He’s more quiet than usual and always seems to be lost in his thoughts.” Concern was evident in Karen’s tone.

“I noticed a change too, but I’m sure it’s nothing. Maybe he has a girlfriend.” Sarah suggested, having thought it was likely. She had seen a few girls approach her brother over the year.

“That’s why your father and I are worried. When we went to go see your play, a boy basically asked Toby out right in front of us. It was so…” Karen shook her head, her expression one of disgust.

“You can’t blame Toby for how other people are.” Sarah said, her eyebrows drawn together in disappointment that her stepmother could be so judgmental.

“No… See, Toby told the boy no because he was already in a relationship. Long term even.”

This surprised Sarah, “Long term?”

Karen nodded, sitting back a bit.

Why had Toby kept this a secret? Sarah was a little hurt that her brother hadn’t spoken to her about it, but she got over it quickly. Maybe he was embarrassed. She had no clue how it was for boys. She smiled, “I don’t think that’s anything to worry about.”

Sighing, Karen slouched a bit, “I know, but… I’m worried. Toby didn’t seem upset at all by that boy approaching him. A boy! And he has that huge painting on his wall of that man, and he hasn’t even told you about this relationship… I’m worried Toby’s gay.” She said, whispering the last.

Surprised again, Sarah took a step back. Gay? Well, there was nothing wrong with that, right? It’s just, she’d never known anyone who was gay. It was so strange. Wait a minute, “How can you be so sure?” She asked, wondering if maybe her stepmother was jumping to conclusions.

“I’m not. That’s why I was hoping you’d talk to him. He’d never say anything to me.”

Sarah went to the refrigerator and retrieved a beer. Karen never approved of drinking, but right now she could care less. Okay. So maybe Toby was gay. What were they going on here? He didn’t bat an eyelash when a boy asked him out. So what? This generation was more comfortable with such things. Just because he didn’t gross out doesn’t mean he’s gay. Toby does keep his hair long though, and likes wearing eye make-up. Maybe… No. Just because someone dresses or appears a certain way doesn’t mean their gay. How stereotypical. Wait a minute, what painting of a man?

Sarah lowered her beer. The painting. She still hadn’t seen it. Was it really of a man? Maybe that’s why Toby hadn’t wanted her to see it, because it was of an attractive man. He didn’t want her to find out.

“So, what do you think?” Karen asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

Sarah sighed, setting the can on the counter, “It sounds like a possibility.”

“You’ll talk to him then?”

Sarah nodded, “Yeah. Tomorrow’s Saturday, I’ll bring Claire over to visit.”

Karen rose to her feet, “Thank you, Sarah.” She said, stopping by the living room to bid goodbye to her granddaughter before heading for the front door.

After saying goodbye to her stepmother and watching her drive away, Sarah pulled the door shut and went to the living room. Claire was watching a Spongebob video. Her daughter smiled up at her from the floor as she dropped onto the couch, her beer back in her hand.

Though this particular cartoon could be rather funny, Sarah couldn’t pay attention. There were too many thoughts running through her mind. How was she supposed to ask her brother about such a personal topic? Really, it was none of their business. Though she was uncomfortable with it, she continued to believe that there was absolutely nothing wrong with being gay. She’d seen plenty of TV shows and movies to know that it was common, and she’d had plenty of time to decide where she stood on the matter. She’d just never imagined that Toby…

She sighed, sipping again from her beer, the can nearly empty now. Claire laughed out loud at a funny part and turned, “Patrick is so funny, Mom!”

Sarah smiled, nodding in agreement, watching as her daughter turned back to the TV. She noticed the glass she’d handed her was empty, lying on it’s side. Sarah rose, lifting the glass and going back to the kitchen to place it in the sink. She finished off her beer and crushed the can before tossing it in the garbage.

Toby’s sexual preference really didn’t matter to her. She wanted to go tomorrow because she wanted him to know that too. Whatever was going on, there was something bothering her little brother. Maybe he was ashamed of being gay? If that was true, she wanted to talk to him, wanted him to know that his family would love him no matter what. She wanted him to get his problems out in the open so she could help him, and he could get back to normal.

To be continued…

Again, I apologize for this short, uneventful chapter. The next one will make up for it. Watch for it!