melody_secrets-and-truths-2

SECRETS AND TRUTHS by Melody                                                       <<< part 1

PART 2

“Dad will have a fit,”
“Your father will be more upset that you couldn’t tell us than the fact that you are homosexual and sleeping with Richey.”
“I doubt that very much,” Nicky mumbled.
Irene didn’t respond she just glared at him before turning her attention to Richey. “What about your parents? I take it you’ll tell them now? Do the others know?”
“We told James, Sean, Martin, Philip and Terri today. We hadn’t planned to, it just sort of happened. James kept talking about knowing our secret. It turned out that he thought we were having groupies here all the time. For some reason, I don’t know why, it was just the right time to tell them. They all seem ok about it, though not about us keeping it from them.”

“I completely understand how let down they must have been, they’re your best friends. Surely you knew that they would try and understand? How on earth did you both manage to fool them when you were around them so much in such close proximately?”
Richey blushed, realising he was nervously drumming his fingernails on the table, causing an infernal racket, he swiftly reined them in, resting them on his lap. “With great difficulty. We nearly got caught a few times but James helped us, in his own unique way.”
Irene frowned, confused by Richey’s words. “How so?”
“Mum,” Nicky said softly, resting a hand on her arm. “You don’t need to know nor will you want to know so don’t go there.”

“Why?” she questioned spikily, wondering what more sordid secrets and truths she would discover. “Am I going to end up being angry with James?”
“You’ll be livid. Trust me, it’s stuff no mother wants to hear.”
“And you think this is?”
For the second time that day Nicky was speechless.

“Irene please,” pleaded Richey with pain in his eyes, his voice getting hitched in his throat. “It won’t help or solve anything.”
“I think I’ll be the judge of that Richey, now please, one of you, do me the courtesy of telling me what James did.”

Seeing the fear on Nicky’s face Richey changed chairs to sit beside him. Without thinking he held Nicky’s hand, smiling to him to give him courage and to let him know that Nicky had his full support. Irene coughed making Richey hurriedly relinquish his hold on Nicky’s hand, but then he found some courage of his own.

“I don’t want to embarrass you Irene but Nicky is my partner and I want to show him my support. Please don’t be offended by my holding his hand, it’s also a gesture of friendship after all.”
“I’ll have to get used to it at some point won’t I?” She then nodded at the two frightened men, giving them her silent blessing.

Buoyed by Richey’s open display of support and affection Nicky began the dreaded task of informing his mum how James would find groupies for them both. The shock of the news made Irene feel faint, when Nicky elaborated and told her how James would watch and occasionally join in, she started to retch, unable to deal with the nausea.

“I always knew that Bradfield boy would be trouble,” she said sternly, grimacing like she had eaten something incredibly distasteful and sour. “No wonder no one will marry him, he’s a pervert.”
Richey’s eyes rolled to the heavens. This wasn’t going at all well.

That nugget of information wasn’t enough to satisfy Irene’s morbid curiosity though. She wanted to know how they both knew they wanted a relationship, who instigated it and a thousand and one other things. It was all a bit too much for Richey and Nicky who was recounting the various gory details a couple of hours later.

“These groupies that James would organise for you, did Sean join in as well? Was he a part of this debauched behaviour?”
“Mmm,” groaned Nicky, uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. He wished his mother didn’t want to know about each and every incident. Recounting it all was making him queasy. “We all had a erm, how can I put this? We all…sometimes…in the same room, if you erm…”

“This gets worse and worse! Irene exclaimed in disbelief. “You were brought up with morals. It’s one thing to sleep with a woman for fun or to have a relationship with Richey, whom you clearly love, but what possessed you to have orgies?”
Rather stupidly Richey decided to enlighten her. “Too much drink and there were expectations. If you’re in band you’re supposed to have casual sex with groupies, so we did.”
Nicky kicked Richey under the table; Richey let out a yelp. “Mostly the drink,” Nicky told his mum. “We were so hammered much of the time that we couldn’t rationalise whether it was right or not.”
“I can’t believe that you’ve had this double life I knew nothing about.”

“None of our parents did mam,” Nicky sighed heavily. “I’d rather not have told you because I think its too much information, but you insisted.”
“What am I going to tell your father? You and Richey he’ll cope with, but the rest of it.”
“Dad doesn’t need to know. Richey and me haven’t slept with groupies for a good while now, oh James still thought that we did, Sean too, but only because we deliberately make it appear that way.”

“You’re scared of your dad knowing?”
“I don’t see what there is to gain by it. Likewise nothing good will come from you berating James, Sean or whoever else you feel inclined to tear a strip off. Recriminations are not useful.”
Irene mulled it over, her son was right. She glanced at her watch. “Your dad will be here soon. He’s been at Sue and Monty’s to help Monty put some shelving up. You’ll have to tell him about your relationship.”
“Oh hell,” groaned Nicky.
“It’s ok Nick,” Richey whispered tenderly. “I’ll be here with you.”

“Look, as much as this has shocked me, I thought I was prepared for most things, but never this. It’s obvious that you and Richey love one another son. Your dad may not find it easy to come to terms with, or understand but in time he will. The affection between you is undeniable.”
“So you’re not mad?” Nicky asked hesitantly. “You’re not going to banish me from the family?”
“I’m furious that you didn’t tell before now. Like I said earlier I want you to be happy, and you obviously are. I can’t say it’s going to be easy or that I’m comfortable with it Nicky, but I accept it. For what it’s worth you have made me realise that we can’t choose who we fall in love with. I suppose that what helps is knowing and loving Richey as we do, though it’s still hard to think of you as boyfriends.”

“We prefer partners mum,” Nicky smiled shyly, loving the way Richey blushed at his words.
Irene contemplated it for a while. “I’m really not sure that it would be possible for me to describe you either way. Boyfriend, partner, either way it’s odd.”
“In time you grow accustomed to it mum. We’re a couple, only we happen to be two men instead of a man and a woman.”

There was a knock at the door, then the buzzer rang.

“That will be your father.”
“Do I really have to do this now?” whined Nicky, making his way to the door.
“Strike while the iron is hot Nicky, you have nothing to lose. Your father is much more liberal than you give him credit for.”

Feeling edgy, Richey decided upon his course of action. “I’ll put the kettle on for drinks.”
“Not going to leave my boy in the lurch are you Richey?”
“No, I’ll be here to tell Allen with him. I know it’s difficult Irene but I do love Nick. All I want is to be with him and make him happy.”
“For as long as you make him happy you’ll get no trouble from me. The instant you start being reliant on alcohol again, or should I say, if you do, then I’ll be down on you like a ton of bricks.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from a concerned mum,” Richey grinned planting a kiss on her cheek. “You are a star, you know!”
He left Irene glowing with pride.
“Hi ya love, Richey.” Allen greeted them with a friendly smile. “Monty and Sue had one humdinger of an argument, I was glad to get out of there. Talk about a bad atmosphere.”

They chatted inanely, waiting for Richey to finish all the drinks. With piping hot coffee in front of them all, Nicky began shifting uneasily in his seat. He couldn’t put it off for much longer. Richey, instinctively knowing the turmoil his lover was experiencing, gave him an encouraging smile and wink.

“Erm dad,” Nicky nervously began. “There’s something we need to discuss.”
“Oh?”
“Me and Richey…” Nicky flinched when he caught the way his father stared at them. “There’s no easy way to say this…” Nicky rubbed his hands over his thighs, he was sweating profusely. This was much worse than first night nerves.
“Come on lad, what is it? Are you going to be doing another video with homoerotic imagery?”

Richey saw Nicky crumbling before him, his resolve deserting him. No way could Nicky find the words to tell his father. It was time for Richey to step into the breach.
“It’s ok Nick, I’ll do it,” he said firmly. “We need to tell you that we’ve been having a relationship.”
Alan continued drinking his coffee, oblivious to the importance of the information that Richey had imparted. “Oh you’re back with Jo and Rachel then?”
Irene nudged him, furious that he wasn’t paying attention.

“No, Nicky and me, we’re having a relationship together.”
“You mean you’re…” Allen found it ridiculously difficult to say the words.
“Gay,” Nicky supplied, earning him a scowl from his father.
“Son, this is some stupid stage that you’re both going through. I know that it’s de rigueur for musicians to experiment but it doesn’t mean anything.”
“Allen will open your ears to what they are trying to tell you?” Irene was getting more irate. “This isn’t easy for the boys so do them the courtesy of paying attention.”

“You knew about this?” He was aghast.
“I only just found out. Personally I think they’re both being very courageous.”
“Nicky is not gay!” he declared adamantly.
“Dad, I am. Richey and me have been a couple for years. We love each other.”
“You can’t love him like you could love a woman!”

“No, you’re right,” agreed Nicky taking Richey’s hand to reassure him. “It’s nothing like the love I could have for a woman, it’s deeper and more intense.”
“Poppycock!”
“Dad…”
“Listen, this is some stupid fad. You have started to believe your own publicity, that’s all this is.”
“Allen,” interrupted Irene, “accept it.”

Allen stared at his wife then at his son. For the first time he noticed that Nicky and Richey were holding hands. Now the impact struck him. Unable to watch he pushed his chair back angrily and then stormed through to the entrance room.
“You stay here, I’ll go talk to your father.”

Richey hugged Nicky, aware that his fragile lover was on the verge of tears and it was tearing him apart to see Nick in so much pain.
“I knew that dad would find it hard.”
“Hey, we’ll be ok,” Richey reassured him. “Your mum will talk some sense into him, you wait and see.”
“You’re very positive all of a sudden.”
“Your mum has a knack when it comes to persuasion, she’s a hard woman to defy.”
“I hope you’re right Rich. I’d hate to fragment the family.”
“Your dad will come round.”

“Then there’s Patrick.”
“Patrick will understand, I think he suspects anyway.”
“The thought had crossed my mind. It’s the way he watches us.”
“Mmm, so with your mum and Pat nagging him, your dad doesn’t stand much of a chance does he love?”
Nicky wiped his tears then kissed Richey’s sweet pouting lips. “I am so lucky to have you Richey.”
“And don’t you ever forget it!”

Richey and Nicky huddled together, ignoring the raised voices of Nicky’s parents, as best they could which was no easy matter. When Irene and Allen rejoined them Richey was sat on Nicky’s knees, his arms around his lover’s neck, their heads pressed together, bonded by love.

Richey was the first to realise that Nicky’s mam and dad was watching and hurriedly made to get off Nicky’s knees, Nicky moaning in regret.
“It’s ok,” said Irene sitting down. “Don’t stop comforting each other just because we’ve reappeared.” She glared at Allen.
“Yes please, it’s ok.”
Hesitantly Richey sat back on Nicky’s knees, dreading what was coming next.

“I know that…” Nicky began but his father put his hand up to his son so Nicky promptly shut up.
“As usual your mother is the voice of rationality. She’s right when she says that you are clearly in love, even I can see that, however much I may not want to. Nicky, you are my son and I will always love you and be proud of you. I am especially proud of you now because what you have done in telling us takes a lot of spirit and courage.   I know that you would not have done this if you weren’t totally committed.”

Richey bestowed a kiss on Nicky’s temple; Nicky was too stunned to speak. He’d been speechless a lot lately.
“Richey,” Allen continued, “we’ve known you for a long time and you know that we think the world of you. All I ask is that you continue to make my boy happy. If Nicky is happy, I’ll be happy.”
“I promise I’ll never do anything to hurt him, it would break my heart.”

“I can’t believe we escaped unscathed,” commented Richey snuggling against Nicky in bed that night. “One set of parents down, one to go.”
“Hmm, I don’t know if we ought to tell them tomorrow and get it over with or whether we should wait a day or two. I’m not sure I have the emotional resources to go through that again. I’m drained.”
“Oh my poor baby,” teased Richey, surprising Nicky by straddling his hips then raking his fingernails down his lover’s chest and stomach. “Is there anything I can do to help you de-stress babe? A massage perhaps?”

Nicky adored Richey’s massages. Of course it was pure coincidence that they were generally the prelude to wonderful, scorching sex. Damn, he was salivating in anticipation, a soft heat radiating from his lions and steadily intensifying. Oh yes, a massage was defiantly the order of the day. It would be the perfect way to leave their trials and tribulations behind them, for at least a short while.

Clad only in a brief towel, water still dripping from his hair Nicky kissed Richey’s forehead and gently tapped his shoulder. “Come on sleeping beauty,” he whispered into Richey’s ear. “Stop going back to sleep, go and get in the shower. For once we will not be late.”
Richey huffed, opening one eye slightly, the daylight stinging. “I need my sleep.”
“Tonight you can sleep. No making love tonight.”
“Aww Nicky,” moaned Richey, suddenly wide-awake. “You know I don’t sleep properly if we don’t make love. It relaxes me.”

“Ok, we’ll go to bed early then,” Nicky reasoned, getting off the bed and discarding his towel on the floor.
Richey’s face lit up. “Ooh goody! It’s been a long time since we had an early night so we could shag each other silly.”
“No it isn’t. Last night was supposed to be an early night.”
“Don’t argue, it’s too early.” Richey watched Nicky with rapt fascination. He had such a good body, much too good to hide under clothes.

Fully dressed Nicky went to the bathroom, returning with a glass of water. “This is cold. If you don’t get your cute arse out of bed now it will end up on your head.”
“You wouldn’t dare, the bed will get wet.”
“It has all day to dry so don’t push your luck.” To make his point he trickled a few drops of the cold clear liquid over Richey’s pale chest.
“Fuck Wire!” yelled Richey. “That’s fucking freezing.”
“If you don’t want the rest of it over you, get up.”
Richey shot out of bed and into the shower like greased lightening.
“I’ll have to use that tactic again,” Nicky mused, going to make breakfast.

The day in the studio was frustrating. James had a hangover from hell after splitting with his girlfriend after a huge argument. He was like a bear with a sore head, snapping at the slightest thing.

Sean was a grumpy sod because his baby daughter had kept him awake for the majority of the night. Then, as Martin decided that things could not get any worse, the fire alarms went off and they had to evacuate. Philip would no doubt see the funny side of things when he told him, he generally did. Martin however insisted that they all went home early, he didn’t have any patience left. He did though inform them they would all work longer the following day to make up.

“We could stop by and see my parent’s,” suggested Richey. “Get it out of the way.”
Nicky eyes him with dread. “Why does that strike me as a bad idea?”
“The way I figure it,” Richey expanded, “the longer we leave it the more chance there is of your mam and dad saying something. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that would make matters worse.”
Nicky sighed heavily. “For once I have to say that you’re absolutely right. I’m scared witless though, all this confessing malarkey is sodding exhausting. My stomach is churning at the mere thought.”

“Ah well, sooner we do it the sooner we can get home and relax.”
“What makes you think we won’t be on tenterhooks even after we’ve told them? They may well go ballistic and tell us to get lost.”
“That is not going to happen love, trust me, I have a feeling about this.”
“Are you saying that to make me feel better? If you are it isn’t working.”
“Oh well I tried,” Richey winked.

“Hi ya love,” said Sherry chirpily, hugging Richey. “Nice to see you both, this is a pleasant surprise.”
“We’ve erm, come to talk to you and dad,” Richey said nervously. “Where is dad?”
“He’s down the bottom of the garden with Rachel. We bought a load of new plants and they’re planting them.”
“Why don’t you go and make us all a nice cup of tea whilst I go and get them?”
Sherry was getting increasing perturbed by her son’s behaviour and Nicky’s endless hand wringing. “Is something wrong Richey?”
Doing his best to pretend that all was well, he replied, “we want to talk to you that’s all. Nothing to worry about.”
Nicky rolled his eyes. The Edwards’ would see things differently no doubt.

Sat comfortably sipping tea, Richey started to speak. “We’ve come round because we have news for you. Nothing to do with the band, it’s personal.”
“You're moving your girlfriends in with you?” asked Graham with obvious displeasure.
“Nothing like that dad. We decided to be honest with you all.”
“Why does that worry me?” voiced Sherry gazing at Graham for assurance.

Richey was starting to sweat now; this was going to be horrendous.

“Let Richey finish mum,” Rachel said quietly, squeezing her mum’s hand.
With all eyes on him once more Richey started to explain. “Please don’t be upset or offended but Nicky and me are in a relationship. We’ve been together since school but had no idea how to tell you. Anyway, yesterday we told the guys and last night we told Nicky’s parents and we wanted you to know as well. We’re sorry for deceiving you all these years. At the time we thought that it was the right thing to do, though obviously now we know that it wasn’t.”

A serene smile gradually spread over Sherry’s lips, Graham sighed in relief and Rachel grinned madly.
“Thank goodness,” said Sherry. “We suspected as much but dared not say for fear of being wrong and offending you both.”
“How? I mean…what made you think that…”
“The way you gazed at each other, always made sure that you sat together. Lots of little things really.”

“Are you saying that you’re ok about it?” Nicky was so confused.
“No need to look so petrified Nicky,” smiled Graham. “We may have wanted Richey to settle down, get married and have children but what is more important is that he’s happy, which he evidently is with you.”

The contrast in reactions to those of the previous evening couldn’t have been greater. Both were being made to feel welcome and supported.
“We were so worried, we thought you hated same sex relationships.”
“Not hate Nicky,” explained Sherry. “We find them strange, or at we did. You and Richey made us realise that it was possible for two men to be in love and be happy. If only I had had the courage to broach the subject before, this deceit wouldn’t have happened and the pair of you would have been more relaxed and less furtive. It’s been one heck of a burden you’ve been carrying.”

Richey took hold of Nicky’s hand and kissed the long, sinewy fingers. “It does feel good to have it out in the open at last. We hated denying who we really are.”
“Now you don’t have to son.”
“Not with our friends and families at least but there’s still the small problem of coming out to the press and fans.”
“Somehow I don’t think they’ll give you any hassle,” smiled Graham getting to his feet. “Now I think that this calls for a proper drink to welcome Nicky formerly into the Edwards’ family fold.”

Things had gone so much better than either had anticipated. This was what they had dreamed of.

End.

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