Nathan

Carlos knew he had to keep calm and think fast. Nathan was now an inconsolable mess. Marco knocked, “Darlings, is everything OK, we’re just about to pop the bubbles, would you like some?” Carlos opened the door as Marco peeped in “Oh dear, what seems to be the problem cherubs?” Carlos turned to Nathan, “Baby boy, will you be OK if I just speak to Marco?” Nathan nodded yes, still crying,  so he went out of the bathroom and into the hall.

“Um, Marco, there’s a bit of a problem, we’ll, not a bit, a huge fucking problem" Carlos could feel the rage building inside him, he had to keep calm, he shut his eyes and spoke slowly. “Marco, how well do you know the guy that spoke to Nathan?”, “You mean David dear? Not that well really, I met him at one of Peters parties, he seemed a nice enough chap so I asked him along today, why?”

Carlos once again spoke very slowly, “When Nathan was six years old, David, lived next door to him, they were neighbours. David, raped him”. The colour drained from Marco's face. He spoke, “FUCK! that poor, poor, boy. ANTHONY, ANTHONY". Anthony appeared, “What can I do for you Carlos?” “Take Nathan up to the guest suite dear and get the boy whatever he wants"

Carlos opened the bathroom door as Nathan looked up. His tear stained face made him look tired and weak, “Nathey, would it be OK if Anthony takes you up stairs baby, he'll stay with you, you won’t be alone?” Nathan again nodded, he stood up and looked in the mirror. All those years he’d hidden that secret, all the therapy sessions his parents had taken him to and his two attempted suicides, all came rushing through that door that had been locked for years, only to be kicked down today and exposed for the world to see. He walked silently up the stairs, not once looking back at Carlos and Marco.

Carlos spoke, “I think we need a chat with this David" “Yes, I think we do. Go into my office dear and I’ll bring the monster in". 

Marco swished off onto the terrace, clutching his shirt, he stopped before going through the doors and shut his eyes. A single tear rolled down his face. What just happened had bought Marco’s own demons to the surface, and bought back memories of his uncle and the abuse he had received. He opened his eyes, wiped away the tear, and walked through the doors. 

Everyone was chatting, unaware of what had just unfolded except for David who stood alone looking into the garden.

Marco spoke, “David dear, a word?” The man slowly turned, he knew he should have kept his mouth shut, but he also knew one day karma would catch up with him and all the suffering he'd caused to his other victims. Everyone went silent, wondering what was going on, David’s boyfriend stood up to go with him, but Marco told him to stay there as it was a private matter.

Marco spun around and walked toward his office, as David followed in silence. He pushed the door open and went in. Carlos was standing, looking into the street from the window. He turned around and spoke, “David, nice to meet you at last, I’ve heard a lot about you in the last half an hour. Things I really didn’t want to hear, things, that made me feel sick, and things that make me want to punch your fucking lights out”

David was visibly trembling, but his cocky attitude came to the forefront. “Well, that’s a nice introduction, nice to meet you too, CARLOS!”

Carlos spoke again, this time in Portuguese, “CALA A BOCA, PORRA!!!” Marco smiled, thinking to himself good man. He spoke for the first time. “David, how well do you know Nathan? Rather intimately I suspect?” “I don’t know what you’re fucking insinuating here Marco, I’ve not seen the lad for years" “Not since he was six I believe?” David spoke again, “Yes, yes, you’re right, he was my neighbour’s son. Carlos and Marco looked at each other as Carlos rushed toward David.

Marco had counted Carlos as his dearest friend, they’d known each other for years. Marco also knew that Carlos has a violent temper when goaded. He would allow the man just one punch, and then stop him or they’d all be in trouble.

Carlos grabbed David by the neck and physically picked him up and pushed him against the book case, he then punched him with such ferocity Marco squealed out, he then spoke,” No more dear, or we'll all get the chop”.

Blood poured from David’s nose as he held his face. Marco looked over at David, rather relieved that his collection of rare books were not damaged.

“Come with us David. Carlos, I’m sorry but we need to speak with young Nathan before I phone the police" David butted in, “What do you mean phone the police? I didn’t abuse the boy!” Marco stopped and spun around, the rage in his face was unreal, he slapped David hard across the face and said, “We never said you did, now SHUT THE FUCK UP!” They all walked up the stairs not speaking, Carlos entering the suite first.

Nathan was sitting on the edge of the bed, hunched up like a little old man, Carlos sat beside him. “Baby boy, we need to ask you some questions, before we phone the police". The lad lifted his face and looked around. Marco wanted to just hug him and take the pain away as he knew exactly how the boy felt. Tears streamed down his own face. If only he could take that pain away and absorb it himself, after all he’d had many more years of hiding his own secrets, another couple of them wouldn’t do him any harm.

Marco spoke out, “Nathan my dear, we’ve only just met, but Carlos is my dearest friend, ever, in the whole world. I can’t tell you how fondly he speaks of you and because of that, you too, are as dear to me as Carlos is. I need to ask you a question, does David here, have any distinguishing marks, like, you know, a birth mark or something?” Nathan sat trembling, “Yes, he’s got three moles on his penis in a line, I’ll never forget them" 

Carlos stood up and spoke to David, “Get your cock out, we want to see it". David’s attitude once again got the better of him, “If you think I’m showing you my cock because some fucking kid said I raped him”. The room went silent. No one had accused him of rape. Carlos spoke slowly, “Show us your fucking, DICK!”

No body in the room was aware that David’s boyfriend was outside the door, he’d been listening to the whole conversation. He turned the handle and slowly walked in the room. They all turned to see him standing there. Marco rolled his eyes, “Listen deary, I don’t know you at all, but this is my fucking house. If I tell you to stay on the terrace, I mean stay there!” The young lad looked around the room, then walked over to Nathan, he took his hand and squeezed it and spoke. “David doesn’t need to show you his dick, I’ll vouch for Nathan, he has three pea sized moles on the shaft of his penis, I should know, I’ve seen them enough times"

Anthony had been silent through the whole of the conversation and said “Shall I phone the police now Marco?” Nathan interjected, “Please no, don’t phone the police, it was a long time ago, I couldn’t go through all this in the courts"

Carlos sat down and hugged Nathan, “Baby boy, he needs to be prosecuted, you kept this secret all your life, he must be sent to jail" Nathan gripped his fingers into a ball spoke again “NO! I can’t go through with it, everyone now knows what he’s like and what he is, but I just never want to see him again”. 

Carlos stood up, and walked toward David, he turned to Marco, “Just one more?” Marco nodded and Carlos hit him so hard the whole room heard his jaw crack. Marco smiled sweetly at David, “Now get out of my fucking house you piece of shit". The mans boyfriend sat next to Nathan, who put his arm around him. “It’s ok, everything will be fine”. It was then, Carlos knew why he loved his Prince so much, he’d gone through all this shit and he was still forgiving toward his perpetrator.

David walked out of the room, as his lad started to cry. Marco spoke, “Anthony will go get your things, you can stay here until we find you a nice flat dear, everyone, this is Johnathan, he’ll be staying with me for a while, until we find him somewhere to live”. Anthony and David walked from the room and Marco spoke again, “Anthony dear, get Johnathan’s things, then drop David off at the A&E will you?”

Nathan and Carlos caught a cab home that afternoon, missing lunch and the festivities. Nathe fell into a deep sleep in his mans arms and Carlos was more than happy to let lay there for as long as he wanted. Johnathan, unpacked his belongings in his new temporary home, that would soon become permanent, and meanwhile, Marco made a phone call.

“Serg darling, it’s me, remember that favour you owe me?"........

David never returned to his flat after the visit to A&E, in fact, his body was never found. Carlos, Nathan and Johnathan never knew of his disappearance either, and why should they?

Marco gave Anthony the evening off, and as he poured himself a nightcap, he glimpsed in the mirror and smiled. His uncle had lived to ripe old age, and as a child, Marco had prayed every night that the man would be killed in some hideous accident, but it wasn’t to be. That night he went to bed with an inner calm, he was never able to get revenge for himself, but he would sleep better knowing David would never be able to act on his depraved feelings again and harm another child.....