Chapter Twenty-Two

At Monday’s rehearsal Jeff was doing his best to prep the understudy, a pudgy boy named Gavin Shoemaker, to take over Cam’s role. So far it was turning out to be an actual disaster. First of all, the kid barely even remembered auditioning and was clearly regretting that decision now. Second, he was terribly out of shape and wheezing during every number, to the point where Jeff kept getting concerned about his health enough to make everyone stop. Third, the kid sounded like a forty-year-old smoker when he sang, which honestly wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but it definitely did not fit the light and soaring tracks that Tariq had recorded specifically for Cam. Also, Gavin may have completely destroyed a couple of set pieces, but the jury was still out on that one.

Jeff left the building feeling frustrated and disheartened. When he got to the parking lot, he noticed a familiar figure leaning against his passenger side door. Jeff stuck his hands in his pockets and raised his brows.

“Did you go to school today?” he asked Cameron.

Cam nodded and stared down at the uneven asphalt of the parking lot. He was continuously pushing around loose bits of gravel with his shoe. Jeff wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He was relieved, of course, but he didn’t want to show that relief and risk Cam changing his mind and retreating back into his comfortable little bubble.

“Do you want a ride home?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Cam answered after a few seconds, still not looking at Jeff.

Jeff bit back a smile and unlocked the car. He climbed in first and then Cam joined him. He looked so fragile and small sitting there in the passenger seat with his backpack on his lap. Jeff knew he was not either of those things though. The kid was a football player after all.

The two of them rode in silence. It wasn’t a particularly comfortable one either. Jeff could sense that Cam was going through some sort of internal battle of wills. Eventually he just swallowed his pride and asked what he really wanted to know.

“So, how’s the play going?”

Jeff resisted the urge to look at him and kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

“Not great,” he answered honestly. “Your understudy smells like onion bagels and he might have irreparably damaged our set.”

Cam laughed despite himself and Jeff unleashed a small triumphant grin. It was like the closer they got to Cam’s house, the more the ice between them began to thaw.

“Well in that case,” Cam began. “I might be interested in coming back and finishing what I started. That is, if you’ll still have me of course.”

Jeff’s heart swelled.

“You’re always welcome in any production of mine, Cameron.”

The two of them lapsed into another awkward silence that lasted all the way until Jeff pulled up at the Davis house and put the truck in park. He and Cam just looked at each other. Cam was chewing at his bottom lip and it was clear that there was still more that he wanted to say.

“So, um,” he choked out finally. “My dad’s been pretty miserable without you.”

Jeff’s heart gave an uncomfortable lurch and he tightened his grip on the steering wheel even though they were no longer moving. He let his eyes fall shut.

“Well, I’m not too happy myself,” he admitted.

The words came out vulnerable and half strangled. When he opened his eyes again he saw that Cameron was fidgeting with his head down and his fingers in his lap.

“I’m sorry,” Cam said. “For the way I reacted. I should have handled it better.”

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Jeff assured. “You had every right to be angry.”

Cam shrugged.

“Maybe so, but I had no right to try and control you guys’ relationship or keep you apart. That was childish and petty and mean. So, I’m sorry for that.”

There was a brief pause in which the only sound was Jeff adjusting his position on the seat.

“Thank you for saying that Cameron. I—I really appreciate it.”

Cam nodded solemnly.

“You know I really do care about you, right?” Jeff said. “I was never trying to use you to get with your dad. In fact, I wasn’t trying to get with your dad at all. It just sort of happened.”

Cam slumped and let out a lofty sigh.

“Yeah. I know that now. My dad told me everything.”

Jeff nodded and the two them remained parked in front of Cam’s house for a little while longer.

“You know,” Cam said finally, breaking the silence. “Since I missed a whole week of school, I kind of have a lot of homework to catch up on. I could use a little bit of help if you’re interested.”

Jeff gave Cam a sideways smile.

“I could probably do that. Does that mean you’ll be coming back to rehearsals then?”

Cam pretended to think about it for a second and then nodded.

“Yeah. I miss everyone. It’s not fun being a ‘pariah’ all on your own.”

Jeff laughed.

“That was a very nice use of the word 'pariah', Cameron.”

Cam shrugged.

“What can I say? I have a good English teacher.”

Jeff leaned back in his seat and looked away from Cam. His heart suddenly felt about a million times lighter.

“Anyways, I should probably go. See you tomorrow?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Jeff said.

Cam nodded and stepped out of the car.

“Keep going to school!” Jeff called after him.

“I will,” Cam said. He lowered his voice. “Thanks, Mr. Martin.”

Jeff nodded and watched the teenager ascend the walkway and disappear into his house. Then, and only then, did Jeff start the engine and pull away. Despite all of his hardships, Jeff felt like he was on top of the world. Cam was giving him a second chance, and there was no way that Jeff was going to let it go to waste.