The Secret Catamite Bk 1, The Book of Daniel by Patrick C Notchtree

He certainly
had not, and moreover would not. The closeness of his friendship
with Daniel was a precious secret to share between the two of them.
He did not want anyone else to share it. Also he knew that if the
adult world found out, there would be condemnation, Daddy would
beat him unmercifully, but worse, far worse than all that, he would
be stopped from ever seeing Daniel again. At that thought, tears
flowed anew.
    Daniel saw the renewal of
crying, and was alarmed by this.
    "What's the matter?" he asked
anxiously. "You've not told anyone, have you? Honest?"
    "No," said Simon, realising his
friend's misinterpretation of his tears. "No, I couldn't ever do
that. If people found out, we couldn't be friends anymore. I'd hate
that."
    "Me too," said Daniel, relieved.
"I'd hate that too."
    Each felt the love for one
another that had become the value of their relationship, and each
shrank from uttering the word. It wasn't done. Love was silly and
soft, for girls. But each instinctively knew of the love of the
other. They parted at the end of the street, with a wave and a
casual "See ya!", and both went home, warmed within by the further
sealing of their love for each other.
     
1955/9 Daniel asks the
Question
    Daniel entered the house,
dropping his bag in the hall.
    "I'm home," he shouted to the
house in general, cocking his ear for an answer. After a pause, his
mother answered from the direction of the kitchen.
    "Hello, love, come and get your
hands washed, tea's almost ready."
    Daniel went through to the
kitchen, and quickly rinsed his hands under the cold tap.
    "Dad home yet?" he asked.
    "He's upstairs, getting changed.
He's got to go back later. Don't forget your piano practice, will
you?"
    "No, Mum. I want to learn that
new piece."
    "Good boy. Here, put these on
the table, will you," said his mother, handing Daniel jam and
butter.
    Daniel put them on the table,
and turned to see his Dad enter the kitchen.
    "Hello, son," his Dad said,
roughing Daniel's hair with his hand. "Had a good day?"
    "O.K.," replied Daniel, with his
stock response to queries about the boredom of school. Then he
remembered.
    "Miss Day talked to Simon's
class about swearing today," he said. "Simon got a bit upset, but
Miss Day didn't notice."
    "Poor Simon," said his mother,
"that boy leads an awful life. Did you walk home with him?"
    Daniel nodded.
    "He's a funny little kid, though
Daniel," said his Dad, "I don't know what you see in him,
really."
    Daniel felt the conversation was
getting onto to dangerous ground.
    "He's O.K. He's a good friend,"
Daniel fended, then, sensing the chance to earn credit, he
continued, "Anyway, he hasn't many friends, so I like to keep an
eye on him." Only as he said the words did Daniel realise just how
appropriate they were.
    "That's very thoughtful,
Daniel," said his Mum, as she put the last items on the table. "I
know you and he get on well. Always have done. Come on then, sit
down."
    She turned to the hall, and
raised her voice. "Louise, tea's ready!"
    From upstairs came the muffled
reply from Daniel's fifteen year old sister. It seemed to satisfy
Mum.
    As they started to eat, Daniel
thought about the events of the day, and aware that his sister was
coming decided to capitalise on his earlier discussion of school
immediately.
    "Mum?" he opened.
    "Yes, dear," said Mum," don't
talk with your mouth full."
    Pushing aside this irrelevance,
Daniel swallowed his piece of scrambled egg.
    "What's a bastard?"
    "You are!" said Louise, pulling
a face at her brother as she entered the large kitchen.
    "Don't start, Louise," said Dad,
sharply.
    "Sorry," said Louise, without
grace.
    "Did Simon ask you?" queried Mum
of Daniel.
    "Sort of," replied Daniel, "he
said that Miss Day was talking about swearing in his class, and
Barry Spence asked what a bastard is."
    "Now he is one," interjected
Louise.
    "Be quiet, Louise," said Mum.
"Go on, Daniel."
    "Well, Simon said that Miss Day
said that it was someone who should never have been born, and