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

Simon
got upset about it coz that's what they all call him."
    "Because", emphasised Dad.
    "Mm?" Daniel frowned, puzzled at
the interruption.
    "Because, not coz, Daniel," said
Dad, "I keep telling you to speak properly. It is important."
    "Yes, Dad," said Daniel, "but I
was talking about Simon."
    "So talk about him using proper
language then, please."
    "O.K. Dad," said Daniel, who
felt this opportunity of enlightenment slipping away. "What I mean
is, when Simon asked me about it I wasn't really sure what to say
to him." Daniel sensed the chance to earn credit, and added, "He
was really upset and I wanted to try and help him."
    "Saint Daniel!" mocked
Louise.
    Trust her to spoil it, thought
Daniel. I wish she weren't here.
    "That's very good of you, love,"
said Mum, approvingly, "but it's a difficult problem really."
    Daniel looked expectantly at
Mum, and Mum looked expectantly at Dad. Dad was suddenly engrossed
in the difficulties of spreading butter carefully right into the
corners of the bread. Mum sighed to herself and continued.
    "All it means, Daniel," she
said, "is that someone's mother and father are not married when
they are born. I don't think Miss Day can have meant that he
shouldn't have been born. That's a terrible thing to say about a
child. And as far as I know, his parents are married. I know Kate,
er, Simon's mother, reasonably well. Simon probably didn't hear
properly."
    "He's a bit dim, that kid," said
Louise.
    "Louise, if you can't think of
anything helpful to say, then keep quiet," snapped Mum. "Can we
just get on with our meal, please."
    "Sorry I spoke," pouted
Louise.
    Daniel grinned at her
discomfort, despite his annoyance at the curtailing of the
conversation. He wanted the information to maintain his ascendancy
over Simon.
    "Don't crow over your minor
victories, Daniel," said Dad, "they may be short-lived. I seem to
remember it's your turn to help wash up tonight. And you've your
piano practice to do."
    It was Louise's turn to
grin.
    Later, as Daniel was putting the
dishes away with his Mum, he broached the subject again.
    "Is Simon one of those?" he
asked her.
    She regarded her son
quizzically. "You are persistent, aren't you? Almost certainly not.
His parents are married I'm sure. But they say his Dad was married
before the war and they got divorced. Some people think that
divorce is wrong and a later marriage doesn't count."
    "So what about any children
then?"
    "Oh, I see what you mean. Look,
Simon's parents got married before he was born so he is not
illegitimate, neither is his sister – what's her name?"
    "Frances," supplied Daniel,
eager to maintain the momentum.
    "Oh, yes," continued Mum, "but
there are some silly people who can't accept that because his
father was married before. At least, that's what people say. Maybe
someone said something like that and that's how all this silly name
calling started."
    Daniel digested this for a
moment. "Is he really his Dad?"
    "Oh yes, I'm sure," said Mum,
"they were married during the war. I shouldn't be saying this to
you, Daniel. Don't you go repeating what I've said."
    "No, Mum," said Daniel
automatically, while he thought how to ask the next, vital
question.
    "Pass me the big plates," said
Mum.
    "Does it show?" asked Daniel,
holding up the dinner plates.
    "Show?" said Mum, puzzled. "What
do you mean? Where's the salt and pepper?"
    Daniel looked for the salt and
pepper, and passed them over to Mum who put them in the kitchen
cabinet.
    "On you," said Daniel, searching
for words, "I mean, can you tell from looking?"
    Mum laughed. "Of course not.
Simon doesn't look any different from any other boy, does he? He's
just an ordinary little boy, like any other. Nobody can be blamed
for who their parents are, Daniel. I think his father had a hard
time in the war. People should try to be a bit more understanding.
He got a medal, you know. His Mum seems very nice. Fetch me the
teapot, please."
    Breathing quickly with the
tension of the situation, Daniel handed over