Boys Don't Cry (28 page)

‘Cheeky bug—!’ Dad exclaimed.

‘Dad!’ I interrupted. ‘Young ears are flapping.’

Dad looked apologetic but only for a moment. As Adam put Emma back down on her feet, Dad walked over to him.

‘How’re you feeling, son?’

‘Sore,’ Adam replied.

Adam and Dad regarded each other.

‘Adam, I want you to know that if you need someone to talk to, someone who will listen without judging you,
someone who’ll always have your back, I’m right here. OK?’

‘Yes, Dad.’ Adam smiled.

And then, out of the blue, Dad hugged Adam. It only took a second or two for Adam to hug him back. A strange silence descended on the kitchen. As I watched, my eyes began to leak. Oh, hell! A quick cough and a turn of my head gave me an excuse to raise my hands to my face to mask my embarrassment. Dad let go of Adam and we all stood in awkward silence, unsure of what to do next.

‘Me now,’ said Emma, holding out her arms towards Adam and making us all laugh. I could’ve kissed her! My brother scooped her up again.

‘Honey, you’re just in time for dinner,’ said Aunt Jackie.

‘What is it?’ asked Adam.

‘Sausages, mashed potatoes and peas,’ said Dad.

‘I’m not sure my throat can cope with sausages, but I’ll have some mash,’ said Adam.

I got out some cutlery and Aunt Jackie retrieved some plates from the cupboard. Dad added more butter and milk to the potatoes and carried on mashing them like they were the enemy. Sixteen oven-baked sausages occupied a casserole dish resting on the cooker out of the way. Adam stayed in the kitchen, alternating between whirling Emma around and lifting her above his head.

‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you,’ I warned him. ‘She’s only just had some juice.’

‘She’ll be fine,’ Adam dismissed. ‘Stop fuss—’

Emma puked all over Adam’s T-shirt.

For the third time in under five minutes, there was a
stunned silence. I broke it first. I howled with laughter, followed by Aunt Jackie.

‘Oh dear,’ said Dad, before he creased up too.

Emma burst into tears. I took her from Adam’s unresisting hands. He was still staring down at the mess on his T-shirt.

‘You were warned,’ I told him, before turning to my daughter. ‘It’s OK, Emma. No point in crying over spilt blackcurrant juice!’

Adam glared at me. ‘You’re not funny.’ Then he did something I hadn’t seen in a long, long time. He started laughing too. My clean-freak brother had sick down his T-shirt and he could actually laugh about it. He shook his head. ‘Serves me right,’ he said. ‘I’ll be right back.’ He headed out of the kitchen.

‘Don’t drip on the carpets,’ Dad called after him, putting the food in the oven to stay warm.

Ten minutes later, once Adam had had a shower and changed his clothes, we all sat down to eat.

‘OK,’ I said, picking up my knife and pointing it at Adam. ‘Who are you and what have you done with my brother?’

‘What?’ Adam frowned.

‘You spent less than ten minutes in the shower,’ I told him. ‘You’re not Adam.’

Pause.

‘Sod off and die, Dante,’ Adam replied, displaying sparkling wit and repartee.

‘Dammit, Adam, stop bloody swearing,’ said Dad.

‘Tyler! Tyler, really!’ My aunt sighed.

And we all started laughing again. Emma started babbling away to Adam, and Aunt Jackie and Dad smiled at each other as they shared a memory about my mum and how she was always telling off Dad for his colourful use of language. I quietly and carefully put down my knife and fork and just watched them all.

At that precise moment, I was happy. And, at that moment, it was a feeling shared by everyone around the table. Before Emma arrived, we’d occupied the same house and that was about it. But not any more. There were no questions answered, no blinding revelations, nothing had really been resolved. But we were a family and we were together.

And for now that was all that mattered.

MALORIE BLACKMAN
is acknowledged as one of today’s most imaginative and convincing writers for young readers.
Noughts & Crosses
has won several prizes, including the Children’s Book Award. Malorie is also the only author to have won the Young Telegraph/Gimme 5 Award twice with
Hacker and Thief!
Her work has appeared on screen, with Pig-Heart Boy, which was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, being adapted into a BAFTA-award-winning TV serial. Malorie has also written a number of titles for younger readers.

In 2005, Malorie was honoured with the Eleanor Farjeon Award in recognition of her distinguished contribution to the world of children’s books.

In 2008, she received an OBE for her services to Children’s Literature.

www.
malorieblackman
.co.uk

1.
‘
She should’ve told me, given me a chance to wrap my head around the idea and step up. I should’ve been there. Not just for Emma’s sake and Melanie’s, but for my own as well. Why hadn’t Melanie told me?
’

Why do you think Melanie didn’t tell Dante about her pregnancy? Dante says that he doesn’t know what his reaction would have been, but what do you think he would have said or done? Was Melanie right not to tell him? And if she had, do you think she may have made different choices?

2.
‘
Doing a runner is usually the man’s province, not the woman’s
’ – Dad

‘
At least he’s in his child’s life. At least he hasn’t done a runner like a lot of men do
’ – unknown woman (with child) in the shop

How fair are these statements? And why do you think both Dad and this woman might feel this way? If this is true, why do you think this might be so? And how does this attitude affect Dante’s own struggle, for instance with social services?

3.
‘
You’re threatening to take my daughter away from me for no other reason than my age and my gender
.’

Is Dante right to worry about social services being more likely to doubt his ability to be a single parent because he is a dad, not a mum? Can a single dad do just as good a job as a single mum? Is it easier or harder for Dante than for Melanie? Compare how each copes with the challenge of being a single parent.

4.
Adam tells Dante that he and Dad are
‘
too alike
’ (
chapter 18
).
In what ways are they the same? Different? How does their understanding of each other change throughout the book?

5. ‘
I’ve known I was gay since I was thirteen. And what’s more, I like it. Scratch that, I love it
.’

Adam is very positive about his homosexuality at the beginning of the book, yet as events spiral out of control, it is clear that homophobia still exists in our society. How do both Dad and Dante react to Adam’s homosexuality at the beginning of the book – and why do you think they might feel this way? Does Dante still feel the same way at the end of the book?

6.
Dante realizes in
chapter 38
how he has in the past tolerated a friend’s verbal homophobia. Was he right to believe that
‘
It’s just a word. It doesn’t mean anything
. . .’
Or are words a form of assault in themselves? Just one step away from what Dad describes as last-century
‘
gay-bashing bullshit
.’
? How hurtful is
‘
just a word
’
aimed at a minority group? If you have read Malorie Blackman’s
Noughts & Crosses
trilogy, are there similarities between the way noughts are described in that society and Josh’s verbal insults of gays? What is the best way to deal with this kind of attack?

7.
Why does Dante believe that Logan has acted like some kind of
‘
malevolent puppet-master
’
?

8.
At the end of the book, do you think Adam will keep in touch with Josh? What do you think he might say to him and do you think they could possibly be friends – or even more – in the future?

9.
Boys don’t cry
. . .
What influence on Dante and Adam’s attitudes and actions do you think this belief has had? How do their views change throughout the book? And are there other beliefs they hold about ‘men’ that change? What attitudes do you have about what defines a ‘real man’?

10.
And finally . . . what do you think might happen if Melanie should come back and reclaim Emma? How do you think the story might develop?

If you feel personally affected by any of the issues within this book, or would like further information, the following websites and helplines may be of interest. Helpline telephone numbers are given for the UK area; but there will almost certainly be similar support services within other countries. Your school or local library may also be able to provide information on help available.

And, of course, don’t forget that you should seriously consider talking to your parent/guardian too, who may be more supportive than you think they will be. As Dante and Adam’s father says: ‘If you need someone to talk to, someone who will listen without judging you, someone who’ll always have your back, I’m right here.’ Many parents and guardians will agree with this statement.

www.nhs.uk/livewell/sexandyoungpeople
for information about adolescence and relationships, including gay relationships, and an online sexual health advice service

www.fpa.org.uk
for straightforward advice on contraception, sexual health and pregnancy. Information booklets are available and there are several helplines (all calls confidential):

FPA England
0845 122 8690 (Mon-Fri; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

FPA Northern Ireland
0845 122 8687 (Mon-Fri; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

www.coram.org.uk
provides specialist support to young parents across London. For further information call 020 7520 0311

www.parentlineplus.org.uk
provides help and support for anyone caring for children. There is confidential email support, as well as a 24-hour Parentline helpline: Freephone 0808 800 2222

www.onespace.org.uk
for lone parents

www.gingerbread.org.uk
organization to help single parents. Helpline: Freephone 0808 802 0925

www.opfs.org.uk
for one-parent families in Scotland.

Lone Parent helpline: Freephone 0808 801 0323

www.lgf.org.uk
The Lesbian and Gay Foundation offers advice on coming out, sexual health and relationships, combating homophobia and provides advice by email (
[email protected]
) or on the phone:

0845 330 3030 (local call rate; 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. staffed; 10 p.m. to 6 p.m. automated)

www.samaritans.org
for confidential support from trained volunteers for anyone
experiencing feelings of distress or despair
. 08457 909090 (UK); 1850 60 9090 (Republic or Ireland);
[email protected]
(email)

International: Befrienders worldwide cover 40 countries. If you live outside the UK and Republic of Ireland or wish to use a language other than English, visit
www.befrienders.org
to find your nearest helpline.

www.getconnected.org.uk
A young people’s help resource for under 25s. Free confidential helpline on any issue, as well as email and webchat support (
4.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. everyday
) and Webhelp 24/7: an online directory of help.

Telephone helpline: 0808 808 4994 (1 p.m. – 11 p.m.
all week
)