Part Seventeen - The Lost Boys

The Love household was in chaos. Patty and Freddie had turned their home into a makeshift command center, people rushing in and out, voices overlapping in frantic concern. Syd’s mother sat at the dining table, her face drawn and pale, fingers twisting the hem of her handkerchief as she stared at the map of the area. Ruby stood beside her, silent but steady, offering quiet support.

This was not how Patty expected to spend Father’s Day. She had plans to take the family to Freddie’s favourite fishing spot. The one he usually only went with Phil to somehow put a happy face over the sadness that had crept inside of him. Help the man find his bliss once more but now they were busy tracking down a lost boy.

And, unknown to Patty, Freddie who knew of her secretive plans was relieved not to be sharing their spot with his family. He knew Patty meant well but being there without Phil would hurt even more.

Patty watched as Edith stiffened slightly under Ruby’s presence, her jaw set in barely restrained emotion. She had made it very clear—they were all here to find Syd. But when this was over, there would be a reckoning between her and Ruby.

Patty had seen that steely determination in mothers before. It was the kind that came when a mother felt like her world was slipping through her fingers but wasn’t giving up without a fight.

Angelo burst into the house, out of breath, hair tousled, his face tight with worry. He saw a blur of faces before him but only wanted to see one person right now. Teddy. He hurried to his room and knocked. When no answer came, he opened the door.

Teddy was curled up on the bed. Upset. Worried about Syd. His eyes glistening with tears. When he saw Angelo, his resolved crumbled completely.

Angelo hurried over to him and took Teddy into his arms, pressing him firmly against his chest while he let out his emotions, “I'm here! I got ya! I just couldn’t stay away.”

Then Teddy exploded, “What you said to me that day—” His voice shook with fury, but he refused to let it falter. “You called me disgusting. You spat in my face, Angelo!” Angelo flinched, his jaw tightening. “You made me feel like I was something sick.” Teddy showed him the claw marks on his arms, “I started to hate myself so much I wanted to peel away all this sickness.”

“I’m so sorry,” Angelo’s eyes began to well up. His body shuddering against Teddy, “You’re Teddy! The boy who stood up to bullies and helped to build a raft. You so impressed me.” Angelo finally turned, his face drawn and miserable. “I don’t hate you, Teddy.” His voice was rough. “I hate myself.”

Teddy let out a sharp, bitter laugh, “Oh, well, that makes it better.”

“I was jealous, alright!” He lowered his head, “I never felt like I belonged, Teddy. Not with my cousins, not with the other boys. They all grew up tough, all about cars, footy, drinking, and perving on girls—and yeah, I liked girls too, but…” He swallowed, his throat working around the words. “But then there was you and Syd. I finally belong somewhere.” He sucked in a breath. “But then you had this secret that made me feel I didn’t belong with you too…I felt excluded.” Angelo let out a breath, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “I have far more in common with you guys than any others.” He looked up, hair falling into his eyes, “You know that day when I approached you at the river? I…thought you were cute.” Teddy swallowed hard, “If you deserve to be spat on, so do I.” Teddy’s stomach fluttered, but he stayed still. Angelo hesitated, then gave a short, humorless laugh. “You know what the worst part is? I think I knew for a long time. But it wasn’t real, not really, until I read something that scared the hell out of me.”

Teddy frowned, “What do you mean?”

Angelo jumped up. He rubbed the back of his neck starting to pace the small room, “On the Road.” His expression unreadable, “When I started reading it, it was just about sexual freedom, breaking rules, and rejecting societal norms.”

He turned, his dark eyes meeting Teddy’s, voice quieter now, "...he just looked at me with an expression that said, have you felt this way? Do you know what I’m talking about? He knew I knew and that was it."

Angelo let out a breath, “I am supposed to be this red-blooded Italian with perfect hair and a decent body chasing every skirt that passed by except I got to reading these intense passages between Dean Moriarty and Sal Paradise. I even got…a little unsettled in my pants.”

Teddy took a shaky breath, all his anger fading into something else entirely. He understood now. Because he had asked himself that same question more times than he could count. Slowly, Teddy reached out, placing a hand on Angelo’s knee.

Angelo didn’t pull away. Instead, he let out a slow breath, his shoulders finally relaxing, “I don’t know what this means,” Angelo admitted, “All I know is that I can’t push away the only blokes who will get it.”

“Then don’t. We’ll work it out together once we’ve found Syd.”

Angelo exhaled, a small, hesitant smile tugging at his lips. For the first time in a long time, neither of them felt alone.

********

The tension in Patty’s kitchen was thick, like the air before a storm. Patty stood by the stove, hands gripping the counter wanting to be anywhere else but here. Edith and Ruby faced each other across the table, their expressions tight, their bodies rigid.

Patty has initially invited them into her kitchen for tea and company while the search parties looked for Syd. This was a big mistake as Edith finally unleashed her disdain after Ruby tried to explain herself, “You’ve been following him.”

Ruby didn’t flinch, “No girl! I’ve been looking out for him.”

Edith’s nostrils flared, “Excuse me! I am a woman! Not a girl! And he’s not yours to look out for.”

“He was mine first,” Ruby shot back, her voice sharp. “He should have always been mine.”

Patty winced, glancing between them, “Let’s all just take a deep breath—”

“No!” Edith turned to her, her eyes blazing, “You don’t get to play peacekeeper here, Patty! You knew! You knew this whole time, and you said nothing! I hope we’d become good friends but now it seems impossible.” Patty opened her mouth, but no excuse felt strong enough to hold under Edith’s anger. Edith turned back to Ruby, her voice shaking but fierce. “I have raised that boy since the day he was placed in my care. I have fed him, bathed him, held him when he was sick, wiped his tears, cheered him on, loved him in every way a mother can love her son.” She took a step forward, her chin lifting, “I may not have given birth to him, but I am his mother.”

Ruby’s jaw clenched, but she didn’t back down, “I didn’t give him away, Edith,” she said, her voice rough with years of buried pain, “He was taken from me. I didn’t have a choice.”

Edith let out a shaky breath, crossing her arms tightly over her chest, “And now you think you can just show up and claim him?”

Ruby leaned forward, her dark eyes flashing, “Wouldn’t you? If someone had taken your son from you.”

Edith stilled, her breath catching. For a moment, neither woman spoke.

Patty exhaled, stepping between them before the tension boiled over completely, “Listen,” she said, keeping her voice calm but firm, “None of this is helping Syd. You’re both his mothers, whether you like it or not. So maybe, instead of tearing each other apart, you figure out a way to be in his life together?”

Edith let out a short, bitter laugh, shaking her head, “You really think that is possible?”

Patty looked at Ruby, then back to Edith, “I think if you both love him the way you say you do, you’ll at least try.”

The silence stretched, heavy and uncertain. Both women could not refute her suggestion. They did want what was best for Syd. He was the most important factor in all this than personal egos. They thought deeply about the situation plunging the kitchen into an uneasy truce. For now.

********

The night air was cold, the wind whipping through the trees as Teddy and Angelo made their way down the narrow, dirt path to the river. Their flashlights flickered, beams cutting through the darkness, but neither boy spoke. They both had an idea where Syd would be.

When they reached the riverbank, the raft was still there, half-hidden among the reeds. Angelo untied it, glancing at Teddy, “We’ll have to paddle hard. The current’s stronger at night.”

Teddy nodded, grabbing one of the makeshift oars, “We can do it! Let’s go!”

The water lapped against the sides of the raft as they pushed off, their movements steady but urgent. Teddy’s heart pounded—not just from the cold, or the effort, but from the thought of Syd out there, alone, wet, and freezing.

As they neared the island, the first thing they saw was a faint glow beyond the trees. A fire. Teddy and Angelo exchanged a look, then paddled harder, their breath coming in sharp bursts as the raft finally scraped against the muddy shore. They jumped off, splashing through the shallow water, and ran toward the flickering light.

Syd sat hunched beside the small fire, his clothes soaked through, arms wrapped tightly around himself. His teeth chattered, and his hair dripped down his face, but when he saw them approaching, his expression darkened, “Piss off! I just want to be on my own! Heck! You shouldn’t have come!”

Teddy ignored him, already shrugging off his jacket, “Friends don’t abandon each other.” He thumps Angelo on the arm, “We stick together through warts and all.”

Syd glanced over at Angelo, jaw tight, “Sure ya want to be so close to a couple of sissies.”

Angelo crouched down, rubbing his hands together near the flames, “I’m sorry.” He glanced over, taking in Syd’s shaking form, “I am ashamed about what I said.”

He pulled off his own sweater, tossing it toward him. Syd hesitated before finally taking it, his fingers slow, stiff as he peeled off his wet shirt.

Teddy and Angelo didn’t hesitate in noticing the other boy’s chest, both glancing across at each other suddenly, smirking. A shared understanding flowing between them as Syd put on the sweater unaware of their ogling.

“So, what set you off?” Teddy asked.

Syd stared into the fire, his face flickering with shadows, “I just found out Ruby is my mum. They’ve been keeping secrets ever since I met her.” Syd ran a hand through his damp hair, shaking his head. “I knew I had a real mum. I just didn’t expect her to be hanging out in your kitchen,” He laughed bitterly, shaking his head, “It freaked me out.” His eyes glistening once more, “I don’t want to be taken away from my family. I love them heaps.”

Teddy swallowed hard, then reached out, gripping Syd’s shoulder, “Hey! Syd! No one will do any such thing. They’ll have to go through me first.”

Angelo jumped up, “And me! I am a little sturdier than Teddy.”

Teddy thumped his arm playfully while Syd just blinked with astonishment. They were enemies only weeks ago.

Syd let out a slow breath, his body relaxing slightly for the first time that night.

Teddy handed him his spare socks, nudging him with his knee, “Here. Put these on before your toes fall off.”

Syd snorted but did as he was told.

As the fire crackled, the three of them sat there in silence, letting the night settle around them, the weight of their confessions pressing down—But not crushing them.

“So, what do you want to do?”

“Stay here! Just a bit longer until my head stops whirling.”

The other boys nodded, in understanding.

Angelo suddenly piped, “You know what, why don’t we put this moment to good use by declaring it the night we formed The Secret Sissies Society.”

Syd frowned, “What the heck do you mean? You're no sissy!”

He winked, “Who says!”

“But I've seen you with girls,” put in Syd.

“Yeah! Sure! But that doesn't mean anything. I'm too much of a Dio sexy for just girls.” The other two boys frowned, “Sexy God!" The two boys finally got it. They seem to hiss at his description, “I say, we keep each other’s secrets, stand up for one another and never ever let anyone spit in anyone’s face again.” He thrust out his hand palm facing down. Teddy placed his on top followed by Syd, “All for one and one for all!”

They all chanted together but that wasn’t loud enough for Angelo, so he made them all shouted out once again until they were horse.

They huddled around Syd sharing their body warmth. There was an unspoken intimacy with them, as they held on to each other, just sitting by the fire staring at the stars.

********

Edith Parker sat on Patty’s front porch, a lukewarm cup of tea cradled in her hands, her fingers tapping restlessly against the ceramic. She wasn’t drinking it. She was too wired, too tense, too raw.

Patty pushed open the screen door, letting it creak softly as she stepped onto the porch. She hesitated, watching Edith’s stiff posture, the way her shoulders curled inward, bracing against the weight of her thoughts.

Patty sighed and sat down beside her. She watched her carefully, then took a chance, “We’re meeting for book club this week,” she said, keeping her tone light. “We just started The Group by Mary McCarthy. It’s all about young women challenging societal expectations.” She smirked slightly, “It’s causing quite the debate.”

Edith finally turned her head, one brow raised, “I’m sure it has.”

Patty nudged her gently, “Please come. You will be most welcome.”

Edith sighed, rubbing a hand over her face, “If you had asked two days ago, I would have been over the moon…but not now.”

Patty softened, leaning back against the porch railing, “I meant what I said, Edith. I was wrong to keep things from you. I thought I was helping, but all I did was hurt you.” She looked at her hands, then back at Edith, “But I do want to get to know you…who knows we might even be friends.”

Edith stared at her for a long moment. Then, before she could respond, the sound of footsteps crunching on the gravel path made them both turn. Teddy and Angelo were walking up the driveway, and between them, tired but whole, was Syd wearing nothing but Angelo’s sweater, Teddy socks and grimy under pants.

Edith sucked in a breath, her teacup clattering against the saucer as she quickly set it down and shot to her feet, “Sydney!”

Before he could react, she wrapped him in a fierce, bone-crushing hug, her breath shaky with relief. Syd stiffened for a moment, then slowly melted into her embrace, his own arms circling her waist.

Patty let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, glancing at Angelo and Teddy, who looked equally relieved and exhausted.

Ruby stepped out onto the front porch watching the reunion with a complicated expression. She didn’t try to step forward. Didn’t try to claim him. She didn’t want to spook the boy any more than he had been.

When Edith finally pulled back, cupping Syd’s face like she was making sure he was real, Ruby cleared her throat softly, “I know you’ve had a shock,” she said, directing her words only at Syd. “And I know you’re angry.” She took a steady breath, her usual confidence more subdued, “I won’t push you. I won’t chase you. But I’ll always be here if you ever want to talk.”

Syd’s expression remained unreadable, but he gave the smallest of nods. That was enough for Ruby. She offered him a small, sad smile, then turned and walked back inside the house

Patty exhaled, tension finally loosening in her chest. She turned to Edith, who was still holding Syd like she wasn’t ready to let go, “Book club?”

Edith let out a breathless chuckle, swiping at her damp eyes, “I’ll think about it.”

Patty grinned, “That’s all I ask.”

********

The morning sunlight filtered through the kitchen window as Patty hummed a tune while stirring a pot of pumpkin chutney. The room perfumed by cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, filling the house with a warm, comforting scent.

She was lost in her thoughts, the events of the past few days still fresh in her mind. Teddy and Lizzy burst through the back door, breathless and wide-eyed.

“Mom! Mom!” Teddy shouted, nearly skidding across the kitchen floor. “You have to come quick!”

Lizzy nodded, her face flushed with excitement and worry, “It’s Auntie Myra! She’s on her roof, hoovering!”

Teddy nodded vigorously, “They think she has lost her marbles.”

“Oh my! Has everyone been drinking from the same glass!” Patty muttered, grabbing her purse and shoving her feet into a pair of shoes. “You two stay here. I’ll go see what is going on.”

She hurried down the road, her heart pounding. When she reached Myra’s house, she could hardly believe her eyes. There was Myra, perched precariously on the sloped roof, vacuum cleaner in hand, humming a tune to herself.

“Myra!” Patty called up, her voice a mix of concern and disbelief, “What on earth are you doing up there?”

Myra turned, the vacuum nozzle waving in the air like a scepter, “Oh, hi, Patty! Just trying to get rid of some cobwebs! They’re everywhere!”

Patty stared, trying to keep her voice calm, “Myra, you need to come down. It’s not safe up there.”

Myra frowned, as if Patty were the one making an outrageous suggestion, “But I haven’t finished yet! They’re everywhere.”

Patty glanced around, spotting the ladder resting against the side of the house, “Yes, I see that!” So, that was how she got up there in the first place, “But…I could really use a cup of tea right now.”

“Oh! Of course! Where are my manners?”

Myra stumbled unexpected. Patty thought she was going to fall. The woman managed to stabilise herself but not the vacuum cleaner. The machine dropped to the ground barely missing Patty and smashed into the path below. It shattered into pieces.

“Myra, why don’t you come down the ladder,” Patty watched anxiously as Myra carefully made her way to the edge of the roof. Patty held on to the ladder to make it sturdy. The woman began to climb down. The ladder creaking and wobbling until she was safely on the ground.

“Oh! It’s so nice of you to call,” Myra said, happily. “Give me a moment and I’ll put the kettle on the burner.”

Patty eyed her friend, noting the glassy look in her eyes, “Myra, what pills are you taking?”

“Oh, just my diet pills,” Myra plucked a bottle from out of her apron pocket. She suddenly noticed her broken vacuum, “Oh dear! I better get a broom to clean this mess up.”

Patty took the bottle from her. Not even her happy pills lead to this kind of mania. She placed the bottle in her pocket planning to get rid of them as soon as she could.

Myra led her friend inside her house where she pottered around getting the tea on. She was so energized. She seemed to be unable to stop, until finally, the woman slumped forward across her breakfast bench, leaving her tea getting cold beside her.

Patty stayed to make sure she was safe before returning home again.

*********

Patty fumed as she marched into Dr. Miller’s office, clutching her purse so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She’d had enough of this nonsense. After rescuing Myra from her roof, she knew something had to be done.

“Dr. Miller,” she began, trying to keep her voice steady but firm, “We need to talk about these diet pills you’re prescribing.”

Dr. Miller looked up from his desk, his expression a mix of mild surprise and irritation, “Mrs. Love, what seems to be the problem?” He smirked, “Need a refill on your prescription already?”

“No. I am here about Myra Jennings,” Patty glowered at his snipe. “She almost fell off her roof hoovering! She has changed ever since taking those diet pills you gave her.”

Dr. Miller leaned back in his chair, a dismissive wave of his hand brushing off her concerns, “Mrs. Love, I prescribe those pills to many of my patients. They’re effective when taken as directed.” He frowned, “The silly woman probably took too many. This can hardly be my fault.”

Patty’s eyes narrowed, “Yet not every woman I know has the urge to hoover their roof! Dr. Miller, surely it is your responsibility to ensure your patients are not harmed by the medication you hand out?”

The doctor sighed, clearly annoyed, “I cannot monitor every pill every patient takes.”

“I’ve been doing some research,” replied Patty, she had spoken to Ruby about the diet pills. “These pills have some nasty side effects because of what they’re made of. How can you prescribe them knowing all that?”

Dr. Miller’s expression turned stern, “Mrs. Love, people make their own choices. If Myra decided to take more than the recommended dose, that is her decision, not mine.” His face puckering up into a sneer, “I am a doctor, madam! I am the best person to know what is good for my patients. Perhaps you should focus on your home duties instead of interfering where you do not belong.”

“You are a condescending witch doctor!” Patty felt a surge of anger rising to her feet. “You’re supposed to help her, not just hand out pills and hope for the best.”

Dr. Miller stood up, his patience clearly wearing thin, “Mrs. Love, if you have quite finished, I do have other patients to see.”

“All I ask,” Patty turned to leave, her frustration still boiling inside her, “Is that you just... do better, Dr. Miller. Myra deserves better. We all do.”

As she walked out of the office, she couldn’t shake the feeling of disappointment. Myra needed more than a dismissive doctor. She needed someone who truly cared. She would have to talk some sense into her friend about these pills.

*********

Patty found herself hesitating at Myra’s door, her hand raised to knock but stopping short. After the incident on the roof, she knew something had to be done. She knocked softly, hoping Myra was up for a conversation.

“Come in,” Myra’s voice sounded strained, barely above a whisper.

Patty opened the door to find Myra sitting on her sofa, her eyes puffy and red from crying. The room was dimly lit, the curtains drawn tight against the world outside.

“Myra, we need to talk,” Patty began gently, taking a seat next to her friend. “About what happened on the roof. I was really scared for you.”

Myra looked down at her hands, which were clenched tightly in her lap, “I know, Patty. I just... I don’t know why I did that.”

“It is these pills, Myra! They have some nasty side effects,” Patty reached out, placing her hand over Myra’s. “Why do you even need them?”

Myra took a deep breath, as if summoning the courage to speak, “It’s Jack. He... he’s different now. He used to look at me like I was the only woman in the world, but now... he barely looks at me at all. He is always comparing me to pin-up girls and movie stars. I feel... fat and ugly.”

Patty felt a surge of anger towards Jack, but she kept her voice calm and soothing, “You’re not fat or ugly, Myra. You’re beautiful just the way you are.”

Tears started to spill from Myra’s eyes, “My children are all off living their lives. I’m alone, Patty. Jack is all I have left, and I can’t lose him too. The pills... they help me lose weight. He noticed; you know. He said something nice for once.”

“But at what cost, Myra?” Patty asked softly. “You could have seriously hurt yourself.”

“You wouldn’t understand, Patty,” Myra said, in frustration. “You have the perfect husband who is kind and gentle. Some of us aren’t that lucky. We must take what we can get.”

Patty squeezed her friend’s hand, “Losing your mind or your life isn’t worth it, Myra. You deserve better than this. Jack should love you for who you are, not because you look like some Hollywood starlet.”

Myra looked at Patty, her eyes filled with despair, “But what if he doesn’t? What if he leaves me?” She gripped her hands as in in prayer, “I’m not like Flo. I wouldn’t survive.”

“I don’t believe that.” Patty said firmly, “You are worth so much more than his shallow affections. You need to take care of yourself, for your own sake, not for his.” Patty suddenly got an idea, “Why don’t you come down to the library with me? They have all sorts of courses that I think would do you the world of good.”

“I’m not a forward thinker, Patty.”

‘You could be.”

“Maybe I will,” Myra nodded slowly, as if the weight of Patty’s words was sinking in. “I just... I don’t know if I can change. This is the way I am.”

The two women sat together, nothing yet resolve. Patty knew it wouldn’t be easy, but she was determined to help her friend find her way back to herself, without the dangerous crutch of those pills.

Myra just wasn’t ready to see what Patty saw in her. She agreed to leave the situation for now while they enjoyed some quality time together over tea and Myra’s bunt cake.

Patty looked around her kitchen noticing there were a lot of bunt cakes. There were containers lining the bench. Another side effect of the diet pills; maniac behaviour.

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