Page 68 of Something Like Hail

Noah would rather die! Pastor Stevens,always called that even when on duty as a family physician, was themonster who convinced Noah’s parents that he had the cure for thegay: regular doses of testosterone, which was supposed to make hima man and chase away any homosexual thoughts. Prayer circles withNoah on a chair in the middle, his face burning with embarrassmentand shame. Or the deprivation that had come later. Noah’s books,any male friends, even foods like salad that were deemed toofeminine.

“Somethin’ sure smellsgood,” Bethany said gently. She looked a little concerned herself.Noah didn’t have many memories of her. Those he retained weren’tbad. “Better than my dad’s cookin’, that’s for sure!”

“Come on in,” Noah said,stepping aside, but only for Bethany. He turned away and returnedto the couch rather than wait for Pastor Stevens to enter. Beforehe could sit, Noah’s mother entered the room.

“Oh how wonderful!” Arlenesaid, eyes shining with delight. “It’s always a pleasure to haveyou here, Pastor. It’s been too long.”

“My stomach agrees,” PastorStevens said. “You know all those potlucks we have at church arejust so I can sample your scrumptious meals.”

How charming! How quaint! Noah clenched hisjaw and turned to Harold, just in time to see him rise andintroduce himself.

“Nice to meet you,” thepastor said without warmth. He even wiped his hand on his pantsafterwards.

Noah wanted to deck him. “Harold and I needto check into a hotel,” he said, grasping for an excuse. “We’ll beback a little later.”

“I thought you were stayinghere,” Arlene said, sounding hurt. “Supper’s almost ready! I mademeatloaf, like you wanted.”

“You can check in later,”Clarence said firmly. “They won’t be running out of rooms. Don’tupset your mother.”

“I wasn’t trying to—” Noahtook a deep breath, noticing the way that Pastor Stevens was sizinghim up—diagnosing him—just like he used to. “Fine.”

“You’ll be glad youstayed,” Arlene said. “I just know you will. Let me set the tableand we’ll get started.”

“I’ll help,” Noah said,eager to escape the room.

“No no no,” his motherreplied. “Let me. You relax and catch up with yourfriends.”

Friends? He barely knew Bethany, and ifPastor Stevens was drowning, Noah wouldn’t even throw him a twig.He did have one friend. Noah sat next to Harold, trying to shoothim a look that explained what a devil this person was, even if heappeared to work for the other guy instead.

“Those are some mighty finelooking deer you’ve got out there,” Pastor Stevens said, addressingClarence. “Saw a pair racing along the fence as we pulled up.Bethany has a natural touch when it comes to animals. Quite a fewFFA ribbons. Just like you, Noah, she won first place for rearing apig. Isn’t that right?”

“Sure is,” Bethany said,cheeks a little red as she turned to him. “How heavy did yoursget?”

“I don’t remember,” Noahlied. He knew. He just didn’t like revisiting that memory becausehe had grown attached to the pig. It had become like the dog hisparents never let him have. This “dog” was butchered and eaten, hisfather threatening to beat him if he wasted food, so he hadcomplied, crying through each bite.

“Time to become a man,” hisfather had said. “This is the way of the world.”

Maybe that was true, but he didn’t have tolike it. Or eat pork ever again, which to this day, he stilldidn’t.

“What about you?” Bethanyasked, nodding at Harold. “Were you in the FFA?”

Harold smiled, causing her cheeks to groweven redder. “That’s the farmer thing, right? I never took thatelective.”

Clarence scoffed.

Pastor Stevens raised an eyebrow. “No, Isuspect you took theater classes instead. Or maybe dance.”

“Nope,” Harold said,sounding genuinely confused. “What makes you thinkthat?”

Before the inevitably shitty answer came,Arlene returned to the room, nearly bursting with joy. “Would y’allcare to join me in the dining room?”

Noah’s treacherous stomach grumbled. Thescent filling the house really did smell great. He didn’tunderstand why the pastor was here, and his suspicions weren’t funto entertain, but… Food. Meatloaf. Harold. Getting to see hisparents again. Noah would focus on the good things and ignore thebad.

This became a lot harder when they wereseated. The dining room table was long enough to seat three on eachside. The pastor was given a place of honor at one end, Clarence atthe other. Noah, to his dismay, was seated to the pastor’s right,sandwiched between him and his daughter. Noah’s mother sat acrossfrom him, meaning Harold was about as far away from him aspossible. He soon realized how intentional this was.

“What a beautiful pair youmake,” Arlene said as she sat. She was looking from Noah to Bethanyand back again. “You played together as children, and well… Whoknows what the future might bring!”

Noah could confidently make one guess.Whatever the future held, in no scenario were he and Bethany acouple! Not only was he not interested, but her eyes kept driftingto Harold. So far it seemed the only thing they had in common wastheir taste in men.