Chapter 1 : David’s Cousin Comes to Stay

Friday a few hours after school finished, David’s mum came home with his cousin in tow, complete with a suitcase. David was a friend of Danny’s and lived next door to John Williams.

His cousin Walter was also fourteen but was six months older than David. He and David had always got on well whenever they were together but neither of them would have considered themselves close friends.

David’s mum explained that Walters mum had been taken into hospital unexpectedly for an operation, so she had brought Walter home to stay for the weekend. Their house was only two bedrooms, but they were good sized rooms and David had a double bed. On some occasions when they had visitors, the visitors had David’s room and he slept on the settee.

‘You two can share for a couple of nights, can’t you?’ his mum asked. ‘Fine with me,’ David told her. Walter didn’t seem too sure but being a guest, he agreed. ‘Take him up and show him round,’ David’s mum instructed.

When they went in, David told him to make himself at home. ‘You sleep that side,’ he said. Walter opened his suitcase and put his pyjamas under the pillow. ‘What is your mum having done?’ David asked. Walters eyes filled up with tears. ‘She’s having her womb taken out.’ he said. ‘Dad told me that it’s a routine operation and not to worry but I looked it up online. It said several people a year die during this operation.’

David went over and put an arm around him. ‘Don’t worry,’ he said, ‘You can’t always believe everything you see online. Anyway, they probably do thousands of the same operations every year, so the odds are well in your favour. I know you can’t stop worrying,’ David told him, ‘But try and look on the positive side. Whatever is up with her has been found so it can now be fixed.’

‘I never thought of it like that,’ Walter said brightening up. ‘Thank you,’ he said giving David a hug. ‘Dinner.’ came a shout from downstairs so they went down. David’s mum and dad made a fuss of Walter, and the meal went well. After dinner the boys helped clear up, then they sat in the lounge and watched tv for a while.

At nine o’clock Walter’s dad rang. After he had spoken to David’s mum, Walter went on the phone and came back looking a lot happier. ‘Mum had her operation two hours ago.’ he told David. ‘Everything went well, and I will be able to visit tomorrow afternoon.’ ‘That’s great,’ David told him, ‘Now you can stop worrying.’ Walter gave him a fairly happy smile, but he didn’t look as if worrying had completely disappeared yet.

Just before ten Walter said he’d like to go to bed, so he and David went round giving David’s mum and dad a hug and a kiss and saying goodnight.

When they went into the bedroom, David started to get undressed, then noticed Walter was hesitating. He went over to him. ‘Are you very shy Walter?’ he asked. ‘Yes, very.’ Walter said looking miserable, ‘I’ve never shared with anyone before.’

‘Don’t worry,’ David told him. ‘I used to be exactly the same. Why don’t I go to the bathroom whilst you get changed? Then you can go whilst I get changed.’ ‘Thank you,’ Walter said looking grateful. David went to the bathroom and took his time having a wee, a wash and cleaning his teeth.

When he returned to the bedroom, Walter was sitting on the bed in his pyjamas. As soon as David was in the room, he went to the bathroom. David stripped off and put his night-time shorts and T shirt on, then got into bed.

When Walter returned, he was reading. Walter went round to his side of the bed and got in. David had put his book away but was still sitting up so Walter stayed sitting up too. David smiled at him and said, ‘That’s great news about your mum at least you’ll be able to sleep now.’

Walter didn’t look too sure, ‘Something could still go wrong,’ he said. ‘Do you worry a lot about things Walter?’ David asked. ‘Yes, I suppose I do.’ he replied. ‘I’m shy and I don’t have much confidence.’ ‘I was always terribly shy David told him, until I met Danny who works next door. It’s a pity he’s away this week, you could have met him. He would have changed you.’

‘Is it that easy?’ Walter asked. ‘Once you know what to do, yes.’ David said. ‘I could probably do it myself now I’ve experienced it. Tell you what, let’s put the big light out and just leave the bedside light on. Then we’ll lie down facing each other. We can chat then and it won’t matter if we fall asleep.’

They settled down and David said ‘If we keep our voices low, we won’t get told to get to sleep. Tell me,’ David asked, ‘If you are shy about getting changed with me in the room and I’m someone you know, are you just as shy when you meet a stranger?’

‘Even worse,’ Walter admitted. ‘I just feel terrified and clam up. If I have to speak, I often shake inside.’ ‘I didn’t used to shake,’ David told him, ‘But I did used to feel terrified. Do you have many friends at school?’ ‘Only two that I’d call real friends,’ Walter answered, ‘I don’t mix very well.’

‘I take it you don’t have a girlfriend yet?’ David asked. Walter looked embarrassed, ‘No,’ he said in a whisper. ‘That’s ok,’ David told him, ‘I haven’t either. But you dream about having one, don’t you?’

Even in the low light David could see Walter go red. ‘All boys our age dream about them you know.’ David told him, ‘It’s a natural thing to do. Is there anything that you do?’ David continued brushing over the previous question, ‘that you feel completely at ease when you’re doing it?’

Walter thought for a moment. ‘I love swimming,’ he said. ‘When I go swimming, I feel completely at ease and all the other people at the pool never seem to worry me.’ ‘There you are then,’ David said. ‘All we need to do now is to get you feeling the same way about everything else.’

‘Is that possible?’ Walter asked sounding hopeful. ‘If you’d asked me a year ago, I would have said no.’ David told him, ‘But now, Yes, anything is possible.’ ‘Really,’ Walter asked. ‘Yes, definitely.’ David said. ‘I know because it happened to me.’

‘You know you said you could probably do what your friend did yourself now,’ Walter asked, ‘Would you try doing it for me?’ David thought for a moment, ‘I’ll tell you in the morning,’ he said. ‘Before we go to sleep, I’m going to ask you a few things about yourself and your feelings. If you can’t answer them then there’s no point in me trying.’

‘I’ll try,’ Walter told him wondering if anything would ever work for him. ‘Some of the questions will be embarrassing to you,’ David warned him, ‘But you have my word that I’ll never tell anyone anything you tell me. You should also remember that we are the same age, so I know exactly what you dream. I also know everything that you do with yourself whilst you’re dreaming. How? Because I do the same myself. But unless you can feel able to tell me yourself, we would be wasting our time.’

Walter was horrified at the thought that David knew what he did in bed. The idea of actually telling him was even more terrifying. But he was already feeling more at ease with David than ever before, and he so wanted to be different. ‘I’ll do my best he said.’

‘Tell me what clothes you were wearing before you got changed for bed,’ David said. Walter looked surprised but answered, ‘Two T shirts, trousers, underpants, socks and shoes.’

‘When you go swimming,’ David asked, ‘Do you wear swimming trunks or shorts.’ ‘Trunks,’ Walter said thinking that at least these questions seemed easy to answer. ‘When you come out of the changing rooms and see the pool, how do you feel?’ David asked. Walter didn’t need any time to think on that one.

‘Happy and eager to get into the water.’ He answered. ‘What about when you climb out of the pool dripping wet and go round to the slide or the diving board?’ ‘I love the slide,’ he said, ‘But I only use the lowest diving board,’ ‘What about when you climb out and return to the changing rooms, how do you feel as you walk back?’ ‘Sad that it’s time to go,’ Walter told him. ‘In the changing room, I guess you use a cubicle.’ David asked.

‘Oh yes,’ Walter said, ‘I’d die at the thought of getting undressed in the open where people could see me.’ How do you feel as you walk around in your swimming trunks out of the water?’ ‘How do you mean?’ Walter asked. ‘Leave that for the moment,’ David said.