Monday morning, Tony was in his classroom before first lesson and Russ came in. He had obviously been crying, and not just now, his eyes were really puffy as though he had been crying for a long time.
"I'm sorry Tony, Brewster couldn't help it. His father beat him up quite badly before he spilt the beans."
Tony looked quite shocked but made the boy sit down and tell him the whole story.
"Sunday, we were obviously really happy with what we had done with you and Ripley. We fooled around more than usual and probably let our guard down a little too much. Brewster's dad smelt a rat and started to quiz him about Saturday. I guess we didn't have a very sound story because it started to unravel quite quickly but he still wouldn't tell him the truth. He dragged him out on to the back lawn where he knew I could watch from my bedroom window where I was doing assignments, and stripped him. Then he took his belt and started beating him. I was going to try to stop it but my dad had seen what was going on and kept me in my room. It was really awful Tony, when Brewster still wouldn't tell, his dad started punching him, he's got two black eyes and his whole body is black and blue. Eventually he screamed at his dad. I'm a little queer and I had a marvellous Saturday with Ripley and his boyfriend.' Then his father said, and that other little queer next door.' Our game was up then because he said yes. It didn't take him much longer to find out who Ripley's boyfriend was. I'm sorry Tony, I'm really sorry."
Tony was shocked, but he had been prepared for this from the first day he touched Ripley.
"Never mind me, what about you?"
"I'm ok, my dad thrashed me with his bare hand on my bare bottom but I'm only bruised a little. Of course I'm grounded until I go to university."
Tony thought that was ridiculous, that was nearly 1 ½ years, the boy would be a basket case by then.
"What about Brewster?"
"I don't know. His father is talking about psychiatric treatment and a special school. I know Brewster, he won't go for that. I'm afraid he'll run away."
Tony nodded, this was far more serious than he expected. If it had just been him and Ripley it wouldn't have been a problem. Yes he would lose the job he loved but he was only 23 he had a good degree, he would start again at something new. Most importantly he would still have Ripley. That scenario was still on, but now he worried about his other two beautiful fawns. He didn't have long to think about it. A relief teacher arrived and told Tony he would be taking the class and would he report to the Head's study. On entering the study Tony gasped. Brewster was there looking as though he had been run over by a bus. Both eyes were black and his face was bruised, Tony already knew that the rest of him was black and blue.
The headmaster looking extremely stern said, "I presume you know why you are here Mr. Forrester?"
"Yes Headmaster, but before we discuss this I would like you to call the police and have this man arrested for assault causing actual bodily harm."
The headmaster sagged a little.
"No Tony, I will say I fell down the stairs."
"I know a witness who will testify he saw the assault."
"No he won't, I've told him not to. I don't want my dad arrested."
Tony almost screamed in frustration seeing the damage to this lovely boy. He turned to the father.
"You're an animal. You belong in a cage for damaging this beautiful boy."
"Yes you would think he was a beautiful boy you pervert," was snarled back at him.
"I'm sorry Headmaster. I presume that as I have done nothing illegal, you would just like me to leave, without any fuss."
"I'm sorry Tony, but yes. You are a superb teacher, but I cannot continue to allow you to teach in this school."
Tony turned and walked out, but heard Brewster wail that he didn't want that.
Mr. Secombe was almost beside himself.
"Aren't you going to do anything else about that pervert?"
The headmaster replied.
"What would you like me to do?"
"Well can't you call the police and have him arrested?"
"On what charge may I ask"
"Having sex with a minor."
"How old are you Brewster?"
"I'm sixteen, Sir,"
"And how old are Ripley and Russ?"
"They are sixteen as well."
"In that case Mr. Secombe, what minor has Mr. Forrester had sex with."
Mr. Secombe deflated like a punctured balloon realising that he had lost.
"In that case I'll sort out the little pervert."
"I would advise against that. Mr. Forrester is unlikely to say he fell down the stairs. Now if you are finished I have a rather busy morning now that you have robbed me of my best teacher."
News travels fast, long before lunch break the whole school knew that Tony had been suspended for having sex with Ripley, and probably other boys. Brewster's dad had beaten him up for having sex with Tony and Russ was getting very belligerent protecting Brewster.
What surprised the teachers, and particularly the headmaster over the next few days was the ground swell of support building for Tony to be re-instated. The school board were informed and the expected pronouncement came down from on high. No teacher could be employed that was, or had had, a relationship with a student even if it was legal.
Meanwhile, on the home front, Tom showed his feelings on the subject.
"I don't suppose you'll get much in the way of severance for gross professional misconduct Son, and I'm sure getting a new job in a different business is not going to be easy. Why don't you get out of your flat and come to live with us. That will cut down your overheads to almost nothing. We don't have a lot of money but I'm sure we can support a second son until he gets back on his feet."
Tony couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Are you serious Dad?"
"Of course, what did you think we were going to do, throw you to the wolves?"
Ripley was hugging his dad and grinning like a fool.
"You'll have to sleep with me every night, that's the only drawback."
Tom winked at Tony before replying.
"Oh no he won't. He'll have the guest bedroom, I'll not have any hanky panky under my roof."
The look of shock was too much, and although Tony didn't feel much like laughing he and Tom almost fell over doing just that. Ripley pounded his dad, called him a beast and joined in the laughter. Then he crossed the room to hug Tony.
"We'll be alright won't we Tony, we'll still be together."
Tony hugged him back.
"Yes Munchkin, I'm never going to give you up."
Ripley looked affronted, well he tried to.
"Hey I'm not a munchkin, I'm Baby."
"Ok, my baby munchkin."
This was all getting silly, particularly when Ripley looked at his dad.
"Sorry Dad, I think getting the sack has unhinged Tony's brain. I think I'd better take him to bed."
"Alright, just don't make too much noise, your mother will be home shortly. I'll call you for supper."
The next hour was what Tony needed. Nothing heavy, just some gentle loving. They talked about Tony closing up his flat and returning the keys to the landlord.
"I'll have to tell my parents, Dad will be upset, he said I'd get into trouble teaching senior years and being gay. The car is mine and I know the `rents will help for a little while, but they're like your family, not a lot of money. I'll start looking for career opportunities for young graduates. I'm only 23 so I can probably slide into something quite quickly. It's just that I always wanted to teach."
Ripley was sad for his lover, but pleased he was going to be here, at least for a while.
The next couple of weeks weren't productive for Tony. He tried to work up some enthusiasm for other jobs but at interviews his lack of interest was picked up and he started to get depressed. The one thing he didn't need was Peter Douglas turning up on his doorstep.
"Peter, what on earth are you doing here?"
Peter looked a little shocked.
"Don't you know what's going on at your school?"
Tony shook his head.
"Well someone is doing a good job of hiding things from you. Are you not in contact with anyone from your old place of work?'
"Yes, of course I am, this is the home of one of my old students."
"Of course, Ripley York, the boy you spent a fortune to find some months ago."
"Yes, but how did you know."
"I've been talking to Ripley, Russ Mc Cain, and to a lesser extent Brewster Secombe. How could you not be doing something constructive for Brewster, Tony?"
"What do you mean?"
"That kid went to the wall for you and you've done nothing to help him."
"That's bullshit, I did all I could but the kid wouldn't let me help."
Flaring with anger Tony snarled at his old college friend.
"And what the fuck can I do. I can't do anything that would make his father throw him out, he's hanging in by a thread any way."
"So you'd like to help him, and his lover Russ?"
"Of course I would, I'd love to take them both in and support them but I've got no money, and not much chance of making any at the moment."
"What would you do if you got your old job back?"
"Not likely and it wouldn't make me rich enough to see two teenagers through college."
"Ok, change tack. Do you know Madeline Smith?"
"Yes, she is in the same class as the three boys we have been talking about."
"Correct and she started a petition to have you reinstated. All the kids know you are gay and that Ripley is your lover, they also know about Brewster and Russ as well. Every girl in the school has signed it without exception and about 75% of the boys. They are now talking strike action because the head won't take them seriously."
Tony was stunned, "That's ridiculous, Ripley would have told me."
"No Tony, he has been sworn to secrecy . No one wants you to know until you are invited back, and I think it will happen, with consequences that will reverberate around the country. My paper will offer you £100,000 if you give us an exclusive and you make sure your three boys say nothing to anyone else as well unless it's choreographed by us."
"This is preposterous Peter, it would be like opening Pandora's box for every deviate in the teaching world."
"No it won't. I have already seen a draft regulation that could well reach the School's Minister that would protect the young kids, the same as at present, but allow legal age kids, under very tight circumstances to have a lover who is one of their teachers."
"Sorry Peter, I don't think that can happen."
"Ok, but we'll still give you a hundred grand if you'll sign an exclusive."
"No problem, for that kind of money I'd sell everything I have, except my love for Ripley."
"You'll have it tomorrow buddy. I'll be back with a recording and camera crew and check for the money. You'd better make sure your boys know what's going down."
Tony was reeling by the time Peter left.
When Ripley came in he knew something was wrong, Tony was stood in the middle of the lounge, arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face, (that was difficult considering how proud he was of his lover).
"So, when were you going to tell me what you and your fellow anarchist are playing at?"
Ripley didn't flinch.
"Tomorrow actually, we are going on strike. I doubt there will be thirty kids in school. There is going to be trouble with Brewster and Russ. They are coming straight round here and don't know if they will dare go home afterwards. Madeline will be on local TV for the midday news telling the whole area why we are striking. By bedtime tomorrow you'll be famous, or infamous depending on your outlook."
Tony sat down with a thud.
"Oh my God, you kids don't know what you've done. This is going to turn into a three ring circus overnight."
Ripley looked sullen.
"We don't care, we just want you back in school."
Tony grabbed him and pulled him into his lap.
"My darling wonderful Baby. How could I not love you for the remainder of my life. I think you kids are mad, but I have to admire you all for trying."
"Do you mean that Tony? Really mean it, you aren't just saying it?"
"No Baby, I'm honoured that you all think so highly of me and more importantly that the whole school is behind you three gay boys."
"Oh it's better than that, there is a new LGBT society at the school, several other gay guys have come out, and four lesbians. They have voted you life president and at the moment Madi is chairperson, even though she says she's not gay. 'I am bitterly disappointed that the three sexiest boys in the school are gay, but I can live in hope of getting into one of your pants,' was what she said."
He giggled and Tony made it worse by tickling him.
"Let`s get serious Baby. I shall have to get out of here, it's going to be a madhouse. There will be press and TV surrounding this place, it will be like a siege."
"Oh no Tony, you can't go, I love you so much. This is all for you."
"I know Baby but it's not fair to your parents."
When Tom came in with Ann, Tony laid it all out for him.
"I have to go Tom, this is going to get seriously complicated, and may well get nasty. A lot of people are going to want my blood."
Tom looked at Ann, who looked uncomfortable.
"I'm not going to be popular with Annie, Tony, but you're staying. You're my son now and I'll not walk away from you. We'll weather the storm as a family no matter what."
Tony couldn't believe what he was hearing, but it still brought the tears to his eyes.
"I love you Mum and Dad, but I can't let you put yourself through this, I sign an exclusive contract for my story tomorrow, I sha'n't be short of money then so I won't starve."
"You'll do as you're told," Tom said, looking very belligerent, "You may be a big man in school, but in the wide world you're still a boy in my book and you'll need some adult guidance over the coming months and that's what I intend doing."
No argument would move him so Tony said he would take his car and hide it, that might fool some of the people some of the time.
The next morning was the calm before the storm. Peter turned up with his crew and did an interview with Tony and the three boys after Tony had told them about the contract. None of them wanted any of the money, they just wanted to be allowed to be normal boys in love. The interviews, singly and jointly took several hours, but by lunch time the reporting crews were gone. Tony had slipped out to the bank to deposit his check. He didn't know what was going to happen so he wanted money in the bank to ease things along if needed.
The midday news awoke most parents in the area to the fact that the most prestigious school had only 23 pupils in attendance with hundreds more picketing it with placards demanding the re-instatement of a teacher who it was reported had been sacked for gross professional misconduct. Channel 7 midday news announced that an in depth interview with the teacher and the three students at the centre of the storm would be shown on this channel at 8 o clock. By tea time, every TV channel in the country had crews in the area and reporters from all the major papers the same. No hotel in the near area had a spare bedroom and one hotel manager was heard to say.
"My God, hooray for queers."
Parents descended on the school to collect their children and were stunned when they were rebuffed and told, "I'm sorry Mum, (or Dad), I'm not leaving until going home time."
Those same parents sat in cars, or moved to other cars to discuss the situation. Press and TV reporters questioned them. Most gave guarded answers, not sure of what was really happening. A few liberal parents were happy just to say they were proud of their kids for standing up for what they thought was right, even if the parents didn't know what the hell was happening. By nine o clock that night there weren't many people in the country who didn't have some idea what it was all about. The summary was simple. A gay teacher had been sacked for having an affair with one of his students, two other students who were lovers had got involved, no legal action could be taken because all the students were of legal age. Now the students en masse had struck to have the teacher re-instated because, in the words of the girl leading the student protest, "He is simply the best teacher we have ever had, and the three boys involved are three of the nicest guys in the school. They all deserve to be allowed to lead their lives like heterosexual people. This is pure discrimination and we aren't going to allow it."
That was the tone that persisted for the next week. The school closed its doors and everyone held their collective breath. Beginning of the second week and the school board was shaken rigid. The protest had moved to the Town Hall and been swelled by parents demanding the same as their kids. The suggestion was that Tony was not a predator. He wasn't going to be seducing every boy in the school, but he was going to get all his classes through their exams with high grades. That's what parents that had made sacrifices to get their children into a good school expected.
No one was prepared to compromise until the third week when the protesting school children were joined by a general student strike. It had never happened in schools history, and in the middle of the week, one million parents and children descended on Downing Street demanding the resignation of the government for their mishandling of the affair.
On the Friday of the third week, the Schools Minster announced that Mr. Tony Forrester would be re-instated in his school and an enquiry would be set up to discover the history of the case and make recommendations.
A quiet weekend followed and on the Monday, Tony slid quietly into school and continued where he had left off after thanking each of his classes. He received a standing ovation at the beginning of each class, and had to take some good natured ribbing from boys wondering if he could find a place in his diary to make love to them, and from girls asking for the opportunity to go to bed with him to turn him straight again. Of course it was all a bit silly, but they were as pleased to see him as he was to be back teaching them.