Page 31 of Daddy's Pride
Harris taps the end of his knife against the table lightly. “Do you have a pen and some paper?”
I nod and go to get some from one of the kitchen drawers. Mum bought me a shopping list pad with an attached pen as part of a moving-in gift. All it’s done is gather dust since I moved in.
“Write down every word and phrase that sums up what you want this place to be.”
He eats while I complete the task he’s set me.
“Now underline or circle the things that are most important to you.”
I take time to consider each word carefully. Harris takes our empty plates and washes them up. When he returns to the table, I’ve circled inclusive, safe space, and friendly.
“Think of names that encapsulate those three things, Daddy,” Harris says softly.
I jot some ideas down, but most feel silly when I commit them to paper.
Harris jabs his finger beneath one of my ideas. “That’s the one, Daddy.”
I stare at what I’ve written. Open Arms. A knot of emotion forms in my throat. “All I’ve ever wanted is to be welcomed for who I am.”
“I think that’s what most queer people want—to be accepted.”
“Open Arms Activity Centre.”
“I love it, Daddy. But what matters is that you love it. Do you?”
I flip to a clean page and write the name down in block capitals. “Yes.”
Harris squeezes my hand. “Let’s figure out how to make the Open Arms Activity Centre a reality.”
* * *
We spend the afternoon discussing ideas and creating a business roadmap. Harris is animated and full of ideas, leaving my head buzzing with possibilities. I’ve gone from writing this place off to believing I might be able to turn it into something special, all because of him.
While I cook dinner, he creates ad mockups on his laptop and shows me his ideas. They all look amazing to me, but what would I know?
“I know it’s an extra expense, but you should hire a professional photographer to take pictures of the course and you. In your army gear, of course,” Harris says.
“I guess a pro will have the equipment and know-how to really show the place off.”
“Exactly. Do you want me to add it to the to-do list, Daddy?”
“Please. Do you want wine with dinner?”
“Wine? You’re spoiling me, Daddy.”
“Is that a yes, boy?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
I pop the cork on a nice bottle of red I’ve been saving for no reason other than that I don’t like drinking alone and set it aside to breathe while I finish cooking.
A few minutes later, Harris brings his laptop across. “I’ve got some logo ideas for you to look at.”
“Is designing logos part of marketing?”
“Eh, it’s more of a hobby. Nigel asked me to design the logo for his business. You’ll want to hire a pro to design something better when you can afford it, but hopefully, one of my ideas will do for now.”
While I move the stir-fry I’m making around the wok, I study the three designs on his laptop screen. The first is the outline of an assault course with a rainbow around it. Next, a silhouette figure helps another up a wall. The third is the clasped hands from the second design, with a subtle rainbow fade in the background.