Brad let out a breath and started to roll his eyes but Tricia demanded for her husband to listen to me.
She gave me a small smile and I continued. “By the time I was twelve, I lost both of my parents. My dad died in a car accident when I was really young and my mother passed away from cancer. Before she died, she told me that she loved me for me and told me to be whoever I wanted to be.” I cleared my throat. “As you both know, Derrick is this amazing, bright, intelligent, charismatic, funny human being. It shouldn’t matter who he chooses to love. What should matter is that he’s happy, and that that person, whether it’s a man or a woman, brings joy to his heart and doesn’t break it.”
Tricia and Brad were both sitting together on the couch, holding hands. Tricia had tears running down her face. I was sitting across from them in a single chair. Letting out a breath, I timidly got up from my seat and started towards them. Carefully I sat down on the couch next to them.
I sucked in a breath and slowly let it out. “I love Derrick. I would never hurt him. I’m not perfect.” I shook my head. “I’m not saying I am, but I love your son and I would do anything for him.”
I peeked over towards Brad. I was curious what his reaction would be. I could see tears in his eyes.
Taking a deep breath, he said, “I love my son very much, Patrick. You have to understand that. For twenty-two years I thought he was someone he wasn’t. I have never agreed with homosexuality. To be honest, I thought it was disgusting.”
At that I looked down at my hands and started to dig under my nails. I couldn’t sit still but I couldn’t just get up and leave. I wanted to hear everything he had to say.
“But… like I said to you, I love my son. I blew up on him and it wasn’t right. That was my first reaction to what he had to say. While it wasn’t right, I can’t change it. But I can change how I act in the future.” Looking directly towards me, Brad did something I didn’t expect. He grabbed ahold of my hands and held onto them. It was sincere and filled with… love.
“Patrick, if it’s all right with you, I would like to start over.” Releasing my hands, he placed them on my lap. “I’m Brad Miles. It’s nice to meet you, Patrick Christiansen,” he said as he extended his hand towards mine.
I started to feel tears forming in my eyes. I couldn’t believe Brad’s change of heart. Meeting his hand, I said, “It’s nice to meet you, Brad,” and gave him a big smile. I started to say something when my cell phone started ringing in my pants pocket. Standing up, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and saw that Derrick was calling me. Looking down at Tricia and Brad, I said, “I’m sorry, it’s Derrick. I have to get this.”
Smiling up at me, Tricia said, “Take your time, honey.”
Giving them both a reassuring smile, I walked out into the hall and opened my phone. As I brought it to my ear, I started to become nervous. I could feel a pit in my stomach—something wasn’t right. “Hey, Derrick, what’s up?”
“Patrick, you have to come home now.”
Stuttering, I asked, “Wha—what’s the matter? Is everything all right?” I could hear him sniffling. “Derrick, please tell me!”
The phone was silent for a second. “Your grandma. Patrick, she passed away.” Sucking in a breath, he cried out, “I’m so sorry.”
I didn’t hear anything after Derrick said my grandma had passed away. Breathing heavily, I pulled the phone away from ear and let it fall. I then fell to my knees and cried. I heard footsteps running into the foyer but I don’t remember anything because my vision went blurry from my tears and then all I saw was blackness.
Chapter 9
Derrick
“I’m so sorry we have to come back early, Derr-bear.” Placing a hand over her mouth, Ash muttered, “I’m just really not feeling too good.”
Looking away from the highway for a second, I could see Ash was starting to gag. “Do you want me to pull over?”
Nodding her head, I barely pulled the car onto the side of the road before Ash was leaping out to throw up. Getting out of the driver’s side, I walked over and started to pat her on the back. “Are you okay, Ash?”
Coughing, Ash stood up and wiped the side of her mouth. “Yeah, I think I’m okay.” Waving her hand in my direction, she said, “I think it’s just the flu or something. I haven’t really been feeling good for a while now.”
Lowering my head, I asked, “Is there any chance you might be pregnant?”
Shaking her head as soon as the question left my mouth, she started to ramble. “No, I’m on birth control and everything’s okay.” Looking up at me, she gave a small smile.