“Why did you do it?” I asked as Mom pulled onto the road.
“We wanted you and Laura to have a normal childhood. We tried, Benny. We tried to work it out. But your dad cheated and I just never felt the same. Then Lori and I got closer.”
“You couldn’t have told me that at some point? Lots of kids have divorced parents! That’s normal! What’s normal about your mom and dad both having affairs, one of whom is a person we know as an aunt?” I blasted. “What’s normal about not telling your children who you are as a person, and then continuing to lie after they’re grown up?”
“Benny, you know we love you so much,” Mom started. “We didn’t want to distract you from your goals. You were so sensitive about Dad’s new family. Your stomach stuff—”
“Because you were still lying! How would you being gay have stopped me from getting here? Huh? At least I knew Aunt Lori loved me!”
“I do love you, kiddo,” Lori chimed in.
“We could have been happy, Mom. But you spent years lyingto me, sneaking around! How do you think that feels? My own family doesn’t trust me. If you’d wanted me to keep it a secret, I would have done that for you. You didn’t have to come out to me, but you did to Laura, and it sucks that you felt like you couldn’t with me. I’m your son, and I love you. And you hid from me and weaved this scheme that just Dad was living a fulfilling life while you played the victim!” My stomach cramped. I’d be lucky if I ever shat normally again after the stress of this trip.
Mom cried in the front seat as she pulled into the parking lot. “We did the best we could, Benny.”
“For the record, the problem isn’t you two being gay. The problem is you two, and Dad, lying to me for my whole life. All this time I thought you were the hero, Mom. Turns out you and Dad were both the villains.”
I got out of the car and headed through the snow flurries into the hotel. A glance at my phone showed a message from Jessie.
Jessie Girl
Hope you’re okay. I’m here if you want to talk
* * *
A persistent knocking came from my hotel room door.
“Ay, Mike!”
Guy. I looked at the clock and realized how royally fucked I was. The team was supposed to be on the bus to the airport ten minutes ago. I threw open the door on my way to the bathroom.
“Fuck, Mike, it smells in here,” Guy said, waving his hand in front of his nose.
“I’m having an episode, dickhead,” I spat.
“No, like booze and just... stank,” he clarified. “We gotta get on the bus. We’re late.”
“I fucking know that, Stelle!”
“I’m gonna start throwing your shit in a bag.”
I grumbled some sort of thank you as I splashed my face and ran a wet hand through my hair. I looked like hell. Guy tossed my shirt, suit, and tie at me in the bathroom. Bottles clattered on the floor as he walked through them.
“Jesus, you managed to drink this much while you were having an episode? I don’t know what happened with your mom—”
“That’s right. You don’t.”
He sighed, tossing some of the bottles in the trash. Through the two mirrors, I saw him take some money out of his wallet and leave it for the maid. “You talk to Jessie?”
“What do you care?”
“I’m worried about you, man. You missed breakfast. You never miss breakfast unless you’re getting laid.” Horror crossed his face. “Were you with someone?”
“No! I wouldn’t do that to her!”
He leaned into the bathroom doorway as I got dressed. I was rushing so much I damn near zipped my cock into my pants. “But you’d yell at her when she calls you and dump her?”
“How do you—Kitty.” Great. That meant Jessie was crying on Kitty’s shoulder about me. And Kitty probably confirmed what a piece of shit I am, and I’d never have another shot at making it up to Jessie.
