“Thanks for the heads up.”
“Yeah, see… that’s how it’s done.”
I laughed. “Bye, Barry.”
“See ya, kid.”
I looked at Aiden. “I’m hungry. Ready to go to my brother’s?”
He nodded. “Can’t wait to meet your niece and nephew.”
“You’ll love them.” Again, my cell started ringing. It was my brother. “Hey.”
“So you came out.”
“News sure travels fast.”
“Yeah, especially because of the media hounds camping outside my house for a story. I could have used a heads up, little bro.”
Apparently, I sucked at giving those. “I’m sorry. Yeah, I should have told you. It just happened. I’m not going to let that stop me from seeing you, though.”
“All right. Just know you’re going to have to fight your way through them.”
“I figured.”
I ended the call with my brother, and Aiden and I got dressed. When I got to his house, I noticed a few media trucks camped in front on the street. I sighed.
“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” Aiden worried.
“What do you mean?” I was hoping he wasn’t having second thoughts. It was too late for that.
“I hate that they’re bringing your brother into this.”
“That’s why I hate the media. But maybe if we give them what they want, they’ll leave them alone.”
Aiden nodded and when we climbed out of my rental, they were on us with flashing lights and questions. I took Aiden’s hand as I crossed the street to my brother’s home, then turned to address them.
“All right, I’ll answer just a few questions, then I would ask that you leave my brother’s home. He doesn’t know anything more than you,” I said.
“Did you brother know you were coming out?” one of them asked.
“No. He’s shocked.”
“How long have you two been together?” another asked.
“Didn’t you read the article posted?”
“Were you dating when you were with Kathy?” came another silly ass question.
“Yes. Kathy and I are still very good friends.”
“How do you think the public will feel having been deceived by you with your Kathy ruse,” a rude ass woman asked.
I looked at her. “I stopped worrying about what the public thinks about who I’m dating when I decided to come out. I got tired of hiding who I really was because I was concerned about what everyone else would think. This is me. I’m the badass motherfucking MMA Light Heavyweight Champion who’s gay and in a gay relationship with the love of my life. Take it or leave it. Now, goodnight.”
I turned with Aiden’s hand still in mine and we made our way into my brother’s home. He’d been standing by the door, waiting for us to finish our “interview”.
“Jesus, that’s a circus out there,” he said. We hugged and he hugged Aiden.
