Beauglanced up to see his mother standing in the kitchen doorway, her hand over hermouth, tears streaming down her face. Was she upset that he was gay? Or thathis own father was treating him this way? With his mother, he wasn’t sure hewould ever know.
Whethershe was scared of Ben, or she truly had never much cared for Beau, he justcouldn’t tell. Maybe one day he’d have the opportunity to talk to her. But fornow, it didn’t matter. She’d never stood up for him a day in his life. He knewtoday wasn’t going to be any different.
“Don’tcome back here!” Ben yelled when Beau turned back to the door. “You’re notwelcome here.”
Withone hand on the door knob, Beau turned to face his father one last time. “I’venever been welcome here.”
Andwith that, Beau opened the door, closing it gently behind him despite theturmoil roiling inside of him. When the door latched, that small clickreverberated in Beau’s head.
??
Curtishad just finished having dinner with his wife and they’d been drinking coffeeand discussing the new playground that was being built at the church when thephone rang. Without preamble, Lorrie stood from her seat and headed to thephone that was on the wall in the kitchen.
“Hello?”Lorrie greeted whoever was on the phone while Curtis sat at the kitchen table.Watching her closely, Curtis immediately noticed the way her slender shoulderstensed.
“Excuseme!”
Curtis’ears perked up at the affronted tone of his wife’s voice.
“Mr.Bennett, I don’t have to listen to this! How dare you have the audacity to callmy house and insult my family like that!”
Mr.Bennett?It took Curtis a moment to place the name, but thenhe realized exactly whom Lorrie was speaking to.
Comingup out of his chair, Curtis stalked toward her until she turned to face him,outrage written across her face. Without asking, he held out his hand, a cleargesture that he wanted the phone, and apparently she had listened to all shecared to because she handed it over without incident.
Curtisput the phone to his ear in time to hear, “Your faggot son is responsible forthis! Do you understand me? Hell, all of them are probably faggots!”
Curtiscleared his throat, his only warning. “Bennett,” he said firmly. “If you havethe nerve to call my house and insult my family, you better understand whatyou’re asking for.”
“Howdare you raise your kids like that!” Ben screamed. “Letting them destroy thistown with their sleazy hotel, allowing them to do what they want. Letting them turnmy son gay!”
Curtiswanted to laugh, but he couldn’t think through the rage that consumed him. “Ifthat’s how you think it works, then you’re even more ignorant than I originallygave you credit for. Don’t call here again, Bennett.”
“Don’tworry,” Ben screamed, his voice shaking with his rage. “And as for Beau, he’sno longer my son! You can have him. You’ve warped him enough already; it’s yourturn to deal with him.”
Curtisswallowed hard. He could take damn near anything this man had to dish out, butwhen he wanted to intentionally take out his anger and ignorance on his ownchild, Curtis had to put his foot down. “In case you haven’t noticed, Beau is agrown man. A man I’d be honored to call my son. In fact, he’s been a member ofthis family now for as long as I can remember. And if you want my honestopinion, he turned out to be a fine young man.” Curtis took a deep breath andadded, “No thanks to you.”
Notallowing Ben to say another word, Curtis placed the phone back in the cradle,and then he turned to look at his wife. Just as he suspected, she was crying. Pullingher into his arms, he held her against his chest as she sobbed silently. Theystood there for a minute or two before she pulled back to look up at him.
Wipingthe tears away with his thumbs, Curtis waited for her to speak.
“Callhim, Curtis. Call him now. Make sure he’s ok.”
Curtisnodded his head in understanding.
“Benthrew him out, told him to never come back,” she sobbed, more tears streamingdown her lovely face.
Grabbinghis cell phone, he flipped through his contacts until he found Beau’s number,which he had gotten back when Zane had been in the hospital. Pushing a button,he put the phone to his ear and listened to it ring.
“Yeah?”Beau answered, sounding oddly calm.
“Whereare you, son?” Curtis questioned, not bothering to announce himself.
“Onmy way home… uh, on my way to Ethan’s.”
Curtisgrinned. That was a true slip on Beau’s part, but Curtis was already well awareof the fact that Beau was staying at Ethan’s. He had seen his truck there dayand night.
“Youmind stopping by here on your way over there? I think Lorrie has some furnitureupstairs that she needs you to move.” Curtis lied, remembering how Lorrie hadtricked Ethan and Beau into coming to the house back at Christmas. She was everthe matchmaker that woman.
