Pride

Chapter 19

Emrys hopped off his skateboard as he neared the driveway to his house before bending down to pick it up. He began to make his way down the gravel pathway and past his Abuela's rose gardens she kept nicely trimmed. Or rather made Emrys, his Abuelo, or one of his sisters keep nicely trimmed. The sun was beginning to set and he was a walking ball of anxiety. The last night before pride. The last night before he was outted to everyone officially to the entire town on his own terms. He glanced down at the pink, green and blue flag still in its wrapping in his hands. The nylon fabric untouched and just the sight of it making him nauseous.

He pulled open his front door, expecting an entire circus like every night before dinner. His two youngest sisters, Pheobe and Maria chasing one another around the house, Elana screaming at them to be quiet so she can watch her show, his Abuelo doing his daily crossword puzzle to tune out the noise, and his Abuela waving around a spatula, threatening to beat the next person who screamed and interrupted her music. Pure and utter chaos, just how he liked it. Instead, there were just light murmurs from the kitchen.

"Hola!" Emrys called, his eyebrows creasing together in slight confusion. "Estoy en casa"

"Emrys, go to your room" His Abuela called. She sounded worried... She was never worried. He hesitated for a few moments as he walked down the hallway, past his Abuela's old heels. He could take a right and go into the dining room, see what was going on. He was eighteen and technically an adult. He could make his own decisions... But he also really didn't feel like getting his ass beat with whatever his Abuela found closest to her. If he was lucky it was a dishrag or something from the laundry. If he wasn't, it was one of her shoes or cooking utensils. He had once even been beaten with the remote for "giving her a dirty look".

"Emrys? He's here?" He froze at the sound of her voice. His heart dropped to his stomach and for a moment he thought he was going to puke.

"Uh-huh. You don't get to see him. I've been taking care of the boy since he was a baby, long before you left. You can sleep on the couch tonight but you don't get to talk to him or any of the girls" His Abuela snapped back.

"He's my son, Mama. You don't get to take that away from me" His mother shot back. He couldn't move. He was a statue and he wasn't sure he was even breathing. The sound of her footsteps and her voice made his head feel fuzzy. He didn't know if he wanted to see her... He didn't know if could face her. "Emrys!"

He didn't move as the small, skinny, and frail woman appeared around the corner and quickly threw her arms around her son's neck. He hesitated a few moments before skittishly hugging her back, still afraid to move or breathe.

"Um... Hola... Mama" Emrys mumbled. She pulled away and looked him up and down with a bright smile as if she hadn't disappeared for eight years. As if she hadn't abandoned him his entire life. As if he was something more than an object she forgot about unless she could flaunt him or needed a shoulder to cry on.

"Oh my goodness, Miho... You've gotten so tall" She gushed. "You look just like your dad did when he was your age" She grinned. Emrys decided not to remind her that he was eighteen and not sixteen as her last birthday card had said. "I've missed you"

"Rosita, if you don't leave him alone I will drag you out of the house by your ear" His Abuela threatened. "He doesn't need to be dragged into your messes"

"Emrys... You want me to stay, don't you?" She carefully asked. Emrys' throat tightened. If he could stand up to Arran, maybe he could stand up to his mother... But she had more to say. "I love you so much... Please don't make me go"

He was weak. He didn't get to hear that from her... That she loved him of was proud of him. That he mattered to her... Maybe it was all a lie or a way to manipulate him. But it was working because he wanted to hear it again.