Challenges

Part XI

*** 2015 ***

Justin drove up to his house, and looked at the clock: 6:30. The good news: Matt's car was still sitting in the driveway. The bad news: He was late for dinner and had not called his mom to let her know he was going to be late. While he did not live there anymore, his mother still liked to keep the rules. He would probably hear about this one.

He walked into the dinning room where all were sitting around the table eating. His father looked up and motioned towards the chair that was vacant left to him. This was going to be bad, as he was not smiling.

"Hey Uncle Justin." Chris said in a cheerful voice as he saw him walk in. "We missed you. Where ya been?"

"At a friend's house." Justin ruffled Chris's hair as he sat down. "I am sorry I did not call."

"What friend?" his mother forced the words out of her mouth.

"Nate." Justin said, grabbing the bowl of mashed potatoes.

"Did you fix things?" Matt asked before his mother could say something.

"Yes." Justin grinned. "I think we are okay now."

"Good." Lori responded, looking him over. She giggled a bit. "I am hoping it went well."

"Lori!" Matt hissed at her. He could see the disheveled look Justin had, and could tell what kind of make up the two of them had. No need for his mother to notice as well.

"I don't understand what it is you see in him." Justin's mom said not seeming to notice or care. "He has found a good woman to take care of him, and you need to do the same."

Justin coughed on his drink. The whole table turned to look at Justin but Chris seemed oblivious to what was going on.

"What?" Justin's dad asked.

"Well," Justin looked at the table and swallowed hard. "There is no wedding. They have decided not to have it."

"What did you do?!" Justin's mom said, throwing her fork on the table. "You could not leave well enough alone. You had to go and stick your nose in their happiness."

"I did nothing." Justin said calmly. "Nate wanted to talk to me, and I obliged him. He wanted forgiveness for what he did, and I forgave him."

"Why should you forgive him?" His mother went on. "You two were in a relationship that was not appropriate. He left you because he found the love of a woman. You, on the other hand, had to go and ruin it." She was furious. "I always assumed it was Nate who turned you. But now I see it is you who turned him." She turned towards Lori and Matt as she let her fury explode. "I am not sure why you two allow your son to be associated with and be around such sinful behavior. If your son turns out normal it will be a miracle!"

She turned and stormed out of the dining room, leaving everyone speechless. Chris was looking around, not sure what the conversation was about.

"What does she mean normal?" He asked in only the way an innocent child would ask.

"It's okay bud." Justin answered by putting his arm around him. "You are fine."

Matt and Lori looked at each other and then at Justin, and finally at his dad. His dad was sitting there with his fork still in his hand, and some food on it. He seemed just as shocked as everyone around him. He laid his fork down, and stood up and followed his wife.

Matt looked at Justin and motioned his head to go into the living room to have a conversation. Justin got up and walked to the living room with Matt close behind.

"So what happened?" Matt said as they both took a seat on the couch. Justin looked at his hands and sighed hard.

"You were right. I should never have gone for revenge. I should never have said the things I did." Justin sighed hard. "I told her what we had done in a crude way. Unfortunately she did not know about it, claimed Nate lied, and that he could have gotten her sick, and ended it." He recounted the rest of the story, and what culminated in them making love in the shower, and then again in the bed.