The next day, which was 2 days before Thanksgiving, I received a phone call from my mom.
I was sitting up in bed, leaning against my pillows, petting Sunshine. I was in quite a bit of pain and just wanted to relax.
Talking to my mother is certainly not relaxing.
I answered, "Hi, mom."
"Jenny, how are you feeling?" she asked me.
"Not the greatest. I'm in some pain right now," I said back to my mom.
"Do you need me to bring you anything?" she asked me.
"I'm okay, thanks."
There was a pause, and then my mom said, "So, I assume you're not coming over for Thanksgiving. I know it would be a lot on you to drive up here and sit through dinner."
"I would have liked to, but you're right, it would be too much."
"I understand. Your brother and Kristen are coming, this will be the last time we see them before the baby gets here. I know they were looking forward to seeing you."
Yeah, I'm sure Kristen was really looking forward to seeing me.
"I feel bad that I can't come, but I'll see them as soon as I can," I responded.
There was another pause.
My mom then said, "Well, if you need anything, let me know."
"I will, thanks."
"Bye, Jenny. Talk to you later," she said.
"Bye, mom," I said, and then hung up.
There wasn't much emotion in her voice as she spoke to me, and I'm sure it felt the same on her end.
If she was going to avoid the topic of my sexuality, I didn't have much of anything to say to her.
I told Riley that I wasn't going to be doing anything for Thanksgiving, and she offered for us to spend time together.
"Of course, I want to spend time with you," I said to her on the phone, "I definitely want to spend time with you more than my family."
"Come on, that's not saying a lot," Riley joked.
"I want to spend time with you more than I do with anyone," I laughed, "You're my favorite person."
"Oh, I'm honored," Riley chuckled, "Obviously, you're my favorite person as well."
On Thanksgiving morning, I received a phone call from my brother, which surprised me.
I answered, "Keith, it's good to hear from you."
"Mom just told me what happened to you and why you wouldn't be at dinner tonight," Keith said, "I wish you had called me. Jenny, are you okay?"
"I'm sorry," I said to Keith, "It's been a crazy week. I should have called. Did Mom tell you...everything?"
"She told me that you and your girlfriend got attacked," Keith said to me.
"Yes...that's exactly what happened."
"Jenny, if you think that I won't accept you....you don't have to worry about that. I know that I consider myself to be conservative, but I believe that love is love. Doesn't matter if it's between two men, two women, or a man and a woman. Kristen feels the same."
She could have fooled me.
"Thank you," I said to Keith, "That honestly means a lot to me. More than you know. Mom and Dad didn't take it very well."
YOU ARE READING
Back To You (gxg)
RomanceStill reeling over the mistakes she made at her old job, 25-year-old Jenny O'Malley is looking forward to a fresh start in her career. That is, until her co-worker at her new job winds up being her high school crush, outgoing and boisterous Riley M...