Adventures in an alternate dimension Book 2

Chapter 37 - The Rhythm of Acceptance

Jaxton's POV

The scent of rain clung to the air as I trudged up the porch steps, the weight of the previous night pressing heavy on my chest. My dad Edward was probably out hunting with Uncle Emmett, and Aunt Alice who knows where, flitting around causing beautiful chaos as usual. Mom was my only shot.

I pushed open the door and found her curled up on the sofa, a book abandoned in her lap as she stared out the window at the approaching storm clouds. Her brow furrowed in concentration, but it smoothed out as soon as she saw me.

"Hey, Jax," she said, her voice laced with its usual warmth. "How was Uncle Shane's?"

"It was... fine," I mumbled, tossing my backpack onto the armchair with a dull thud. Fine. That was one way to describe the awkward tension that had permeated the entire dinner. Aunt Ashlynn had been her usual bubbly self, Uncle Shane regaling us with stories of adventure and his time in the Navy, but I'd felt like a ghost at the table.

Mom set her book down and patted the spot next to her. I layed down onto the cushions with my head on her lap, the familiar scent of lavender and woodsmoke washing over me. Silence stretched between us, comfortable in the way it only ever was with her. But this time, the silence felt heavy, laden with the words I couldn't seem to form.

"You seem troubled, Jax," Mom said gently as she ran her fingers through my hair, her golden eyes searching mine. I took a deep breath, the air catching in my throat.

"There's something I need to tell you," I blurted out, the words tumbling over each other in my rush to get them out. "Something I've been wanting to tell you for a while now."

She stopped for a moment and brushed a lock of hair out of my face, her touch a silent encouragement. I looked at the ceiling, suddenly finding the bumpy texture of the white paint infinitely fascinating.

"Last night, while Uncle Shane was telling those stories, I..." I trailed off, the words sticking stubbornly in my throat.

"You what, Jax?" Mom prompted softly.

"I talked to Aunt Ashlynn and Uncle Shane," I mumbled, finally forcing the words out. "About... about not being interested in girls."

The silence that followed felt deafening. I peeked up at Mom, bracing myself for whatever reaction she might have. But her face remained unreadable, a mask of calm and an almost distant look in her golden eyes, one that both terrified and intrigued me.

"And?" she asked finally, her voice barely a whisper.

"And," I continued, my voice gaining a touch of strength, "I told them both, that I... Well, I don't think I'm attracted to girls."

The weight in my chest finally lifted, replaced by a hollowness that echoed in my ears. I blurted it all out, the fear of rejection a cold knot in my stomach. "I don't know, mom. Maybe there's something wrong with me. Maybe I'm not normal."

A tear escaped, tracing a hot path down my cheek. Just then, the front door creaked open and my other dad Sky walked in, grocery bags hung in his hands. I sighed softly in relief. He stopped short, sensing the tension in the room. His gaze flicked between me and Mom, his brow furrowing in concern.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice deep and rumbling.

Mom hesitated, then gestured for him to come closer. He did, his brow furrowing further as he took in my tear-streaked face.

"Jax needs to tell you something," Mom said, her voice quiet and thick with emotion.

I took another deep breath, stealing a glance at Dad. His face, usually so calm and with a smile, was instead etched with concern. "It's about... about who I am," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.