Turmoil | Spruceworth 5.1 (#Wattys2018)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Holden

       I held off telling my family that Shaw and I got engaged as long as I could. I had a feeling that it wasn't going to be handled well, namely by my parents. There would be no way that they would be okay with it. Dad might, but I didn't have high hopes.

       Mom, on the other hand, I didn't have any hope for at all. She didn't care about how I felt. Shaw made me as happy as I could be, but she didn't care. All that mattered was Shaw's past, even though that was long gone.

       I was at my parents' house, helping them bake cupcakes for a fundraiser at Guinevere's preschool. Both Josh and Cleo were too busy to, so Josh asked Mom and Dad if they could do it. Then Dad asked for my help since it wasn't often Mom and Dad saw me.

       I wonder why.

       Every single time Mom saw me, she would always undermine Shaw no matter how many times I had to tell her that Shaw wasn't going to go back to the ways he was in the past.

       She wouldn't believe me. No surprise there.

       So far, Mom hadn't said a single thing about Shaw while I was helping Mom and Dad make the cupcakes. I hoped to go the whole time without her saying anything about it, but I knew it wasn't going to be long before she did.

       I just had to make sure I wouldn't say anything about Shaw so she wouldn't have an excuse to be on the subject.

       "So how is everything going at school?" Dad asked. "I haven't gotten any calls from the principal or your teachers recently, so I assume you're not close to failing."

       "I'm actually doing pretty well," I said. "Mainly thanks to Jane. She found out a lot of ways that could help me study and remember things, and because of that I haven't even been close to failing tests. I don't get high marks, but at least I don't get anywhere near fifty percent."

       "That's great," Dad said with a smile. "I've always liked that Jane."

       "Yeah, it's a shame you two didn't stay together," Mom said.

       "Really, Mom?" I asked. "I'm gay. Of course we didn't stay together."

       "It's better her than Shaw," Mom said. And there it was. That really didn't take long at all.

       "Yes, it's better to ignore my sexuality just because you don't approve of my fi--boyfriend," I said. "My boyfriend."

       I slipped up and it was clear Mom and Dad noticed it from the way they both stopped what they were doing, and Mom even dropped the icing piper in her hands. 

       "What were you going to say before you said boyfriend?" Mom asked.

       "Nothing," I said. "Why, what did you hear?"

       "Holden, don't play us right now," Mom said. "You were going to say something and you stopped. What were you going to say?"

       "Mom, I have a brain injury," I said. "I mess up words all the time. Don't take it so seriously."

       "I swear, Holden, you better not have been about to say fiance," Mom said. 

       I didn't know how to get out of this. Mom wasn't going to let it go so easily. She wasn't stupid.

       So I didn't say anything.

       And that was enough confirmation.

       "Are you serious?!" Mom asked. "Holden, you're only eighteen! You're still in high school!"