Chapter 3
Ian’s POV
“Look, I know that this is hard to take in right now, but you are just going to have to get over it like I did,” Ian said to his parents. “I am gay, and there is nothing I can do about it.” Ian just had his birthday and is now eighteen.
“Why did you have to wait till your birthday to come out?” Ian’s father asked.
“Well, it just so happens that it is my birthday, and I wanted to give myself a present. I am tired of hiding it, and you can either accept it, or not. It is your choice,” Ian said, not wasting time to get to the point. Even though Ian is a great kid that never has a bad attitude, or a bad word to say to anyone, he knew that it was time to stand up for himself.
“Honey, listen.” His mother grabbed his hand in a caring manner. “There comes a time that you have to make decisions for yourself. If this is what you decide that you want, I cannot support you. I accept your decision, but I will not support it. You know that I have certain standards and beliefs, and this is not one of them that I agree with.”
Ian sat there in astonishment. He could not believe what he had just heard. This is how his mother felt, but his father did not say a word agreeing with it. He had not even looked at him yet to see his reaction to his mother’s comment. Ian feared that his parents were going to kick him out of their house.
“Denise, what are you suggesting? I hope that you do not think that we are going to subject our son, our only child, to exile?” Matthew asked.
“I am not saying that at all. But why I am saying is that while you live here, you will not bring home a boyfriend,” Ian’s mother said with a commanding voice.
“Mom,” Ian said, but was cut off quickly by his father.
“So you want him to sneak around with someone, just anyone that he sees fit?” he almost yelled. “Ian, I do not mean to disrespect you son,” he quickly said after his first comment and turned back to his wife, “but we are not about to do that to Ian. If you are wanting to push him away and us not ever see him again, you can keep talking like that, but that is not the way that it is going to be.”
Ian looked at his parents in disbelief that they were arguing over something that has not yet happened. “Dad, mom, I do not have a boyfriend. I am just letting you know that I am gay. I have thought about this for a long time and have even prepared for any outcome. I love you both and I will respect any decision that you make, but I cannot hide from the truth.”
“This is the way things are going to go.” Ian’s dad stood up with all the confidence he could muster up. “Your mother and I still love you, and that will never change. If this is what you decide that you want, we will support you. However, I also need to make one thing clear; if you decide that you want a boyfriend, you need to come and talk to us. I do not want you to just hook-up with someone. We have raised you to respect yourself and others, and that is what you will continue to do.” Matthew took his son in a warm embrace letting him know that the love that he had for his son would never change. “All I ask is that you find someone that is respectable and treats you well.”
“I love you Ian, but I will not stand for this. It is not right. You know I cannot support what I do not believe,” Ian’s mother said with sad eyes.
“Mom,” Ian said with remorse in his voice.
“Denise, what are you saying?” Matthew asked.
“I will not support this,” she said showing no chance of backing down.
“Mom?” Ian cried, not knowing what to say.
“Matthew, I know that you are a good husband and father, but I cannot support this,” Denise said without showing any fear to her husband.
“What are you suggesting?” Matthew asked.
“Right now I am telling you that you have to choose between what we believe in or his decision,” Denise said knowing that there was a decision that would have to be made.
“Are you asking me to choose between my wife and my son?” Matthew asked as he started to get angry at the turn this conversation was taking.
“I am not asking you Matthew, I am telling you,” she scorned.
“How could you possibly make me choose between the two? That is not right or fair,” Matthew yelled at Denise.
Ian stood there not believing what he had just heard. How could his mother make his father choose between them?
“I don’t think you want to know the answer to that,” Matthew retorted.
“If this is how it is going to be, I am leaving,” Ian said looking at his mother hurt that she would say such a thing.
“No you are not,” Matthew commanded to his son. “If this is the way it is going to be Denise, I am choosing Ian.”
Denise stood there in disbelief. “You are choosing this over us? We have been married for twenty years. How could you throw that away?” She asked.
“How could you throw away your son for something so small?” Matthew demanded.
“Small? He is the epitome of abomination. You know that this is a sin,” Denise yelled at her husband, for the first time.
“Don’t you dare talk about him that way. That is your son,” Matthew said with a hushed angry voice.
“Either he leaves, or I do. That is it,” Denise told Matthew without hesitation.
Matthew stood there for a moment looking at her. Ian was sitting on the couch crying uncontrollable tears. He looked at his son and walked over to him and gave him a tight hug, then turned to his wife and said, “Would you like for me to help you pack?”
Ian sat there at first worried that his dad was about to kick him out after all that had just happened. Suddenly he realized what his father just said. ‘This cannot be happening’ Ian thought to himself. “Please don’t do this. It isn’t worth it’” he pleaded with his father.
“Don’t tell me that you are not worth it. You are my son and you are worth everything,” Matthew said to his son without hesitation.
