Language of Love

Corrumpo

This was the first time he had seen it. When he proposed, the last time he saw me shirtless, I still had a cotton patch on it. I reach up and touch it. He stands up and walks over.

"We're going swimming today," He says.
"Doesn't your family know?" I ask.
"No. Lola does. I couldn't find a way to tell them without going full anti-gun on my very pro-gun family." He says. I nod.
"I won't go then," I say.
"No." He says. "We will tell them."

After lunch, we are sent up to change into bathing suits. I hadn't packed one but Lola lent me on of hers. It's a baby blue ruffled bikini. They have an indoor pool, so we didn't have to go far.

All the kids jump in along with his brother and Lola. I dip my foot in the water.

"Oh it's cold!" I say. Fitz smirks and picks me up. "What?" I say before he jumps in the pool with me still in his arms. I pop up from the water and see Fitz laughing.

"I'm going to get you back for that..." I warn.
"Will you now?" He taunts.
"Mhm." I say.

Lola swims over to us.

"The only two of my family members I can stand," She says. "I'm not even related to one of you."
"You're the only almost in-law I can stand, so I get it," I reply.
"And that's why you have to marry her." Lola says to Fitz.
"Planning on it," Fitz remarks.

I need to use the bathroom so I climb out of the pool and walk to the bathroom. Its attached to the pool area. Once I've finished, I step out of the bathroom. Albert who leans against the wall gives me a terrifying smile. I'm backed into a corner with no where to run.

"You look amazing in that bathing suit," He says.
"Thank you." I say. He reaches his hand towards my stomach but I move.
"Why are you resisting my touch, darling?" He asks me. He then actually touches me. His hand feels over my bikini top.
"Don't touch me." I say, stern. Fitz must have heard my voice because I see him climb out of the pool. Albert ignores my request and grabs my ass.
"I said don't touch me!" I say, much louder, close to yelling. Everyone else in the pool room goes silent. Albert doesn't seem to notice or care, because he reaches at the strap of my bathing suit.

"She said, don't touch her!" Fitz says. I breathe a sigh of relief. Albert now faces Fitz. Everyone watches.
"I don't care what she said. You are the one who gets to decide that, Fitzgerald. I figured since we were family you wouldn't mind sharing." He says.
"I do mind, but that is not up to me. It's her that you're touching—not me—and she already told you no," Fitz says.
"She's your property, just let me have a little fun with her," He says.
"What is this, 1870?" Lola says from the pool. Everyone gaps, Lola must have never been one to raise her voice.
"Lola! Fitz! Where's your respect?" His mother scolds.

"I don't respect perverts," Lola blurts.
"I don't respect men who touch my fiancée without her consent." Fitz adds.
"He's a creep," Says his brother's wife. Fitz's brother stares at his wife like she's insane.
"I'm leaving," Says Albert. No one says a word.

I grab a towel from the rack behind me. I toss Fitz one too.

That night, we are a silent dinner with two clear sides. Mine and Albert's. Luckily, we were leaving tomorrow.

I lay down. Fitz flops beside me. The soft bed creaks at the sudden moment. The door swings open and Fitz and I both jerk up.

"Did I interrupt something?" She asks.
"No." I say. She walks to the bed and sits on the corner.
"I'm going to tell Mom I'm gay," She whispers.
"What?" Fitz blurts. That's a bad idea, I think to myself.
"I have to. I can't keep it a secret any longer." She mutters. I watch her stand up and leave the room. I look over to Fitz.

"That's bad." He comments.
"Yeah!" I exclaim.

Fitz and I creep down the stairs to eavesdrop on the conversation. Nothing could be heard very clearly. We could tell when Lola was talking, versus when his parents were, but we had no clue what was being said. Not until the last 5 words.

"Get out of my house!" Screamed her father. I stare at Fitz and he shakes his head before running down the stairs. I follow him. She runs out of the living room. Fitz stands outside the door and catches her. She falls into his arms. I stand at the bottom of the stairs watching them. Then, his mother walks out of the room and see Lola and Fitz.
      "What are you doing? Didn't you hear? She's a queer." She questions. I roll my eyes a little at her terminology. 
      "He knows," I say, making direct eye contact.
       "A sinner! That's what she is, a sinner!" She bursts out. I tilt my head as if I'm confused.

       "I don't understand. How is that a sin?" I
ask.
       "She's gay! You can't be gay!" She exclaims.
       "Why not?"
       "Because the Bible says so!"
       "Does it?"
       "Yes!"
       "Where?"
       "You don't have to prove it to you." She says, disgusted.

       "Yes. Yes, you do. Because from my perspective it looks like you are kicking your daughter out of your house for no reason." I say. Fitz looks up from Lola, who still cries.
        "You don't have to do this." He mouths, silently, at me. I look away from him and to his mother. She uses her phone to google it.

         "Right here. Leviticus 18:22 Man shall not lay with man!" She shouts at me.
         "Do you understand who you are speaking to?" I say, snobby.
         "I'm sorry?" She snarled. Fitz gives me a confused look.

         "You are speaking to a Latin teacher, now in order to be a Latin teacher you must major in classics. Classics is the study of Ancient Latin and Greek. I speak Ancient Greek. The Bible was written in Ancient Greek, originally, Yes? Well, anyone who speaks Ancient Greek would know that the word used in that passage can be translated as man or as boy. There is little difference. However, I have been able tell the difference because I studied it for many years. The passage was translated wrong. The correct translation is: "Man shall not lay with boy." It's referring to pedophilia, not homosexuality. Which, clearly, you don't seem to have a problem with as Albert has been groping girls all week. Even if you choose to believe that my translation was false, there is absolutely nothing, not even that passage, that says anything about a woman and a woman being together. Only a man with a man. Your daughter is not a sinner, at least not in that way." I argue.

      "Damn," Autumn, who stands on the opposite side of the stairs, says. Next to her stands Fitz's brother, Dylan. He stands with his jaw dropped. Fitz smirks, almost proud. His mother exasperates and walks out of the room.

      "She's still not welcome in my house," Fitz's father says. "And neither are you." He says to me.