Zora

Chapter Eighteen

Helen closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Terrance sat on his hands as he continuously glanced from her to anything else in his room. He didn't know how she was going to react, but after he told her everything from yelling at Zora to the pills, Spencer, the beating, and then the confession, he was scared to know how she would react.

"I really don't care if you are gay," she finally stated. "I love you no matter what. I am just...so disappointed in you for calling your sister a boy."

"I know."

"Again."

"No one is more disappointed in me than I am, mom, I swear," he cried. "It's my fault she was hurt-"

"No, it was the mugger's. You say it was an accident, and I'll believe you. You've been working too hard to accept her as part of the family to throw it all away by being angry. I only hope you apologized."

"I tried," he sighed. "But she wouldn't listen. She ran out, and then all of the other stuff happened."

Guiding her son's head to face her, she said, "Tomorrow when she wakes up, I want you to formally apologize to her. I know she forgives you already, but she deserves an actually apology."

"I know," Terrance agreed. He threw his arms around his mom, clinging onto her. She held him back just as tight while running her hands through his hair. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," she assured and kissed the top of his head. "No matter what, I love you. You will always be my one and only son. Nothing will ever change that. I don't care if you are gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, or whatever. It will never stop me from loving you."

Terrance cried hysterically in relief as he slumped into her arms. "Thank you."

"Why were you so scared to tell me?" she gently asked.

"Because of dad," he replied and let out a shaky sigh. "When I told dad, he threatened me, and for weeks he told me that being gay was an abomination. I didn't believe him, but then he left because he couldn't handle having a gay son. I figured if I remained straight and happy, he would come back and make you happy."

"Oh, honey," Helen whimpered, her voice cracking. "Your father didn't leave because of you."

"How do you know?"

"Because I kicked him out," she calmly replied. Terrance quickly exited her arms and stared at her in confusion, shocked and hurt. "If I would have known you thought you were the cause of it, I would have told you the reason. But all those times I told you it wasn't your fault, I meant it. I'm so sorry, baby."

"Why...why did you kick him out?".

"He wasn't a good man anymore. He was nice when we first met and got married, but he slowly began to morph into your mother. Eventually I caught him with coke in the kitchen, and I couldn't take it anymore. I kicked him out. I didn't want you to grow up thinking you were going to end up like him, because I know you won't. The fact you are taking care of Zora and making sure she doesn't go down the same path makes me so, incredibly proud to know you won't end up like them. I raised a good man, and I know that will do more for you than anything your parents could have done for you," she explained. "I'm so sorry you thought it was your fault."

"Don't worry, mom," he assured. "He's gone, and he's never coming back, right?"

Helen shook her head.

With a sigh, Terrance nodded. "Then there's no point in stressing over it. Is it a bit upsetting? Yeah, but I'll get over it. I mean, isn't it better to be with people who love and accept ne instead of someone who hates me for being myself?"

Ruffling his hair, Helen agreed. "Coming out will be hard, but there is no shame in it. If you need guidance, don't be afraid to ask Zora. She came out in her own way, and I know she will want to help you with yours in whatever way you need her to."

"Thanks, mom," Terrance said as he hugged her again. The relief of coming out lifted the pressures of faking it off his shoulders, and he felt content.

^^^

Groaning as she woke up, Zora muffled her face in her pillow. An uncomfortable ache seared through her body, and she wanted nothing more than to lie down and go back to bed. But looking at the clock to see she slept for thirteen hours, she knew she had to get up instead.

Glancing down at her clothes, she stared at the pajama pants and top in confusion. She knew he fell asleep in something else, and she was worried that Terrance was the one who changed her. Quickly jumping out of bed, she ran down the stairs to find Helen and Terrance at the kitchen island eating breakfast.

"Morning, sunshine," Helen greeted with a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, ma'am," she softly replied as she walked over to the fridge.

"I hope you don't mind, dear, but after you passed out from your pills, I changed you into some pajamas," Helen nonchalantly commented.

Sighing in relief, Zora nodded to her mother with a smile. Though her grin slowly faded when she processed what she said. Her eyes flicked over to Terrance. "You told her?"

"Someone cut your arm, you have a bruise at the corner of your eye, and your clothes were covered in trash," she stated, gesturing for Zora to face her again. "He did the right thing by telling me what happened. I'd like to know why you think drugs are the answer."

"They're not drugs," she groaned, "they're Happy Pills."

"Why do you have them?"

"Bullying was really bad back in Georgia. My friend gave me these pills-"

"You told me he was a cult leader."

"A what?" Helen exclaimed.

"He was the closest thing I had to a friend in Georgia!" she defended. "And yes, I took them even though I shouldn't have. But it was the only thing that helped me make it through each day, because I needed to be numb to everyone around me. And after everything that happened yesterday, I didn't want to feel anymore. I'm not used to talking out my feelings with people, so I went back to my pills. I'm sorry."

"Zora, I have enough things to worry about. You taking pills is not one of them."

"I won't anymore. I promise," she frantically stated.

"I'll hold you up to that." Helen stood up from her seat and walked up to Zora. She placed her hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "If something is bothering you, I want you to come to me or Terrance or any of your other friends. If you take them again, there will be serious consequences."

"I understand, ma'am."

"Good," she smiled before walking to her home office.

Once the door was shut, Terrance quickly stood up, and Zora jerked her gaze over to him. "I know you didn't me to tell her, but she needs to know."

"I know," she whispered.

"And I really, really am sorry for calling you a boy yesterday."

She ducked her head and nodded. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. It was an honest mistake, but it still hurt you. I swear I did not mean to hurt your feelings or insult you. I know you are a girl and not a boy, and I didn't respect that yesterday. I am so, so sorry for hurting you that way. I promise you it was never my intention to, and I hope you can forgive me."

Zora walked around the kitchen island to hug him and hummed happily. "I forgive you."

"Thank God," he exhaled in relief as he hugged her back. "And thanks to you, I came out to mom yesterday."

Pulling back to face him, she gasped. "How did it go?"

Terrance smiled. "She accepts me."

"I knew she would."

"Yeah. I'm so glad she did." Tilting his head, he asked, "But you weren't. How were you able to do it?"