Turn To You

Turn To You: Chapter Seven

Glenn leaned in to pat me on the back. He was snickering a little, but it was nervous laughter more than anything. Once I managed to finish the process of chewing, I gestured toward the living room for them to sit.

My mom was still sitting at the table and her eyes widened when she saw who it was. I was afraid she was going to yell and kick them out, but instead, she just went back to watching the movie.

"Um, is it okay that we're here?" Glenn said. He wasn't loud but my mom heard him anyway.

"It's fine, boys. Why don't you take them to your room, Betsy? I'll clean up here."

"Don't worry about it," I told her. "I'll wash the dishes later."

"It's not much," she said. "I'm sure your friends need you more than the dishes do right now."

I sighed and gestured to Glenn and Ben to join me in my bedroom. I grabbed a soda from the fridge, along with the remainder of my fries. In my room, they sat on the rug against the bed-frame and I sat against the wall with my legs crossed beneath me. It took several moments of uncomfortable silence for any of us to speak.

"First," Glenn said, finally, "I feel like I have about a thousand things to apologize for. You have to know that the band practice without you was purely with good intentions on all our parts, but you're justified in being upset. We didn't have the right to take that decision away from you. You can decide when you are able to play and I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I said. "I was quick to react and after a few days thinking, I realized that I may not have been ready to be doing gigs so soon. You were just looking out for me."

"Well there won't be any more practices without you," he said. "At least not if I have anything to do with it."

I nodded and gave him a small smile.

"And then, I never showed up in school and you were probably worried. I should have given you a heads up."

"Part of that is my own fault, too," I said, shrugging. "If I'd talked to you this weekend - if I'd been open to it - I might have known something about what was going on."

"You only shut me out because I shut you out. I'm so sorry."

"All is forgiven," I told him. "Stop apologizing."

"I didn't tell you about Ben, either." They looked at each other and then back at me.

"That one I'm gonna have to hold you accountable for. I was completely shocked! You hid that one so well and I gotta admit, I'm baffled as to why you would. From me, at least."

"Honestly, Betsy, it was probably stupid and maybe overprotective. But I didn't want to make you have to watch Ben and I together when you and Callie's breakup was just so raw."

"Plus," said Ben, speaking for the first time since they got here, "I was actually a little afraid that if anyone at school saw Glenn and I together, they would know immediately. And my parents are strict Mormons. They would...well, they would disown me."

I sat there a moment and absorbed this information. I was worried that this was what would happen with my mom, too, but unlike Ben, I didn't think it would be irreparable. Then it dawned on me - his parents had found out.

"Did you say your parents - I mean, have they? Disowned you?" I sat there awestruck.

"They kicked me out. I guess it's the same thing. It was either get out or get help. They were completely disgusted with me. I felt...pretty ashamed. It's what they wanted me to feel. But I am not going to feel it forever." Glenn reached over and took his hand, patting it a little.