Nathaniel

32

Nate pov

Today was the day. Today was the day I was finally going to stand up to my mum.

She'd been organising this celebration for months. Years maybe. The celebration to end all celebrations. It was my mother's goal to outdo her brothers engagement celebration with mine and I'm sure that she would.
This party was also the first time I'd meet my fiancé. I just hoped she was as against arranged marriages as I was. I didn't care who she was or what she wanted, I wasn't going to have my life dictated for me any longer.

My black button down shirt was tucked into a pair of black jeans, the sleeves rolled up to my elbows. I was supposed to be dressed formally but this was as posh as she was going to get. My mum should be pleased I even put the damn shirt on. My tattoos were showing but the only person that it would bother is my mum- and I'm in no hurry to impress her. Not today.

Me and Jacob we're currently watching tv in the living room. The bright wallpapered walls kept distracting me from the child's show that Jacob and some of the kids were watching. Not that it was hard to distract me today. I was slightly panicking at confronting my mum, but ontop of that, Aidan was upstairs refusing to let me in his room. I knew why, but it still hurt me that he wouldn't let me help him.
"Nate. Time to go. You're dad's at the door."
"Thanks Rob. I'll be there in a sec."

"Hi Nathan. You ready to go?" My fathers big build engulfed the small hallway. He was a handsome man, with his soft brown eyes and huge smile.
"Yeah, I'm ready. I've missed you dad." I hugged him. It's been months since I had last felt this close to my father.
"I've missed you too bud." We stood there, in the hall for a few moments before he spoke again.
"Your mom's not going to be happy with your choice of attire." My dad frowned at my jeans. "I don't want it to ruin the day, your mother has been organising this for years."
"I'm not changing. She's just going to have to deal with it." He sighed. At least he didn't hit me like my mother would have.

Aidan bounded down the stairs, finally able to after struggling to walk due to his casts.
"Nathan, I-" on the last step, he stopped because of the sight of me and my father.
"Are ya okay aid?" He nodded.
"It doesn't matter right now."
"You sure?" He nodded again. "Okay baby. I'll see ya later alright?" I wrapped my arms round his shoulders and kissed his forehead. "Love you."
"Love you too." He whispered.
"Nathaniel. What is this?" My dad questioned, pointing between me and Aidan.
"Dad, Don't freak out. Please... I, I'm gay. Aidan's my boyfriend."
Deafening silence. I was an even bigger disappointment to my family than I was already. "Dad. Say something. Anything. Please."
"I'm so proud of ya Nathan. You are just such a wonderful man and I love you for that. I couldn't ever hate you. I couldn't care less who you like, as long as you work hard and are kind to everyone you meet."
I wanted to cry. I did cry. I never once thought that he'd accept me for being gay. I'd hidden myself from him for years for fear of being rejected. My dad was my idol. My hero. I couldn't face losing him.
I held onto my fathers like I never had before. I don't think he realised how important he was to me.
"Come here Aidan. You're part of our family now." My dad smiled, pulling Aidan into our hug. That made me cry even more. Aidan was weeping too.
"What about mom?"
"We'll tell her after the party. No point tossing her hard work in the trash. I assume you were going to break the news at the party?"
"That I'm gay? No. Never. I planned on refusing to marry- whoever this girl is. Even if it did break everyone's hearts."

...

The hotel conference suite was decked out with 8 seater tables covered in crisp white tablecloths and huge flower centrepieces filled with carnations and roses and blossom. Adorning the walls were fairy lights along with gold and silver balloons. It's was all so girly. Not one thing in this room was for me, bar one shiny red motorcycle in the corner. I was in awe of the magical machine.
"Surprise." My mum smiled, holding my shoulder gently. "I know you we don't get on Nathaniel, but you deserve to be loved. I thought this could start to make up for all the years I messed up."
"What? Mom?"
"Seeing Lewis so upset when I kicked you out that afternoon and speaking with my brother about this,"
She indicated around the room, "helped me to realise I was wrong. I shouldn't be pushing you to be perfect. You're your own perfect. I'm just sorry I didn't realise that sooner."
"I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything. You just can't drive that thing until your like 25." She laughed. Actually laughed. I'd not seen her so carefree since we left America.
Now I felt guilty. I was about to make her regret everything she just said. She'd hate me. Even more than she had before.
"Mom... I can't do this." She looked at me confused, Lewis clutching her hand. "I can't get married to this girl. It's not fair on her, or me."
"You know it's family tradition. And Ellie is willing to marry you."
"No mom. I'm sorry you're not going ta fulfil your dream party. And I'm sorry I have to do this now. But Mom..." breathe. "I'm gay..."

She didn't react how I expected her to. She didn't slap me, throw me out, disown me. She did however, fall onto the nearest seat and sob.
"Mom?" My mother's makeup ran with her tears as she looked up to face me.
"I'm so so sorry. I made you feel like you had to hide who you are because you thought you wouldn't be good enough. That I'd kill you for it. And I couldn't have been more wrong to do that. I'm so sorry."
"You're not mad?"
"Maybe I would have been- before. But I'm trying to change. For you. I shouldn't have acted like my mother. I'm sorry." 
I was gobsmacked. I couldn't comprehend that my strict as a line mother, had finally accepted me for being me. But I couldn't forgive her. Not yet. I couldn't trust that she'd wouldn't change her mind tomorrow.
Maybe, with time, we could rebuild the bridge that had been broken so many years ago. I think I'd like that. For us to be a family again.

Authors note

Only one chapter left and an epilogue 😭😭
I'm not ready for this book to end 😭
But don't fear!
I have other books ready to start uploading more and start publishing after this. (More details to follow after the epilogue)