The Moon That Calms Me

Part 14

On their way to Pampanga, Pluem and Chimon were in front while Drake was seated at the back. Pluem told Drake it was his turn to drive for him. They were all in high spirits after the celebration that happened in the previous night.

They were already nearing Chimon's hometown when Chimon asked them for a favor.

"Pluem, Drake, can you please drop me off at our house and then go hangout at a café for a while? I need to talk to my parents first," Chimon said.

Pluem tried to catch Drake's eyes thru the rearview mirror and slowly said, "Sure."

Drake was more straightforward, "Are you gonna come out to them now?"

Chimon and Pluem were both quiet for a while. Pluem tried to act busy while driving while waiting for Chimon to respond.

"Yep. I think it's time," Chimon responded.

Pluem slowly grabbed Chimon's hands. "You sure you want to do that alone?"

"Yeah," Chimon answered.

"No matter what happens, just call us okay?" Drake chipped in.

Pluem was about to agree when his phone rang.

Pluem: Can you please answer it for me?

Chimon took the phone from Pluem's pocket and looked at the screen.

Chimon: It's Tommy.

It took Pluem a few seconds to respond but he casually shrugged his shoulders.

Pluem: Ok. Please put him on speaker mode.

Chimon did what he was told.

Tommy: Hello Pluem.

Pluem: Hey.

Tommy: My grandparents are asking about you. They said they wanted to see you again. It's been a long time since we came here.

Pluem: Aww. Please tell them I apologize. I really can't go there this time.

Tommy: Yeah, I told them you had other things to do. They even teased me. Said I should've invited you to California with me last year so we could have gotten married there.

Pluem saw Chimon instantly looking outside the window, as if hearing nothing.

Pluem: Uh, Tommy I'm driving right now. Can we talk again some other time?

Tommy: There you go again. Being cold and aloof. You know that's why I fell in love with you, right? You were cold to everyone except to me and your family.

Now even Drake was awkwardly staring outside the window. Pluem could smell the tension in the air.

Pluem: Sorry, Tommy I really have to go.

Tommy: Ok ok. Make it up to me soon, ok? Bye.

Pluem: Bye.

A long awkward silence followed so Chimon took it upon himself to break the ice.

Chimon: You had plans to get married?

Pluem: Babe, please. Can we not talk about him? He's just being his chatty self. We were too young to think about marriage. Forget him, ok?

Chimon: Ok.

---

With his parents sitting at their living room, Chimon nervously closed the door. He has never told his parents about him being gay but it was something that never came up in their conversations in the past anyway. It's not like he lied about it. He knew that both his parents already know he's not straight but he decided that it would be best to come out to them first before he can properly introduce Pluem.