And Action (Gream / DreamNotFound)

Chapter 20

George huffs as he places the last box down into the large kitchen. He had finally finished packing and moving all his stuff in. He just has to unpack and put things away... wherever it'll be.

"Do we even have space for all my things?" George mumbled at Clay who was taking off his shoes.

"I have a little storage room in the parking lot. We can move everything you don't need in the house in there," he replies.

"Okay," George nods. "Also... I think we should visit my grandma."

"Okay, I can drive you there today."

"I meant like, you meeting her as well."

"Oh," Clay says. "Does she know that you're... gay?"

"Uhhh, no," George scratches his head sheepishly. "I'll tell her then."

"Do you think she'll be supportive?" The blonde asks carefully.

George sighs. "I hope she is. I mean, I've always had a good relationship with her."

-

George has a hand on the door, hesitating to open. Clay had a hand on his back, rubbing soothingly.

"Come on," he says gently. "Everything will be fine."

He takes a breath before opening the door with a smile. "Hi, grandma."

His grandma looks up from her newspaper, smiling gently. "Hi George, I see you have brought a friend."

"Uh, yeah..." George says sheepishly as he takes a seat next to her, Clay sitting awkwardly in the chair next to him. His grandma quirks her eyebrow expectantly at him.

"Okay so uhm," George starts to say, voice a bit shaky. "I'm actually... bi? Gay? I- I don't know... but this is Clay, my... boyfriend." He averts his eyes to his laps, afraid of what his grandma would say.

"I'm happy for you," was all his grandma said.

George looks up to see a wide smile on her face. "You finally found someone to love! Finally," she huffed. "You got quite the eye, George," his grandma smirks. "You're quite handsome, aren't you Clay?"

"Uh, thanks?" Clay says embarrassed.

"So do you work?" His grandma asks.

"I do actually, I work as a-"

"Clay works part time as a programmer," George suddenly interrupts. "H-he's also majoring in computer science with me in college- that's how I met him."

They talked for an hour or so before leaving the hospital, hopping into Clay's Mercedes on the way home.

"Your grandma is quite the lady," Clay comments, eyes trained on the road.

"Yeah," George smiles fondly, staring at the window. "I love her."

"Do you love me, George?"

George turns to look at him. "Of course I do!"

"Say that you love me."

He turns away, back to staring out the window. "I can't."

"Whyyyyy?" Clay whines.

"I dunno," George mumbled.

After a few more moments of silence, he feels the car stop at a red light. They were almost back home.

"Why do you have to lie?"

"Huh?" George tilts his head confused. Had he lied to Clay about something?

"To your grandma," Clay clarifies.

"Oh," George hums. "Well, I don't want her to worry I guess. She has always wanted me to have a good life ever since my parents died. She's... not doing well in terms of her health. Worrying her will probably do her no good so I'd rather not."

"Do you mind asking you about your... parents?" Clay asks hesitantly, taking a glance at George.

George notices him looking at him. "Focus on the road Clay, I don't want to die how my parents did." He gestures his hands in a shoo-ing moving, directing Clay's eyes back onto the road. "Anyway, they died when I was in elementary school in a tragic car accident." He shrugs. "I think some truck rammed into the side of the car? I'm not one hundred percent sure actually. All I know is it was a car accident."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine," George sighs. "Ever since then, my grandma took care of me. But just when I graduated high school, she was diagnosed with her disease and had to visit the hospital often. I took a gap year to get a job and pay for her hospital expenses since insurance doesn't cover all the costs."

"But her treatment now requires her to be monitored so she has to stay in the hospital, so that's where we are."

They drove in silence. The large glass figure of the condominium reflected the setting sun. George was forced to look away from it.

"Are you ever going to tell her the truth?" Clay asks suddenly but quietly.

He sighs. "I want to, but only when my life is stable enough. I'll deal with that when it comes."