Touch The Sky | ✓

Fifteen

A loud banging on my door the next afternoon startles me and I put down the wooden spoon I was stirring my soup with.

Eyebrows clenched together in a frown, I cautiously make my way to the front door and look out the peep hole.

My shoulders sink in relief when I realise that it's Terry.

I pull the door open and am nearly bowled over by him as he storms into the apartment.

'What's going on?' I ask, shutting the door. 'How did you even get into the building without the buzzer? Are you okay?'

'Someone else was coming out.' His words are harsh, so unlike him.

I follow him through into the living room, where he near enough throws himself onto the couch. 'Terry, what's going on?'

He sits forward, rubbing his face with his hands, just like I often do.

I stand in the doorway with my arms crossed, waiting for him to get his words out.

'I told Mom and Dad,' he finally blurts out.

My eyes widen. This can't be good, not if he's turned up here as upset as this.

He wrings his hands repeatedly, letting out a long sigh.

I cross the room to sit next to him on the sofa. Reaching for his hands, I gently prise them apart and squeeze. 'What happened?'

Terry's eyes are swirling with hurt. 'They're really angry at me.'

Confusion settles in my chest. That doesn't sound like my parents at all, not if I know them.

'Not that I'm bisexual,' he quickly clarifies before I can even ask. 'Mom's just mad that I kept it from them for so long, you know? She says it's hurtful that they didn't know something so big about me for such a long time.'

My stomach clenches, hating that this is hurting Terry so much.

I understand that Mom might be upset that he kept her in the dark, but I'm not sure it's all that fair to be really angry with him. It's a rather personal thing.

At the same time, though, I'm not a parent. I can't say what it feels like to be in her position. I can only say what it's like to be in mine. Sure, it stings a little that he didn't feel he could tell us after all this time, but what do we know about what he's going through?

'But that was what I was afraid of, you know?' he continues desperately, pulling his hands from mine to rub them over his face again. 'I was afraid of them reacting badly, which is exactly what's happened.'

For yet another time in two days, I find myself unable to conjure up anything to say. I nearly laugh at the fact that I appear to just be unable to ever find the right words.

If only Rose were here, she'd be able to give solid advice. She's always been much better at those kinds of things than I ever have.

Eventually, I ask, 'What did they actually say?'

He scoffs a little. 'I mean, it's not like Dad actually really said anything. It was mostly Mom doing the talking.'

I cough, nudging his arm gently with mine. 'It's also not like Dad would actually be angry with you. He's not like that.'

Terry nods. 'I know. I just wish he'd spoken up, you know? Stood up for me, even just a little.'

Gently, I lean my head against his shoulder. 'Did she really rip you one?'

He adjusts himself so that his arm wraps around me. 'She just told me she couldn't believe I'd keep such a thing from her. That she was really upset and hurt. The call didn't last much longer, I couldn't really stomach it.'