Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:46:44 -0500 From: Aaron Saxon Subject: My Worst Day - Chapter 4; gay male/young friends Sorry everybody that its taken me so long to get back to this story. I've been busy keeping up with another one and since I haven't had anyone email me about this one, I wasn't sure that I should even continue with it. Anyway, I finally decided to get back to it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My father was understandably upset that I wasn't at Brian's house and he was pissed at Michael for being the reason I ran away. Our father wouldn't even look at Michael as he was frantically trying to figure out what to do. Just then, the doorbell rang. It was Brian. He offered his assistance to my parents. I had no way of knowing if my parents would take the news the same way Michael had, so I figured that leaving would spare them the embarrassment of having a gay son. A fag for a son, I thought. I awoke to a lot of noise outside. I had no idea what time it was and my stomach was growling. Not having any money to my name, I didn't know what I was going to do. I figured I would gather my duffel bag up and continue on my way. Little did I know that my parents got in their car and started driving around town and Brian got on his bike and told his parents he was going to help my parents search for me. My parents told Michael to go back to school because he wasn't welcome if he couldn't accept his brother. He had never experienced anything like this before. He was the one feeling rejected and hurt now, but said, "Fine! You guys don't need me, then I'll leave! You obviously love the fag more than you do me!" This time my mother didn't stop our dad from hitting Michael and yelled, "Don't be here when we get back!" Several hours later Brian found me sitting on a park bench eating a candy bar and sandwich I'd stolen because of how hungry I was. I'd never stolen a thing in my life and I hated having to. He threw his bike on the ground and ran up to me. "John, we've all been so worried about you! Why'd you run away?" I didn't want to look at him, but he turned me towards him. " Michael." I said. "Screw Michael, you're parents love you." "How could they love a fag?" "Don't ever call yourself that again, they don't care that you're gay. When I thought I'd never see you again, I realized just how much I cared about you." He kissed me on the forehead first and then pressed his lips against mine. It felt so good, so safe and warm. I didn't ever want to stop kissing Brian. "Let me call your parents and tell them I've found you." "Please don't." I begged. "I can't face them right now." "Yes you can, I'll be there with you all the way." Through sobs I said, "Okay, you're sure they don't hate me like Michael does?" "Why don't you ask them yourself when they get here?" Brian put his arm around me as he dialed my parents on his cell phone. I hadn't been trusted with one yet, but maybe this would be the catalyst for me to get one, I thought. "Hi, Mr. Summers," Brian started. "I've found John and he's ok. Yes you can speak with him." I pulled away from him mouthing no as he kept forcing the phone in my face. "Talk to your dad." I put the phone to my ear just slightly because I thought he was going to yell at me for running away. "Son," he said softly. "Are you okay? You've had your mother and I scared sick!" "I'm-I'm sa sa sorry, daddy. I said sobbing. I thought that you'd hate me like Michael does. I guess he told you?" "Yes, he did son. And your mother and I agreed, we don't care." "Yes, honey, we don't care, we just want you safe at home." I couldn't speak anymore at all the love I was receiving from my parents, so I handed the phone back to Brian. "Sorry Mr. Summers, but John is sobbing so hard he can't speak anymore." A few minutes later my parents drove up and saw Brian and I sitting on one of the park benches. My father quickly turned off the car and he and my mother jumped out of the car running towards me. I wasn't even aware of what was going on around me, when I felt arms wrapping around me. Through blurry eyes, I saw my mother's and father's faces. I tried to pull away from them because I was still scared about what would come next, but they wouldn't let me go. We just sat there like that for about 15 minutes and then arm in arm my parents led me to the car. Brian piled his bike in the back and go in next to me. As my father started up the car, I sat there with my head on Brian's shoulder. My father looked through the rear view mirror at us and smiled. A few minutes later, Brian kissed the top of my head and he saw tears well up in my father's eyes. "Mr. Summers, he asked, are you alright?" "Yea, I'm fine." My mother looked at him totally confused. I looked up at this and asked my father, "dad, what's wrong?" He pulled the car over and looked back at me. "Son, I love you very much. I always will and I want you to be happy and if Brian makes you happy, that's all I care about." "You don't hate me?' I said starting to cry again. "Yes, son and your mother feels the same way." "I do, son. I love you very much." "I have something I want to tell you son." My father began. "It's about when I was in college. I had just started at Smith College and I had this roommate named David (Myers). We had become fast friends and one night a couple of months later he told me he was gay. I wasn't sure how to react initially, but I thought, ya know, since I already knew him, why should I have a problem with this? Well, one night him and I drank a little too much and we found each other in bed together. I don't remember much of what happened. We woke up the next morning in each others arms and after the alcohol had worn off, I realized that I'd made a terrible mistake. I got up to use the bathroom and when I came back in David was sitting up with a smile on his face. I told him how I felt. He was hurt but seemed to understand. A few days later, I found his bed empty and nothing in his closet. He had left a note saying that he had left school and didn't want me to try to find him." My father was an emotional wreck at this point and my mother was shocked. But then reached out and grabbed onto him and I joined them in a warm embrace. "Barbara, I'm sorry I never told you about this, but know that I love you very much. "I know Joseph," she said. "Go sit in the back seat with John and Brian, I'll drive the rest of the way home." My mother was reeling at this revelation about my dad, but then she remembered that she'd experimented in college too. She just smiled to herself as she noticed the three of us in a hug in the back seat. As we pulled into the driveway, my mother looked at us and said, "John, we definitely have a lot to talk about, but for now, I want you and Brian to go to your room. Joseph, I want to talk to you in private," she said a little sternly. My father got worried, which I almost never saw him do. Thinking to himself, "Did I just mess up my marriage to the most wonderful woman I've ever known?" We followed my mother to the front door as she unlocked it. Brian and I ran upstairs hand in hand as my mother ushered for my father to follow her into the kitchen. "Joseph, I'm not upset with you. I'm just a little surprised is all. It's a lot to process. But I also have something I want to tell you. I experimented in college too. I want you to know that I have been nothing but happy that I met and married you. You are a wonderful man and father. I love you." Then she leaned over and kissed my father passionately. He returned the kiss with all his vigor, full of relief. "Now, let's go see our son, he needs us." Upstairs, Brian was holding me as I continued to try to get a-hold of myself, kissing my forehead and cheek in the process. Whimpering a little, I said, "Please don't ever let me go or leave me Brian." "John, I am never going to let you go and I'm never going to leave you, I promise." Brian said. My father heard this as he entered. "Are you guys alright?" I asked. My eyes were so bloodshot. "Yes honey, mom and I are fine." I jumped off the bed and ran into my father's arms. He caught me like he always does and wrapped me in his strong arms. "Aww, little man, I love you so much." "Can I have a hug too?" My mom asked. I really didn't want to let go of my father, but he nodded and I gave her a big squeeze. She said she needed to run to the store since dinner wasn't going to make itself. We all laughed at her comment as she left. Turning back to my father, I jumped back into his arms and he held me against him. After a few minutes, he motioned for Brian to come over and the three of us embraced. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Our gay youth, our gay teenagers need to be safe and secure. They are our next generation. Help them, love them and teach them. Everything will be okay as long as they can hang in there. Please, if you feel alone, seek help from somewhere. Email me. I'll talk to you. But don't end your life. It's not worth it. Life is worth living.