IslandAffair

look at his lover. “I’m fine, Mom.”
    She smiled again, reassured. “Come out back, both of you.
Your father is sitting on the deck. Are you hungry?”
    She walked ahead of them into the house without waiting for
a reply. She would feed them whether they were hungry or not. Robin knew an
answer wasn’t required. They trailed behind her as she led the way through the
kitchen and to the back door. Robin’s father was sitting in the sun with the
newspaper. He folded it and set it aside as they approached. Pushing his
glasses up onto his thick salt-and-pepper hair, he stood to shake John’s hand.
Shrewd eyes measuring up his boyfriend with a glance.
    Robin watched his father as he and John made small talk.
Studying the face that was so like his own, he wondered if he would soon see
disdain there. His hands shook and he folded them together to disguise it. His
mom emerged with a tray of lemonade and cookies and he took a sip of the icy
beverage to try to ease his dry throat. When they were all seated, he took a
deep breath to steel himself and interrupted.
    “Mom, Dad. I have something I need to talk to you about.”
His voice shook and he felt John press his knee against his in a silent show of
support. His mom’s eyes became anxious again while his dad just watched him,
expressionless.
    “I…” He closed his eyes, feeling the sun warm on his face and
his lover’s quiet strength beside him. Opening his eyes, he cleared his throat
and tried again. “I’m gay.”
    His mother gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.
“Oh, Robin!” Tears sprung into her eyes and she stood, walking quickly into the
house. Robin watched her go, feeling tears prick his own eyes. Her departure
caused an almost physical ache. He turned to his father and looked into eyes
that matched his own, fearing what he would see. But they only looked calmly
back at him.
    “Dad?”
    His father sighed. “I can’t pretend I’m happy about this,
Robin. Town like this…” He gestured vaguely. “It’s not going to be easy.”
    “And what about you?”
    “You’re my son, Robin, that’s never going to change.”
    Tears spilled free from Robin’s eyes as his father
continued. “When you were hurt they called the house to make arrangements to
get you home. The paperwork had the resort details on it. I found out then it
was a gay singles resort.” He shook his head. “I didn’t tell anyone. I
was so angry, how could my son be gay? Then you came home and I saw you
in that hospital bed, hooked up to all those machines and not even able to
breathe on your own. And I realized it didn’t matter. I just wanted you to open
your eyes. I wanted to hear you call me Dad again and laugh when you fell over
your own feet. Whether you were gay or not made no difference as long as you
were alive.” He stood and drew Robin into his arms, rocking him as Robin hugged
him tightly and wept against his chest. The strong embrace and the familiar
scent of his cologne transported him back to the times his father had held him
after childhood scrapes.
    He drew away slowly. “What about Mom?”
    His dad smiled sadly. “Give her time, Rob. She just needs to
get used to the idea.” He thumbed the tears from Robin’s face. “So, why don’t
you introduce me to John again? Properly this time.”
    Robin stepped away and took John’s hand, pulling him to his
feet. He could hardly believe he was doing this. The whole afternoon took on a
slightly surreal feeling. “Dad, this is John, my partner.”

Chapter Seven
     
    The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur for Robin. They
didn’t stay long at his parents’ house. Every minute that passed when his mom
stayed away from him was painful. They bought sandwiches for lunch and he
directed John to the lake. It was a place he loved and one that also fell into
the “before I was injured” category, as so much else in his life did, since it
was too far to walk. They sat in the grass and talked about their childhoods,
laughing at the culture differences between Britain and small-town America. He
leaned back against his lover’s chest, feeling the vibrations of his Scottish
burr rolling through it as they spoke.
    Robin still felt a little removed from everything, not yet
able to believe he had actually come out to his parents. He was still reeling
from emotions long suppressed. He tried not to think about his mother’s
reaction. All he could do was give her time as his father had asked and hope
she came