Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

begin to shake. And then he began crying… sobbing! No, wait. Was he crying or laughing?
    "Dad?"
    When his father pulled his hands away, a broad grin graced his face. His dad was laughing so hard that he was almost in hysterics. Jason stared at him, puzzled. Now Jason was the one furrowing his brows.
    "Dad!" Jason said, a tad annoyed by his father's reaction.
    "I'm sorry," he said, rising from his chair. He stepped over to Jason and placed his hand on his shoulder. "I … well, I've known that. I've known a long time. I just was talking to Laura about this last night. I've wanted to talk to you for a long time but didn't know how. She said you'd come to me when you were ready."
    "Then why were you laughing?"
    "I was so worried. I thought maybe you'd done something, committed a crime or something."
    "And that's funny?"
    "No. No son, you're right. Of course that wasn't funny, but it just was a relief, and it struck me as being comical because I immediately went from a state of worry to … "
    "So it doesn't bother you?" Jason interrupted. "You don't care that I'm gay? Your only son?"
    He shook his head. "Nope." He started laughing again. "I don't give a rat's ass!"
    "Dad! Did you take happy pills this morning? What is it with you?" Jason was now grinning himself, on the verge of catching his father's infectious laughter.
    His dad shrugged. "It's love. It's Laura. I don't know, a combination of everything. Jason, I've known a long, long time about you. Your mom, when she was so sick, we talked about this."
    "So Mom knew?" Instantly Jason's eyes flooded with tears.
    "She was concerned—not about who you are—but about how I'd deal with it. She made me promise to support and love you no matter what."
    "How could she possibly know?" Jason said, his voice cracking. "I was only fourteen. I don't think I even knew yet."
    "A mother knows," he said, and now he seemed on the verge of tears. He grabbed hold of Jason, pulling him tightly into his chest. "Son I'm so proud of you, and I love you."
    "I love you too, Dad."
    As quickly as his father had embraced him, he let go, backing up to regain his composure. "Are you gonna be all right?"
    "Yeah," Jason smiled. "I'm gonna be just great, but I have one more thing to tell you."
    Jason's dad grew serious. "You didn't also break the law, did you?"
    "Dad, stop it!" Jason laughed. "I can't believe you would think I broke the law. What'd you think I did, hack into the Pentagon?"
    "Well, if there's anyone smart enough to do it…"
    "No, I haven't done any hacking. But the friend I told you about—the one I visited in Houston."
    "Yes?"
    "He's my boyfriend."
    "I figured," his dad said. "This doesn't mean you're planning to leave me, does it?"
    "Oh no," Jason assured him. "I love my job. I have no plans to leave the company. Ever."
    "Good, and what's your young man's name?"
    Young man? Wow, this was going to be a tough one. "Dad, why don't we talk about this when you get home? I'll tell you and Laura all about him."
    "Oh, a mystery man, huh? He's not a rebel or hoodlum or something, is he?"
    "No, nothing like that. He's also a programmer."
    "Well that makes sense, if he was someone you met in college."
    "Dad… go. You're gonna miss your flight."
    His father stepped over and hugged him one more time, this time quickly, with a hard, masculine swat on his back. "I know you'll take care of everything while we're gone. I love you, son."
    "I love you too."
    ****
    Glenn stayed the first full week then flew back to Houston Sunday evening. He had meetings scheduled that he was not able to conduct via Skype. He vowed to be back Thursday. He would drive his car back and stay with Jason at least until his father returned from vacation.
    After his father's placid reaction to his big revelation, Jason felt a bit guilty that Glenn was even there. Guilty, perhaps, but he loved it all the same. It felt to him that Glenn was making a sacrifice for him, leaving his big home in Houston to come share Jason's tiny apartment, especially when it hadn't proved to be necessary.
    Jason found it odd the way his father had taken the news so well. For all those years he had feared hurting his dad. Jason had worried his dad would be disappointed, possibly even angry. His biggest fear was that he would feel as if he had failed in some way as a parent. Interestingly, his father had known—or at least suspected all along. How strange, Jason thought, that Dad would ask me all those questions about girls, wanting to know