Love.
We ate dinner chit chatting about our day and how school had been. We learned a little bit about Sarah and Dan as well.
Sarah worked as a psychiatrist with her own practice but was able to set her own hours, allowing her to be home with her growing boys and husband. Dan was a partner at a local law firm but was also given flexibility to be home with the boys as well.
Every so often during dinner Sam and Max would let their hands touch out of sight of his parents.
After they were done eating, Sarah sent the boys off to play while her and Dan talked.
"Honey," Dan began, "we have to talk about Max."
"What about Max?" Sarah asked.
"I don't like him hanging around with Sam."
"Why not? Sam seems like a nice boy."
"I'm sure he is, but it's the way they look at each other. I think Sam is making Max think he's gay." Dan said with some distaste in his voice.
"Dan, you know that isn`t how it works, you're either born gay or you're not." Sarah said. All her schooling and years of experience coming out of her. "And besides, why would it matter if Max was gay? Would you love him any less?" Sarah asked nervously.
"No, I wouldn't love him any less, but I'm not sure I could live with him being here. I'm just being honest Sarah."
"This is awfully closed minded of you Dan and it isn't like you at all. You're usually much more open minded than this." Sarah stated plainly.
"I am when it's other people, but when it's my own kid, I don't know, I feel embarrassed and dirty, like what did I do to cause it?" Dan said.
"Dan, you didn't do anything to cause it and you have nothing to feel embarrassed or dirty about. It's just how he is and he's going to need both of our acceptance and love to see him through this." Sarah said while reaching out a hand to her husbands.
"Let's call Max down here and ask him so we'll know for sure."
Dan got up from the table and went to the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he called upstairs to Max to have him come down.
Max gave Sam a quick kiss and was off down the stairs. When he entered the dining room again, he noticed there were serious looks on both of his parents faces. He thought to himself, what did he do?
"Max, please sit down." His father said kind of sternly.
Feeling a bit nervous, Max pulled out a chair and sat down gently.
"You're mother and I need to talk to you about something."
With a gulp, Max said, "Ok."
"Max, are you gay son?" Dan asked his youngest son.
Max was so nervous now but he had to answer his dad now and face the consequences.
With much hesitation, his body sweating buckets, Sam shook his head in the affirmative.
Dan got up and left the table. He went outside to the back yard to think. He was feeling disgusted, but not at his son, but at himself for reacting this way. He knew gay people and even worked with a few and they were respectable.
All Sam could do was sit there and cry. Tears began to form because he had let his father down.
Meanwhile upstairs, Sam's dad came to him and told him that Max needed him. Sam could feel his heart ache and he ran down the stairs at lightening speed. As he entered the dining room, he could see Sarah knelt by her son but that Dan was suddenly absent. He ran over to where Max was and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. Sarah released her grasp on her son knowing full well he needed Sam right then.
Just as Sarah was looking up, Cody and Josh came into the room wanting to know what was taking so long. They both saw tears in her eyes and could sobbing out of both Sam and Max. They quickly ran up to them wanting to know what happened.
She took the two boys aside to explain what had transpired.
After Sarah told them how Dan had reacted to it, Cody punched a wall which he'd never done before and Josh got a really sad look on his face. Cody was seething with anger as they re-entered the dining room.
Both Cody and Josh put a hand on Max's shoulder to show their support and after a few more minutes of crying, Max was able to compose himself a little. He wouldn't let go of Sam and Sam wasn't about to let go of Max.
A few minutes more of silence was broken when Dan re-entered the dining room and everyone glared at him. He had never seen his family or their friends look at him with such disgust before. He turned his attention to Max who was red eyed and puffy faced from crying. He wanted so badly to embrace his youngest son and apologize, but no one would let him near.
Sarah finally broke the tension by suggesting that she, Cody and Josh go to the living room and let Dan, Max and Sam have a moment to talk. With much reluctance, Cody and Josh agreed and they left, but it was just around the corner so in the first sign of trouble they could be there in an instant.
Sam decided to have Max sit in his lap with his arms wrapped around his waist. Almost instantly the contact caused Sam to bone up but it was hidden so he just smiled to himself as Max pressed his butt against it.
"I'm sorry son," Dan began, "I think I've known for a while that you were gay and I blamed myself for it because I was always working when you were younger and I didn't do enough things with you."
"Dad," Max started, "You're not to blame. I was born this way and I was gay long before I ever met Sam, the wonderful boy who sits behind me." He smiled turning his head to give his boyfriend a kiss.
"I see that now. I hope you both will be very happy together. Sam treat him well, he is my baby boy after all." Dan said, chuckling at his own remark.
"Oh I will sir, I promise you both that." Sam said kissing Max on the lips once more.
"Daddy," Max began, "You don't hate me, do you?"
"No son I don't hate you, I love you with everything in me."
With that, Sam released his grip on Max and allowed him to hop down and embrace his father.
Little did they all know that Sarah, Cody and Josh had been spying on the whole conversation.
With that out of the way, the boys returned upstairs to continue their games as Sarah and Dan finished cleaning up the dirty dishes.
To be continued...