WHEN YOU LOVE

COYOTE UGLY

Dylan didn't hold his cheek. He just shook his head and smiled, making his mother want to strike him again. Camille would have done it if Lee hadn't held her hand.

"Let go of me, Lee. I said let go."

Lee did as asked. Camille lowered her hand. Janet was about to take her into her arms, but Camille stepped towards the door, only to be blocked by Lee.

"No, Camille, not today. None of us are going to flee."

Camille looked up at him, "this is what you wanted, didn't you? ㅡYou win, Lee, you have your son, and I'm the villain you've always desired. The evil and selfless lesbian mother of the story, that's what you wanted, right? It's always so comforting for you heterosexuals to paint us that way. "

It was the worse scenario for Camille, who hated showing anything that would discredit the image she had spent years building. A true people pleaser, Camille congratulated herself on being appreciated by all. It was one of the reasons that influenced her coming out.

What would people think or say?

Her image began to crack while she struggled to leave the closet, and it hadn't stopped since. Finally, Dylan, her beloved son, saw her without artifice. The woman felt naked and hurt beyond belief, not by his words but by his voided stare.

"Let me leave, Lee. We're not welcome here."

"Is this what it comes down to for you? ㅡ A stupid plot to make LGBTQ2, and I don't know how many pluses look bad. I could turn it around and say it's your ploy to make you seem the victim of a fictive prejudice and that it's you attempting to depict me as the enemy to all vaginas. ㅡNo, come on, do you seriously think this conversation is about us? Are you sincerely returning the conversation to yourself in a time like this?" Lee paused and reflected briefly, "ㅡLove is truly blind. I never doubted your intelligence one second, but you're a dunce. ㅡIt took me twelve years, but I think I dodged a fatal bullet. We need to talk about Dylan; he's the one who needs empathy and understanding right now."

"I'm leaving," Dylan said.

"No, you're stayingㅡwe're all staying here," Lee said as his stare shifted around the room, "do you really think you can upright insult your mother, smoke, drink, and get away with it? ㅡI'm telling you in front of all these pair of eyes; you're going to see a therapist; otherwise, I'll have you arrested myself, so help me, God."

Lee knew Dylan didn't see the harm he did to himself and how it affected those around him. How was he to make the boy understand? The father tried to assemble the words he failed to say during the drive back from Candy's, "Listen, Dylan, I'm not going to lie; I'm so fucking pissed. I swear when I got that call this morning, I could have killed you.ㅡI hate seeing you this way, I'd slap you right, left, and center myself if I were sure it would have a positive impact, but I know," Lee grabbed Dylan by the shoulders, "ㅡI know you're living a fucking hell. I know we haven't been exemplary parents in the last few years, but I want to do better. ㅡWe wanted you, Dylanㅡ," Lee glanced at Camille before returning his stare to his son, "your mom and I wanted you. And right now, I wish I could trade places with you and carry your pain. I swear, I'd fucking take it all, my boy."

No one spoke or budged. Everyone stared at Lee. This time there was no doubt; real tears in 3D and motion streamed down Lee's cheeks. Dylan's lips quivered as he tried to retain his. All Dylan managed to do was turn away his head.

"Dylan, I'm sorry," Janet said.

Lee closed his eyes, breathed, and would have yelled can't you just keep your mouth shut, but the stakes were too high for him to lose his temper then. Lee needed to stay focused on Dylan.