Mr. Lone Boy /BoyxBoy/

||Twenty-two||

My mother tried talking to me but I shook her off, batting away her advances to touch my shoulder.

"Why?" I asked.

"Nate-"

"You can't."

"You're acting like a child!"

"You can't have a baby!" I yelled.

"We thought you were too old to be jealous," my father spoke.

My face contorted in anger and disgust. "I'm not jealous."

"Then explain why you're so angry," my father said placidly, further advancing my frustration and need to break something.

I bit my tongue but to no avail, I still had to say it.

"Because I don't want you to treat them like you treated me," I blurted out.

My parents froze.

"You don't mean that," my mother said, pain laced with every word she spoke.

I almost snorted. "You treated me like I was someone else's child. Who puts work before family?"

"That was a mistake," my father said.

"How do you know it won't happen again?"

"We just do. We're adults. We've experienced more than you have, son."

"I had to learn everything all over again. By myself. When I should have had help. I learned how to cook, how to clean, how to earn money all on my own. With nobody's support," I said.

I saw my father clench his jaw. "With whose money to start you off?"

My confidence faltered.

"Nate-" my mother started, but I cut her off.

"Is it a boy?"

"We don't know yet."

Even during the argument I couldn't help but think of how much I've always wanted a brother or a sister. Growing up as the only child was tough. I didn't have cousins to hang out with, or at least my parents' company. I had play dates with stuck up kids my mother set me up with, her friends who also loved neglecting their children.

And I had Devin.

Although naturally, there were times when even Devin wasn't there. Not because he had a choice like my parents did, but because he lived a little farther from where I did. Because when we had holidays he spent them with his family. Little did he know he was my only family. I spent that time alone.

"Nate, you have to trust us on this."

"How? You abandoned me."

"We would never do that again. We promise you that was just a big mistake on our part."

I shook my head. "I need to think."

My father nodded in understanding. "Take all the time you need. Just give us a chance, that's all that matters."

I didn't know whether I could believe them or not. Could they be so heartless that they would lie?

I stood up and walked over to the door, but not before saying,"I'm gay."

My mother raised her eyebrows. "We know."

I swallowed.

"We don't care who you like or who you don't like."

"But the piano..." I trailed off, confused.

"Was another flaw on our side that we deeply regret," my father said.