Peanut Butter and Jelly (boyxboy)

Chapter Eleven

Even before his Uncle Linc’s house came in to view, Tyler’s whole body was shaking. By the time they pulled in front of the house, there were tiny little beads of sweat on his forehead and upper lip.

            I’m gonna puke, Tyler thought when they got out of the car.

            Cory put an arm around his shoulders. “Don’t look so worried, kiddo.”  

            “What if Mary and Tom start messing with me?”

            Ever since he heard her say she wasn’t his son anymore, Tyler hadn’t been able to think of Mary as his mom. Now, she was just the woman who gave birth to him. Deep down though, he knew if she said she was sorry and she’d accept him being gay that he could forgive her. All the nights she sat with him when he was sick, all the times she’d driven him places to see his friends, all the things she’d bought for him without asking, he could forgive her for what happened. She’d never forgive him though.

            “If anything happens, and we’re not there, come get me or Cory,” Gabriel instructed. “If we are there, stay silent and let us handle it.”

            “Okay, Dad,” Tyler said, and Gabriel smiled at him.

            Gabriel didn’t bother to knock on the door before he entered Linc’s house, but nobody seemed to care. As soon as she spotted them, Tyler’s Aunt Erica, came down the hall to hug and kiss all of them.

            “Good to see you, Ty,” Erica said. “I’ve missed you.”

            Tyler exhaled. He knew his aunt and uncle were the same kind of faithful Christians his parents were. Uncle Linc was even the youth group leader at their church. Because of that, he’d been afraid they’d react to him the same way his mom and dad did.

            “Thanks,” Tyler mumbled. “Where’s Uncle Linc?”

            “Probably getting his ear talked off by all the teenage girls from church,” Erica said and then laughed as the doorbell rang. “Anyway, you guys make yourselves at home while I get the door. I’ll catch up to you soon.”

            Tyler kept himself sandwiched between his aunt and uncle as they moved about the house. Their first stop was the family room where his grandparents were surrounded by adoring friends and members of the church. While his grandpa gave him a hearty handshake, his grandma offered him only a curt nod. Tyler was all too happy to move on to the kitchen. Though the butterflies in his stomach told him it wasn’t a good idea to eat, he was just glad to have an excuse for a quick getaway.

            “Tyler!” Rebecca cried and rushed to throw her arms around him. “I’m so glad you’re here. I thought you might not come. Come hang out back with the rest of us.”

            “I, um…” Tyler said and glanced at Gabriel.

            “Go ahead if you want,” Gabriel said.

            “Yeah, okay,” Tyler said and let his sister drag him to the back yard where a bunch of other kids were hanging out.

            His brother was among the kids gathered there. As soon as Matt spotted him, he glared daggers at him before he turned his back on them. Even without him saying anything, Tyler could hear what his brother was thinking. Why is that faggot here? It was written all over his face.

            “Maybe I should go back inside,” Tyler said.

            “Forget Matt,” Rebecca said. “Come hang with us.”