The Debt

44) Earning It

"So. . . You're okay with that?" I asked Dad hesitantly, still in a little bit of shock.

He's never been outwardly homophobic or anything, outside of looking a bit thrown off by queer PDA, he's just old and a little bit set in his ways, so that's always been reason enough for me not to rock the boat by coming out.

"Well, I've known for I while, so I had time to cope."

My eyes widened to saucers.

HE WHAT?!

"You knew?!" I scoffed. I don't believe this; how long could I have been out but wasn't? "Since when?!"

"Probably around your sophomore year of high school when you would complain about how all the boys liked you, but you didn't like any of them because they were ugly and smelly. You also had that one friend you were in track with."

Holy shit, Becky from chemistry!

  "You two were always very touchy, and you talked about her like you were in love with her."

  My jaw dropped, and I let out an indignant scoff. "I did not!"

  I may have had the smallest crush on her, but I did not talk about her like I was in love with her.

  Dad broke into beautiful hearty laughter, and it made my chest warm, so I started laughing too.

  When I looked over at Eden, even she had the smallest quirk of her lips.

  Dad suddenly got a little somber. "I will admit, at first I was a little uncomfortable with it. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that you weren't gonna have the life I had seen for you in my head. With a husband and kids and a catholic wedding and whatnot."

  I couldn't help but snort. We haven't been practicing Catholics since Mom left.

  "But eventually I got over that, and remembered that you're always gonna be the beautiful, strong, and kind young woman I raised, no matter who you love."

  My heart.

  He just took it in his hands and squeezed it so tight.

  I blinked the tears out of my eyes and let out a relieved laugh. "That's about the best thing you could have said right now, Dad."

  He smiled and held my hand.

  I then explained to him that it was possible for gay couples to have kids — maybe not in the most conventional of ways, but possible — and that all hope wasn't lost.

  He seemed pretty happy about that.

~*~*~

Eden seemed significantly sexier to me on the way home than on the way there.

It probably has something the do with how she decided to try and make her wrong doings up to me.

I appreciate the gesture.

More than she'll ever know, but I can't make it that easy.

"We need to talk."

"Yes, we do, but I want to give it my full attention, so can it wait until we get home?"

There is that word again. Home.

I've found myself slipping and using it myself.

"Yes."

~*~*~

  Eden sat at her desk in her big fancy chair as I leaned against it with my arms crossed.