You're a Mind Fuck, Babe

Chapter 8: Mama

"It won't take long," she replies. Fuck. I just want to get out of here.

"Were you telling me the truth about how you got the marks the other day? Or is somebody abusing you?" She asks.

"If I'm late, I might not just have the marks, I might have a breathless body dumped in a ditch," I lie. If it looks like something else, maybe she won't think her son did it?

"Why do you say that?"

"The later I leave school, the better the chance that I get jumped on my way home. It's dangerous out here, you know. I live in a shitty neighborhood too. But you knew that." Maybe Gerard's right, maybe I am good at lying.

"Well, I wouldn't want you to get hurt so I'll let you go, but if you need anything, talk to Gerard. He lives near where you do. He'll help you out. I think he lives in the same building as a matter of fact because that's where I was going when I bumped into you," she offers.

"That makes me feel weird that I live that close to a teacher but never knew it," I laugh awkwardly, grabbing my bag and walking out of the classroom. She follows close behind me as we walk out of the building.

"I'm heading over to Gerard's to check on him if you want a ride home," she offers.

"Is that appropriate?" I ask, hoping she realizes that it's not.

"I don't see why not. It might be safer."

I feel obligated to take her up on her offer so I get in her car with her. I silently pray that she doesn't want to talk about anything on the way over.

"So Frank, what do you think about psychology?" She asks.

"It's interesting," I reply.

"Yeah. When I found out that's what Gerard wanted to teach, I was so proud of him. He had finally found a way to get out of the dark place he was in, he found something to give him purpose. He's qualified to teach art as well but they didn't need that here. Have you seen his art? It's beautiful," she says, going off on a little tangent.

"I've never seen his art but he talks about it a lot."

"He's proud of it, that's why. He used to bring it up a lot at Christmas and stuff. He loves it so much." I used to get annoyed when he'd talk about his art but the way his mom is talking about it right now is kinda adorable. I want to punch myself in the face for thinking that.

"So you're okay with him being gay," I blurt, remembering that he said his parents didn't want to talk to him anymore because of his sexuality.

"It took me a longtime to get used to it. I mean, I think I've always know, deep down but I kinda hoped it wasn't true. I swung by his apartment the other day to mend fences because I always felt wrong not letting him be in the family because of that. He deserves to do whatever makes him happy, even if it's a guy. My husband doesn't approve but he doesn't control me. It never felt right shunning my Gee because of it," she explains. She doesn't sound like the woman I thought she was. I thought she'd be a complete bible thumper who would lecture me about how wrong it was. Maybe she was scared of her husband or something. She sounds nice. She seems to really love Gerard.

"Wait... How did you know he was gay?" She asks. Shit.

"He said it to the class once. One of the girls asked if he had a girlfriend and he said he didn't and he probably never would want one because he liked guys," I lie. Thank god for my impulsive lying.

"I'm trying to repair my relationship with Gerard and I know that he's still walking on eggshells around me about everything. I'm gonna go have dinner with him. Do you want to come? Maybe a familiar face would make it less awkward," she offers. What the fuck is this?

"That might make it less awkward," I counter.

"Please," she pleads. What the fuck?

"What's the real reason you want me there?" I ask. She sighs.

"I'm scared to be alone with him. I don't know how to react towards him if he brings up his sexuality and maybe if there's somebody else there, it won't even ever come up in conversation," she reveals. So the truth is basically she loves her son as long as she can forget that he likes guys? That might be awkward if he ever brings a guy home for Christmas.

"One condition," I say.

"Anything," she replies.

"It has to be vegetarian appropriate food because I don't eat meat."

"Deal." A smile grows on her face as we approach the apartment complex that she thinks I live at. I follow her up the stairs to Gerard's apartment. She knocks and Gerard opens the door, revealing an oddly pale Gerard wearing nothing but a bathrobe.

"Hey, mom," he says. She moves out of the way slightly, revealing me standing behind her.

"Frank? What are you doing here?"

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