It Takes Two | ✓

Chapter 15

The short drive home took place in silence, but when Trist parked in front of the house he didn't get out of the car. There was a wrinkle in his brow and his lips were pursed in thought, so Gabe just sat and gave him a moment.

"I think..." Trist said after a couple of minutes of silence. "I think I'm going to come out to everyone."

"That's great. I think that's a good idea."

He looked over and met Gabe's gaze for a second and then looked away again. "Do you want to be a part of this, or...?"

"If they happen to think I'm straight, I very much want to disillusion them of that notion."

Trist took a deep breath in and let it out again. "Great. Okay. Let's go."

They walked up the garden path and Trist unlocked the front door, then he took hold of Gabe's hand and gave him a questioning look. Gabe smiled and nodded and squeezed his hand.

They rounded the corner into the living room and Alice and the girls were sitting on the couches, already looking in their direction.

Trist stared back at them, stony faced and serious, Gabe's hand clasped firmly in his. "I'm gay."

There was a beat of stunned silence, and then Trist let go of Gabe's hand, walked away, and disappeared down the hallway. Gabe heard the door to their room shut a couple of seconds later.

Gabe turned back to everyone else. "Well. I'm not sure what I expected, honestly."

"Is that why he's been such a dick to you?" Sophie asked. "God, that poor, stupid, ass of a baby. I want to march down that hall and give him a hug, but I don't think he'd appreciate it."

"Would you like a hug, Gabe?" Alice asked, opening her arms to him. "I hope Trist didn't think we might reject him for this. I hope you didn't think that."

Gabe sat down next to her and let her wrap her arm around him and pull him in against her side. It was weird, but kind of nice. "He didn't think you'd react badly, he just didn't want to have that conversation. Which I guess is why, in the end, he still avoided it."

"I sort of knew," Bee admitted. "He used to take me to the hospital a lot when I got sick and there was this young male doctor and he always got so shy around him. But it obviously wasn't something he was ready to talk about so I didn't push."

Sophie shuffled closer and leant her head against Gabe's shoulder. "So, are you two like... dating now?"

"Oh, well, I don't know about that. We didn't really talk about it. I just told him I was gay, which honestly I'd figured he already knew but apparently not, and then he told me he was too and that's why he'd been so weird." And then they'd made out a little bit, but they didn't need the details on that part.

Alice kissed the top of his head, which again, kind of weird but actually also nice? "Thank you for not giving up on him, Gabe. I think he needed this."

"Yeah, no problem." Gabe gently pulled away. "I should go check on him. Make sure he's okay."

"Tell him I'm proud of him and that I love him, okay?" Alice said. "Tell him we all love him and we're so proud of him for being true to himself."

Gabe nodded and stood. "Will do."

"Gabe," she said as he headed towards the hallway. "We're proud of you and we love you, too."

Gabe hesitated in the doorway, unsure how to respond to that. "Thanks."

Yep, that would do. He headed down the hallway towards their room.