Calming A Racing Heart

Chapter Fourteen

          After the comm was terminated Larcin heaved a great sigh of relief. Apparently, this welcoming ceremony was an important ritual in their society and Larcin hadn't been as confident in the outcome as he had suggested to Joshua. He admitted the same when Joshua questioned him about it.

          "It is pretty crucial. If a pair is not welcomed by both of their home family units they will be shunned by their entire extended family. Shunning can be devastating for a pair. No one in their family will look at them much less speak to them. We have to turn our backs on the shunned pair if we encounter them, treat them like they don't exist. Even if one family welcomes the pair and the other rejects them the welcoming family is forced to abide by the shunning."

          "What the Fuck!"  Joshua was stunned by the implications.  "That's horrible. If we don't have any control over who we are paired with, what possible reason could there be for such a drastic punishment."

          "I've never encountered a shunned pair, so I don't have any firsthand knowledge. It's extremely rare. I do know that the majority of shunnings have involved same sex pairs."

          "Oh? Another one of those unpleasant realities you've been shielding me from?" Joshua asked. He was realizing just how little he knew about these people. How different his life was going to be.

          "I tried to tell you. Why do you think it's been so hard for me to accept you? As technically advanced as we have become, this is one aspect of our society we haven't evolved past. Honestly, I didn't believe for a minute my parents would reject us like that, but the possibility was there."

          "What about Leavac's parents?"  Joshua turned to Leavac.  "If I turn out to be a relative of yours  don't they get a say in all this?"

          "No. Welcome or rejection can only come from the parents of the pair in question"  She told him.  "Since your parents have already died, Larcin and Silka's parents have the only say in this."

          "My parents wouldn't object anyway," she added. "I've often heard them speak out against the discrimination leveled against same sex pairs. They are totally opposed to it."

            "Your mom didn't seem very happy about us." Joshua turned back to Larcin.  "Couldn't she change her mind? Get your father to change his?"

          "No. Once the welcome has been given it can't be rescinded. Besides, she'll come around once she gets to know you." Larcin assured his other.

          "And the rest of society?"

          "They don't matter." Uncharacteristically, Larcin took Joshua's hand in his. It was the first time he had initiated any physical affection in front of anyone else. He could feel how uncomfortable Joshua was getting, talking about this. "We will deal with that together. Ok?"

          "Together? Are you sure?"

          Larcin so much wanted to kiss Joshua at that moment to reassure him. He wanted to see that beautiful confident man he'd seen earlier that day to reemerge. That would have to wait for a more private moment.

          "We are in this together," was Larcin's emphatic reply.

          Joshua wanted nothing more than to chase Silka and Leavac out and drag Larcin into their bedroom. Instead he bit his lower lip in an attempt to curb his rising desire. With his thumb, Joshua seductively stroked Larcin's hand that was holding his. He was rewarded with a slight blush coloring Larcin's cheeks. Innocently he kept asking questions.