No Strings
“No.” He shakes his head to emphasize his answer. “But I mean, he’s always been about women. He even owned strip clubs.”
“So? You’re right. Your dad isn’t gay, but that doesn’t mean he would care that you are.”
“True. I guess I just choked.”
We’re silent for a few minutes before I say what I hope he will understand. “We have to tell your dad.”
He nods. “Yeah, I know. But can you be there, please?”
“Didn’t you hear what I said?” I quirk a brow. “We have to tell your dad. I’ll be there for you every step of the way that you want me there.”
After I throw on a pair of shoes and a sweater, we go upstairs to his dad’s place. Since Brody has a key, we go right in, but Ben isn’t there. I’m not sure where he is, so I pull my phone out and dial his number. He answers on the third ring.
“Sav.” His voice fills my belly with butterflies. I’ve missed him so much. But right now, we need to focus on Brody and fixing this situation.
“Ben, I need you to come home.”
The second he walks through the door, he can tell something is wrong, and before he freaks out, I stand and walk over to him. “Stay calm,” I whisper when I hug him. He nods into my hair and hugs me back.
The three of us have a seat in the living room—Brody next to me and Ben across from us—and then Brody begins telling his dad the same story he told me. And even though I’ve already heard it, I’m almost positive my heart breaks all over again.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Benjamin
I’m going to kill him. Fucking kill him. As soon as I’ve explained to my son how much I love him and don’t give a shit if he’s gay or bi or a goddamned unicorn, I’m going to kill that motherfucker.
“You’re not going to kill him,” Savannah says calmly, making me frown. Shit, did I say that out loud? “I can see it all over your face, but you’re not going to kill him because if you do, you’ll end up in jail.”
Not wanting to lie to her—because I am most definitely going to kill him—I look at my son, so I can focus on the important part here. “I don’t care if you’re gay. I don’t care who you like, who you fuck… You’re my kid, and I’m proud of you.”
He sighs in relief. “I don’t really know.”
“And you’re fifteen. You have plenty of time to figure it out. I know I haven’t been around as much as I should’ve been, and that’s all on me, but you need to know I don’t care. If you decide you’re straight and marry a woman, great, but if you decide you’re gay and marry a guy, that’s great too. Either way, I’ll be at the wedding.”
I stand and open my arms. When he walks over, I give him a hug as tight as humanly possible, needing him to know I mean every word I say. “I love you, Brody, no matter what.”
“Love you too, Dad.”
We separate, and I catch Savannah wiping tears from her eyes.
“What now?” Brody asks.
“Now, I go kill that fucker.”
“No, Dad, please don’t,” he says. “Mom already broke up with him, and technically, he didn’t do anything except call me names and try to kiss me. I don’t want to turn this into a thing. Please.”
Fuck. Unfortunately, he’s right, and since there’s no proof of anything other than him punching Brody, there isn’t anything we can do. Thankfully, he’s here and safe, and nothing physically happened to him.
“All right, I’ll respect your wishes on it, but we have to tell your mom, and if he’s anywhere in the vicinity, I can’t guarantee I won’t lay his ass out.”
We call his mom, waking her up, and she comes right over. As Brody tells her, she cries, blaming herself for not seeing what was happening right under her roof and for him feeling he couldn’t come to her. Once he’s done, I tell her she can crash in my guest room. I’ll call a locksmith in the morning to have her locks changed and help her move his shit out of the house.
Savannah hugs Brody goodbye, telling him she loves him and is about to leave when I stop her. “We need to talk. Please.”
“I know, but not tonight.” She glances over at Brody and Paola. “Tonight, they need you.”
“Coffee and lemon pound cake, your favorite.” I hold up the cup and bag, hoping it will be the key to Savannah letting me in.
After making sure Ted and all his shit was gone from Paola’s house, I could tell Paola was completely distraught from everything and needed some time alone, so I spent the day with Brody, going to breakfast and then hanging out and playing video games, just focusing on him. When I offered to let him stay home from school, he told me he wanted to go, so I confirmed his weekly appointment with his therapist and assured him we’ll get through all of this together. Ted might be gone, but there’s no way Brody is past what happened that easily…But he’ll get there, and I’ll be there every step of the way.