The Long and Winding Road (The Seafare Chronicles 4)

Lily chokes.

Caleb rolls his eyes. “Everyone knows that. That’s boring.”

Noah’s starting to tremble, and I think we’re almost at the point of too much. So I reach across the table and place my hand on top of his. His skin is clammy and his hands are shaking, but when I ask that he look at me, he does.

“We’ve known,” I tell him quietly. “Your dad and I have known for a long time about you, kiddo. And we’d be hypocrites if we were upset by it. The thing is, we’re not. We could never be upset with you for something like this. We don’t care if you’re gay or straight or somewhere in between. This isn’t about that. The only thing that matters to us is if you’re happy. And I can tell you right now that you don’t need to do anything like this to impress Ethan. Trust me on that one. You’ve already got him wrapped around your finger.”

“In between,” Noah manages to say, his eyes wet.

“Pardon?”

“I think I’m in between.” He coughs, clearing his throat. “Like, maybe both.”

“Okay,” I say, shrugging easily. “Bisexual, then. Or, if you’re not ready for a label or if that doesn’t feel like the right one, then that’s okay too. You do you, Noah.”

“Papa knows?” Lily asks, voice trembling.

“Yes. He does. He figured it out before I did.”

“And you’re not mad?”

I shake my head. “No. We’re not mad. Not about that. The weed thing, though. That’s another story.”

Lily laughs shakily before she punches her brother on the arm. “I told you they’d be chill about it!”

“Ow,” Noah says, and no one mentions it when he wipes his eyes. “You don’t have to hit me.”

“I do when you spent forever angsting over it. You know Daddy likes hippies.”

“That’s pretty much true,” I agree.

“And they’re married, in case you couldn’t tell.” She rolls her eyes. “They’re not going to disown you, you idiot. Now maybe you can finally ask Ethan out on a date and—”

“A date?” I say with a frown. “Now just hold on a minute. I didn’t say that.”

“Oh no,” Noah moans. “He’s going to start freaking out.”

“I’m sorry!” Lily exclaims. “I didn’t mean to say—”

“Dad, why are you making that face?” Caleb asks me. “It’s all scrunched up and stuff.”

“Now I’m never going to get to ask Ethan out,” Noah says, slumping back against the booth.

“Oh, I didn’t say that,” I manage to say. “In fact, why don’t you invite him over this afternoon. Just make sure to give me enough time to get my baseball bat out.”

“Dad!”

“Don’t tell him about the condoms that JJ bought for you to—oops.”

“Lily!”

“The what?”

Okay. Yeah. Maybe Bear will freak after all.

Coda

OTTER! OTTER! Otter!