Love Without Boundaries - Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Fourteen
The next day Preston still had to call Grant, he wasn’t sure if having Grant over for dinner was a good idea. His father still hasn’t talked to him yet, and to top it off Ann Marie was going to have her boyfriend over and he didn’t know how he felt about gays.  He didn’t want to put it off any longer; he dialed Grant’s number and waited for him to answer.
“Hello my love, how are you?”
“I’m fine, I just wanted to call and invite you over for dinner tonight at my house.”
“You’re inviting me to dinner at your house, with your family who isn’t ok with you being gay?”
“Yes, plus it was my mom’s idea. If it were up to me I wouldn’t invite you.”
“Ouch, what you don’t want me to meet your family?”
“I do, but I don’t think my family is ready to meet you.”
“Well I think your mom was right to invite me. How else are we ever going to get your family to be fine ok with you being gay?”
“I know; it’s just what if they say something rude to you? Ann Marie is bringing her boyfriend, who by the way I have not met yet. I don’t know what kind of person he is or how he feels about homosexuals.”
“Hey don’t worry about it, I’m a big boy and I can take care of myself. Your mom wouldn’t have this dinner if she felt like your family would react terrible towards me. Therefore, she knows Ann Marie’s boyfriend and knows he would never say anything rude. So don’t worry about it and relax, we will get through this together.”
“You always know what to say to make me feel better.”
“That’s what a good boyfriend does, so what time should I go over?”
“Dinner is at seven, but I want you to be here a six thirty.”
“Ok I’ll see you then my love.” Preston hung up the phone and let out the sigh he had been holding. He wasn’t really looking forward to this evening. He knew that Xavier and his mom were ok with him being gay. He just didn’t know how Ann Marie or his dad would act. What is Ann Marie’s boyfriend going to do or say? So many questions were going through his head, he truly felt like this dinner wasn’t a good idea.
“Knock knock,” Ann Marie said as she walked into Preston’s room. He was surprised to see her come into his room. She hasn’t said one word to him since he came out.
“Hey Ann Marie, what can I do for you?”
“I came to apology for not supporting you. I know coming out to us couldn’t have been easy.”
“Thanks that means a lot to me, now if I could just get dad on broad everything will be great.” Ann Marie walked over to where Preston sat on the bed. She sat next to him and hugged him.
“He just needs  time; you know it can’t be easy on him either.”
“That’s what everyone always says, but why should it be easy on him? I’m the one who is gay not him, I’m the one who has to walk around with people pointing and whispering behind my back.”
She wished she could truly understand how hard it was for Preston, many people frown upon his choice. She knew that his dad was one of them that did.
“I know I don’t understand and probably never know how hard it is for you, but you have most of your family and a great boyfriend, who I hear is great; to stand behind you and be there when you need a helping hand.”
Preston let out a sigh; he knew Ann Marie was trying her best. “Your right and hey he just might come around.” Even to Preston, the last part seemed like a lie.
“So tell me about this boyfriend of yours?”
“Well his name is Grant and he is just great and he is so sweet to me. I was lucky to meet him.”
“So the story you told us about Gigi, that was really about Grant?” Preston let out a laugh; he still couldn’t believe he had used that name.
“Ha yeah it was, I’m sorry I lied to all of you. I really wanted to tell you and Zay right there and then. I just wasn’t sure how you two would have reacted.”
“Maybe a little better than we did at dinner.” Ann Marie chuckled; he knew why she was laughing. He had to admit it was somewhat funny, even if it did ruin Xavier’s proposal to Cynthia.
“Must you laugh? I feel bad for ruining Zay’s proposal, I know he forgave me but I still feel terrible about it. God Cynthia really hates me right now and not just for ruining her special moment either.”  Cynthia’s hurtful words replayed in his mind, he didn’t know how she would act tonight, and he only hoped she would keep her comments to herself.
“Did she say something to you?”
“Not to my face, I heard her and everyone else talking about me. She said some things that weren’t very nice.”
“God I really dislike her you know, I just don’t understand what Zay sees in her.”
“So I’m not the only one that feels that way then.”
“Nope and he asked her to marry him and she is going to be part of our family!”
“I have my reasons for not liking her, what are yours?”
“She is so snotty and she has changed Zay, he isn’t that same Zay we used to know. Oh and she is so controlling, things just have to go her way or it’s the end of the world.”
“I guess its true what they say, love really is blind.”
“Tell me about it, I just hope he sees that before it’s too late.”
“I hope so too.” Ann Marie got up and walked over to the door.
“By the way, you don’t have to worry about Robbie. He doesn’t have a problem with gays. He is actually the one that helped me see I was wrong for not being unsupportive.”
“Thanks Ann Marie.”
“No problem, well I’ll see you later.” Ann Marie said as she walked out of his room.          Now he really wanted to meet this Robbie person, he sounds like such a good person.
Meanwhile Robert was getting ready for Sunday mass. He was still hoping to find a way out of having dinner at Ann Marie’s house tonight. He didn’t feel like facing Preston, especially after knowing that he knew that Preston was Ann Marie’s cousin. He also didn’t want to meet Preston’s jerky boyfriend, he was worried he might say something rude. Ann Marie had mentioned that Preston’s boyfriend might not show up. So maybe it wouldn’t be so bad then. He went downstairs to wait for the rest of the family. He saw his mom and uncle were already and they were waiting for him and his sisters.
“Good morning mom, morning father.”
“Good morning mijo, did you sleep well?” his mom asked as she looked at him and saw he had bags under his eyes.
“I’m fine mom, just thinking about the things I need to get ready for school.”
“Did you already get your books?” his uncle asked.
“Yes sir, I got them already.”
“Good, are you staying at the frat house this year or do you still need the apartment?”
“I would prefer the apartment; it will give me a chance to study in peace. The frat brothers tend to get too loud sometimes.”
“Ok I’ll call them tomorrow and tell them to have it ready for you next week.”
“Thank you, sir.” Robert had to ask them if he could get out of having dinner at his grandparents house, so he can have dinner with Ann Marie’s family before it was too late.
“I was wondering if I could skip dinner with my grandparents tonight; Ann Marie has invited me to dinner at her house.”
“You know we always have dinner with my parents every Sunday, they will not be pleased with you for missing it this week.” His uncle said.
“I know sir, I tried to tell Ann Marie that, but she said it was very important I come tonight.” Robert was hoping he would tell him he couldn’t go. It would give him a chance to get out of going.
“Well I guess missing one Sunday dinner won’t be the end of the world. You have my permission to go. Now go see what is taking your sisters so long.”
“Thank you, sir.” Robert wasn’t expecting his uncle to say yes, now he didn’t have an excuse not to go. He went back upstairs and stopped at Nora’s room. He knew Rose was nowhere close to being ready, she was the reason they were always late. Of course, his uncle never said anything about it. He knocked on the door and waited for Nora to let him in. The door opened and Nora stepped out of the room.
“Hey what took you so long?” She said as she looked at her watch. She was always ready on time, she just like that Robert comes back to walk with her.
“Yeah, I had to ask uncle if I could skip Sunday dinner tonight.”
“What, you’re leaving me alone with Rose, uncle and the grandparents? What kind of big brother are you?”
“I know Nora; I tried to tell Ann Marie it wasn’t a good time for me to go over for dinner.” He hated to leave Nora and his mother alone with them.
“Just tell her you can’t make it Robert, you know what will happen if you’re not there.”
He knew exactly what was going to happen their uncle would belittle her and praise Rose about whatever useless skill she does and their grandparents would make comments about their mom as well as Nora. That was another reason Nora had low self-esteem.
“I know Nora; I just cannot show up. Do you know what they will think?”
“They will just think something came up and you couldn’t make it.”
“Nora if I don’t show up they will think the reason I didn’t want to go is because I don’t want to meet Ann Marie’s gay cousin.”
She stayed quiet; she didn’t know what to say. Now she knew he didn’t really have a choice, he had to go. “I’m sorry I didn’t know.”
“That’s ok, hey maybe you could fake being sick, that way both you and mom can stay home.” She laughed, she knew it was a long shot but worth a try.
“Yeah like uncle wouldn’t catch on to that.” Nora said
“Hey it could work.”  Robert said as he threw his arm around her and started walking down the stairs.
“Maybe, I just wish I could go with you.”
“Yeah me too,” They turned around when they heard a door slam and saw Rose coming down the stairs behind them.
“Oh look who decided to grace us with her presence.”
“Oh whatever Robert, move out of my way.” Rose pushed her way between Robert and Nora.
“You don’t have to be so rude Rose.”
“Hum yeah whatever spaz, oh by the way Vince is joining us for dinner. I just know our grandparents are going to love him.” Rose let out her evil laugh as she made her way downstairs. Rose really knew how to make someone’s life a living hell.
“I guess I’m faking sick tonight.” Nora said. It made Robert feels even worst leaving her to deal with Rose on her own.
“I’m sorry; I’ll call Ann Marie and tell her I can’t go. It’s not fair to  you to have to put up with Rose while she is flaunting Vince in your face.”
“I can’t let you do that, I just need to learn how to ignore Rose and not let her get to me. You’re not always going to be here for me.”
“Are you sure?” Robert looked at Nora, he could see in her eyes she wanted him to stay, but something else told him she needs him to stop being her crutch.
“Yes I’m sure, plus who knows something might happen tonight and I wouldn’t want to miss it.” Robert smiled at Nora, he was glad she was finally starting to look on the bright side of things.
“Ok if you’re sure, I’ll go to Ann Marie’s tonight.”
“Yes just go, and come on we are already late and you know how fathers gets when we are late.”
“Yeah I know, ok lets go.” When they got downstairs, their father was on the phone. Nora and Robert went to sit next to their mom.
“Who is uncle talking to?” Robert asked.
“Oh it’s your grandfather.” Robert and Nora looked at each other; the only time grandfather called on a Sunday was to tell them something came up and dinner cancelled.
“Well it looks like we are on our own for dinner tonight, we will go out for tonight.” Their uncle said. Robert and Nora let out a sigh of relief.
“Oh daddy, but I had invited Vince over to meet grandmother and grandfather.” Rose whined.
“Oh I know princess, but your grandfather had a last minute trip he had to take off for. Just invite him out with us tonight.”
“Ok daddy, I’ll tell him when we get out of mass.”
The way their uncle treated Rose was just wrong. They knew why she was his favorite. If they were really his children; they would be treated the same way.
“Father is it ok if I just stay here for dinner, I don’t feel like going out tonight.” Nora asked.
“I don’t think so; you spend too much time at home. You need to grow up and get out of this house more often.”
“Yes sir.”
Rose looked at Nora and had her trademark evil smirk on her face.
“Let’s go we are already running late.” Their uncle walked out the front door and the rest of them followed.