Chapter 50

Alex swallows, straightens his back and gathers his courage. There is still something he has to ask and he knows he can't be calm if he doesn't. 'Well, here goes nothing.'

"Mom, please wait another moment with the cake." His mother halts her motions, eyeing him questioningly. "Yes, honey?"

"I need to confirm one last thing." He inhales deeply and asks his question, spurting everything out in nearly only one breath. "How do you think about me being gay? Can you accept it?"

His eyes shift towards the table, not daring to meet his parents' eyes. But he can't stop himself from peeking up. His mother looks surprised, his father pensive. He holds his breath, waiting for the judgment to be passed.

"Honey, we love you." His mother makes it sound so easy. He looks at her, urging her, wanting her to say more. His mother seeing he is not yet convinced puts on a serious expression, the one she uses for lecturing. "Alexander Johnson, we are your parents and all we want is for you to be happy. If you can achieve that by dating a man, then so be it." She adds in a gentle voice, "We love you." And Alex finally understands. Their love is unconditional, so it is also accepting.

There is only one last doubt left. In a shy voice he asks "Dad?", urging him to deny or affirm his wife's opinion. His father's eyebrows crease even further showing how deep in thought he is. He finally says: "I will be honest, I wanted for you to have the traditional happiness with a wife and child. For me that is the ultimate goal in a man's life. But I also know that my wish for you won't change anything, won't change you." Alex flinches at these words that affirm exactly what he always feared. But his father goes on. "But then I thought about my wish for you and broke it down to the basics. And it is exactly as your mother said. I want you to be happy. And if your utmost goal of happiness is spending the rest of your life with a man, so be it. It is not my concept and I sometimes might need a bit of adjusting to the idea, but that should not stop you from pursuing your happiness."

Alex is near tears as he asks, "But Dad, why did you tell me to move out after I told you I am gay?"

Now it was his father's turn to look surprised. "Wasn't that what you wanted? You needed to be free to find your own way of happiness. When you told us you are gay I knew I can't force my picture of your future on you. It just didn't fit anymore. So I had to let you go."

"But you looked so shocked!" Alex can't believe everything was just a misunderstanding.

"Yes, and I am sorry for that." Alex looks up surprised. His father, like his brother, doesn't apologize. He just doesn't. "You being gay never even occured to me. It was just nothing I ever encountered in my circle. So I was shocked. It didn't match with my picture of you or with the plans I had for you. I didn't know how to react. The result was shock. I am really sorry for hurting you with my reaction."

"Thank you, Dad. This means a lot to me." Alex is overwhelmed. He finally feels so liberated. His family accepting him is like they give him wings while all he knew is how to walk. His heart is overflowing with happiness.

"Come here, honey." His mother embraces him tightly and Alex smiles over his whole face with tears streaming down his eyes.

"Love, you look like a mess." Daniel happily exclaims, handing him a tissue, yet again forgetting not to use the endearment. But Alex' parents only look surprised and slightly embarrassed, but choose to not comment on it. They just smile when they see Alex happily taking the tissue.

"Now that everything is out in the open, are we finally ready to eat the cake?" Alex' mother asks again. And finally a collective "Yes!" follows her question.

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Afterwards, the day went by without huge incidents. Daniel just merrily watched Alex being happy about his parents accepting him. He could tell that Alex was already drunk on happiness, giddily fidgeting on his chair, stealing secret glances towards his boyfriend. Daniel is sure Alex has the same idea as him. As soon as they would return to his apartment they would affirm their love for each other. It was a huge day and they both wanted to celebrate it as a couple.

Alex' mother also made dinner and they stay until late. When Alex and Daniel start to leave, Mr. Johnson stops them. "Alexander, don't wait another three months to come back. Make your visits more frequent." It is voiced nearly like a command but Alex knows that this is his father's normal tone of voice. "Yes, Dad. I will come more frequently." And just when they start to turn their backs again, heading towards the door, Mr. Johnson adds: "You can bring that boyfriend of yours along, too." Alex smiles at his father "Thank you, Dad. That means a lot to me." He purposefully ignores the lowly mumbled words his father added ("So I can keep a better eye on him.")

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In the taxi driving back to Alex' apartment, Alex rests his head on his boyfriends shoulder. "I am so glad everything went fine. I was really afraid when they opposed you so much."

Daniel places a gentle kiss on his lover's hair, ignoring the nervous stare of the taxi driver. "It is only natural, love. They are your parents and they love you. It is only logical to reject someone with my occupation." Alex smiles sadly, recalling all the logical excuses he had made in front of himself in the short period of separation nearly three months ago.

"But thank you for sticking up for me, love. I know it took you a lot of courage.", Daniel adds.

"Not as much as you think it would. After hearing you say you love me for the first time, I couldn't let you go so easily." Alex smiles at Daniel. "And by the way: I love you, too."

Daniel looks at his boyfriend lovingly, cursing the taxi driver for being there. But Alex surprises him, when he leans up and kisses him lightly on the lips, not minding the driver's uncomfortable expression. "And I will tell you again once we are home." He gives a smile that should be forbidden, since it includes so much of promise and teasing. Daniel senses that today he would be at his lover's mercy.

"Whatever you wish, my love." But he doesn't really mind. He would always give himself to the mercy of his beloved.

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Finally, they arrive in front of the apartment. Alex climbs out of the taxi, clearly urging Daniel on to hurry up. Daniel looks at the driver apologetically. "I am sorry if we made you uncomfortable. Thank you for your service." He hands him a generous tip.

"No problem, you are not the worst ones I had. But probably the most tooth-ache inducingly adorable ones." The driver smiles at him with a exaggeratedly pained expression. "All you lovebirds, flaunting your happiness into a single guy's face.", he complains mockingly. But before Daniel can refute, he makes a shooing motion "Now of you go. If I heard right, you have something better to do right now than consoling a lonely single guy, mister." He gives Daniel a knowing smile.

"I sure hope so." Daniel rubs salt in the driver's wounds.

"You are awful!" They both laugh and the driver waves them good-bye.

Suddenly, Daniel feels someone hugging him from behind and with a clear physical reaction in his lower middle to boot. He hears Alex lovingly scolding him near his ear.

"Why do you make me wait? Come on, lets get inside."