Chapter 99

“C’mon, guys.” I led them to where I’d parked the Corvair and unlocked the doors. “Get in.” JR rode shotgun, while Pat took the backseat. I eased the car out of the lot and headed for home. “You want to tell me what happened?” I asked as I rolled up to a light.

“My…my father found out I—I like guys.”

I jammed on the brakes and the guy behind me leaned on his horn. “Son of a bitch,” I spat and rolled down the window with jerky motions. “Fuck you, the light’s red!” I shouted at the asshole. I rolled the window back up and looked over my shoulder at Pat. “You’re gay?”

He shrugged. “I guess you could say I’m bi, but I always preferred guys. I just knew what would happen if my father found out.”

“And he was right. Look what happened.”

“JR….” There was a warning in Pat’s voice. He didn’t want to talk about it? Well, at least Poppa had never hit me.

“Theo.” JR touched my shoulder. “The light changed.”