Chapter 12

Both pride and nostalgia were reflected in Emory’s voice as he spoke of each of his children, their spouses, and the grandchildren. However, there was a different quality to his voice when he talked about the son that had occupied the room with the musical memorabilia.

“This is Albert’s room. Lives in New York now.” Emory went on to tell of Albert’s accomplishments, the minor roles he had played on Broadway, and his life in The Big Apple. Emory’s tone seemed to reflect a deeper connection and identification with Albert than any of the others. Emory spoke of how proud he was that Albert had had the courage to come out to the family. “Living with a secret like this is hard.” He paused and furrowed his brow. For a moment Cam thought he was going to say more. But he didn’t.