Chapter 17

She held up a hand. “Let me explain before you judge me a monster. I’ve been forced to raise my three boys pretty much alone their whole lives. Even before my husband was killed he was hardly much of a father to them. I try to focus them on the positive, but the truth is my husband drank away much of the money he earned at his odd jobs. He was killed outside that bar because he and his friend were always at that bar. My point being, I’ve worked hard to be both a father and mother to those boys.”

Travis sensed when she paused that she expected some sort of acknowledgement from him, so he said, “Okay.”

She didn’t look at him, but rather at the fountain. She crossed her arms across her chest. “Being African American, Darrell automatically faced prejudice in this world. When he told me he was gay I admit I was pretty upset.”

He didn’t say anything this time, but he knew already the direction she was going. Or thought he did anyway.