Chapter 4

Nate and Luke arrived into the familiar warmth of their home just to find their mother immersed in a captivating story, she catches sight of her two beloved sons, her face lights up with joy and she rushes to embrace both of them in a tight hug.

"Welcome home boys, how was work?" Emily Bryce the wife of Benjamin Bryce,She's like a shining star, radiating warmth and love with her comforting presence. Her hazel eyes sparkle with intelligence, and her long, mixed brown and black hair adds to her beauty. As a mother she is so nurturing and caring, and always there for her family. She is truly a remarkable mother and wife.

"Work was fine mom, how are you?"

"Oh I'm fine just reading a book…looking at the garden…you know doing some stuff to make myself busy."

"Really…you didn't go out or do anything interesting?" Luke said as he went to take a sit in the couch.

"No….I cancelled my plans for today, didn't feel like going anywhere."

"Oh..."

Emily turned her attention to Nate who was just starring at the floor with a dazed look. She wondered what was wrong with him he has never been this quiet before.

"Nate, honey was wrong you look stressed."

He didn't answer instead he gave her a reassuring smile then went upstairs to his room.

Emily quickly notice that something was wrong,

"That's strange…he has never acted this way before, right Lu…"

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"Lu…"

She turned around to find Luke engrossed in his phone and she looked dumbfounded so she walks up to him and hit him behind the head getting his attention

"Ouch…mom what was that for?"

"Children and their phones these days" she shook her head at she looked at Luke who had a confused look on his face

"I'm not a child I'm an ad…"

"Talk to the hand mister"

"What the…mo"

Emily makes noises as she moves her hand like a sock puppet

"Habadableh"

"But mo…"

"Habadableh"

Luke just kept quiet and sighed at the way his mother was behaving.

"Yeah…that's what I thought" Emily walked up the stairs and entered Nate's room, she needs to know what wrong .

"Nate…honey is everything okay?"

Nate turned his attention from his phone to his mother "oh…hi mom."

Emily walked up to him and sat on the bed and Nate followed at sat beside her not looking at her face.

"What's up, Nate? You know you can talk to me about anything."

"Well…" Nate paused and sighed, as though unsure if he should share what was on his mind.

Emily gave him a gentle nudge, encouraging him to speak.

"Go on…you can tell me anything."

Nate took another deep breath and finally spoke.

"Mom…I need your help."

Emily looked at her son with concern. She felt his tense energy and knew that there was something troubling him.

"Mom, I need your help."

Emily looked at her son with concern. She felt his tense energy and knew that there was something troubling him.

"What is it, sweetheart? What do you need help with?"

Nate took a deep breath and then replied, "I wanna invite my boyfriend, Jaxon, for dinner. I don't know how to tell dad about it. I'm worried he might not be cool with it. What should I do?"

Emily gave her son a comforting smile and said, "It's okay, sweetheart. I'm here for you. Don't worry about your father, I'll take care of it. Just focus on getting ready for dinner, okay?"

Nate nodded and gave his mother a hug. "Thanks, mom. I love you."

"I love you too, Nate." Emily patted his head and went downstairs to talk to his father.

Nate breathed a sigh of relief and went back to his room to get ready for the dinner.

During dinner, Emily quietly introduced the topic of Nate inviting Jaxon over for the family dinner that is coming up and told him about Nate and Jaxon's relationship.

"so what do you think...can Nate invited Jaxon over?"

Benjamin is first taken aback and looks at Nate with disgust. He shakes his head and laughs dismissively, saying that it's ridiculous for a guy to date another guy, and implies that Nate is weak and not a "real man." These words hurt Nate's feelings, but he keeps them to himself and tries to focus on enjoying the dinner with his family.

"For him to be in a relationship is even surprising"

Luke notice how tense Nate was because of how his father was acting

Luke notices how tense Nate is because of how his father is acting.

"Dad, Nate is having dinner with his boyfriend, Jaxon tonight."

Benjamin gives Luke an angry look as he says, "Well he's not having dinner with Jaxon, that's for sure."

Emily looks at Benjamin with concern as she says, "Benjamin, he's Nate's boyfriend and he's been invited to dinner. So, he's coming."

Benjamin shakes his head and says, "If he comes, then I'm leaving."

Emily sighs and says, "Benjamin, there's no reason for you to act this way. Nate is old enough to make his own decisions, and he wants to invite Jaxon for dinner. You can choose to not participate if you like, but we are having dinner anyway."

Benjamin thinks for a few seconds, then says, "Fine, I'll stay for dinner, but I promise I won't talk to him. I'm just letting you know that Nate's choice is wrong."

Emily nods and says, "Thank you, Benjamin. I appreciate it."

"How is my decision wrong" Nate finally spoke to his dad for the first time since they started eating

Emily didn't want to hurt her son's feelings, so she turned to Luke for support.

"Luke, do you think it's wrong for Nate to date Jaxon?"

Luke thought for a moment, and then said, "No, I don't think it's wrong. Love shouldn't be restricted to gender or orientation."

"Thank you, Luke," Emily said.

"You're welcome, Mom," Luke replied.

"Well, I think it's wrong" Benjamin said

"because explain to me why one of my son is dating a man what happened to the females or is it because they are rejecting your proposal that why you went for a man"

Benjamin yelled across the table and Nate flinched in his sit he didn't look up he just faced his head down

"you are a big disappointed... Your first relationship and you decide to go with another guy?"

"Well, yes, Dad. We've been dating for a while and he makes me happy."

Benjamin gave his son an angry look, then turned to Emily. "I can't believe that you'd let this happen under your roof! That's disgusting!"

Nate looked up and he. finally meet his father's gaze.

Emily was shocked by her husband's response. She couldn't believe that he was being so ignorant and intolerant.

"Benjamin, I am not going to tolerate that kind of bigotry and homophobia in this house."

"Homophobia?" Benjamin asked, outraged. "Is that what they call it now? People like that make me sick, and you're supporting it!"

"No, Benjamin, I'm supporting our son," Emily said. "This is who Nate is, and I hope you will eventually come to understand and accept that."

Benjamin scoffed at Emily's answer.

"I cannot accept this. It's not natural."

Emily sighed and said, "Benjamin, I don't expect you to understand, but I need you to be supportive and accepting of your own son. This is who he is, and it is not something that he can just change."

Benjamin shook his head stubbornly, and Nate finally spoke up.

"Dad, I didn't choose this. This is who I am, and I hope you can eventually come to understand and accept that."

"you disgust me and I regret having you as a son." with that said Benjamin left the table and stormed off to his room leaving everyone shocked

Emily and Luke exchanged a look of shock and dismay as Benjamin stormed out of the room.

Nate looked down with his head low. Emily slowly shook her head in disbelief.

"I am so sorry, Nate," she said. "Your father is just not very open-minded. You are perfect just the way you are, and I am so proud of you for your courage and strength. I know it cannot have been easy to come out to him like that."

Nate nodded silently, but he still looked very sad. Emily put her arm around him and squeezed him tightly.