A Lesson Learned
Melanie gasped as Gus made his way into the kitchen for his breakfast on the
first day of his freshman year in high school. Tapping Lindsay on the shoulder,
she tried her best not to react too much to the way their son looked.
Lindsay was unable to stifle her loud gasp, and she stared in disbelief. Gone
was the boy she’d kissed good night the night before. Before her sat a young man
with spiked hair, eyeliner and lipstick, dressed in black leather.
“Gus, honey, what are you wearing?” Lindz stammered as she tried to act cool.
“Clothes, Mom,” Gus muttered taking a bite of toast.
“Respect,” Mel reminded him. “Why exactly are you wearing makeup to school?”
He shrugged and grabbed his backpack, managing to escape out the door before any
more questions were asked.
The two women exchanged glances, both knowing that if Brian caught wind of his
son’s newest look things could get bad for them all.
*****
Two weeks later and Gus was still looking like a reject from KISS when Brian and
Justin came over for dinner. He was slouched on the couch listening to his Ipod
when his dad saw him for the first time.
Brian’s eyes narrowed and he turned to the munchers with a raised brow. “Care to
explain why my son looks like the fucking Crow?”
Justin elbowed his partner, hoping that Gus hadn’t heard his father’s question.
With a sigh he turned and smiled down at the young teen he’d grown to consider
his own son, asking if he’d like to take a walk before dinner.
Sensing the tension in the room, Gus rushed for his jacket and headed out the
door.
Justin pulled the earbuds out of Gus’s ear and spoke softly. “What’s going on,
Gus?”
The younger man just shrugged, not really sure what it was his stepdad wanted
him to say.
They walked on in silence for a little while longer before Gus spoke. “Is Dad
mad at me?”
Justin hesitated before answering. “Well, I don’t think he’s mad, honey. He just
was caught off guard by this new look.”
“But he’s the one that’s always telling me I should be proud of who I am and not
let anyone tell me who or what to be.”
Justin chuckled, “That should go over well when you remind him of that.”
Gus shrugged again. “I’m not scared to tell him, you know.”
Justin’s hand shot out and stopped his stepson from walking. “I’ve never doubted
your courage even for a second, but you have to know that Brian is going to be a
tough sell on this look.”
“It’s not for him to decide who I am.”
Justin smiled softly at the young man standing next to him and they continued on
in silence until they reached the house once more.
*****
“No son of mine is going to be some fucking emo scene kid who looks like he’s
slept on the streets his whole life.”
The words echoed through the house as Justin and Gus stepped over the threshold.
As Justin cleared his throat, the three adults in the home turned to see the
anger on their son’s face.
Gus pushed past his stepdad and stood before his father with determination on
his face. He stood shaking in silence for what seemed a lifetime before he
finally spoke, his voice quiet and breaking.
“Calling me names makes you no better than the jerk that bashed Justin. My
entire life you’ve told me that being true to who you are and honest about it
were the most important things. So that’s what I’m doing, Dad.” Gus held out his
arms and spun around slowly. “This is me. This is who I am. I’m Gus Abraham
Kinney Peterson-Marcus. That’s all. I’m not emo or scene because those are just
words some old guy trolling message boards made up to hate people like me with
the courage to be themselves. You’re gay and I accept you, no matter how much
shit I take at school for being the fag’s or the dyke’s kid. Why can’t you
accept me, Dad?”
Brian started to speak, “Gus, that’s not...”
Gus interrupted his father and continued. “I never expected to be bullied by my
own dad. The kids at school call me the same names you just did, Dad, among
others like fag, queer and cocksucker. But you know what, Dad, their opinion
doesn’t really matter because I know who I am. It’s a damn shame you can’t see
me.”
Gus turned and walked away from the adults in the room. Several long minutes
passed before Brian stood and followed his son. Rapping lightly on the door to
Gus’s bedroom, he didn’t wait for an invitation. He crossed the room and sat
down next to his son, putting his arm around Gus’s shoulders.
“You’re right, Gus. I was wrong to call you those names. I was shocked to see
the 'new' you and I reacted in a way that hurt you. For that I’m sorry. But
tonight, you reminded me of something I needed to remember. You reminded me of
all those things I’ve fought for. The right to be who you are is one we all
deserve, so if this is who you are, then I accept you. I also respect you for
not backing down.”
Gus listened in stunned silence to his dad.
“You remind me of another young man I knew,” Brian continued. “He stood up for
himself and was proud of who he was just as you’ve done. He was bullied and
bashed for it but he never gave in or changed who he was.”
“It’s Justin, right?” Gus asked, already knowing the answer.
“Yes, sonny boy, it is Justin. You’re a lot like him, more so than you are me,
thankfully. You’re brave, Gus. Not just for standing up to me, but for standing
up and facing what you do every day. I’m sorry for hurting you, it was never my
intention.”
“It’s okay Dad. I just wanted you to love me for me, that’s all.”
“I do, sonny boy and I always will.”
Finis…….
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