"Don't worry honey. I'll call Mr. Michaels - the priest you know. He'll say a prayer for this. You'll see it will be okay and we will invite some very nice girl. How about my friend Leonard's daughter. You and her played so well together when you were little and…"
"I'm not ill mum! I'm Gay and it's not something that can be cured or fixed. And even if it could I wouldn't want it to because it's a part of who I am and…"
"Don't worry David. We'll get it fixed somehow."
"MUM!"….
"David?"
I had dreamt away to the conversation soon after I came out to my parents and didn't return to reality until I heard dad's voice from behind me and the room to the clinical clean hospital room I had spent the last seventy two hours in.
"Hey dad." I tried to cover up the shakiness in my voice. Failing of course. I could see a frown form on his face sitting with my head turned so I could see him and he came over and sat down next to me while I wiped the tears that had escaped my eyes. "Where's mum?" Dad sighed. "So the thought of losing me wasn't enough?"
"She went to your grandma's for a little while. Don't worry David. She'll get on the right track sooner or later. She might be afraid of… changing I guess. But not half as afraid as she is of ever losing you. And sooner or later she will understand that."
"And if she doesn't?"
"David!"
I silent, moved my hands into my lap from holding them towards the mattress and felt dad's hand patting my shoulder, and then him hesitating before he laid his hand around my shoulder. And when I looked up and into his eyes, for a moment I could see something flash by that told me exactly what he had been feeling for these last three days.
"I'm sorry dad."
He waved it off. But breathed in to say something and I put my hands together in nervousity but still waited as patiently as I could before I heard what he had to say.
"If you'd ever feel like you'd have to do something like that again. Then come to me okay? I don't care if it's in the middle of the night or anything. Just give me a call or whatever… I don't care what anyone says about homosexuality or anything. You're still my son and I… love ever single piece of you." I forced a slight smile- this was becoming kind of creepy. "Now son." Dad changed his tone into a lighter one and I breathed out. "Shall we go home… And David?" I had stood up and now turned back when I heard his serious tone again. "I love you son. And I always will."
It had been years since I answered it when he said that last…
"I love you too dad."
Random fact
That first part was actually really hard writing… That's how hard it was too imagine that homosexuality could- or should be 'cured' to me… And I honestly can't see why anyone would want to cure love.