As Will and Paul pulled up to the house he thought that he would feel a
sense of release but he just became more nervous. He knew that he was just
getting closer to telling and he knew that there were so many bad things
that could come out of that conversation. He had a WASP family and that
meant that everything was supposed to be perfect. He had no idea how his
family felt about homosexuals he just figured that they saw them as
something that did not exist.
Will got out of the car with his luggage and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep in his own bed. He went into his beautifully decorated childhood home and the fear swelled more. His mother came out of the kitchen in an apron to greet him.
"Hello, William darling" Marilyn said as she hugged him
"Hi mom" Will said
"So where is she? I can't wait to meet her." Marilyn asked
"This lovely young lady that you spent Thanksgiving with I believe her name is Grace." Marilyn said
Will sighed he hated being reminded of Grace.
"She's not coming" Will said
"But why dear I thought that you were spending Thanksgiving with her and she was going to spend Christmas with us?" Marilyn asked
"She decided to spend Christmas with her family." Will said wanting to get off the subject
"But I thought she was a kike." Paul said as he came in the house hearing the tail end of the conversation.
"She is not a kike she's Jewish. And Hanukah ran long this year." Will said
"What a disappointment dear you seemed so excited." Marilyn said
"I was but right now I'm just tired I just want to go to bed." Will said
"What's wrong dear you look troubled?" Marilyn said "Your not ill are you?"
"No it's just the trip I'll be find after a nap. I'm going to bed."
"Oh hold on. A few things have changed since you left we turned your old room into a den so you'll be sharing a room with Paul." Marilyn explained
"You changed my room when were you going to tell me?" Will whined
"She told you now Willie come on it's just a room you don't have to cry about it. If any one should be complaining it should be me you are the biggest neat freak in the world. Just remember it's my room." Paul said
"Fine. Oh where's Daisy?" Will asked
"Oh dear we didn't want to tell you we were afraid it would mess up your concentration for your finals Daisy passed away." Marilyn explained
"My dog is dead? How could you not tell me?" Will asked
"Here come the waterworks." said Paul
"Shut up Paul" Will said
"Oh darling its ok she was a good dog and lived a long life. And to make you feel better we are going to make ginger snaps tonight and there's a 'Little House on the Prairie' marathon on." Marilyn said attempting to comfort her son
"He can't tonight" Paul said. "He has plans with Sam and I"
"Mom if you want I can stay home with you it's no big deal." Will said attempting to get out of whatever cruel torture he knew that his brother had planned.
"No go out with your brothers we have two whole weeks to spend time together." Marilyn said
"Fine" Will said, "I'm going to bed"
Will went up to bed and fell asleep wishing he could find some kind of way to calm his nerves. Will had slept for a few hours. He was sleeping soundly when Paul came in and woke him loudly.
"Hey Willie get up there's some girl on the phone for you." Paul said
Will got up and walked to the phone he was having a good sleep but snapped out of it quickly. When Paul said it was a girl he knew it could only be Grace. Maybe she had gotten the number from Rob or maybe she had called information. He was starting to feel better they would finally be able to talk things out. Will picked up the phone.
"Hello" Will said
"Did ya do it?" the voice on the other end asked
"Who is this?" Will asked
"Uh it's Jack and I'm all packed so when can I come? How did they take it?"
Will did not want to talk about telling his parents. Jack's reminder made him all nervous again. Every step he had taken as a gay man so far Jack had been with him and he wanted Jack to be there this time to. He had to get Jack to the house. He knew what he had to do.
"Yeah I told them" Will lied "and they're totally fine with it they said they love me and they knew all along"
"Really that's great so when can I come? I'm dying to find a nice smart Yale man to support me financially." Jack asked
"Uh come tomorrow on the train. I'll pick you up from the station." Will said
"Ok and make sure you let your parents know that we are not together. Its good they took it well we don't want to make them ecstatic when you bring this lovely specimen of a man home." Jack said
"Fine Jack. I'll see you tomorrow" Will said
"Ta" said Jack as they hung up
Will leaned against the wall and breathed a sigh of relief. He knew if Jack was here he could do it. It was easy for Jack to say it would be simple. His mom had known he was gay for ages he had told her when she was attempting to make him play pee-wee football. He breathed a sigh of relief and hoped that he would be able to get through the rest of the night.
"William darling dinner" Marilyn yelled upstairs
Will hadn't realized how long he had been asleep. He went down to dinner relieved because he knew by now his father and Sam would be home.
He entered the kitchen and sat down to dinner.
"Nice to see ya son" George said
"Good to see you too Dad" Will said smiling starting to feel better about being home
"How ya doing Will?" Sam asked
"I'm good" Will said "How are you?"
"I'm great. I think I just got my first real contracting job where I will be totally in charge of everything." Sam said
"That's great" Will said
"So Willie who was that chick on the phone?" Paul asked
"That was my friend Jack-ie. Jackie that's who it was."
"Alright little brother I guess you did get passed the Jewish chick" Paul said
"He name is Grace." Will said irritated
"Its ok Will even though you and this Jackie are together now Paul and I are still gonna initiate you tonight." Sam said
"What are you going to do to me?" Will asked
"Will I guarantee you will like it. It's a Truman brother tradition" Sam said
Will trusted that it wouldn't be anything painful if Sam was involved. "Ok" he said hesitantly
"Let's say grace" Marilyn said
The family bowed their heads.
"Lord we thank you" Marilyn began "I thank you that I have three wonderful sons that are all safe at home. Lord let us realize how grateful we should be that our children are almost perfect. Sam has gotten a good job. Paul is trying hard. And Will is home from school. Please bless this food and our time together. Amen."
"That was nice Marilyn, since when do we say grace" asked George
"Oh I feel compelled when I consider everything going on in the neighborhood." Marilyn explained
"What's wrong mom?" Will asked
"The question is what isn't wrong. Mrs. Robinson down the street her husband is cheating on her. And the McDonalds their oldest daughter is pregnant and doesn't know who the father is. And that Julia Smith she is always bragging about how her Benjamin got in to Harvard but he's flunked out. I'm so happy none of those things could ever happen to me and that I know my children and they will never shock me in that kind of way." Marilyn said
After the speech Will played with his food it was becoming doubtful that he would be able to tell his family. He knew his mother would die if she ever became a victim of neighborhood gossip.
"Aren't you hungry Will you've barely touched your dinner?" George asked
"I just-"
"Even though you're with Jackie now you're still thinking about this Grace. Right Will?" Paul asked
"Yeah I guess." Will answered
"Well go upstairs and get ready" Sam said
"Guys you know I really don't feel like-" Will started
"Come on Will you'll feel better." Sam said
Will reluctantly went upstairs and changed his clothes. He came downstairs ready to go. The three brothers piled into the car. Will figured they were going to take him to a bar, which would be futile because he was only nineteen. They would get there turn around and come back home.
"This is it Willie this is where the guys with broken hearts go to get repaired."
Will looked at his excited brothers and looked up to see the sign of 'Billy's Topless'. Will leaned back in his seat and sighed wondering if this night could get any worse.
Will got out of the car with his luggage and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep in his own bed. He went into his beautifully decorated childhood home and the fear swelled more. His mother came out of the kitchen in an apron to greet him.
"Hello, William darling" Marilyn said as she hugged him
"Hi mom" Will said
"So where is she? I can't wait to meet her." Marilyn asked
"This lovely young lady that you spent Thanksgiving with I believe her name is Grace." Marilyn said
Will sighed he hated being reminded of Grace.
"She's not coming" Will said
"But why dear I thought that you were spending Thanksgiving with her and she was going to spend Christmas with us?" Marilyn asked
"She decided to spend Christmas with her family." Will said wanting to get off the subject
"But I thought she was a kike." Paul said as he came in the house hearing the tail end of the conversation.
"She is not a kike she's Jewish. And Hanukah ran long this year." Will said
"What a disappointment dear you seemed so excited." Marilyn said
"I was but right now I'm just tired I just want to go to bed." Will said
"What's wrong dear you look troubled?" Marilyn said "Your not ill are you?"
"No it's just the trip I'll be find after a nap. I'm going to bed."
"Oh hold on. A few things have changed since you left we turned your old room into a den so you'll be sharing a room with Paul." Marilyn explained
"You changed my room when were you going to tell me?" Will whined
"She told you now Willie come on it's just a room you don't have to cry about it. If any one should be complaining it should be me you are the biggest neat freak in the world. Just remember it's my room." Paul said
"Fine. Oh where's Daisy?" Will asked
"Oh dear we didn't want to tell you we were afraid it would mess up your concentration for your finals Daisy passed away." Marilyn explained
"My dog is dead? How could you not tell me?" Will asked
"Here come the waterworks." said Paul
"Shut up Paul" Will said
"Oh darling its ok she was a good dog and lived a long life. And to make you feel better we are going to make ginger snaps tonight and there's a 'Little House on the Prairie' marathon on." Marilyn said attempting to comfort her son
"He can't tonight" Paul said. "He has plans with Sam and I"
"Mom if you want I can stay home with you it's no big deal." Will said attempting to get out of whatever cruel torture he knew that his brother had planned.
"No go out with your brothers we have two whole weeks to spend time together." Marilyn said
"Fine" Will said, "I'm going to bed"
Will went up to bed and fell asleep wishing he could find some kind of way to calm his nerves. Will had slept for a few hours. He was sleeping soundly when Paul came in and woke him loudly.
"Hey Willie get up there's some girl on the phone for you." Paul said
Will got up and walked to the phone he was having a good sleep but snapped out of it quickly. When Paul said it was a girl he knew it could only be Grace. Maybe she had gotten the number from Rob or maybe she had called information. He was starting to feel better they would finally be able to talk things out. Will picked up the phone.
"Hello" Will said
"Did ya do it?" the voice on the other end asked
"Who is this?" Will asked
"Uh it's Jack and I'm all packed so when can I come? How did they take it?"
Will did not want to talk about telling his parents. Jack's reminder made him all nervous again. Every step he had taken as a gay man so far Jack had been with him and he wanted Jack to be there this time to. He had to get Jack to the house. He knew what he had to do.
"Yeah I told them" Will lied "and they're totally fine with it they said they love me and they knew all along"
"Really that's great so when can I come? I'm dying to find a nice smart Yale man to support me financially." Jack asked
"Uh come tomorrow on the train. I'll pick you up from the station." Will said
"Ok and make sure you let your parents know that we are not together. Its good they took it well we don't want to make them ecstatic when you bring this lovely specimen of a man home." Jack said
"Fine Jack. I'll see you tomorrow" Will said
"Ta" said Jack as they hung up
Will leaned against the wall and breathed a sigh of relief. He knew if Jack was here he could do it. It was easy for Jack to say it would be simple. His mom had known he was gay for ages he had told her when she was attempting to make him play pee-wee football. He breathed a sigh of relief and hoped that he would be able to get through the rest of the night.
"William darling dinner" Marilyn yelled upstairs
Will hadn't realized how long he had been asleep. He went down to dinner relieved because he knew by now his father and Sam would be home.
He entered the kitchen and sat down to dinner.
"Nice to see ya son" George said
"Good to see you too Dad" Will said smiling starting to feel better about being home
"How ya doing Will?" Sam asked
"I'm good" Will said "How are you?"
"I'm great. I think I just got my first real contracting job where I will be totally in charge of everything." Sam said
"That's great" Will said
"So Willie who was that chick on the phone?" Paul asked
"That was my friend Jack-ie. Jackie that's who it was."
"Alright little brother I guess you did get passed the Jewish chick" Paul said
"He name is Grace." Will said irritated
"Its ok Will even though you and this Jackie are together now Paul and I are still gonna initiate you tonight." Sam said
"What are you going to do to me?" Will asked
"Will I guarantee you will like it. It's a Truman brother tradition" Sam said
Will trusted that it wouldn't be anything painful if Sam was involved. "Ok" he said hesitantly
"Let's say grace" Marilyn said
The family bowed their heads.
"Lord we thank you" Marilyn began "I thank you that I have three wonderful sons that are all safe at home. Lord let us realize how grateful we should be that our children are almost perfect. Sam has gotten a good job. Paul is trying hard. And Will is home from school. Please bless this food and our time together. Amen."
"That was nice Marilyn, since when do we say grace" asked George
"Oh I feel compelled when I consider everything going on in the neighborhood." Marilyn explained
"What's wrong mom?" Will asked
"The question is what isn't wrong. Mrs. Robinson down the street her husband is cheating on her. And the McDonalds their oldest daughter is pregnant and doesn't know who the father is. And that Julia Smith she is always bragging about how her Benjamin got in to Harvard but he's flunked out. I'm so happy none of those things could ever happen to me and that I know my children and they will never shock me in that kind of way." Marilyn said
After the speech Will played with his food it was becoming doubtful that he would be able to tell his family. He knew his mother would die if she ever became a victim of neighborhood gossip.
"Aren't you hungry Will you've barely touched your dinner?" George asked
"I just-"
"Even though you're with Jackie now you're still thinking about this Grace. Right Will?" Paul asked
"Yeah I guess." Will answered
"Well go upstairs and get ready" Sam said
"Guys you know I really don't feel like-" Will started
"Come on Will you'll feel better." Sam said
Will reluctantly went upstairs and changed his clothes. He came downstairs ready to go. The three brothers piled into the car. Will figured they were going to take him to a bar, which would be futile because he was only nineteen. They would get there turn around and come back home.
"This is it Willie this is where the guys with broken hearts go to get repaired."
Will looked at his excited brothers and looked up to see the sign of 'Billy's Topless'. Will leaned back in his seat and sighed wondering if this night could get any worse.