Mr. and Mrs. Carlin were sharing one of the few things the two of them still enjoyed with each other: lunch. They'd made it a routine for Mr. Carlin to come on Wednesdays and bring some sort of takeout. The two would sit and made idle chit chat, talking about work and interesting things that had happened to them. It was one of the few sane times the two had together. Today, Mr. Carlin had tried going to a new Indian food restaurant. Paula and him sat, eating the food.

"I think it's some kind of spice, but it has this smoky taste…" Paula was explaining as Art ate some of his dish.

"Is that chicken?" He asked, using his fork to push over something on her plate.

"I think so…" Paula murmured, she could see Spencer rush into the hospital and look around for her mother. Paula stood up and went to Spencer, worried and scared.

"Spencer! Is everything ok? Why are you here? Why aren't you at school? Is anyone hurt?" Paula demanded, hugging Spencer to her chest. Spencer was livid about something.

"I have to talk to you, you and dad. It's urgent." Paula led Spencer into the lounge where Mr. Carlin had become exceedingly worried.

"Spencer! Is everything ok?" He asked, Spencer ran up and hugged him.

"I need to talk to you guys." She told them. They all sat down at the table together. "No one is hurt, Glen and Clay are fine." She told them. "I'm sorry I skipped school, but it was important."

"What's this about, Spencer?" Paula asked.

"It's about Ashley." Spencer asked, causing Paula sighed.

"Ashley. You skipped school and got us all worried for her?" She said, obviously irritated that this was what all the commotion was about.

"Mom…" Spencer knew it was now or never. "I love her…I'm gay." Mr. Carlin let a small smile crawl out on his face, but Paula looked as though she was going to hyperventilate.

"Spencer..." Paula stood up, pacing quickly, trying to process this information. "You are only a kid; you don't know what you want…" She started crying. The last thing Spencer wanted was to make her mother this unhappy, but Spencer had been that unhappy for a while now.

"I know you're upset, mom. My whole relationship with Aiden was a lie. I pretended to like him and I dated him because I was afraid of what you'd think. I'm the same daughter you've always had, mom." Spencer pleaded. "I love you. I'm still the same person, there is just this difference between what you wanted for me and what I want for myself." Mr. Carlin stood up and hugged Spencer tightly.

"You know I love you no matter what." He whispered to her. "I want you to be happy; you can't change who you are." He pushed some loose strands of hair behind Spencer's ear. "If Ashley is what makes you happy, then go for it." Paula pushed Mr. Carlin aside.

"Arthur, don't tell her that. I can't accept this, I can't accept you." Paula shouted at Spencer. The words stung Spencer like nothing she'd ever experienced before. She sank down into a seat and started sobbing into her hands.
"Paula, she is still the same Spencer. Her sexuality doesn't change anything." Mr. Carlin said firmly.

"Mom, what are you so afraid of? Why are you so scared?" Spencer demanded. Paula was trying to calm down her crying. Her sadness was now turning to anger.

"It's against God's will." She told Spencer.

"He made me like this, mom. I didn't have any choice over who I was going to fall in love with. Ashley gets me, she understands me, and she lets me be myself—which is more than I can say for you." Spencer explained. "I dated Aiden for four months. I put up with kissing him when I didn't feel any chemistry, letting him get all over me…all because I was afraid to be myself because of you." Paula turned to look at Spencer, obviously shocked. "I'm not afraid to be myself anymore." Spencer stood up. "I'm going over to Ashley's now. I'll be home for dinner." Spencer kissed her father's cheek and forced her mother into a tight hug. "I love you, mom. So much. I just want you to be ok with who I am." With that, Spencer walked out.