Chapter 8- I'm Gay

The car stopped at a red light and Cindy turned around to face Mark. "You really need to tell them tonight Mark. I mean all you have is tonight and tomorrow afternoon and then you guys are leaving."

"I know, but what am I supposed to say? Yeah I think I'm gonna order the pasta, and oh yeah I'm gay Rogers my boyfriend, and he gave me AIDS. What are you gonna order dad?"

Roger reached over and put his hand on Marks as if to say stop covering your nerves with sarcasm and just do it. Mark got the message.

"Roger I can't, I'm scared!"

"I know Marky but I also know that you can do this. They are your parents and they will love you no matter who you love. You need to do this tonight."

"Fine, I will." Mark said as he leaned into Roger. "Hold me until we get there, please. I feel safe in your arms."

"Of course I will babe." Roger reached around and put his muscular arms around Mark.

Roger could feel Mark tense up as they pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. As they parked the car Roger gave Mark one last kiss on the forehead before he pulled away and released his grip. As Rogers arms unwrapped from him, Mark felt like he was going to vomit.

They walked into the restaurant and looked around. They saw Mr. and Mrs. Cohen sitting around a table waiting for them. They walked over and sat down.

"Hi mom, Hi dad." Mark said as he took his seat.

"Hi Mr and Mrs Cohen. How are you tonight?" Roger said trying to be nice and charming to make this easier on Mark.

"Were doing just fine Roger. How are you?"

"I'm doing great Mrs. Cohen." Roger said as he gave Marks leg a squeeze under the table.

"I'm starved." Mr. Cohen announced. "Lets order."

They called the waiter over and everyone ordered their meals. The waiter left the table and Mark knew this was when he had to tell them.

"Mom dad." Yeah they said looking up. "I have something I need to tell you."

Being a mother Mrs. Cohen sensed the fear in her sons voice. "What is it honey?"

"You guys love me no matter what right?" Mark asked

"Of course" They both said

"Mark what's wrong your making me nervous." His mother said sounding concerned

"Ok there's something I need to tell you." He stopped for a second and Roger put his hand up on the table and grabbed Marks hand. No one seemed to notice but it reassured Mark. "I..I..I'm gay." He said looking away from his parents.

That sat in silence for what seemed like forever. A moment later Marks father now seemed to notice that Roger was holding Marks hand and he made the connection. "Is..is..is..is he your...your..." He trailed off but everyone knew what he was trying to say. Mark sat there for a minute, he couldn't bring himself to answer.

So Roger spoke for him. "Yes I am."

His mother sat in a complete stunned silence. She didn't know what to say.

"Mark..." She reached up and put her hand on his shoulder. "You are my son, and I love you no matter what. This may freak me out, and I may not get it, but I love you and I will learn to accept it."

Mark looked relived for a moment, until his father began to speak again.

"Well I won't!" He said. "I can't believe I raised a queer!"

"Dad Mark is your son." Cindy exclaimed.

"No son of mine is in love with another man."

"Dad..." That's all Mark could manage to get out. Roger looked into his eyes and he could tell he was about to cry. Rogers temper was quickly rising and he knew he couldn't keep quiet much longer.

"Honey please" Mrs. Cohen said looking at her husband.

"No! I can't accept this! I raised a son and a daughter not two daughters!"

That was the last straw. Roger snapped, no one talked to Mark like that.

"Fuck you Mr. Cohen. Mark is your son and up until he said those three words you loved and accepted him. Why the fuck can't you accept him now? He is happy and in love and has found somebody who loves him back! This is one of the best things to ever happen to your son, and now you say you hate him for it?" Roger was now on his feet and flat out yelling at Marks father.

Mark reached up and grabbed Rogers hand trying to get him to sit back down. Despite the situation Mark could not help but feel happy that Roger would defend him like this. Roger wouldn't sit he was too pissed off and he wasn't going to let this go.

Mr. Cohen stood up. "Who the fuck do you think you are. Where the hell do you come off talking to me like that?"

"Where the hell do I come off? I'll tell you where the hell I come off! I'm not gonna let you fucking talk to him like that. I love him too much to see you put him through this. If you don't like me or don't accept me I don't give a shit. Say what ever the fuck you want about me but don't talk to him like that!"

Roger looked down and saw that Mark was crying. Cindy had come over and had her arms around her brother. Mrs. Cohen was trying to get his husband to sit down, but she wasn't having any luck. Roger sat down and gently wiped the tears from under Marks eyes. "I love you." He mouthed to him.

"Mom there's is something else you need to know." He said looking up from Roger,"I...I...have AIDS."

"What?"

"I have AIDS mom. I was tested last week and it came out positive." He said in between sobs.

"O honey." She went over and hugged her son.

"Let me guess." Marks dad said. "You did this to him." He pointed at Roger

No one said anything. But Mr. Cohen put the pieces together. He remembered Mark saying something before about Roger having AIDS, and he knew.

"Fuck you! I can't believe you did this to my son! You..You...get the fuck away from my son!" He yelled

Roger didn't listen. He bent down to console the crying filmmaker.

Cindy looked up at the two men. She handed Roger her car keys. "Take him back to the house. I'll stay here with mom and dad and try and calm him down."

"Ok." Roger said taking the keys and standing up. He grabbed Marks hand and helped him up and pulled him into a kiss just to piss of Marks dad. "Lets go baby."

They started to walk towards the door and they heard Marks father yell at Roger that he was the worst thing to ever happen to his son. It took all of Rogers will power to just keep walking toward the door.