Disclaimers: I do not own Glee or the characters.
Spoilers: None
Rating: T
Reply to reviews: (chapter 21)
Boris Yeltsin: Thank you for the review. I enjoyed writing like that for Quinn's point of view. I felt it was easier than doing 1st-person. And yes, it will take time, but slowly things will begin to get better for her and everyone else, they will move past this and the things that have happened. :)
chloe2007: The suspense was killing me, too! One of your guesses was correct and you find out which one in this chapter!
Gwennie49: Thanks for you the review. Yes, Quinn is still scared/worried because of what Russell promised. To her, him going to prison does not actually mean anything in terms of Rachel being safe now. This will be explained more in a few chapters, when Quinn finally tells what he threatened with. :)
GLEE111: Thanks! I will write like the other chapters in the future, but I did second-person for Quinn's point of view, so I will not do it unless I do her pov again. :)
Lord Jeremy Silver: Thank you for the review (and all of the others!). I love having a language that two of the girls could speak to each other. Their own little "secret code" sort of.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed. And thank you to Lord Jeremy Silver for all of his reviews, which led to us officially breaking 100 reviews. A special shoutout to Gwennie49 who was the 100th reviewer! Welcome to my new follower /favoriter dianacigarroa82.
Note: Full on flashback! Are you ready for this? ** Quinn has not been born. Abigale and Rebecca were 14 and 12, respectively, when she was born.
Notes 2: Are you READY?! I am SO EXCITED to hear your thoughts on this chapter! :D
Abigale: 6 years old
Rebecca: 3 years old (turning 4)
Enjoy! :)
Friday, July 4th, 1986
*Brown Residence*
Josiah Brown and his boyfriend pull up the driveway of his parents' house. His younger sister, Judith, her husband, Russell, and their two children, 6-year-old Abigale and 3-year-old Rebecca, are here for the Fourth of July.
Josiah turns to his boyfriend, David. David takes his hand and gives it a squeeze.
They are about to walk into this house and tell Josiah's very strict and very Christian parents that he and David are together, as in, together in the way the Bible and their preacher both speak against.
"'Siah, honey, it will be ok," David says as he looks into his boyfriend's eyes. He knows how worried Josiah is about this. How Josiah worries that this will be the last time he will be allowed in this house or around his family.
"They love you, and have not said anything about getting a girlfriend, or how you seem to be spending so much time with me, so maybe that is their way of saying they know, and they accept you for… for you."
Josiah nods firmly. "You're right. Of course, you are right." He takes a deep breath and opens the car door, David following. "Let's go get this over with. I really want to see my nieces."
The two walk to the door, ringing the doorbell. It opens seconds later, revealing Abigale and Rebecca.
The two girls are dressed in matching red and white striped shirts and blue shorts. Abigale is missing one tooth on top, and Rebecca is carrying her favorite stuffed bear.
"Uncle 'Siah!" Abby squeals, hugging her uncle's legs. "Happy 4th of July, Uncle 'Siah an' Dave!"
"Unle 'Siah!" This is Rebecca. She jumps up and down, holding her arms out. "Happy fireworks day!"
The two men step into the house. David picks Becca up, swinging her around and resting her on his hip.
"Happy 4th of July, girls!" Josiah says cheerfully. "Where are Mom, Dad, Papa, and Nana?"
"They're in the backyard!" Abby answers, pulling David by the hand through the house.
Josiah and David follow the little girl to the backyard where David lets Becca down and the two go back to the picnic table. They resume their game of playing with their dollies.
"Hello, Mom, Dad," Josiah greets. "Happy Fourth of July, everyone."
"Happy Fourth of July, Josiah!" Lydia Brown calls out as she sees her son enter. She goes over to him, hugging and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "And Happy Fourth of July, David."
"Happy Fourth of July, Lydia, Malachi." Once everyone has greeted everyone else, Josiah and David interact with the little girls. They show their uncle and his friend all the cool fireworks they had bought a few days earlier.
"Look, Uncle 'Siah," Abby holds up a bundle of sticks. "We got sparklers this year! Mamma says I'm old enough now and we are going to light them when it gets dark!"
"Wow! That's really cool. You're going to have fun with those." After showing all of the fireworks, the girls go back to playing with their toys.
After lunch, Abby and Becca are sent inside to take a nap.
Afterwards, the kids play in their water sprinkler for a couple of hours before Josiah, David, and Malachi begin grilling the hot dogs and hamburgers while Judy and Lydia make the salads and tea.
They sit down for an early dinner and then wait until it is late enough for the fireworks display.
Josiah nods to David. Now is as good as any to say what is needed.
"Mom, Dad, um… David and I have something that we need to tell you all." Josiah tells them nervously.
"Well, honey, whatever it is, you can tell us." Lydia replies.
"What's going on, Son?" Malachi asks his oldest child. He can practically feel the nervousness coming off Josiah.
Josiah takes a deep breath. "Before we begin, Abby, Becca, could you girls go upstairs for a few minutes?"
Finally, after staying nearly completely silent all day, Russell speaks up. "And who do you think you are, to boss around my children?"
Judy places a hand on his arm. "Russell, honey, it's okay. Maybe this will be a grown-up conversation the girls do not need to hear." She turns to the two little girls who are happily playing with their dollies from earlier.
"Abigale, Rebecca, do as Uncle Josiah says. Please go upstairs to the bedroom while the grownups talk for a while, all right?"
Abigale obediently gets up. She knows what will happen if she disobeys. Abby grabs Becca's hand, tugging on it. "Come on, Becca. We have to listen to Mommy, remember?"
Becca follows her sister out of the room and once they are gone, Josiah takes a deep breath and begins speaking.
"Mom, Dad, Judy, Russell. David and I have something we need to tell you," Josiah glances at his boyfriend. "Now, I know what we are about to say is, well, is wrong in some people's eyes." This gets a confused look from nearly everyone in the room.
But Josiah just continues on. "I know it is said in the Bible to be wrong, and we all learned from Pastor Michael that it is wrong." Another deep breath. "But, I want, Mom, you and Dad to know that this is not something I can change. I have tried so hard to pray this side of me away. I have talked to God, and asked him to help me."
A deep breath once more. "However, as in doing so, I have realized that this is just the way I was born. And it is not something that I can change."
By now, Josiah is holding hands with David. And if what he is saying was not enough, he sees his mother and father's eyes immediately drop down to their hand-holding.
Judy has a knowing look on her face. And Russell is beginning to look highly disturbed, no doubt understanding what is being said.
Lydia begins to speak, starting out slowly. "Josiah, please tell me you are not saying what I think you are saying."
But, Josiah had agreed not to do anything but tell the truth. "I am, Mom. I am saying that, – and I hope you can understand this is not something I can change –, but I am saying that David here, he is my boyfriend. I love him, Mom, Dad." He nods in his father's direction.
"I am very sorry to have to do this the way that I am. I know today was supposed to be a family celebration. But, I just couldn't hold it in any longer. I couldn't wait to let you know this side of me."
Now, David decides to speak. He wants to be heard, just in case this will be the last time he and Josiah are allowed in this house.
"Mr. and Mrs. Brown," He starts out formal, forgoing the whole 'call us Lydia and Malachi' thing. "I love your son. I love Josiah, and I know that what we have been taught is that a man is supposed to be with a woman and a woman only, but I hope you will be able to accept this and allow us to continue being a part of this family."
After David is done speaking, the room falls completely silent. The tension is so palpable; it could be cut with a knife.
Josiah turns and meets David's eye. Malachi roughly drags his hand across his mouth. He then stands, walking over to Josiah. Josiah stands also, David following.
Malachi takes a deep breath, as Josiah and David hold theirs. Then, he claps a hand over his son's shoulder.
"Josiah, you are my son. You always have been and you always will be. Nothing you say will make me feel any different." And suddenly, Josiah lets out his breath, feeling like he can breathe again.
Josiah gives his father a hug. Lydia jumps up and he hugs her also. Then, Malachi holds out a hand for David to shake. He addresses both men. "Josiah, I expect you to treat David right, as you would a lady." Josiah nods firmly to that.
"And David."
"Yes, sir?"
"You treat my son right, you hear?" David lets out a breathy laugh and nods.
"I wouldn't have it any other way, sir."
After a few more moments, Josiah and David realize it has been a while since either Judith or Russell have said anything. Josiah turns towards his sister and brother-in-law.
"Judy, are–… are you okay?" He asks gently. Judith begins to nod and make like she is going to come over to him. But suddenly, Russell jumps up and grabs her arm. He looks over at the two men, and Josiah is taken aback by the amount of disgust written in Russell's facial features.
"Lydia, Malachi," Russell begins. "I have considered you family from the moment we met. I have also considered Josiah like a brother. However, I will not sit here and listen to you two condone this type of behavior. What your son has done is a sin. We all need to pray for him. Pray for God to cleanse him of his sins and help him. And then, he will realize he does not want to live like this for any longer."
No one can say a word. They are all so shocked and frankly, quite speechless. It continues to be silent until, finally, it is broken by the sound of little girls giggling.
"Mommy, Mommy!" Abigale comes running into the living room followed by Rebecca. "Mamma, come see the sculpture me and Becky made with our blocks."
Only, instead of following Abby and Becca upstairs as she normally would, Judy is grabbed on the arm by Russell, as he directs his next statement to his daughters.
"Abigale, Rebecca," Russell never uses nicknames. Always Judith, always Abigale, and always Rebecca. "Go collect your things and say goodbye to your Grandmother and Grandfather. This will be the last time you see them."
Not quite understanding what their dad is saying, Abby looks to Judith. "Mommy, what does Daddy mean? Is it time to leave?"
"Yes, girls," Judith says as Russell releases his hold on her arm. "Come on, now. Let's go gather your toys."
She ushers them upstairs, and they return a few minutes later, each wearing a backpack and their shoes. Russell and Judy take the girls to the front door, and Judy turns to say something, but Russell grips her arm, and she decides against it.
Malachi, Lydia, David, and Josiah watch, silent, confused, as the Fabrays leave the house. There are honestly no words right now, as they did not think this was going to happen.
Russell seemed like a strict man, but he had never actually said anything about his views on homosexuality, so there was no way for David, Josiah, nor his parents, to get a good "read" or have any way of knowing how he would react to his kind of thing.
Unfortunately, Russell and Judy were moved out of their house and to a different state a week later, and that was the last time Josiah saw his sister or nieces, and the last time, Malachi and Lydia saw their daughter or granddaughters.
And there it is! Josiah and Judy share parents, meaning they are brother and sister. Abby and Becca are his nieces, which means so is Quinn! This also means that not only are Abby, Becca, and Quinn cousins with Rachel Berry but that she is Judy Fabray's NIECE!
How is THAT for a surprise, huh? Please review and let me know what you thought! :)
