Chapter 7
GRANT'S OFFICE
Grant sat at his desk going over paperwork. Anderson walked into the office.
"Excuse me?" Anderson asked. "Mr. Grant?"
Grant looked up to see Anderson.
"Hello Anderson," Grant said. "What are you doing here?"
"Can I talk to you?" Anderson asked.
"Of course," Grant replied.
"You're gay," Anderson said. "Right?"
"Yes," Grant replied. "That lawyer you saw at the interrogation is my boyfriend."
"How old were you when you realized you were gay?" Anderson asked.
"14," Grant replied. "I joined the swim team and…"
"Yeah," Anderson said. "Please don't go into detail."
"Sorry," Grant said.
Grant saw the look on Anderson's face.
"Are you okay?" Grant asked.
"I think I might be…" Anderson replied. "You know…. I think I might be…"
Grant could tell Anderson was scared. He then stood up and walked over to him.
"It's okay," Grant said softly. "You don't have to be scared."
"I'm not scared," Anderson said. "I'm terrified."
"Those are synonyms," Grant said.
"You don't know my dad," Anderson said. "He gets mad."
"Does he hit you?" Grant asked.
"No," Anderson replied. "Of course not. But he does get angry and yells at me sometimes."
"Your uncle told me about how your mother walked out on you when you were really young and how your father works hard," Grant sad. "It's bound to be stressful for him."
"What if my dad stops loving me?" Anderson asked.
"Your father is not going to stop loving you," Grant said. "Now come here."
Grant hugged Anderson tightly.
"It's okay," Grant said. "It'll all be okay."