Midnight:
Chapter 10:
May 20th
Charleston, South Carolina
Manning Livingroom
12 PM
John was seated next to his father, glancing down at his drink for a moment or two before glancing over at Martha who was seated on the couch directly across the one that he and his father were currently sitting on.
"Henry, I wanted to thank you and John for coming over on such sort notice," Richard began, a small smile on his lips.
John could see a small smile on Martha's lips as she looked from her father and glanced back over at him. He wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. He reached for his pocket only to be nudged by his father, letting out a small sigh.
Henry nodded, grinning back at Richard. "It's no problem at all. I wanted to see how the wedding plans were coming myself. I have to say, it's looking like it's coming together quite well." A moment where Henry paused before glancing over at John. "Don't you agree, John?"
John was silent as he took a long sip of his sweet tea before setting it back down. He was stalling, that much he knew. A hand came up, rubbing the back of his neck. "I would have to say it's certainly coming along."
He was only met with another frown from his father before he glanced back over at Richard. "I think what John means to say is that he's as surprised as I am as that it's coming along rather nicely as it is."
Richard only let out a small laugh. "I have to say that everything was sped up more than it should be, but there's nothing that money cannot handle."
A pit was growing in John's stomach as he looked down at the floor as his and Martha's father carried the conversation for the rest of the visit.
Laurens Kitchen
4 PM
"I thought you hated traditional roles," John asked his sister as he sat on the counter as he watched Marta cook dinner.
Marta only shrugged her shoulders. "It's not that I hate them, I hate that I'm expected to do them such as cook dinner." A small pause before she glanced over at her brother. "Did you tell them while you were discussing the wedding?"
John shook his head. "No, I didn't."
Marta let out a small sigh as she stirred the pot. "John, you're running out of time!"
"I know, I know. I'm going to tell Dad tonight at dinner."
Marta looked up from her pot, giving her brother a pointed look. "You better. Make sure when you set the table you don't put out the nice dishware."
"I'm setting the table?"
"Well, I'm already cooking, and Hank isn't in here. You're the only other option."
"Fine, fine." John began as he hopped off the counter and opened the cupboard. "Besides, we only use the fine dishware for holidays." A small pause as he glanced over at his sister, suddenly unsure. "Do we not?"
Marta rolled her eyes before nodding her head. "Quit stalling and set the table."
"I'm going, I'm going."
Laurens Dining Room
5 PM
"This is a lovely dinner you made for us, Marta." Henry began as he took a spoonful of the stew that she had made for dinner that night."
Marta glanced over at John for a moment or two before glancing back at their father, giving him a small smile. "I'm glad you like it. It was something I found and thought it would make for a lovely dinner."
Henry nodded before glancing at his two sons that were at the table with them. "And what do you two think?"
"It's yummy," was Hank's contribution to the discussion of dinner.
John shrugged his shoulders, shifting in his seat. "It's good. I know Marta worked hard on it." He glanced back over at his father before glancing back down at the stew, pushing a potato around with the spoon.
"John, what did you think of the wedding plans that were coming along?"
John pushed the potato around in his bowl for a moment longer before he glanced up over at Marta, who was there just giving her brother a smile. "Father?" He began after a moment or two. "I actually wanted to tell you something."
Henry swallowed another spoonful of stew before he glanced over at John. "What is it?"
John could fell his heart beating faster. The only other time he had gotten this close to coming out to his father was when he was in high school before the prom when he wanted to ask another male classmate but instead he just decided to not go as a whole. He reached and just took a sip of his water before he glanced over at his father. I'm gay."
There it was, out in the open. There was a long moment of silence and John could see Marta, out of the corner of his eye, glancing back and forth between John and their father. Henry turned from John to face Marta and Hank. "Could you two please leave the room? I would like to talk to your brother alone."
John silently watched as his sister and brother left, leaving him with their father. Once they were alone, Henry spoke again. "Would you care to repeat that?"
"I'm gay."
AN: A lot happened since my last update. I quit my job and got a new job where I work more hours is the most important life update. I'm getting into a routine now but this chapter is a little shorter than normal because of this but the next chapter should be a little longer than normal.