Chapter 3: Coming Out part 2
Petunia Dursley had planned this dinner for weeks because it just had to be perfect, it was her little Dudley´s future at stake here after all.
Both she and Vernon thought it was time for their son to settle down and actually make a future for himself, to find a job and start a family on his own. What he needed was a nice looking and mature young lady that would provide them with grandchildren and could make the home chores for her Dudley. It wouldn´t be a disadvantage if this girl was from a wealthy family as well of course.
Vernon had left her the responsibility to find someone suitable. She had thought long and hard and had finally found the perfect candidate, a nice girl a year older than Dudley that was the daughter of her doctor.
Tonight she and her father would come and have dinner with them so that she and Dudley could meet for the very first time. She was convinced that he would see the importance and that he would go along with her and Vernon´s plan.
She hadn´t told Dudley about any of this though, she thought it was better to surprise him and just bring this fine girl to his attention and then give some hints that it may be an opportunity to start something.
She had no doubts that it would end in the way that they had planned for it to go, after all their Dudley had always done as they pleased he really was the child they had always wanted and she was so proud of him.
The thought that he may need some help in the girls department had crossed her mind before though, to her knowledge he had never had a girlfriend and it wasn´t because of lack of opportunity. She remembered that nice girl Tracy he had went to school with, she didn´t understand why Dudley never made a move when it had been no question about that she would have been very pleased if he had.
Dudley´s lack of love life didn´t worry her thought she was sure he had just not met the right girl and had been too focused on other important stuff such as school. But after this he would be settled and wouldn´t have to worry over things like being alone for the rest of his life, he just needed a little push.
It was already 7:15 pm and they would arrive at 7:30, she still had to make the table and make her final touches to the starter of the 3 course dinner she had prepared. It was a dinner to make a great first impression and she knew that class and fine dining was the way to impress.
She come to think about that her son would need some time to put on some fine clothes and therefor shouted up the stairs "Dudley darling dinner will be ready in 15 minutes and we will have some guests so please put on that suit you got last Christmas." She then went back to prepare the goat cheese salad.
LOTB∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞DD∞DM∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞LOTB
Dudley was still standing in front of the mirror trying to get his courage up to break the news of his sexuality to his parents when his mother shouted the message about dinner and their guests they seemed to be having.
Damn, damn, damn, fuck this meant that his plan was ruined.
He couldn´t tell them when they had guests, he was ready he had to be but that didn't mean he wanted it to be public knowledge and he knew it would spread if friends of his parents found out.
He was also pretty sure that their reaction would be catastrophic and he wouldn´t want other people to see that freak out, it would be a disaster.
The thing was that he was afraid that if he didn´t do it today he may never get up the courage to do it, ever. He decided there and then that sometime tonight his secret would be out it just had to be.
Five minutes later he had changed and took one last look in the mirror. He looked kind of handsome, he had lost a lot of weight since his childhood and he filled out nicely, he was not small by any means but now it was more about being built and big boned than having a ton of extra fat.
While descending the stairs he wondered who the guests could be, he hadn´t used this suit since New Year's Eve so they had to be kind of special.
He stopped abruptly though when he heard his mother greeting their guests.
She was being overly polite and it was obvious to Dudley even without seeing the too bright smile on her face "Oh it´s so nice to meet you miss Stevens and to see you again Mr. Stevens."
"You too Petunia, this is my daughter Mary and we are very excited to be here tonight" Dudley had never heard of these people before and he furrowed his eyebrows, it seemed his mother knew the man from somewhere though.
He tried to peek around the corner and saw a man maybe in his mid-forties and a girl that couldn't be much older than he was, she had flowing long chocolate brown hair wore a dress with a flower print and had an easygoing smile. He guessed she was pretty or even beautiful if you were into the "girl next door" kind of thing.
The question was why they were there and what his parents wanted from these people, they never did go to this kind of trouble without being after something for themselves.
"I´m sure my very handsome and extremely mature son Dudley will be down soon and my husband is in his office, you know how work can be" why was his mother trying to sell him to these people, it sickened him and gave him an uneasy feeling that was starting to grow in the pit of his stomach.
"While I go fetch Vernon why don´t you make yourself comfortable and please feel free to look around" his mother was saying and Dudley was fast to finish his way down the stairs so that no one would know he had been standing there listening in on their conversation.
It wasn´t long until the Dursleys and the 2 Stevens was sitting around the dinner table. The first 2 courses had gone by without a hitch and to Dudley´s surprise it was actually quite a nice atmosphere and pleasant conversation.
He and Mary had a good time getting to know each other. When his parents had toned down their over the top attempts to impress Mr. Stevens they actually was able to hold an even interesting dialogue with the man.
"This has been such a lovely evening, it´s a shame my wife couldn't be here I know she would have enjoyed this immensely" Mr. Stevens was saying.
His parents looked very pleased and Vernon answered "I´m sure we will have many more dinners like this in the future so there will be plenty of opportunity" he cocked his head before adding "we may even become family someday."
This made Dudley very confused and the uneasy feeling from before intensified tenfold but he knew better then to question his parents at a dinner like this. Just talk when a question is asked he had been told.
"I say that could very well be likely if we go by how this evening is going, your daughter is lovely and would be so very welcome into this family" Petunia gushed and the far too bright smile was back.
Dudley looked across the table at Mary to see if she had a clue what their parents were talking about. To his astonishment she had a light blush on her cheeks and gave him a small nervous smile.
What was going on? He had a horrible feeling it had to do with him. Once again his parents was making decisions for him behind his back, normally he would just go with it but he had promised himself, not any more.
"Maybe you young people would like to continue this evening away from us boring old folks, what would you guys say to go to the cinema?" Mr. Stevens suggested and then it hit Dudley what this dinner was meant to be. They were setting him up.
On a date, with a girl, crap what was he supposed to do now?
He felt like throwing up and he had to get away "may I be excused?" he asked. Him parents looked at him strangely but after a few seconds his mum nodded and he fled into the bathroom.
He looked in the mirror over the sink, he was whiter than a sheet and he even looked more insecure then he felt. He splashed some water in his face and sighed this was going to be harder than he had thought. He had to say no there was no other way he had to tell them no.
I´m ready and whatever will come I can handle his inner pep talk was not making him feel any better.
"I´m gay" he blurted out and even his own reflected image shuddered, it was the first time he had ever said it out load even to himself.
After taking a deep breath he straightened up and walked back out to the dining table to get it over with. The walk there felt like his last march, every step getting him closer to the end and with every step the next one becoming heavier like a weight was added onto his shoulders.
Even before he was back at the table his mother spotted him "Oh there you are darling, to have time to catch that movie you should probably leave soon" she was smiling encouragingly at him and he stopped just a few feet away from the table.
He was shaking his head viciously "I… I can´t" he wanted to say so much more but that was the only thing that came out "I just can´t."
Everyone was frowning and looking at him now asking the silent question why.
Petunia was the first one to address the unexpected change of events "But Mary was just saying how well she thought you two connected and how much fun she have had talking to you, don´t you want to get to know her better?"
Dudley was still shaking his head not saying anything.
Mary was the one that spoke next. "It´s okay I´m kind of tired anyway, and we can always do it another night" she smiled at him tentatively and Dudley thought what she said had almost sounded more like a question then the statement it was meant to be.
Petunia turned to her and beamed "that is a brilliant idea, I´m sure Dudley just got sick or something and would like that" she gave him a warning glance before an "isn't that right honey?"
Scrunching his eyes shut he silently counted to 10 in his head. When he opened his eyes again he said with an even and detriment voice "no, I´m sorry but no."
Mary looked defeated and was looking down at the table top, he hadn´t wanted to hurt her but it wasn´t his fault his parents had invited them and given her false hope.
His mother on the other hand was now becoming ridged and her lips were stretched into a thin line while her eyes had narrowed dangerously. He didn´t even chance a look at his father for fear of losing the little courage he had before he had crossed the no turning point.
"Why not? Mary is a lovely girl and you seem to get along just fine. This is a great opportunity, just give it a try it´s not like we expect you to marry and give us grandchildren by tomorrow." Dudley knew that was probably exactly what they had expected but it was beside the point.
He had never defied his parents before, never and this was such a huge deal that he found himself standing there not saying anything. I just need to say those two words he thought frantically just two words, I´m gay. "I´m gay!" he ended up almost shouting.
He closed his eyes again so he didn´t have to see the reactions around the table. It was done, his life would never be the same, he just hoped he hadn´t done the biggest mistake of his lifetime.
Vernon was laughing like this was some kind of joke "very funny son, you really fooled us there maybe you can become an actor someday huh?"
"You´re not gay honey, you are just confused and nervous because you haven´t been in a relationship before, you will see that when you have been with a girl it will all clear up" his mother said and Dudley understood that this was a way out. The easy way out, he could just say that they were probably right and still go through life the way his parents wanted him to, he could still take the safe road. He was done tough, living like this was only a half-life and he wanted no needed to be him and do things for himself for a change.
"Don´t worry a lot of people goes through a phase like this and in the end it means nothing we all doubt what´s right sometimes" even Mr. Stevens was in on this charade it seemed.
The only one that hadn´t said anything was Mary and he looked at her waiting for some similar remark but was met with sad eyes and a mouthed sorry. It seemed ironic but apparently the one he rejected was the one that had his back.
"No, I´m neither confused nor have I any doubts" he was doing this and there had to be no question about that he meant it. "I don´t like girls that way and I never will, it´s who I am and it´s not going to change" now there was no turning back.
The table rattled when Vernon stood up, his face was rapidly becoming a purplish color and his nostrils were flaring with anger.
Dudley shuddered but stood his ground, he was and not for the first time afraid of his own father.
Then Vernon started shouting "NO son of mine will EVER be gay, I won´t allow it" the last part was gritted out between clenched teeth.
Dudley knew then that it would come to that, he would be given an ultimatum but he didn´t really have a choice he wouldn´t suppress himself any longer he couldn´t do that to himself or to any poor girl his parents would want him to marry. It wouldn´t be right and no one would end up happy.
"Either you stop this nonsense" a sneer that could kill followed "marry a girl and start a family like a real man, or I don´t want to see your freak face her E.V.E.R again" Vernon looked like he could kill someone with his bare hands if someone just looked at him the wrong way.
He looked around the table wishing, or maybe more hoping against all sense that his mother would stand up and come to his rescue. What he saw was even worse than her not doing anything though, Petunia sat there silently crying and there was nothing he could do. Whatever would go down tonight he still would always love his mother and seeing her cry because of him was breaking his heart.
"What will it be boy" Vernon was looking impatient and almost as if he could care less about what he would do.
"I won´t marry a girl" was the only thing he said and that made Petunia sob and Vernon slam his fist down at the table.
Dudley was shaking now almost believing Vernon would jump over the table and attack him.
"Pack a bag your disgusting faggot and be out of this house in under 1 hour or else" Dudley knew this was final and to be honest he wasn´t sure he wanted to stay there anyway, not after this. "You are even more freakish than that stupid cousin of yours" Vernon was livid and started to walk around the table.
Before Dudley could react his father had grabbed him by the collar of his suit jacket and pushed him up against the wall, a gasp was heard from behind but Dudley´s view was cut off by the massive figure holding him up in an iron grip. "You are not coming back here, you are no longer my son, you are worth nothing more than this fly" as he was saying this he captured a fly and crushed it with the hand not holding Dudley "now out of my face before I do the same to you, you little man-whore" he spat and Dudley felt spit hitting him all over his face.
It took a few seconds after Vernon released him before he moved and disappeared up the stairs to his room to pack a bag.
Tears where streaming down his cheeks, why am I crying he had been aware that this had been a big possibility but he hadn´t been prepared to feel this hurt when his fears came true. He swiftly wiped away the tears and started to throw clothes into a duffel bag.
He didn´t know where to go or what to do, he knew no one from his extended family would take him in. He had saved up money though for just this purpose, if he was disowned. Disowned he felt hollow this meant he wasn´t even a Dursley anymore maybe he could become an Evans?
Evans, this remembered him of Harry maybe he could contact him. He was extremely opened minded with a hero complex after all and forgiving on top of that. He knew that he would help him, Dudley was still wary of magic but after just a few seconds he had decided that contacting Harry was the right thing to do, he was family after all.
He remembered the piece of paper with an address laying in Harry´s old room from the last time he had been to number 4 Privet Drive and before he went down the stairs of the house for the last time himself in maybe forever he went in and grabbed the paper and stuffed it into his back pocket.
Before he left Petunia came up to him on the front porch and it was obvious that she had been crying the whole time he had been upstairs "come back when you have come to your senses" she was saying "I still love you but I can´t support this, come find me when you have a family."
She gave him a big hug then she stepped away turned around and walked back into the house, the door closed and he heard it being looked from the inside. "Bye mum" he said to himself and made his way into the night with an unknown future but at least this future was as Dudley, just Dudley.