Take Me There
Chapter 7
Bold Italics show Gloria remembering Chad's flashback.
Italics by their self show Gloria's flashback.
A/N: I hope the flashback isn't too confusing for anyone. If is it, review and let me know and I'll explain it. Onto the story...
Previously...
After a few minutes of driving and silence, out of nowhere, Ryan broke out into laughter. For the millionth time that day, Chad looked at him with a very confused look on his face.
"Now what is it, Ry?"
"I just realized something." Again he was still laughing.
"And what, oh great one, is that?" Chad asked, rolling his eyes.
"We both had our first crushes on Troy Bolton!"
Chad laughed.
"Oh God! I wonder if he realizes he is every gay man's fantasy?"
If anyone had been driving down that road at that exact time, they would have seen two boys, so very much caught up in their laughter. They would have saw two boys very much in love with each other.
Even if they didn't know it yet.
HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM
It took another twenty minutes to get to Chad's house. But the moment they pulled into the driveway, Ryan took one look at the house and thought Home.
"This is where I'm supposed to be. It just feels right." Ryan was smiling when Chad looked at him.
"Hey, what are you smiling about?"
"Nothing. Just that's I'm glad to be..uh here."
"Its your home now. Its ok to call it that."
Ryan tried it out.
"Home." He smiled again. "It feels good to be able to say that again."
"Ok, good. Now that that is settled, let's get your stuff unloaded and into the house. I'm sure mom is wondering how things went."
"Um, Chad, one question."
"What?"
"What do I call your mom? I mean, do I call her Mrs. Danforth or Gloria? I don't want to make her mad."
"Ry, its gonna take a lot more than what you call her to make her mad. Believe me, I should know." He laughed.
"So, what do I call her?"
"Just ask her. But I already have a feeling I know what she's gonna say." This time, he smirked. "Now, let's go. I wanna get you all settled in before it gets too late. Its almost a thirty minute drive back to the country club."
That's how things went for the next hour. Box after box, the boys would take one from the car and carry it upstairs to Chad's room. This was a shock to Ryan. He hadn't expected this at all.
"Sorry man, but all we have is two bedrooms. I guess I should have mentioned that before. There was a third bedroom but mom turned it into her study. I mean, if this is gonna be a problem we can clean that room out, its just gonna take a while longer."
"This is fine. I just don't want to put you out."
"Its not a problem. I mean, have you seen my room?! Its huge. Plus, mom already set up a new bed for you and everything."
Ryan was shocked.
"She did? But how did she know I would even agree to it?"
"I dunno. She's a mom, they like know these things. Its weird sometime."
Ryan laughed. It felt good to laugh again.
After getting all the boxes moved from the car to Chad's..well, Chad and Ryan's room, they decided to save the unpacking for later. They were starved and ready to eat. Making their way to the kitchen, Chad started opening the pantry doors, looking for something, anything to eat. Ryan, however, stood to the side and watched. When Chad noticed this, he spoke up.
"Dude, why are you just standing there? It's your house now too. Your hungry, so find some food."
Ryan walked over to the fridge and opened the door. After a few minutes of looking, he decided a sandwich was the best way to go. After having Chad show him where everything was, he made his sandwich and dug in. He hadn't eaten all day and it was just now catching up with him.
Just as the boys were finishing up their food, Chad's mother walked through the back door. When she spotted Ryan, she immediately went to him and pulled him into a hug. This time, however, Ryan was ready for her and he hugged her in return. When she pulled back, she saw that Ryan had tears in his eyes. This worried Gloria.
"My goodness, honey, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
Ryan smiled through his tears.
"I'm just very happy. This means the world to me that you would open your home up to me. My own parents kick me out and someone I hardly know invites me to live with them. I'm just not used to this kind of kindness. Its a little overwhelming."
Gloria smiled and pulled Ryan in for another hug. She patted him on his back.
"This is your home now and that's exactly how I want you to think of it. Don't be afraid to ask for anything. Take whatever you want. I want you to feel welcome."
"I do. I really do."
It was then that Gloria got a good look at her son, who was standing to the side of the kitchen, watching them interact. Her jaw dropped.
"CHAD! What happened to your face?!" She rushed to his side. She began inspecting his bruised cheek.
"MOM! I'm fine. I just had a little run in with Ryan's dad is all."
"His father hit you? Did I miss something?"
"No. Ma, he was gonna hit Ryan. I wasn't about to let that happen. I made a promise to Ryan that no one would ever lay a hand on him again and I wasn't about to let his own father make a liar of me."
Gloria smiled.
"You are an amazing young man, Chad. I'm proud of you for standing up for Ryan. It just shows me that somewhere along the way, I did something right."
Chad pulled his mother into a hug.
Pulling away from Chad, Gloria turned to look at Ryan. He was smiling.
"Did you have something you wanted to ask me?" She asked with a small smirk on her face.
Ryan's jaw dropped.
"Uh, um...how..how did you know?"
"I'm a mother, I know these things."
Ryan looked at Chad and saw he had an 'I told you so' look on his face.
"So, what was it you wanted to ask me? Oh, I bet I know. How about I go ahead and answer your question."
"Bu..but, I haven't even asked you yet."
"I know. But I can almost bet I already know what you were going to ask. Did it have something to do with what you were going to call me since you will be living here now?"
Again, Ryan was shocked. Chad looked highly amused.
"How did you know that?"
"I'm a mother, its what I do. Now, to answer your question, I believe 'Mom' will do just fine." She smiled at Ryan.
"Wh...what?"
"Mom. I want you to call me mom. Or mother. Or heck, you can even call me mommy when the time comes. As far as I see it, you didn't just gain a new house and a new family, I gained a new son."
Ryan was silent. He had absolutely no idea what to say.
"Ryan, honey. Are you ok?" Gloria asked.
Again she was met with silence. Not trusting his own voice, Ryan shocked Gloria by walking over to her and pulling her into a massive hug. With a strangled voice, this is what she heard.
"Thank you, mom. Thank you." Ryan said, just above a whisper.
Gloria pulled away and smiled at Ryan.
"Ok, boys. Enough crying. This is a happy moment. From here on out, things are going to be great. Now, Chad, have you helped Ryan unpack yet?"
Chad's jaw dropped.
"What? I helped him bring in the boxes, no one said anything about unpacking it! Have you seen all the stuff he has? Out of fifty boxes, forty-nine are full of hats!"
Ryan and Gloria both laughed at Chad's outburst.
"I do not have that man hats! How dare you insinuate that I do!" Ryan was laughing with every word.
"Ok, so maybe I was exaggerating a tiny bit, but still, he had a lot of stuff!"
"Oh, stop whining. Now, go upstairs and help him unpack."
As Chad walked away, Ryan and Gloria could hear him mumbling under his breath.
"...never said anything about unpacking...more hats that I've ever seen before...can't believe mom is siding with him..."
Ryan took off after Chad, laughing the whole way.
"Its not funny, Ry!"
"Oh, I beg to differ, dude, it is very funny! Now come on, mom said you have to help."
Shaking his head, Chad followed Ryan up to their room. Their room. Chad could get used to that. He defiantly thought he could.
HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM
Gloria was sitting in the kitchen after her boys had left. She may have only known Ryan for less than a month, but she already looked at his as if he were her son. After hearing what his so-called family had put him through, she knew exactly what he needed. A family. He needed to be around people that loved him. And if she knew her son like she thought she did, then he loved Ryan as well. Only in a completely different way and she was ok with that. If Ryan made her son happy, then who was she to try and come between them. She also had a feeling Ryan cared very deeply for Chad as well. Oh well, she would give them all the time they needed. She only hoped they didn't take forever getting there.
Making her way into the living room, she sat down on the couch and ended up lost in thought. Somehow her now ex-husband had made his way into her mind. It had been a long time since she had thought of Roger. In all honestly, she wondered how he was. That's when her mind drifted back to the night Chad had finally come out to them.
Flashback
"Dad, Mom, I need to tell you both something. Something very important. Its about me and the lie I have been living."
"Chad, honey, what lie? Is everything ok?" His mother had asked.
"Yeah, I guess. I'm just not sure how you guys are gonna take this. Its not something to be taken lightly."
"Whatever it is, honey you can tell us." His mother was so caring and loving. Chad was afraid he would lose that forever. Taking a deep breath, he spoke.
"Mom, Dad, I've been keeping something from you guys for a long time now. I think its time you knew the truth."
He paused.
"I'm gay." There, he had said it. It was finally out. He could finally be himself. Somehow he felt lighter.
He was not ready for what happened next. His father stood and walked to him. Looking down at his son, he pulled his hand back and slapped him hard across the face. Chad was so shocked he fell to the floor.
"Roger! What on earth is wrong with you?!" His wife had screamed.
"I will not have a fag for a son!"
"How dare you call him that!" Gloria walked to where Chad was laying on the floor. He was now crying. She pulled him into her lap and just let him cry.
"Its ok, honey. Mommy's here for you. Thank you for telling me the truth. I'm fine with it. Whatever makes you happy. That's all I care about." She hugged him. In the distance they could hear Roger ranting and raving. He was screaming and throwing things.
"Don't worry about him. If he can't accept you then we don't need him in our lives."
What Chad had never witnessed was Gloria confronting her husband after she had sent Chad on to bed. She made her way out onto the back deck where Roger was pacing back and forth.
"Roger, how could you? That is your son in there! You just hit your own son! What were you thinking?" She was trying to keep her voice clam and low, so the neighbors wouldn't hear.
"What was I thinking? What was he thinking! Gay! I can't believe it!"
"Roger, he is still your son. No matter what his sexual preference is."
"No. Gloria, I'm sorry, but I just don't see it like that. I cannot have a gay son. Do you have any idea what people will say when they find out?"
"How can you say that? This is not about you. It's about that scared young man up there in his room. He's crying himself to sleep right now. He thought I had already left the room when he started crying. You've hurt him more than anything."
"And he's hurt me! Where did I go wrong? I mean, he's in sports. I've seen him with girls before. How could I have raised a queer son?"
"Do not ever call him that! Ever! Do you hear me! If you can't accept him and deal with it, then we don't need you here."
Roger almost laughed at that.
"You're kidding me right? You would chose your faggot son over your own husband?"
Without warning, Gloria walked over to her husband and smacked him across the face. He was stunned. She was surprised at herself too.
"Gloria! Are you crazy!"
"No! But I will not stand here and let you talk about our son like that!"
Roger started to fume.
"I have no son! I did not get into this planning on having a gay son."
"Then leave. I'm not stopping you. You see the door, don't let it hit you in the ass on your way out."
"You are actually serious!"
"Of course I am. Either you deal with this or leave. Its your choice."
One week later, he packed his things and left. She got the divorce papers a day later.
End Flashback
Pulling herself out of that distant memory, she heard laughter coming from the boy's room. She decided to see what was so funny.
Walking upstairs, she stopped outside of their room and listened.
"Please, Chad! I need the space!"
"For your HATS! You want me to move my basketball things so you can line all your pretty little hats up! You're kidding me, right?"
"No, Chad, I'm not and you know it! How about we split the space? Please! Its not like I can just throw them in the closet! They would get ruined and that would make me sad. You don't want to make me sad, do you?" Ryan put on his best puppy dog face, knowing Chad would never be able to resist it.
"Ah, man! Not the puppy dog look! You know I can't say no to that!"
"I know." Ryan grinned.
Chad sighed.
"Alright, fine. We can split the space."
Ryan was so happy he started jumping up and down. He threw himself into Chad's arms and placed a small kiss on his cheek. Chad was stunned. He turned away so Ryan couldn't see him blush.
Silently closing the door, Gloria made her way back downstairs. She was smiling to herself.
"Oh yeah. There is defiantly something there. I give it til school starts back."
A/N: How did you like it:D Review and let me know. Just a little 'FYI', I won't be able to post the next chapter until Sunday afternoon. I have to be up at the crack of dawn Saturday morning so I can get in line for Hannah Montana tickets! Then I have to go into work at 2:00 in the afternoon and I work til closing. So, since it is gonna be a full day for me, I won't have chapter 8 til Sunday. Please don't freak and think I've abandoned y'all, cuz I haven't! Again, thank you to everyone who had been reviewing! I can't believe how many people are reading and liking this story! Yay Chyan fans!! So, until next time, Tootles:)