Justin sighed and plucked at the bedspread mindlessly, letting his mind wonder as he lay against Josh’s chest who was propped up and reading.

“Josh?” Justin asked softly.

“Uhuh?” Responding on impulse.

“Do your parents like me?” Justin asked quietly, never meeting Josh’s eyes, they were trained instead on his index finger that was tracing the colorful pattern of the bedspread.

The couple had visited Josh’s parents earlier that day like they did once in a while. Josh went home almost once a week to check in with everybody, he had a younger brother and sister he was close to although they no longer lived at home and he had a strong bond with his parents. He’d drop by and have a drink with them or just hang out in the yard. Justin would tag along now and then.

The first time he went along he’d been curious about Josh’s parents, because Josh had told him so many great stories about them, Justin wanted to know what these people looked like and if they were really as kind as Josh had portrayed them to be. He went along despite his insecurities.

Today they’d spend a few hours talking and had lunch. It’d been a nice afternoon, Justin had enjoyed himself. However despite the good feelings, something was always lurking. He’d never asked Josh and Josh had never said anything about what his parents thought of him after all the times they’d gone. Not once had Josh said his parents liked him and it put Justin on edge. He’d caught Josh’s mother staring at him today, her piercing blue eyes seemed to look right through him. He’d felt exposed, as if she could see deep into his soul to gather the secrets and use them against him. He wondered if Josh had told her that he’d gotten fired for stealing. She seemed to know.

“What?” Josh asked, too engrossed in the story to really pay attention.

“Do your parents like me?” Justin repeated, it’d been hard to ask it the first time, to gather the courage to let the words roll off his tongue, he didn’t like that Josh was having him repeat it.

“Hmm?” Josh hummed.

“Josh!” Justin whined, frustrated with his boyfriend. He wasn’t listening and it was taking so much from Justin to voice his insecurities.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” Josh asked finally taking his eyes off the book he held in his hands and turning his head to look down at his boyfriend.

Justin met Josh’s eyes for a brief moment before he sighed and turned away, “Nothing, forget it.” All of his courage left him now that Josh was looking at him and he found himself unable to repeat the question.

“Justin, come on, I’m listening.” Josh urged. “Please? Repeat it one more time, I’ll put my book away okay?”

Justin heard the soft thud as Josh placed his book on the nightstand like he promised and after a few more moments Justin finally gave in and turned towards Josh again, eyeing him. His eyes were sincere and curious. Justin lowered his gaze, took a deep breath and asked his question for the third time, “Do your parents like me?”

He’d worried about it all day, but he’d been too afraid of the answer to ask. Actually he’d worried about it since the first time he’d met Josh’s parents, but after today and the stare he’d caught his nerves had multiplied. The worry was eating at him.

Josh’s eyes softened and he slouched down a little so they were eye to eye. “They think you are very sweet and a fine young man,” Josh answered, with a soft reassuring smile, repeating what his mother had said to him privately some time ago.

Justin’s smile was careful and Josh was glad he’d left out the things she’d said in a few conversations that had followed months later. The concerns she’d voiced about having the feeling that there was something about Justin she couldn’t quite place. A certain vibe she got from him, something unexplainable. Josh didn’t tell Justin, but he’d kept something from his mother as well. He hadn’t said anything about the difficulties they’d had weeks ago when they’d almost broken up.

More reassured and relaxed now, Justin settled further against Josh. “How come your bond with your parents is so strong?” Justin wondered, his voice slightly muffled by Josh’s shirt as he slung his arm across Josh’s waist. Josh covered Justin’s arm with his own and lightly stroked it, settling back into his pillows.

“I don’t know, I’d think mostly because they’ve always accepted me for who I was. When I came out to them, they really didn’t make a big deal of it. I was still their son and I was still the same as far as they were concerned.”

“You’re very lucky, Josh,” Justin stated softly.

Josh frowned and looked down once again at his boyfriend. “What do you mean?”

Justin sighed and closed his eyes, snuggling further against Josh. “I mean you are… lucky to have parents who accept you for who you are.” Soft words, but they were loaded. Josh sat up, slightly startling Justin.

“Yours didn’t?” Josh asked, not knowing if he should since Justin was opening up a little about his parents. He’d never told Josh much about them and it shocked Josh to hear him start this conversation.

Justin moved over slightly, slumping into his own pillows while Josh sat nearly straight up in bed. Justin shook his head, “We never got along. I didn’t feel accepted by either of them.” Josh stayed quiet, not knowing what to say.

“I left home three years ago and I haven’t seen or even talked to them since.”

“That’s why it freaked me out when I saw my mother. I don’t want to see her, I don’t want to talk to her. She was never there for me when I still lived at home, she’d pretend not to see me no matter if our eyes would have locked. She’d turn her back on me and let me fend for myself. She’s done it since I was a kid. I fled because I didn’t want her to have the upper hand, but I know she does.” Justin’s eyes swam with tears as he was telling the story while flashes of his childhood and the day when he’d seen his mother went through his mind. He closed his eyes as more tears threatened, slapping his hands in front of his face when they started to fall. He cried quietly into his hands, jumping slightly when an arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled gently. Justin let out a cry and gave in, slumping against Josh, allowing his lover to wrap him in a tight embrace.

Josh was quiet as he just held Justin, he was curious about a lot more things, but he didn’t voice the questions. He just pulled Justin closer against him and waited for the sobs to die down, realizing they’d just taken a huge step.

It took almost fifteen minutes until Justin’s sobs turned into sniffles and finally subsided completely. Silently they lay together, Justin’s breathing slowed, “They really like me?” he whispered one more time. Just to make sure.

“They really like you,” Josh confirmed, knowing what Justin was talking about. More tension left Justin’s body and he sagged further against Josh in relief. He was asleep within minutes while Josh was left to worry all the while softly stroking Justin’s hair to soothe him from worries and insecurities hoping his own would disappear with it.

He revealed something new to me that night and I was very proud he was willing to share it with me. I didn’t tell my parents about Justin’s screw up then knowing my parents would disapprove and would voice my own fear: this was going to end badly. Though I still had hope then. We were going to stay together forever.

“How’s Justin?” Karen asked before sipping her tea. She looked at her son over the rim of her cup with cocked eyebrows.

Josh frowned, “Fine, why?”

She bent forward, setting her cup on the coffee table, “Just wondering.” She replied as if she had no ulterior motives.

Josh didn’t buy it, “Mom?”

Karen sighed and shot a quick look at her husband. He nodded. Josh’s eyebrows knitted in confusion as he stared at his mother, then at his father. What were they up to?

“What’s going on?” he wondered, getting a little nervous by their conspiratorial looks. Karen folded her hands in her lap before meeting her son’s eyes.

“I went to that department store Justin works at, but I didn’t see him.”

Josh’s frown deepened, though he felt his cheeks go red. He still hadn’t told his parents about Justin getting fired and the reason for it. “And?”

“I’ve been there quite often this past week, since I needed new clothes for the spring, but I haven’t seen him once.”

Josh waited her out.

She sighed, “Your father and I just worry about you, we don’t want you to get your heart broken.”

Josh frowned. “What do you mean?” How did she make that leap?

“Is Justin having an affair?” she asked straightforward. The conclusion she’d come to after going over the things that she knew: Justin wasn’t where he said he was, there was something secretive about him and Josh tended to be a little blind when it came to him.

“What?!” Josh exclaimed. “Why would you think that?!”

“Because, you told us he works there, but I haven’t seen him all week.”

“Mom, he’s not having an affair.” Josh said matter of factly.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because, he doesn’t work there anymore.”

“Oh,” Karen breathed, sitting back. “But you said…”

“I know what I said. I lied. Justin hasn’t been working there since February.”

His parents frowned, his mother wondering, “But why would you lie about that?”

Josh ducked his head, “Because of the reason he got fired.”

“Joshua,” his father cut in, “What is it?”

“He was caught… stealing.” Josh revealed quietly, not able to meet his parents’ eyes, knowing he’d lied to them or at the very least withheld information. It wasn’t like he had to tell them, but it still felt deceitful not to.

Karen’s mouth dropped wide open in shock. From the first moment that she’d met Justin she felt like there was something about him. Something wrong. She hadn’t been able to really put her finger on it. He seemed like a sweet, loving and kind young man, but she’d gotten a vibe from him that something was lurking under the surface. His eyes weren’t clear for some reason as if he was constantly keeping secrets. It had irked her from day one and now it fell into place. It made sense. Roy was flabbergasted as well.

“He stole from work?” he repeated.

Josh nodded. “He told me when he got home early, he also said he’d done it before.”

“Did he say why?” Karen wondered.

Josh shook his head, “Not really. He explained he hadn’t had a great childhood and that day he’d seen his mother, it brought back bad memories, but he didn’t say what those were or how exactly that made him steal.” Roy and Karen were shaken their heads in disbelief.

“I know,” Josh nodded, interpreting their looks correctly, “I was shocked as well and I felt betrayed, but I love him and I forgave him. We’ll be okay.” He tried to convince his parents and knew that if he said it enough it would convince him as well.