Page 98 of Soft Rebound

This is just who I am

Mom?

Dad: She is too upset about this

Mom: It’s all Lizzie’s fault

Ever since she moved away from home she has lost her way

Bobby: Lizzie’s moving to Wisconsin didn’t make me gay

Mom, you know this

Mom: She’s lost her way, rejecting the nice boy she was engaged to

And now you’re running around with men

You are both going to hell

What is everyone at the church going to say?

Dad: How are the boys at the shop going to react?

Mickey: Nobody is going to hell

I will talk to Mom and Dad tonight

Maybe everyone chill now

And maybe we can talk on the phone tomorrow

Bobby: I am the same person I’ve always been

Lizzie: And Bobby’s boyfriend Trey is amazing

Mickey: Let’s all talk tomorrow when the dust has settled a bit

Bobby: Okay

I love you all

“Shit,” I say.

“Yeah,” Liz says, rubbing Bobby’s shoulder. “They’ll come around, Bobby. Give them time.”

“At least Mickey seems completely on board,” Trey says. “My sister was, too, when I first came out.”

“I’m so sorry, Bobby,” Liz says. “So sorry that Jake forced your hand like this.”

“I probably deserve it. I’m the one they got your address from.” He shakes his head. “I still can’t believe Mom went through the GPS locations in my truck. I would never expect her to do that in a million years.”

“I’m a little proud of her tech savvy, to be honest,” Liz says.

“I’m a little amazed she even thought of it,” I say. “It would never occur to me to do that.”

“They didn’t know where you were before the GPS thing?” Trey asks.

“No. I just picked up and left after my fiancé dumped me. Decided to start fresh. I’m still starting, though. Needed a little space to do so.”

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