“Well, you’ll get to know her when we have them over for lunch,” she said.
“Mother, why do you insist on me meeting a girl and getting married?”
“Because you are over thirty and should have been married by now.”
Rory continued to dwell in his thoughts. Where he could be himself, explore his own needs and wants, and not placate his mother’s every wish. The hint of desire he had for men. Something he fought against.
His mother chose his friends, his dates, his everything. His apartment and his career were the two things he chose for himself, and she did not approve of either. She believed he should have a stable job and own a home by now.
“Rory, let’s go for a walk after lunch. Clear our heads and talk man to man,” his father said.
Rory was taken aback. His father hadn’t asked him to go for an afternoon walk before. His walks were his father’s time to reflect and decompress.
“Yes, sir,” Rory said.
Rory and his father put on light jackets and headed out of the house.
“We’ll be back in a little bit,” his father said.
Rory and his father walked in silence down the street. Every house was a clone of the one before. White houses, manicured lawns, trimmed hedges, and little white fences stood in a neat row. The sidewalks were clean of debris. The trees along the path were equal distance, surrounded by iron, and trimmed to match. The neighborhood was out ofTheStepford Wives.
A wrought iron fence surrounded the park. The gate closed and locked. The park was only accessible to residents of the neighborhood. It covered an entire block. Benches and grills surrounded a small duck pond. Swings, sandboxes, jungle gyms, and seesaws covered a corner of the park. Basketball courts, a tennis court, and a small grassy area filled the remainder of the space.
His father sat on a bench facing the pond. He motioned for Rory to join him. The sun reflected off the clear water.
“Thank you for inviting me, Father,” Rory broke the silence.
“Just call me Dad,” he said, “your mother isn’t here.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“So, you reunited with Bernard.” It wasn’t a question.
“Mother must have told you.”
“She did.”
“Yes, and I want to hang out with him again. He was my best friend for so many years. We had a few ups and downs, but that’s the past.”
His father looked at him for a moment. “Your mother does not approve of him.”
“I know, but I’m a grown man. I should be able to make that choice myself.” His voice was defiant. He’d never spoken to his father like this. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong.” Rory lowered his head.
“You have every right to be upset,” his father said.
“I do?”
“Of course. You were told to stay away from your best friend. The one friend who no matter what, you’ve stood by. Someone I know would stand by you no matter what. I’ve never seen you so determined to hold on to a friend. You shouldn’t have to make that choice again.”
Again? His father knew he’d distanced himself from Bernard, but he never told him why. He didn’t want to make the choice. He cared about Bernard and wanted him back in his life. No matter what the cost.
“But Mother said—”
“As you said. You are your own man. You make your own decisions. That decision is between you and Bernard. No one else should make that choice for you, including me or your mother.”
Rory nodded; a lump stuck in his throat.
His father leaned over and hugged him. “No matter what happens, remember I will always love you, Rory.”
