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I could have hugged Arthur just because of the way he introduced me. He hadn’t beaten around the bush, just said it how it was. It was refreshing for someone of that generation to be able to accept us as a couple so easily. I watched as she turned around and gave Arthur a peck on the cheek.
“Thank you, honey. There are coffees there for you and Richard.”
She turned to me, still with a smile on her face. I was hoping that was a good sign and not just for show with Arthur standing there.
“I didn’t know how you took your coffee, Daniel.”
Things were still looking and sounding okay, but I still had my reservations. However, I needed to get through this for Richard’s sake. So, with a smile still on my face, I answered Agnes.
“I usually take it white, with one sugar please, Mrs White.”
I decided that I would address her as Mrs White for the moment, as I didn’t want to seem too friendly since we had never spoken before. I saw her expression change slightly before she spoke again.
“Enough of the Mrs White business. Please call me Agnes, and take a seat while I get you a coffee.”
I felt a slight ease come over me when she said I could call her Agnes. I hoped this meant that the conversation would be light and good. I took a seat at the table and waited for her to join me. It was only a little while before she placed a mug in front of me and took a seat next to me.
“Thank you, Agnes.”
She smiled this time at me before she spoke. “Before I get to know you better, I want you to know that I don’t blame you for anything that has happened over the past few weeks. Jayden explained everything because he knew I would be worried about Richard’s safety. So, if you think I am going to tell you to stay away from my son because of it, then you don’t need to worry.”
I breathed a sigh of relief until the next words came from her mouth.
“That being said, I do need to know one thing from you.”
I hoped I knew what that question was going to be, because if it was, then I would be able to answer it without any hesitation at all. I decided to answer before she asked it.
“If that question is do I love your son, then my answer is, without a doubt, yes. Since the moment I first met him, I knew I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life. It was one of the main reasons I went to King Brothers. I wanted to commit the rest of my life to him, and the only way I could do that without waiting was to prove my wife’s infidelity. Fate just played a destructive part in that.”
I could feel my emotions starting to take over as the tears built in my eyes. This had been the first time I had thought about what happened over the past few weeks since the day I was released from prison. I took a few shaky breaths, trying to calm myself, when I felt a hand rest over mine. I looked up to see Agnes sitting there with tears in her eyes as well, and a sad smile on her face.
“You don’t have to say any more, Daniel. You have said more in those few words than I needed to hear. I can see how much you love my son, and I want to say thank you. You have brought the real Richard out. I always suspected that he might be gay. His relationships with girls and women never lasted that long, and then he just seemed to give up. The day that he came and told us both that he had found you and that he was gay was one of the happiest in my life. Seeing how much he changed once we accepted him and how happy he was took a weight off my shoulders. One that I never realised was there. You did that for him, Daniel. You allowed my son to be who he wanted and needed to be. I don’t know what kind of relationship you have with your own parents, but you will always have a place here.”
I couldn’t stop the tears that were now falling. The fact that not only had she accepted Richard as the person he was, but now me… It was all I had wanted in my life. I just wished my own parents were as accepting and understanding as Richard’s.
“Thank you, Agnes. I just wish my parents were as understanding as you. All I want in my life now is to make Richard happy. I never want to see him upset again. It breaks my heart to see him unhappy. I hope that we can spend many happy times together with you and Arthur as a family.”
She squeezed my hand. “So, tell me all about yourself, then. I want to know everything there is to know about the young man who has stolen my son’s heart.”
Agnes and I got to know each other over the next thirty minutes while she continued to get the lunch ready. I had found out so much about Richard and his life, along with Agnes learning all about me. It was so nice to have someone who wanted to get to know me as the gay man I was, and not what they expected and wanted me to be like my own parents. We hadn’t realised how long we had been sitting there chatting until Agnes looked at the clock.
“I think we’d best see what they are up to. In fact, I’m surprised that Richard hasn’t already been in here to check I’m not trying to take you from his life.”
I had to agree with Agnes. Even I was surprised that Richard hadn’t come in to check on me, or at least sent in Arthur. I got up from my seat and walked over to Agnes, who was just about to walk over and check on dinner.
I placed my arms around her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Thank you, Agnes. Thank you for accepting me as your son’s partner and entrusting his care to me. You will never know how much that means to me.”
She smiled at me as I pulled away. “There was never any doubt in my mind. You brought my son back to me as himself, and for that, I will be eternally grateful.”
I just gave her a smile and headed out of the kitchen, with Agnes following me behind. She pointed me in the direction of the sitting room, and I entered. I could see Richard and Arthur sitting there quite comfortably chatting to each other, oblivious to the fact that not only had I entered the room, but I had been missing for nearly an hour.
I spoke as I walked in. “It’s fine, Agnes. They are both in here, completely oblivious to how long we’ve been missing. You do realise your mum could have murdered me in the past hour and you would never have known, don’t you?”
I sat down beside Richard, took his hand in mine, and raised it to my lips to kiss it. I wasn’t going to hide my feelings for Richard in front of anyone. Of course, I would always keep it appropriate for the occasion, but now that I had my Romeo and was accepted by his family, I wasn’t going to let anyone else have him.
We were currently on our way back to the apartment. Today had been wonderful. Agnes and Arthur were such a lovely couple, and I was pleased that Richard finally had someone he could call his dad. He had explained everything to me about his parents before we went down there, just so I understood. To see his mum happy, and how Arthur was with Richard, I couldn’t have been more pleased for him.
However, it made me realise the one thing that was missing from my own life: my family. I knew that my parents couldn’t accept what I was, saying it was just a phase, but I had to at least try to reconcile with them one more time. Especially now that I had Richard and we were going to adopt a family together.
