Escaping Perfect

Author's note:There's been a slight revision from the last part.



Chapter 19



Warren was free now. Free of the baggage and the unrealistic expectations of his father. Free to be himself. Free to love. Free to be happy. Right?



He walked outside. The click of the shutter mixed with the sound of nature like the song of birds or the rustling of wind from the trees.



Jace snapped another picture unbeknownst to Warren’s presence. He turned and looked a bit startled. “Hey?”



“Hey.” Warren responded. Every nerve seemed to vibrate from the soles of his feet to ends of his hair. Jace walked towards him and stopped just short.



He dropped the camera around his neck. “I’m surprised my mom let you in.”



Warren half laughed. “Yeah, me too.”



“How did it go?”



The look on Warren’s face was very telling, though he was doing his damnest to not meet Jace’s eyes. No matter how much he tried to tell himself that he didn’t care, he did. All the hurt of his father’s rejection, all those fears he’d hidden had been justified and validated by his father’s reaction.



Jace’s warm smooth palm pulled him from his thoughts, forcing him to meet those sturdy green eyes. “I’m sure my mom will understand.”



“Jace--” Warren began, and stopped because Jace covered his mouth.



“No explanations. No worries, okay?” It’s strange that he believed that he had faith when Jace told him things would be better.



The need to kiss his boyfriend won out, and Warren leaned down to bring their lips into contact. His arms were slid around Jace’s waist as his lips continued to suck and caress Jace’s plusher set. The gruff clearing of a throat broke through their cute moment.



Dr. Howard stood at the edge of the patio, her hair still upswept, arms crossed over her chest. She was the ideal picture of beautiful austerity, and her rigidness only seemed to grow as she watched her son and his boyfriend together. “I assume there is something we need to discuss.”



The boys shared a look before filing past Dr. Brick back into the kitchen. Inside, she watched them as she had done earlier that morning; this time knowing something major had transpired for during Warren’s time away.



She maintained an air of hospitality by pouring two glasses of orange juice for them, and sliding them over along with freshly toasted bagels. “I think we should discuss things as they are and how they seem to be going.”

The boys stood side by side, silently eating under her scrutiny. They finished shortly thereafter and waited for her to speak. “I’ve never had a problem with my son’s sexuality. I treat the situation as any parent does when their child starts dating.” She looked to her son. A perfectly manicured brow arched strictly in his direction. Her green eyes were intense and focused intently on her son. “We’ve had this discussion when you first came out. I only asked you to do two things. Practice safe sex and--”



“Introduce you to anyone I am seriously interested in.” Jace stated.



Now, Dr. Howard’s gaze was upon Warren. Its weight made him feel small and out of place, like a button that didn’t match and offended the rest of neatly ordered design. “I am assuming from what I saw this morning that you two are serious in each. Otherwise, we have so much more to discuss and I know you will not like that talk.” Warren and Jace nodded fast and furiously, staving off the need for anymore of Dr. Howard’s scary interrogations.



“Good.” She said with the satisfaction. “I know something else has transpired, and I think we should discuss that too.”



She looked to Warren, who reluctantly hadn’t opened his mouth yet. Jace’s mother was far scarier than his father, and quite frankly he wasn’t sure he could get his tongue to work if he did. Noting his hesitance, she coaxed him into talking.



“You seem troubled, and I don’t want that trouble to affect my son negatively. So, I suggest you start telling me what’s happening?”



Jace was flabbergasted by his mother’s icy demeanor. Yeah, he knew she could be tough, but her attitude with Warren was entirely unnecessary. “Mom.” Jace sighed.



Knowing Jace was itching to defend him, Warren finally opened his mouth. “I know there’s no reason for you to trust me with Jace, but…” He paused, his tongue feeling thick and heavy, his pulse racing even more as the words he longed to say filled his throat. “—I know I love him.” Warren heard Jace’s audible inhale and continued to train his gaze on Dr. Howard. “My dad knows…Well, because I just told him I’m gay. He’s so not happy about it and we had this massive argument…”



Dr. Howard waved him off, putting an end to his rambling. Never before had any of Jace’s boyfriends ever mentioned the ‘L’word in her presence. None of them had ever looked like Warren either. Maybe, that was half the reason she was wary of him. On the outside at least, he reminded her of far too many guys that could have held her back. Her son was going places, and from what she could remember, so was the Brick boy. They were going in completely opposite directions.



Being gay would complicate things beyond necessary. But, and the ‘but’ that came with her course of thoughts kept her from making rash judgments. “What is that you need?” She pushed.



The large young man before her seemed to close in on himself. “Ma’am, I think I need a place to stay.”



This situation would have made any parent’s eyes bulge. Allowing your child’s significant other to take up residence in your home when you knew they actively had sex was the hardest thing she’d ever have to consent to. “Follow me.”



She took the boys down the hall which lead to the opposite side of the house. Jace’s face was already wearing a hopeful grin as they closed in on the shut door. Dr. Brick opened the door and ushered them inside. “This is our guest room. For the time being you can use it. I only ask that you and Jace not be alone in either his room or yours.”



Warren picked up Jace’s apparent desire to protest, and beat him to the punch. “ That’s fine. Thank you.”



She had to admit she was slightly disappointed that the boy relented so easily. Yet, if he was as stressed as he appeared to be, then any help was big help. “I suggest you get your things. Lunch will be in forty five minutes.”



With that she stalked out of the room, leaving the pair to stand there and watch her progress. They remained silent. Jace lazily rubbed the front of his jeans’ leg, while Warren stood still, looking all the while very uncomfortable.



Jace sank down on the bed with a heavy plop. “Did you mean it?”



“What?” Warren stared down at Jace.



“Did you mean it when you said you loved me?” Those green eyes caressed him, begged him to be telling him the truth.



Warren hadn’t meant to make the declaration right then, especially not to Jace’s mother. His feelings had grown rapidly from a crush to all out lust, and now, pure love. Jace gave him courage when he had none. He’d truly become the reason for Warren finally deciding to be who he was. “Yeah, I might every word.”



Jace was in his arms before he knew it. Wrapped inside his big arms, pressed against the full length of his body; he was sure Jace could hear the thundering of his heart. Jace was craning his neck up and Warren met him half way. Their lips were locked together, tongues sliding over each other, sharing a single breath. Warren’s hands moved down Jace’s lean back to clutch his perfectly round bubble butt. The sensations of lust and happiness coursed through him. The closer he held Jace and the longer he kissed him, the more he wished they could continue what they’d started. He was also away from his father and that made him feel immensely better.



They’d moved into the second phase of kissing when the faint, yet strong voice of Dr. Howard penetrated their lust filled haze. “Boys.”



They broke apart, each gasping for breath. “I guess I should go get my stuff.”



“Yeah.” Jace said.



Warren let his fingers trail over Jace’s face. “Jace, I--”



“I love you too.”

****

He was happy to see his father’s truck was missing. Warren entered the house quietly; with every intention of zipping up to his room and out again. As soon as one foot landed on the stairs, he heard his mother’s voice. “Warren, is that you?”



Warren paused, deciding whether to ignore her or keep to his mission. He could hear her getting up and decided against ignoring her. He owed her an explanation if nothing else.



Lauren Brick sat at the family table absently stirring her tea. She’d mastered the look of tempered patience. Her eyes trailed over her son as he entered the room. He hesitated around the doorway, the awkwardness of his behavior made her so sad. How had things have become like this, she wondered. When had her son lost trust in her?



“Sit.” She told him.



So much like the child he used to be, he sank down heavily in the chair. His looked everywhere except for her face. Lauren sighed. Her bowed mouth tilted up in the corners in dissatisfaction. “Your father isn’t here.”



“I know.” He said quietly.



She took a sip of her tea and rested the cup gently in the saucer with a slight clink. “Then, also know that this conversation is only between you and me?” Warren didn’t respond. She shook her head again in disbelief, her hand reached for his. “Talk to me, sweetheart.”



He looked vulnerable and so sad. Never had she ever imagined she see her baby in such pain. She’d never agreed with how hard his father pushed him. “Warren, please.”



Warren’s eyed remained on the floor, only meeting hers once. “ Mom, I--” He swallowed nervously. She squeezed his hand, imploring him to continue.



“Sweetie.”



“I’m gay.” Silence pervaded Warren waited for his mother’s response. “Mom?”



She initially applied more pressure to his hand. His eyes were prickling with tears as his mother wrapped him up in giant hug. She cradled him against her despite the size difference and rubbed his back as he cried.



Part of her doesn’t want to admit that she knew this already. It was easy to just live in denial. She wasn’t that naïve. There had always been a feeling. Now, as she saw her son’s heart breaking, she really wished she’d said something sooner. “Everything is going to be okay, sweetheart.”



It scared her that those words made him cry just a bit harder.



TBC/?