Lariats and Lacrosse Sticks Ch. 05

"Yeah, I'm not the only slut here."

The two lay in their beds, their hands trailing over their chests and pelvis, enjoying the afterglow of their cybersex, long distance pillow talk causing both of them to giggle. As they were relaxing with each other, Tanner's phone began to buzz.

Picking it up, Tanner scanned the incoming text message. "Fuck! They're almost home!"

Randy started laughing as he continued to finger his satisfied hole. Tanner was frantically putting away everything. In the midst of the flurry of activity, he turned and flashed Randy a smile. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, you bad man! Love you!"

"Love you!" replied Randy. The screen blinked close and Randy lay feeling especially relaxed. He slipped his finger in a little further, feeling a stirring as his cock started to inflate.

Knocking filled the room. "Hey, Randy! You there?"

Randy panicked at the sound of his dad's voice, and clothes and toys began to fly.

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Tanner wiped his nervous hands on his jeans for the hundredth time since they had started the trip. They were getting close to Tanner's parents house, and the culmination of the critical decision to tell his family they were a couple. Tanner's family did not have an illustrious history for supporting gay family members, but he'd gotten a lot of advice from his Uncle Rob and Ian, Rob's husband. They both thought Tanner's dad would take it better than his grandfather had, which had resulted in Rob being disowned.

At Ian's suggestion, they had worked through every scenario they could think of, and how that would make them feel. From a full meltdown with screaming and crying, to complete and utter acceptance, they had spent hours and hours preparing Tanner mentally for whatever happened. Regardless they knew it was going to be a difficult conversation. Tanner had reached the decision during their trip last spring break that he needed to be out to his family, and if his parents couldn't deal with that then they weren't the people he thought they were.

By the time Randy arrived from Maryland, Tanner had managed to work himself into a fine set of nerves. He had been eager to see his love again, but the thought of talking with his parents left him nauseous the majority of the time. Mostly he just wanted Randy to hold him and reassure him that everything would be okay. After he had arrived, Randy accommodated him for several days, but realized coddling Tanner wasn't helping.

They had talked about it and decided the best thing they could do was talk with his parents now. Whatever happened, another week of waiting wasn't going to make it better, and once it was done maybe Tanner could go back to being a functional adult.

So, armed with the knowledge from Tanner's sister that both parents were home, they started out just after daybreak for the trip south. Jo knew what they were planning too, and was going to try and help, but Tanner had made it clear that she shouldn't get in the middle of things if their parents didn't take his news well.

Tanner felt the pickup roll to a stop in front of his parent's house. He couldn't help but think this might be the last time he ever saw the ranch where he had grown up.

Randy reached over and patted Tanner's leg. "It'll be fine. Wait and see. Your parents will understand."

"I hope you're right," said Tanner with a sigh. "Come on, let's get this over with."

Randy watched Tanner jump out of the pickup and then scrambled to follow him. As they entered the front door, they could hear Tanner's parents in the kitchen. Tanner was getting flushed as the stress of the moment began to overwhelm him. As he walked into the kitchen, his parents turned and gave them a look of concern and curiosity as they came in.

"Tanner? What's wrong, why are you home?" said Mary, his mother.

"Mom, Dad, I need to talk to you. We need to talk to you."

"Alright son, go ahead," said Tanner's dad, Mark.

Randy stayed close to Tanner, for support, but was resolved to stay quiet if possible.

Tanner tried to start, and words didn't come out. Swallowing hard, he tried again. "Mom, Dad, I need to tell you. You love me don't you? You'd always love me won't you?"

Mark lowered his cup of coffee, it's contact with the countertop sounding like a hammer on an anvil in the silent void the kitchen had become. "Of course, son. What's up? Why are you so upset?"

Jo walked in as Tanner tried again to explain, "I didn't choose, it's not a choice. I've always known, but now, with Randy, it's important that you understand."

Mary slowly wiped her hands with the dishtowel that was thrown over her shoulder. Her face was an unreadable mask when she turned to Tanner. "Just tell us, Tanner. I'm sure it's not as bad as you think."

Tanner became more rattled with each passing second, his ideas and carefully practiced speech forgotten. "It did with Uncle Rob, now you don't talk. I don't want that to happen, but we're in love, and I can't live half a life. I just can't..." Tanner gasped for air, feeling like the room was suddenly extremely close, and he couldn't continue. As his knees weakened, he felt a hand gently press across his lower back. Glancing back, he saw Randy nod at him, lending him strength. He also saw his sister's face and got a shy wink from her. His strength returned, outweighing the fears and worries. Taking a deep breath, he turned to his parents.

"I'm gay, and Randy and I are in love," he said with crystal clarity.

Tanner watched his parents, no clues as to their thoughts showed on their faces. He felt Jo move closer to him, subtly showing her support. The minutes passed as both parents stood silent, unmoving, without comprehension or emotion showing from them. Finally, his father lifted the coffee cup to his lips and drained the cup. Setting it back down, he looked at Tanner.

"You talked to Rob?"

"Yes sir. We thought he might have some suggestions on how to handle this. I didn't want it to end up like when he came out."

"Might have helped if Dad hadn't found out by catching him and the neighbor kid in the barn."

Tanner looked at his father, his mouth opening and closing until he snapped his lips shut. This wasn't going bad, but he wasn't sure how it was going. He heard his mother clear her throat. When he looked at her, she was looking at him and Randy.

"You two love each other?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You're ready to support each other through a life that's going to be more difficult just because you're gay?"

"Yes, ma'am. We know life is going to be harder. We've already seen some of it."

She locked eyes with Randy. "If you hurt my son, you'll have to deal with me, young man!"

Randy smiled at Mary and nodded. "Yes, I understand. I would never hurt Tanner."

Suddenly Tanner's father stood, setting his cup on the counter. "I need to set those posts in the south pasture. I better get going." Tanner watched as his father turned and walked out the door, feeling his heart break a little more with each receding step. As his father disappeared out the door, he felt his mother's small hand pat his cheek.

"Let him think about it. He'll make the right decision. I had an advantage, I already knew," said Mary.

Tanner's focus snapped to his mother. "You knew? How?"

"Well first off, your sister is not the makeup artist she thinks she is," she said with a smirk, "And second, I know how people look at the love of their life, and that's how you look at Randy."

Mary took a step and wrapped her arms around Randy. "Welcome to the family, son." Randy wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight and hoping that Tanner's dad would make the right decision too.

The day wore on, the passing time melding with Tanner's emotions and tying his gut into knots. His mother had accepted him and Randy unconditionally, but with his father's exit from the house he wasn't sure what was going to change in the relationship with his father. As the sun tilted toward the west, he heard his mother begin to make dinner. He and Randy made their way from the bedroom, hoisted themselves onto the barstools and started chatting with Tanner's mother.

Tanner jumped when he heard the screen door slam shut, his stomach churning as he waited to see what his father had to say. His mother strode across the kitchen, meeting his father before he made it further than the mudroom. He heard the quick, and quiet, conversation she had with his dad, but was unable to understand any of it. They stood as Tanner's parents walked in, Randy taking his hand and letting their fingers interlace.

"Tanner, come in here. Please."

Tanner slowly walked into the living room, with Randy's hand in his. They stood silently; ready to hear whatever his dad had to say. Motion in the doorway told Tanner that Jo had moved where she could see what happened. Mark looked at the couple and motioned them to the couch. He and Mary settled into the chairs across from them, and Mark took a deep breath.

"First, Tanner you are my son, and you'll always be my son. I never thought Dad did right by Rob. I've been thinking about this all afternoon, and I never want the same thing to happen between us. I think I owe Rob an apology too; not speaking out when something's wrong is as bad as giving it support. Like they say, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem."

Tanner sat quietly, happy with what he had heard so far, but he knew they weren't finished.

"I don't claim to understand. I know what Dad always said, but he used the bible to justify a whole lot of things that I think are wrong." He studied Tanner, looking as if he'd never seen his son before. "I don't know about the whole choice or not thing, son. But if you say it was never a choice, then I trust you. You've always been honest with me. To be blunt, I've never understood why anyone would choose to be gay when it makes things so much harder. I've never had much use for bible thumpers, you know that too. I think they're good at judging everyone else."

Tanner nodded, squeezing Randy's hand as the conversation seemed to go in a positive direction. His dad looked at them, seeing them in a whole new light.

"So you two are a couple? I'm glad you found someone to love. I guess it's too late to say you need to leave the door open when Randy's here..."

Tanner relaxed slightly and chuckled, his face turning red with the implications. "Yes, Dad. It's a little late for that."

"But you're being careful, 'cause you know AIDS... "

Randy stepped in and answered this time. "Sir, we've been tested, and we're a monogamous couple. So you don't need to worry about that."

Surprisingly, Mark chuckled, "Good, I was dreading the safer gay sex talk."

They all laughed softly. Tanner looked at his dad, tears of relief rolling down his face. He lurched from the couch and wrapped his arms around his dad, hugging him tight. "Thank you, Dad. Thank you for understanding and loving me."

Mark returned the hug, and sighed, still not certain of all the implications for Tanner, but never considering losing his son. After a few moments they separated, and Tanner sat back beside Randy. With a sigh of relief, he felt the weight of the past months melt off him. Tanner smiled at his parents.

"I was afraid you wouldn't accept me."

Mark chuckled, wrapping his arm around his wife. "Well it didn't hurt that your mother said if I fucked this up she would kick my ass all the way to Wichita Falls."

Tanner's mouth fell open at profanity from his father and even more so at the nod of acknowledgment from his mother. With a laugh, he leaned back against Randy.

Mark looked at his wife and gave her a slight smile.

"I think it's time to make a call to Seattle and talk to my brother too..."