Page 83 of Don't Puck Up
I paused, and there was a ripple of murmurs through the room. “Please, I’ll answer questions in a moment. Let me get this out.” I waited for the reporters to go quiet again, and then I continued.
“I grew up seeing the world through a conservative-Christian lens. Popular culture framed my views too. I saw ultra-masculine characters being played by actors who had to bulk up for months and dehydrate themselves for days to achieve the look needed for one scene. I was bombarded with toxic masculinity, told what a 'real' man has to be like. Even sports contributed. Football and hockey athletes have only been coming out in the past few years. The world has come a long way, but there’s more work to do because even as a white, cis, het male, I imagine it would be difficult to wade through the messages of what a ‘real’ man should be.”
I looked over at Rune, and he nodded his agreement. Then I faced the reporters again. “Imagine what the LGBTQIA+ community is going through. We are seeing our trans brothers and sisters being murdered because of who they are. Our community members are being arrested and shipped away to overseas jails. Our basic human rights are being stripped away, and the wave of hatred seems to be swelling so high that every time I think about it, I feel like I’m drowning. For years,I’ve been battling that. I’ve been scared.” I blew out a breath and scrubbed my hands over my face gathering my courage to speak again.
“It’s been easier to hide than admit who I am. It’s been easier to deny myself than come out as bisexual.”
The room was so silent that I could have heard a pin drop. I was lightheaded, the rush of the weight being lifted off my shoulders dizzying. I’d done it. I’d said the words out loud. I was out. Publicly. I didn’t need to hide anymore. I laughed, giddy from the relief. I was instantly floating on a high. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.
A split second later, the room erupted. But I had one more thing to say. “I really appreciate your patience while I tell you this last part.” There was a collective sigh of frustration, all of them clearly wanting to ask questions, but I continued.
“I've hurt a lot of people by hiding. I hurt my wife and Hux for lying. Months ago, when those rumors broke that Kamirah and Alec were having an affair, I stayed quiet. I wasn't ready to face anyone. I was terrified that someone would figure out my secret and out me. I didn't want to lose my family—I knew that they’d be upset if they knew the truth. Kamirah and Hux both respected my insistence that I stay quiet to their detriment.”
I turned to Hux and said, “I've said it before, but now I'm saying it in front of these good people and the world. I'm sorry that I didn't step up and own what we had. I'm sorry I hurt you by staying quiet.”
There was no silencing the questions now, but one stood out, shouted louder than the others. “Are you saying you and Hux are in a relationship?”
“We were, but no. Not anymore,” I replied, looking at Hux.
He nodded and held out his fist, and I bumped mine against it.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
“Did you cheat on your wife?”
“Have you and your wife separated?”
“In answer to both of those questions, no. I didn’t cheat. The three of us were seeing one another, and my wife and I are still happily married.”
A reporter in the front row raised his hand, and the rainbow lanyard he wore around his neck poked out from underneath his suit jacket. “How were you injured, Mr. Minns?”
This was the part of the speech my agent had warned me not to talk about. It was the whole point of going in front of the media, but he still hadn’t wanted me to talk about it. Divulging names or even hinting who it was opened me up to the possibility of a lawsuit, and my father and brothers had enough resources behind them that they would be able to do more than threaten me.
After I’d met with Coach and Keeley yesterday, I telephoned the Boston PD and advised that I wanted to press charges against my family. But because I’d done that, I couldn’t give any details until the investigation was complete.
“I was assaulted. It's the subject of an active police investigation, so I can't name names. But it’s enough to say that their actions didn’t feel very Christian when they were raining kicks and punches on me.”
My cell phone started ringing in my jacket pocket, the vibration loud in the quiet room. I winced, ignoring it.
“What are your injuries?” the same reporter asked, unperturbed by the interruption.
I detailed them, and he nodded his thanks.
“Why did you come out now?” another reporter asked.
I couldn’t help but look toward the door I’d come through and smile. My heart swelled, and I sighed.
Gauthier chuckled. “You have hearts in your eyes,” he murmured just loud enough that I could hear.
I nodded, unable to deny it.
“My wife and I met someone. I didn’t want to make the same mistakes with him that I made with Hux and hurt him.”
“Who are you dating?”
“Have you and your wife separated?”
I shook my head. “Like I said, my wife and I are happily married. We—plural—are dating a man together. The three of us are in a committed relationship.” I flicked my gaze to Hux, and he smiled.