Page 36 of Something Like Winter

“Hm. Well, I’m lucky I have such a cheap date.” Ben was quiet, so Tim stopped painting and looked at him. “I thought you wanted to do this?”

“I do!” Ben said. “I really like the idea.”

Tim resumed painting, knowing the topic wasn’t over. The silence grew thick over the next ten minutes, but he kept his focus on the canvas until Ben spoke again.

“It would be nice to go out with you sometime.”

“We do,” Tim countered, but he knew what Ben meant. Usually they would go for long drives or nighttime walks. Tim never wanted to hit the mall with him, go out to eat, or even catch a movie, since there was always the possibility of them being seen. The most they had ever done was go to AstroWorld, Houston’s theme park, in the cover of night. That had earned him some major points, but lately Ben had been pushing hard for—

“What about dinner with your parents?”

Exactly. Tim chose his answer carefully. “I don’t get why you want to meet them. I know what you said,” he added quickly. “If they ever catch you sneaking in, they’ll at least recognize you—”

“And they’re a part of your life,” Ben said.

“Right.” Tim didn’t hide his sarcasm. “That aside, why can’t you just pop in and say ‘hi’ to them before we go somewhere? Why does there have to be an awkward dinner?”

“Because I want them to get to know me,” Ben said.

Tim considered this. “You’re going to tell them?”

“That I’m gay? Of course! Before I came out to my parents, they had no idea what gay people were like, aside from what they had seen in comedies and gay pride parades.”

“The fools,” Tim said, hiding his smile. Not long ago he hadn’t been so different.

“One of the biggest shocks for them was how someone normal, like their son, could be gay. I think they kept waiting for me to sprout a feather boa and strut around the house in leather chaps.”

“You mean you don’t?”

“Seriously. I think it would be good for your parents to meet someone like me.”

Tim shook his head while he worked. Every time he looked up from the canvas, he saw his boyfriend looking expectant. “Your parents are cool, Ben. The gay issue aside, they’re way more laid back about everything. And more supportive.”

Ben squirmed a little. “I know I’m lucky.”

“Good, but not everyone’s parents are like yours. I know you think I should come out and that all the pieces will fall into place like they did for you, but that’s not how it’ll work for me. Not everyone who comes out gets a happy ending.”

“You won’t know until you try.”

Tim snorted. “I can make an educated guess.”

Ben didn’t give up. Henevergave up. “I don’t see the harm in me being the test subject. Let them meet me—for dinner, not just a few seconds—and we’ll see what they think. Anyway, you promised.”

“Did I?”

“Yes!”

“It must have been a moment of weakness.”

Ben scowled in response.

“Fine. Dinner with my parents. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

The next fifteen minutes were spent in blissful silence, but Ben’s mind was always working. “You mentioned coming out to your parents.”

Tim laughed, knowing exactly what Ben was getting at. “Don’t read into it.”

This was another of Ben’s crusades. Titles made Tim uncomfortable, and Ben was always pushing for him to choose something. Maybe he was bisexual, maybe he wasn’t. What Ben had said about sexuality being emotional had stuck with him, and yeah, what they had together involved feelings. But maybe he was also capable of loving the right kind of girl.