The Heart Of Their Puzzle

Chapter 44

"What?" Elonzo asked, pausing the movie and turning to me.

"What if I was gay?" I repeated my question.

"What then?" He asked.

"How would you have reacted?" I asked. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"I wouldn't have reacted." He shrugged. "It doesn't matter who you like. What bothers me is if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend."

"That means, you would've supported me?" I asked.

"Of course. What kind of a question is that? We're family." He said.

"What if Nathan was gay?" I asked, again hesitantly. "Does that make him weak and less of a man?"

"Where are these questions even coming from?" He asked. "Of course not. That doesn't make anyone weak and less of a man."

I looked at him, a questioning look on my face.

"Don't worry about it, baby. We're family. Family sticks together on every step. Even if any of you were gay, that doesn't change anything. We would've loved you the same. I would've loved you the same." He said, smiling at the last part.

I smiled back and snuggled more into him, pushing the nervousness aside. I'm nervous for Marco.

"You know, Drake liked a guy in school." He said, suddenly. "Don't tell anyone, but he had a crush on a guy. I used to cover up for him, because he thought the family won't accept it. What he doesn't know till now, is that Grandpa knows. Grandpa knew about it then and he never said anything. Instead he asked about how him and that guy were doing every time he met me." He said. I smiled at him.

"So Drake is Bi?" I asked, in a whisper. He nodded.

"But they broke up after some months of dating. Now he's with Jackie and he's happy. See, it doesn't matter. I will always support you." He kissed my head.

I nodded and hugged him tight. We focussed back on the movie, with me cuddled against his side and him stroking my hair, absent-mindedly.

"Where's my princess?"

"Grandpa!!" I shouted, pushing Elonzo away and running to meet him.

"Rude." Elonzo muttered.

"There's my princess." Grandpa said, excitedly, engulfing me in a hug.

"Where have you been, young man?" I said, making my voice heavier to sound scary, but apparently I sounded funny, because I heard Leo laughing somewhere. He did that intentional 'wolf howl' laughter, like he was dying. I'll kill him later.

"I had some work." He said, sheepishly, while rubbing the back of his neck.

I narrowed my eyes.
"Fine, I forgive you, you cute grandpa." I said, hugging him again.

"You scared me, you cute princess." He booped my nose.

"Grandpa's here." I said, entering the living room.

"We could've heard him shouting for his princess from anywhere in the mansion." Luciano said, entering the room, making us chuckle.

We made ourselves comfortable on the couch, with me cuddling into Grandpa, while he kept his hand on my head, talking to Elonzo.

I yawned. Its so comfortable here.

"How's it going with Zack? Is he treating you well? Do you still want to keep the arrangement?" Grandpa asked, tightening his hold protectively.

"Yes, Grandpa. He's treating me well." I smiled up at him.

"Good. You treating him well?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.