Best Friend's Father

Rainbow

I forgot to do a dedication last chapter ...
So

Dedicated to Pizza390  who has a nerdy Luke story and it made my day

Ashton was having ritual morning coffee, browsing FaceBook on his phone absentmindedly before leaving for his job which called him in at nine thirty.

Ashton was mid sip of his straight black coffee when the front door slammed shut causing the piping hot liquid to fall on his baby blue dress shirt and slightly burning his skin.

He winced and then sighed because he loved this shirt. It reminds him of his gem's eyes.

He's about to yell at who ever it was but stops when he sees Calum walk into the kitchen like it's no big deal and take a cookie out of the fridge.

Ashton slams the mug down and gets up with his mouth gaping.

"Calum?" He asked

"Yeah," Calum replied with a mouthful of cookie

"Goodness, where the hell have you been?" Ashton asked

Calum just shrugged in response and was about to walk upstairs when Ashton grabs his arm

"Never walk away from me, okay? You can't go missing for three days and don't expect us to worry or care," Ashton said

"It's not a problem really, I was with a friend,"

But Calum used the term 'friend' very loosely.

"Who's this friend? I only know Luke," Ashton asked

"Someone okay, he's a friend. And I was fine, I just needed a break from everyone," Calum said pulling his arm away

"Look, Calum, I need you to be honest with me. Do you have any idea how worried I was? Or your mum? And Luke cried for an entire two hours when he heard you were missing," Ashton said

"Can I tell you guys later? I swear I have my reasons, but I prefer to say when everyone's here," Calum pleaded. He knew there was no beating around the bush anymore.

He had to tell his family he was gay.

=•=

They were all sitting at the dinner table.

The Irwins passed the mash potatoes in pure silence because no one knew what to say or how to say it.

Calum wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans but that didn't work.

He was beyond nervous and couldn't stop biting his lip in worry but mostly fear.

Fear that they won't accept him.

"So Calum, I think you owe us an explanation,"  Charlie said finally

Calum gulped.

"Right," he said shakily.

"Well talk then," Charlie urged

"Well you see, I love you guys a lot," Calum started off not quite sure how to say it.

Does he come right out and say he's gay? Or does he gradually ease them into the conversation.

"Calum, stop stalling and tell us the truth," Ashton said. The only reason he agreed to this is because earlier when Calum came home he saw it in the boy's eyes how scared he was.  Ashton figured this must be something important.

"I-I'm. I-" Calum started but he couldn't finish his sentence.

The nerves were attacking him, making his throat swell and it felt like he couldn't say a single word.