Over at JD’s house the turkey day preparations were going well. Tanya and her mom had the turkey and all the fixins going and the whole house was filled with the smell of another successful Thanksgiving. The ladies and JD found themselves sitting in the kitchen watching as Shawn, Tanya’s husband, and Marc played tickle monsters with Tasha.

Deanne laughed so hard watching her son play with TT. She sighed a moment later, and answered the questioning look from JD’s mom, “I know he’s gay, and I am probably selfish, but I do hope that someday he can enjoy being a parent.”

JD’s mom reached out and took Deanne’s hand. “The world is changing every day. Adoption by a gay couple is legal in our state. I think there’s even a few in the foster system. Barring that, of course, no one would look twice at a surrogate. The problem you have is he doesn’t seem ready to date, never mind getting married,” she said with a chuckle.

DD laughed too, “you’re right! I am putting the cart before the horse.”

JD felt his heart beat erratically through the conversation. He wanted to be beside Marc as a parent. All of a sudden he felt like he was going to burst if he didn’t say something, but at the same time he couldn’t. He couldn’t say it in front of family, all of the sudden. “Hey mom, can uhh.. can we talk a minute, upstairs?”

“Sure,” she followed him up the stairs to her room. They sat on her bed. She wasn’t sure what was going on for JD, but was ready for a good heart-to-heart. It had been a while.

JD took her hands into his and prepared himself for what he was about to say. It had been two weeks since his joining the GSA. He had gotten a lot of information, and time to experiment. He felt pretty confident to say he definitely likes both men and women. “Mom, uhhh… you know I’ve gone on a few dates with Melissa, right?”

She shook her head to confirm. For a brief moment she was afraid JD was going to say he got Melissa pregnant, considering the conversation downstairs was about becoming a parent.

“I kinda had to stop seeing her. It’s not that she’s not great, she is, but there’s someone else I have stronger feelings for. And I don’t know what you’re going to say, but it's a boy. Mom, I think I am in love with another guy.”

Taken aback a bit by the confession, she couldn’t hold back the range of emotions that came over her face. First was relief that it wasn’t a pregnancy. Then confusion, because JD had never let on about this before. Finally her features softened into the motherly understanding face. “Ok, so, I have a lot of questions, but I guess the most important, is it Marc?” she asked.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Actually no, just the timing.”

“I have no idea how he feels. In my head I am struggling. He’s my best friend, I am afraid of losing him. But I think I am afraid of loving him too. I am afraid of a lot of things, actually,” his voice cracked as a few tears slipped down his cheeks.

“It’s ok, baby,” she took her son into her arms and held him. “It’s never easy to know how the other person feels. I think it’s important that you’re honest with him though. Just, take your time.”

JD nodded as he started to feel better. “You’re not ummm, upset? That I like a guy?”

“Oh, well, it’s going to take some getting used to. But you’re my baby. I couldn’t hate you. Just, uh, promise me one thing?”

“Yes, mama?”

“Don’t have sex in my house.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem, mama.” JD fixed himself back up, making it didn’t look like he’d been crying. They arrived down stairs in time to see Shawn carving the turkey. TT was obediently setting the table. Tanya and DD were uncovering the side dishes and giving each one their serving spoon.

Marc stood by JD watching the flurry of activity in the kitchen. He felt an urge to hug JD from behind and just hold him. He fought it and just leaned his head on JD’s shoulder. “Happy Thanksgiving.”

JD looked down at him and smiled, “yeh, Happy Thanksgiving.”