Read Online Love Comes in Darkness by Andrew Grey - Free Book Online Page B

that all we had to do was his work and spread his message. Everything else would come.” There was hurt in Gordy’s voice. “It’s hard to explain. And I was a teenager before I began to question what my father believed. He knew best and would brook no argument about anything. So when I went against him and left for college, I got no help from my family and I rarely came home. Often I spent the holidays, when the dorms were closed, with friends and their families.”
    “I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me and what this has to do with your behavior the other day,” Howard said with a touch of exasperation.
    “Sorry, I’m beating around the bush, I know that, but when I told my parents I was gay, they reacted as you’d expect, with plenty of accusations and more hatred than any Christian father and mother should ever display. My mother couldn’t understand, but at least I knew she still cared about me, on some level, I guess. My father on the other hand, if looks could kill….” Gordy coughed. “I’m sorry.”
    “For what, using a sight reference?” Howard asked and took Gordy’s hand in his. “English is full of them, and I’m not that sensitive to them. They’re just a part of the language.”
    “Well, yeah. I’ve tried not to use them. Sort of dumb, huh?” Gordy said.
    “No, it’s kind of sweet. But that wasn’t what you were sorry for. There’s something else,” Howard said, and Gordy paused. He didn’t say anything or deny it.
    “When my father found out, he became physical,” Gordy said. “I’m bigger than him, but he was my dad.”
    Howard could feel Gordy’s distress almost as acutely as a physical touch. Token must have felt it too, because he whimpered softly. “Did you hurt him?”
    “No, well, only enough to get away….” The acute pain in Gordy’s voice sent a shiver up Howard’s spine. He petted Token, gently taking comfort from the dog’s warmth as fear spiked inside him.
    “Did he hurt you?” Howard asked, and Gordy didn’t answer, which was all Howard needed to hear, or not hear, in this case. “I think you’ve told me enough about your family,” Howard said. “They don’t deserve you.”
    “Why do you say that?” Gordy whispered.
    “Their lessons about helping others and acting in a kind and loving manner were well learned. That’s how you’ve acted with me since I met you. It seems to me they could learn a few things from you,” Howard said. “You don’t need to tell me any more about what happened until you’re ready. But I can tell you this: you didn’t do anything to incur their wrath. You did what anyone would do and made a decision that was yours to make, not theirs. And if you want my opinion, the whole religious angle is a bunch of bull squirt. Your dad wanted control, nothing more.”
    “How do you know?” Gordy snapped.
    Howard chuckled. “You think I don’t understand others wanting control? That’s the story of my life. Cedric was only the latest person. My parents did it out of love, trying to help, but I wanted my own life. I went away to college as well. My mother tried to get the school to allow her to live on campus so she could be close to me. They were about to break one of their own rules and allow it until I asked them not to. I’ll never forget the hurt in my mother’s voice, but I told her I needed to be on my own. Sink or swim, I needed to do this. It took extra work on my part because the classes weren’t designed for nonsighted people. The school provided an interpreter who sat in my classes and helped transcribe things written on the board or projected for me. Luckily, I have this aptitude for computers, and the machines don’t care if you can see or not, as long as you provide the right inputs. I modified machines and used programs designed for the blind, modified them, and then modified them again and again.”
    “So you made yourself independent,” Gordy said.
    “Yeah, but I still had to rely on