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Patrick and David were lounging at Ray’s. The latter was downstairs, presumably cooking breakfast for all three of them.
David was nestled comfortably into Patrick’s side. Patrick was was reading books about taxes to David (and critiquing it, much to David’s amusement).
“Do your parents know about us?” Patrick asked, interrupting the paragraph about import taxes.
David froze. “Um, that is a difficult question, and I’m not sure how exactly to answer that without you getting mad.”
Patrick turned to his boyfriend. “What? Why would I be mad?” He asked sweetly.
David curled around Patrick in an effort to make himself smaller. “Um, they don’t-they aren’t-fuck!”
Patrick sat up, pulling his partner with him. “David? You need to calm down, okay? Can you do that? Breathe with me-“
”It’s not-it’s not-my parents-they-they put up a façade for the media. Dad helped Ronald Reagan campaign for both terms. Both of my parents are conservatives. They joked about the AIDS epidemic knowing that my friends died because of it.” David was now sobbing into Patrick’s shirt. “They asked me why I wasn’t normal. Why I wasn’t like Alexis.”
Patrick knew this wasn’t a conversation for 7:30 in the morning, but he also knew that if he stopped David now, he’d never hear the rest of it.
”They were so glad when I started dating Stevie. They thought I was straight, but when Jake entered the picture…even Alexis judged me.”
Patrick whispered apologies in David’s hair when he was cut off by Ray’s “knock knock!”
”Fuck!” David mouthed.
”Would you like pancakes or waffles?” Ray asked with his distinctive accent, completely unaware of the situation.
“Actually, Ray,” Patrick answered as he got up and nudged David to do the same, “we were just about to head to the store.”
”Oh, okay. Door open or closed?”
David rolled his eyes. “Closed,” he and Patrick said in unison.
^
Stevie and David’s friendship was something Patrick never understood. They were so alike and so different at the same time. He couldn’t wrap his head around it.
The bell dinged, and the other Rose sibling walked in. “Hey, David!” Alexis said in her shrill voice. “I’m gonna need some more of those lip balms!”
”Can we get a discount? You know, friends and family?” Ted joined in, walking behind Alexis.
”Um, I think you should try paying for something for once, Alexis. Ted, why are you here?” David asked with his usual sass.
”Oh! Alexis thought I could apothecary some boxes for you!”
Alexis faked a laugh. “Yeah, and I wanted to ask Patrick some questions about this business course.”
Ted’s face became unusually serious. “Um, Alexis, I was hoping you’d help with the boxes.”
The blonde did her signature groan. “Ted, I really need help with my homework!”
David and Patrick looked at each other. Ted never stood up to her. Patrick almost wanted to give him a discount.
Alexis widened her eyes. “Stick with the plan!” She hissed.
”But-but they’re my friends!” Ted protested.
”Yeah, and Miley Cyrus was my best friend until she came out!”
Ted’s eyes scanned his girlfriend’s face. “But Alexis, I don’t care if they’re gay! They own this store, they live here, they’re in a loving relationship! You should be happy!”
Alexis ground her teeth as Stevie stepped in to diffuse the situation. David and Patrick were too shocked to move. “Just calm down, guys. There’s no reason to fight over this. Alexis, Ted, just leave.”
As they left, Stevie turned to the two lovers. “The hell was that?”
The tension melted out of David, and he collapsed into his partner. “I can’t do this,” he gasped.
“Okay,” said Patrick, “what does that mean?”
David tugged uselessly at Patrick’s sleeve. Patrick looked at Stevie helplessly.
“Take him to my apartment, Patrick. I’ll close up here,” Stevie said, full of pity for David.
“Thank you,” Patrick breathed out as he tugged David away.
^
A shrill voice made Patrick jump. “David! I need your advice!”
The pair turned around to see Moira clacking across the road in her heels. “I need your help, David. I know those afflicted with your disease know about feminine fashion, and I need you to help me select an outfit for the Crows premiere!”
Patrick narrowed his eyes. “Me and David are meeting Stevie at her place for some drinks. This will have to wait.”
“Well don’t let me keep you waiting any longer!” Moira started to walk away, only to stop and whisper “don’t let him force you into anything, Pat,” as she left.
He turned to look at her in disgust. “You’ve been dealing with this?”
David nodded.
They got to Stevie’s apartment in record time after that. It was the last place Alexis or Johnny would look for them.
^
Patrick walked in to the cafe. He wasn’t expecting much, just the usual damn-near inedible food and one of Twyla’s stories.
He saw David sitting in a booth with his parents. Stevie was in a booth behind them and Twyla was pretending to take her order. It looked like damage control, but for what?
Patrick slid into the booth across from Stevie. “What’s going on?”
”David’s telling Mr. and Mrs. Rose that you two are dating. Ted, Jocelyn, Roland, Ronnie, and Ray are supposed to be here soon for moral support.”
”And no Alexis?”
Stevie bit her lip. “She broke up with him. She’s not coming.”
Patrick’s heart ached for David. He had no support from his family at all.
The others barged in. Ted was wearing his vet scrubs, covered with hair. Ronnie came in with fire in her eyes, and Patrick, for once, wasn’t on the receiving end. Ray caught his eye immediately, smiling and waving at his tenant. Roland and Jocelyn were attached at the hip, Jocelyn’s baby bump showing prominently.
Ted squeezed in next to Stevie as Ray slid in by Patrick. The rest grabbed chairs and joined the group at the booth.
Tears gathered in Patrick’s eyes as he scanned over the crowd gathered around him. He was proud that David had made this much impact in the community.
“Thank you guys, so, so much,” Patrick said sincerely.
“We just wanted David to know that, although his parents may not accept him, they are definitely outnumbered.” Jocelyn said, reaching out and grabbing Patrick’s hand.
”If it comes down to it, I’ll fistfight Johnny. Ronnie, you’ll have to handle Moira, and me and Joce will adopt David, no questions asked.”
Ronnie rolled her eyes. “Even though it’ll be funny, I don’t think you should be fighting Johnny.”
”WHAT?!” Moira shrieked from the next booth. “Ew! Get away from me!”
”We thought you were fixed, son! You need to stop having sex with anyone who gives you attention! That’s how you get the gay disease!” Johnny’s eyebrows raised as he scolded his son for something out of his control.
Patrick stood up, but the rest of his table beat him to it.
”Johnny, you can’t ‘fix’ David because he’s not broken. Believe me, I’ve had to deal with Bob, I know.”
The Rose patriarch whipped around to stare at Ronnie.
”Moira, you should be proud of David. He’s come so far!” Jocelyn gushed, making David blush.
”Dave, I’ll fight Johnny right now, just give me the word.”
David shook his head. “You don’t need to do that, Roland.”
“David, you can always stay with me and Patrick!” Ray said, impossibly happy given the situation.
”David,” Ted said, getting choked up, “I broke things off between me and Alexis. What she did to you is awful, and I’d rather be single and accepting than with her and a bigot. I’m just sorry I didn’t know earlier.”
David covered his mouth with his hand as he sobbed. “I-th-thank you, Ted.”
Stevie said nothing; she didn’t need to. She had his back from the very beginning.
Patrick rushed forward and gathered David into a bone-crushing hug. “I love you. Fuck what they think, I’ll never leave. I’m here.”
At his wedding, David Rose became David Brewer. He was never part of his family; now, it was official.
He looked around at all of the townsfolk in the pews, smiling and clapping for him and his husband. They were his family, David realized as he kissed his husband. They were all he needed.