Chapter 70
JW turned the water off to the shower in the fire department locker room and stepped out to towel off. He glanced at his phone to check the time and sighed in relief as he heard loud talking and laughing out in the bays, he knew his shift was over and JW was ready to head home.
The drive home was quick and traffic was light, the only thing JW could think about was Marcus on the drive and JW started laughing to himself as he already realized he was speeding to get home so he could have sex with Marcus before Luke woke up.
JW pulled his Porsche into the garage and saw that Marcus car was gone. JW cursed to himself several times and then stepped out. He walked into the house and closed the door to the garage; he stripped down naked, tossed his uniform into the washing machine. JW looked down his body and then looked at himself in the mirror. JW just smiled looking at his naked body and then he grabbed a pair of green gym shorts from the shelf and slipped them on.
JW walked into the kitchen and poured a large glass of water and then turned and walked towards Luke's room. He sighed loudly as he saw Luke's empty bed and walked into his room to make sure Luke was not in there. JW was about to turn and walk out of the room before he stopped and walked over to his dress and dropped his shorts to the ground to put on a pair of jockstrap underwear. JW pulled his shorts back up and adjusted them so the waistband on the underwear was clearly visible.
JW walked back into the living room and threw himself on the couch to lay down. He turned on the TV and grabbed his phone to text Marcus. JW watched ESPN for a few minutes before falling asleep.
JW woke sleepily and looked around the living room, "What the hell is making that noise?"
The sound went off again and he realized it was the doorbell. JW limped to the front door and reached for the doorknob, "Hello?"
JW was squinting his eyes from the bright sun light behind the man in front of him and he had to raise his hand to shield his eyes as the man in front of him said, "Marcus?"
JW shook his head, "No, he is not here right now."
The man sighed and JW asked, "What can I do for you?"
The man smiled, "You must be JW then?"
JW lowered his hand and rolled his eyes, "Yes. What can I do for you?"
The man apologized, "Oh I am sorryÉ I guess Marcus didn't tell you. My name is Freddy and I am here for an interview."
JW blinked stupidly at the man for a few seconds before Freddy said, "Do you mind if I come inside, its getting hot already out here."
JW bit his lower lip, "UmmmÉ Ya I guess so."
JW held the door open for Freddy and closed it behind him and pointed at the couch, "Take a seat and I will get you something to drink."
JW walked into the kitchen and sunk his hands into his pockets looking for his phone. JW filled up a glass with water and walked back out to the living room, Freddy was standing in front of the mantel that had Marcus parents photo, JW's kids and Marcus mother parole letter. JW sat down in the arm chair and put Freddy's water down on glass table, "So what are you here for?"
Freddy continued to look at the photos and asked, "Whose kids are these?"
JW leaned back in the arm chair and stared at Freddy, "They are my kids."
Freddy nodded his head and looked towards JW, "Figured, they look a lot like you."
JW frowned, "Dude what are you doing here?"
Freddy turned and smiled, "I am here to interview the both of you." JW lifted his eyebrows and had a blank look on his face. Freddy walked over the couch and sat down and continued to look around the living room, "You know this is a really strange style in here but its actually starting to grow on me."
JW sat up in his chair and leaned forward, "You know your about to piss me off. Now tell me what the hell you're doing here."
Freddy bit his lower lip and dug in his pocket for his phone. JW clenched his fists together and Freddy nervously shifted in his seat, "Calm down, Marcus asked me not to tell you too much until he got here."
JW grunted and rolled his eyes, "Where is he at? He is not answering my phone callsÉ"
Freddy furrowed his eye brows, "Marcus said he was driving in from his former job about twenty minutes ago andÉ" JW's face went into shock and he sat up in the armchair. Freddy noticed this and realized JW didn't know what was going on, "I am sure Marcus will be here shortlyÉ Do you mind if I make a personal comment?"
JW started at his ceiling and leaned back in the chair and quietly said, "Go ahead."
Freddy fumbled with the words but he managed to say, "You are really good looking. Marcus said you were cute but I was not expecting thisÉ"
JW heard the garage door open and he shot to his feet and shot towards the garage door and threw it open. Marcus had barely stepped out of his Porsche when JW was standing right in front of him, "What the fuck É you quit your job?"
Marcus sighed and decided to take the higher road, Marcus reached out and grabbed JW in his arms and hugged him tight. Marcus felt JW's confusion in his body, "Ya babe, they were pushing me to do something that I didn't want to do. I have been thinking about leaving for a while and just didn't want to worry you with my stupid shit."
Marcus pushed JW back and stared at him. JW stared stupidly at Marcus, "That's a pretty big decision. You sure about that?"
Marcus laughed and leaned forward and kissed JW's check, "Aww, you're concerned about me."
JW rolled his eyes and playfully slapped Marcus in the face, "You wish." Luke started to yell in the back of the Porsche and JW stepped to the passenger door and pulled Luke out of his car seat. Luke started to giggle and clap his hands and out of the corner of JW's eye he watched Marcus walk inside.
JW intentionally waited longer in the garage for Marcus to talk to this man Freddy. JW heard Marcus calling out for him and JW finally walked in from the garage and back into the living room. JW walked over and sat down in the armchair with Luke in his arms and listened to Marcus and Freddy talk.
JW played with Luke for thirty minutes before Marcus turned his attention back to JW, "I am so sorry. I thought I wasn't going to be back long before Freddy got here. I guess you have a few questions?"
JW glanced at Marcus and fire shot out of his eyes and Freddy started to laugh, "Well actually JW I am here for you. Marcus asked me to wait a few weeks before showing up though because you were stressed out with something you were doing at work for a charity."
JW smiled and quietly said to Luke, "Daddy was a nervous wreck after that." JW paused and look at Freddy, "So are you telling me what you are here for now?"
Freddy nodded his head, "I am with the city news paper and I have been searching for what I call a gay power couple for the last few years to do an article on."
JW immediately turned to Marcus and scowled hard, "Was this your idea?"
Marcus lifted his hands up defensively and laughed, "No, actually this was someone you work with."
JW frowned and looked at Freddy, "The woman that did your photo shoot with, Violet? You remember her?" JW nodded his head and laughed and Freddy said, "Well I have known Violet for years and she is the one who told me about you. Evidently the other men you work with talked up a storm about you. Long story short, that evening Violet told me about you and then I started my research. After I weak I knew you were the couple I had been looking for."
JW frowned and looked at Freddy, "So why is this the first time I have heard about this?"
Freddy looked to Marcus, "Well I called you, but you were a sleep and Marcus answered your phone. He was really hesitant to do this because he said you were an extremely shy person and valued your privacy, but after harassing Marcus for a few weeks he finally agreed for us to have a sit down and at least let me ask you for the interview."
JW looked at Freddy blankly and then Marcus, "WellÉ I don't even know what to say because I am pretty pissed off right this second. I can tell by the look on Marcus face that he feels this is relatively important. So I will humor you for a minute or twoÉ so why would you want to interview me?"
Freddy sighed, "I am a gay man. I believe that we should be treated just like anyone else and have the same rights as straight couples, but we are disrespected and absolutely hated across the board. For years I have written about gay rights and gay marriage. Now certain parts of this country have made incredible steps forward but unfortunately we live in a state that does not have the sameÉ line of thoughts."
JW drummed his fingers on Luke's back and stared across the room, "SoÉ that's nice and all but I don't get your point."
Freddy sat on the couch with his hands on his knees, sitting straight up. For the first time JW looked over Freddy; he was cute with short brown hair, dark brown eyes, tanned skin and wearing a black tee shirt that was close fitting to his thin body and tight blue jeans. Freddy chose his words carefully, "I am looking for gay men that have been able to break the stereotypical mold forced on gay men. I need an ambassador for the gay community that can represent the gay community properly in a conservative state. After my research I think both of you are exactly what the gay community needs."
Freddy looked at JW closely and watched his reaction, JW was hard to read and it was obvious that everything Marcus said about JW was an understatement. Suddenly Freddy looked down JW's body and saw the underwear waist band that said jockstrap across it. Freddy started to laugh and tried to hide his smile but it was too late, JW was staring at him confused.
Freddy pointed, "I just noticed your underwear label, I am impressed."
JW lifted Luke off his lab and looked down at his waist and didn't understand what Freddy was talking about until he read the upside down writing. JW blushed hard and sat Luke down in his lap and stared up at the ceiling, "Why do I always do this to myself?"
Freddy looked to Marcus who was laughed and asked, "What is wrong?"
Marcus smiled, "Poor JW here has a tendency to really embarrass himself in odd ways."
JW sighed, "Your asking a lot. What is it that you want from us? What do you want from me?"
Freddy smiled, "I am going to ask questions and get your opinions on a lot of different topics. I just want to know how you two make it in such an conservative small town."
JW sat there quietly for several minutes rolling Luke around in his lap before looking towards Marcus, "What's your opinion about this?"
Marcus shrugged, "At first I was all for it, but the more I think about the more I am unsure of this idea. Doing this is opens us up to several major issues."
JW nodded his head, "I am not saying we are going to do this but if we do absolutely under no circumstances are you going to use my kids."
Freddy had a panicked look on his face, "Well how about I don't use their names. I can just say that you have three young children, two girls and one boy? I find it critical to mention that you are a family and what you do with your family."
JW nodded his head, "I guess that's fine, but you can't use their namesÉ at allÉ never! In fact, I am really inclined to say do not even mention the fact that I have two girls and a boy, why don't you just say three children?"
Freddy thought about it for a second, "I guess I could do that, but why can't I mention themÉ" Freddy paused as JW's face hardened and Freddy finished with, "Tell you what, I never do this but how about after I write the article you two can read it over for a day or two and then you let me know if that will work?"
JW nodded his head, "That might be acceptable, but there is another gigantic problem and there is no way that I would agree to do this until I told to Shane." JW looked to Marcus who was nodding his head.
Freddy asked quizzically, "Who is Shane?"
JW sighed, "I am not saying another word until I talk to Shane."
Shane listened to JW explain what was going on and found himself extremely conflicted, "JW you did the right thing calling me. On one hand I am begging you to do the interview, maybe you could possibly make the first positive steps towards equality in this state. On the other hand you have responsibilities to the department." Shane let out a long and drawn out sigh, "Let me make a few phone calls and see what I can figure out."
JW sat quietly in the armchair, switching between watching his cell phone and Luke crawl around the ground. Freddy and Marcus talked for almost two hours before Shane called JW back. Marcus and Freddy listened intently as JW gave absolutely no clue to what was being said.
JW hung up the phone and looked at Marcus, "We need to talk for a few minutes. Mind stepping outside with me?"
Marcus stood up and walked with JW outside to the back patio, JW closed the door behind him and leaned up against the hand rail, "So you quit your job?"
Marcus smiled, "I have been thinking about it for a while actually. They take me for granted and I wanted to move onto something else for a while. Remember Colin and Will? Will offered for me to work for them a few days after they came here for the BBQ. It has been in the works for a while and I made it official today."
JW frowned, "Why would you not tell me that? That's really important?"
Marcus sighed, "Well I wanted to tell you, I was going to tell you today."
JW shook his head, "Why would you not tell me what you were planning?"
Marcus shrugged, "I didn't want to bother you with that shit."
JW folded his arms across his chest and Marcus knew this was a sign JW was getting extremely mad, "JW I am sorry. I wanted it to be a surprise honestly and let you know that I was getting a better job. A job that would give me even more time off." Luke started to slap his hands against the glass wall and both turned to look at the noise.
JW glanced to Marcus, "Still you should have told me." JW unfolded his arms and relaxed his posture.
Marcus nodded his head, "So what did Shane say?"
JW shrugged, "That question went straight to the top. They just want to make sure that it's not questions about the fire service. If it's just a reference to where I work the Chief is fine with that."
Marcus blinked his eyes stupidly, "Seriously? I would have thought they would have shot that down immediatelyÉ"
JW shrugged, "So did I. I still don't know what to think of this. What do you think?"
Marcus laughed and ran his hands up and down JW's shoulders, "This is what I would say. Let's do the interview and if you don't like any questions or if I don't like any of the questions we will refuse to answer the questions. I think this is going to be a positive spin article anyways. But let's just see what happens?"
JW nodded his head and turned with Marcus to walk back inside.
Freddy was sitting on the couch still looking over his phone in his hands when JW and Marcus walked back in. They both sat down and looked at each other before JW nodded his head and Marcus looked at Freddy, "We are going to do this. I just have one request if don't mind?"
Freddy smiled, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small recorder and turned it on, "Go ahead."
Marcus paused and took a deep breath, "This is about us right? Not about the places we work? Because JW has to be careful with how this article is perceived by everyone that works in his department."
Freddy nodded his head, "No problem. That is not the point of this interview. So no specifics about JW's kids or his job as a fire fighter then."
JW was extremely uptight for the first thirty minutes but Marcus was masterful taking the full brunt of the questions and answering almost all of them for JW. Freddy changed his tactics though and started to ask Marcus a lot of questions, some personal about his parents, his college life, his work in banking and his interest in men. JW made mental notes about Marcus answered the questions honestly but without a lot of detail.
Freddy asked JW the same questions and he tried hard to answer them the best that he could but it appeared Freddy was pushing JW a little harder. Freddy could feel JW's tension rising and knew that he had to relax the tension and decided to try a different tactic with JW, "So JW having children and being a gay man is not exactly unique. But having young children and introducing them into a gay mans relationship must be tough. How do you manage that?"
JW bit his lower lip, "I am scared to death that I am going to do something wrong and ruin their childhood." JW gave a faint laugh and looked around the floor nervously.
Freddy smiled, "So what exactly do you do for your children to try and over come that?"
JW sat quietly looking at Luke crawl around on the floor before answering, "I work a 24 hour shift and I basically shit my pants that entire 24 hours because I am worried about my kids and worried Marcus might have to do make a decision that is going to affect my babies lives. This makes me sound like a bad parent but this is my life and that is choice I had to make. When I am not working and the girls are not at school I make sure we sit down and do home work, eat together and I keep them busy with a lot more than just letting the TV do the parenting. The kids rarely watch TV because we stay active with many other things. Also, I make sure to dedicate at least one of my days off to spend the entire day with the girls. It's not much and I want to spend a lot more but that is what I can manage right now."
Freddy smiled big and nodded his head, "That's perfect JW, that is exactly what I am looking for. Do you mind telling me just a few of things you do with your kids?"
JW nodded his head, "Well Leah is on a youth soccer league and we go to her practice with Kira. So when Leah is busy running up and down the field I am with Kira or Marcus is with Kira." JW paused and shook his head, "Please no names?" Freddy nodded his head and JW continued, "We workout every day I am not working and the gym we go to has a pool and we spend a lot time in there with the kids each day."
Freddy smiled and crossed his legs across and looked up to JW, "So what's your opinion of gay marriage?"
JW shrugged, "Honestly I am completely new to this and really don't have an opinion."
Freddy frowned, "Well you realize that you do not have the same rights as a married couple right?" Again JW shrugged and Freddy continued, "You realize that if one of you get sick that you might not be able to see each other in the hospital? Or god forbid if something happens to you at work there is a good chance Marcus will not get the children?"
JW nodded his head, "It's something that scares me to deathÉ"
Freddy sighed, "So that does not bother you? You do not want to get married?"
JW looked at Marcus and the two didn't say a word. JW quietly said, "Marriage is meaningless. Marcus knows that I would go to the ends of the earth for him and I don't need a piece of paper to prove that, I don't need a ring, vows or a priest present to express my love for Marcus. I could care less what a judge says or what people think of our relationship. I know if I died tonight that Marcus and both sets of grand parents would do the right thingÉ"
Freddy rolled his eyes and decided to push JW a little knowing that he could completely shut down after this question, "So it's obvious to me that you two have a plan and things organized. What about other gay couples who can't afford your position? Should they just be left out in the dark?"
JW shook his head, "I don't know if I can really explain what I believe but I will do my best. The religious community and gay community need to meet on common ground. The gay community needs to drop the words married and the religious community needs to accept the words civil union. I think this is the simplest and easiest way around this issue. You would be hard pressed finding anyone saying that a gay man should not be allowed to see his lover in the hospital. But those same gay men to accept that a church is more than a place to get married and respect the ideology of the people that attend the churchÉ so I would personally say that I am gigantically in favor of civil unions because I personally do not think its appropriate to get married."
JW glanced up from the floor to Freddy whose mouth was wide open and Marcus who looked shocked. JW rolled his eyes and sighed, "What did I say that was wrong?"
Marcus shook his head, "No that was very goodÉ that's a unique concept but that actually sounds very reasonable to me."
Both looked to Freddy who was still looking at JW and he finally said, "I knew it was a good idea coming here. So JW if you don't mind are a republican or democrat?"
JW laughed, "Blue dog democrat with a gay twistÉ social very open, fiscally I am extremely conservative."
Marcus started laughing, "I have never heard you talk like this."
Freddy turned to Marcus, "And you?"
Marcus smiled, "Ultra fiscally conservative and socially very open."
Freddy smiled, "So JW what's your opinion of the gay community?"
JW shrugged, "I can't really answer that. I only know and have met a few other men that are gay. I have mixed opinions."
Freddy smiled, "The best and worst examples if you don't mind?"
JW laughed, "Best is Marcus and a man I met in the fire department. The worst was a charity that had a bunch of drag queens and bunch of assholes. That one event did more damage to the gay community in my opinion than any gay acts I commit the rest of my life. Not only will I never attend anything like that again, it was not on any acceptable level of respectable. I was embarrassed and ashamed to be a gay man that night."
Freddy frowned, "InterestingÉ care to elaborate any more?" JW shook his head. For the next hour Freddy asked JW questions and he answered them honestly as possible. Freddy finished with one last hard question for JW, "So what is the hardest part about being gay for you?"
JW leaned back in the chair and stared up at the ceiling and waited several minutes before answering. JW continued to look up at the ceiling and sighed, "Every single day I am scared to death I am going to ruin my children's life. The only troubles I have ever encountered as being a gay man are the problems that I shovel onto myself. Everyone around me has been accepting and supportive. Marcus, my parents, my job, my coworkers, my superiors; everyone has been overly supportive towards me. The fact is that every day I beat myself up for being gay because I bought the lie that society hates gay people, that I am doing something wrong. Being gay is something that I cannot control and something I did not choose. If I could control anything it would only be one thing, people's judgment of my children because of who I am or who I sleep withÉ As much as I love Marcus I do not worry about him. I worry for the way my children will be treated because I accepted who I was and finally made the leap to let people know the truth that I was gay."
JW had hoped that was the end of the conversation but Freddy asked, "So JW what are your plans with your family?"
JW rolled his eyes and pointed at his phone, "I am sorry but I have to go pick up my girls from school."
JW stood up and walked into his bedroom to put on a shirt. JW stopped in front of the mirror and looked at his reflection and watched Marcus walk into the bedroom. Marcus walked up behind JW and put his hands on his shoulders, "So what do you think so far?"
JW shrugged, "It's getting really personal and I don't really want to talk about the kids."
Leaned forward and kissed the back of JW's head, "You can stop if you want."
JW shook his head, "I need to stop being so selfish. I seriously maybe we can help other people. Even though that's a ridiculous idea that we are going to change peoples opinions of gay men in this state. Hell I have a negative opinion of most gay men."
JW turned and walked out of the bedroom and into the living room, "Marcus will take over for a bit while I go get and get the girls." JW turned and walked in garage.
JW took his time picking up the girls from school and was tempted to text Marcus to see if Freddy was gone. Turning into the drive way and pulling into the garage JW told the girls to be quiet because they had company and to please start any home work they had.
The girls ran inside, waved to Marcus and shot into their bedrooms. JW returned and sat back down in the armchair. Luke wobbled up to him and JW picked him up and started to roll him in his arms when Freddy said, "Well I am finished with Marcus. If you don't mind I have more questions?"
JW sighed and then nodded his head, "Go ahead."
Freddy, "I admire your commitment to children. How do you feel about gay couples adopting children and having a family of their own?"
JW thought about for a second, "If we are a family they should have the right to be a family also."
Freddy nodded his head, "Do you have a LGBT agenda that you are passionate about?" JW looked confused and Freddy smiled, "Lesbian Gay Bisexual or TransgenderÉ"
Marcus laughed as JW frowned, "Well that's a problem right there."
Freddy frowned, "What do you mean?"
JW rolled Luke onto his back, "I am not gayÉ I am a man. A woman is not a lesbian. The same goes for race, a man is a man and a woman is a woman. If man likes the color black and wears black tee shirts all the time we don't call him a black man. So why would we call a woman who happens to love another woman a lesbian. Society's attachment to words is what is wrong. If people want equality then they should label themselves appropriately. Can a person really be an action? In my opinion no, a person can only do actions, such as being gay."
Freddy furrowed his eyebrows and thought over JW's words and then smiled, "That's actually a good point. Do you support men who are gay and have an agenda?"
JW laughed, "Depends on what the agenda is? Should I force my son to use a unisex bathroom because someone in California says that is fair? People are going to act and present themselves how they feel fit. Does that mean that nudist should be allowed to walk down a sidewalk in front of a school because the nudist thinks it's their right?"
Freddy hit JW with a hard question, "Would you support a man who is gay even though you don't support his agenda? "
JW laughed, "I do that every day at my job. I serve all people, equally and to the best of my abilities. I am there when people are usually having the worst day of their life. I am there for their pain; I am there for their suffering. That is all I do is support people. I am a firefighter because I want to help people, not pick a side on the social agenda."
Freddy nodded his head, "Fair enough. I am getting a sense that you resent the gay community though. Is that true?"
JW thought about it for a second, "You know I don't know if I can answer that question. I think it's fair to say that I have a lot of trouble with the public's perception of gay men. I have had a handful of people lash out at me and even my children. The problem is the vast majority of gay community is nothing like the actual public image. But there are people in the gay community that have no business representing Marcus, our family or me. I will have nothing to do with vast majority of the gay community because of my limited but highly negative experiencesÉ" JW paused and rolled his eyes, "I have heard a lot of people make this statement. I don't care what you do in your own house; just don't throw it in my face. Then a week later there is a gay pride parade somewhere and there are a bunch ofÉ negative impressions made on the community. So a parade that happened 2000 miles from here is immediately forced upon us and I have to answer these questions and beat down the standard already set for us. Do I resent the gay community? No, but I sure as hell wish they would stop trying to speak for me."
Marcus caught JW's eyes and gave a quick thumbs up and smiled big. Freddy sat back in the couch and drummed his fingers on his knee and stopped the recorder, "You are right. We will never make any progress if the entire gay community does not even agree on the same message."
JW set Luke on the ground, "I am getting hungry and fairly annoyed with this. Is this going to take much longer?"
Freddy glanced to Marcus and shrugged, "Well I would like to talk to you for the rest of the year. You have an extremely open and honest view of the gay communityÉ is there any chance that I could buy your family dinner?"
Marcus answered for JW and quickly said, "Of course let me get the girls ready." JW tired to respond but Marcus beat him to the punch, he did his best to give Marcus a black eye with his stare as he walked by. Marcus winked and walked to the girls bedrooms.
They drove to a local Mexican food place and ordered. Marcus and Freddy talked casually while JW focused on his kids and avoided the conversation and tuned out Freddy. It was not until Leah chimed in that JW was caught in the cross hairs again.
Leah tapped JW on the arm and whispered, "Who is that?"
JW smiled and leaned in, "I told you, remember that's Freddy?"
Leah turned to Freddy and asked, "Why are you here?"
Freddy smiled and watched JW turn to stone, "Oh, I am here to talk to your dad and Marcus."
Leah pressed, "What about?"
Freddy took a big gulp, "Well your dad and Marcus are special people."
Leah didn't take the bait, "I know that already, so what are you here for?"
Freddy sighed and knew JW was going to be livid, "I wanted to talk to your Dad and Marcus because they are gay." JW clenched his hands into a fist and Freddy watched the veins in his arm start to rise.
Leah giggled, "So are you gay then?" Freddy nodded his head and took a big gulp and Leah smiled, "Thought so."
JW lightly grabbed Leah's shoulder and pulled her back, "That is rude as hell and you know that I will not put up with that. Stop it now or we are leaving and your grounded for the weekend." Leah hung her head and folded her hands in her lap.
Freddy frowned and Marcus sighed, "Relax JW, don't be so hard on the girls."
JW looked up to Marcus, "I will never teach my children to look at someone and judge them." JW looked down to Leah and reached out with his hand to pull her chin up to look into her eyes, "We don't judge people right?" Leah nodded her head and JW asked, "Why?"
Leah quietly said, "Because we don't know them and we do not want to be treated the same way."
JW nodded his head, "Good, now what do you need to say?"
Leah looked to Freddy and apologized. Freddy understood what JW was doing now and relaxed until Kira chimed in and threw her hands into the air and leaned over to Leah and asked, "So is he gay or not?"
JW threw his hand to head making a smacking sound while Marcus and Freddy laughed. Freddy leaned down and looked Leah and Kira in the eyes, "Yes I am gay. What do you think of that?"
Before JW could interject Kira said, "I don't have a problem with that." Everyone was looking at JW who was now hiding his face when he mumbled something quietly and Leah turned to Freddy.
Leah quietly said, "It does not bother me. I don't care because my dad is gay."
JW jerked his head away from his hands and stood up quickly and walked away towards the bathroom, Marcus looked around the table and followed JW. Marcus pushed open the bathroom door. JW was standing in front of the sink, hands on the counter top and staring into the mirror. JW glanced up and made eye contact with Marcus while Marcus slowly walked up beside JW and started to apologize.
JW stood up and turned to Marcus, "NoÉ nothing to apologize for. It's just really hard for me. And holy shit we left the kids alone!"
Marcus laughed and grabbed JW's arm as he was walking for the door, "I am sure Freddy will be fine for another ten seconds." JW reached up and jerked Marcus into his arms and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, "Ok let's get back out there."
JW returned with Marcus and sat down, everyone at the table was quiet until JW leaned back in his chair and put his arm around his daughters, "Go ahead, but you need to tread extremely lightly."