Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 117408 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117408 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Now, it was all I ever wanted to see when I looked in the mirror.
* * *
GABRIEL ‘FOX’ MORRISON
Sex with Jonah always left me feeling like a pile of mush in the best way possible. I’d never had such a strong sexual chemistry with anyone I’d been with. Jonah, holy shit was he different. I was down to fuck him at a moment’s notice, and at the same time, I was also down to bathe him in kisses.
It was what made me so sure I was in love with him.
This morning had been no different. I had woken up and my first thought was to pull Jonah into me.
And then the rest was blissful history
Now, the both of us were pulling up to Jonah’s parents’ house, the driveway already packed with cars.
“Oh no,” Jonah said, as he squeezed his car onto the grass between two big SUVs.
“What?”
“I told my mom I wanted to keep things small today.”
Judging by the number of cars parked out front, this wasn’t about to be small.
I reached across the central panel and grabbed Jonah’s hand in mine. “You’ve got this. If anything, I’d say this is better. Get the news all out at once. That way you won’t be dealing with coming out at every single family event that pops up.”
“You’re right, you’re right.” Jonah took a couple of deep breaths as he looked out to the two-story house, a fresh paint job making the dark brown walls seems imposing almost.
Just then, my phone buzzed between my legs. I glanced down, Andrew’s name flashing on the screen.
It was a message, and the photo that had been attached filled up my phone screen.
“Holy shit.”
“What?” Jonah asked, leaning over. “What happened?”
“Holy fucking shit.”
I handed the phone to Jonah. “What the…”
The photo was of the front of our Stonewall offices, the pale yellow walls bright under the afternoon sunlight. On the wall was a message, spray-painted in a thin black paint: “You aren’t welcome here”. Underneath the message was a halo, the circle dripping black paint, down onto a hastily drawn outline of an angel, the hands held together as if in prayer. The window had been shattered, and the door had scuff marks from being kicked.
“Oh my God…” Jonah handed me the phone back, his hand shaking. “Who?”
I called Andrew, who sounded rightfully distraught. He told me that no one in the neighboring business had witnessed anything, and that nothing from inside was taken either. This seemed to have been an attack based purely on hate. There had been a new church that opened down the street, and while I knew the majority of them were kind, good-hearted people searching for a place to worship and pray, I also knew that a few of them may not have had the kindest of hearts. They may have spotted our rainbow flags as they walked to their church and felt the need to lash out. The painted angel at the bottom only strengthened my theory.
“Shit,” Jonah said, dropping his head back on the car. “The church?”
We’d only been together for around four months, and we could already read each other’s thoughts. I nodded. “Could be anyone, but it is a coincidence that this happens a few weeks after that church opened its doors,” Jonah pointed out.
“Andrew’s getting cameras installed today. This shit won’t happen again.”
“Do you think they’ll try to do it again?”
I shrugged. “I hope so, because then we’ll catch the fuckers.” I shook my head. “Why? All we’re trying to do is help those who need help. Isn’t that one of the biggest lessons religion tries to teach?”
Jonah looked out the window. “I tend to believe, especially in our more modern days, people who hate us under the veil of religion have a bigger problem with themselves than with where we stick our dicks behind closed doors. If it was really about religion, then they’d stop going to Red Lobster and they’d stop pulling out, which, by the way, is also a smiteable offense in the bible… And isn’t even a great contraceptive method either, so they probably should stop doing that anyway.”
I laughed loud. “Well, let’s forget about bigots and homophobes for a little. We’ve got a family to come out to.”
“Great,” Jonah said. He turned to me, worry painted on his freshly shaven face. “Actually, do you want to turn around? We can go investigate. Ohh, doesn’t that sound like fun? Yeah, let’s go do—” I put my hand on his, stopping him from turning the key and starting the engine.
“Jonah, baby, we need to get out of the car.”
“You sure? There’s a movie that I wanted to see. Maybe we can—”
“No, we really have to get out. Your mom and dad are waving at the door for us.”
Jonah seemed to have spotted his parents for the first time. Another deep breath. “Right, and my mom is waving around a butcher knife. Real great sign.”