Back home, we watched my dad’s favorite film, 8 ½ by Fellini, which also seemed to bore Bubba. And I couldn’t blame him there. It was a long film, and it was almost midnight by the time it ended. We said good night to my parents and went upstairs. We shared a kiss at the guest bedroom door.
“Thank you for putting up with today,” I told him in a low voice. “I know it was all probably tedious in the extreme for you, but it meant a lot to my dad. And I was happy to have you here.”
Bubba drew me into a hug. “That’s what boyfriends do, right?”
But he didn’t sound like himself. He sounded a little off, like someone impersonating Bubba. He was normally such a jovial person, and he didn’t sound jovial now. But he was probably tired and bored and just wanted to go to sleep. Everything would be fine once we returned to Madison.
“Right,” I said. “And I owe you one. We’ll have to go visit your dad soon.”
He stiffened at that and pulled away. He gave me a quick kiss and a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, said “Sure,” and rushed into the bedroom.
I went into my room, but I couldn’t settle. My mind felt jagged, like a choppy sea. I’m not the most intuitive person in the world, but things just didn’t feel right. Restless, I decided to go downstairs and make a cup of tea.
My parents were in the kitchen, sitting at the island.
“I thought you’d be in bed,” I said, surprised. My parents didn’t stay up late.
My mom and dad gave each other a meaningful look. “Sean, have a seat. We want to talk to you.”
My blood went a little cold. Whatever they had to say to me, I was determined it wouldn’t matter. Not when it came to Bubba. Stiffly, I sat at the island. “What?”
My mom sat up straighter. “There’s someone we want you to meet. His name is Jeremiah Osteen.”
I blinked at her. Was this about a job or internship? “Who is Jeremiah Osteen?”
“An exceptional young man. He’s the son of the CEO of GenTech,” she gushed.
My dad nodded eagerly. “He’s a Rhodes Scholar. He’s getting his PhD at Oxford in climatology and climate change. Such a critical field. It’ll be very important in the next decade. Almost as important as genetics.”
“He just completed his orals,” my mom continued breathlessly. “And he already has a job lined up in Boston. He’ll be right there near Harvard! And he’s quite handsome.”
“And gay,” my dad added with a chuckle. “Serendipitous, if you ask me.”
“It does align perfectly,” agreed my mother. “It’s a wonder he’s still single. He has a brilliant career ahead of him.”
Wait. Wait. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. “Why are we… I’m dating Bubba.”
My mother looked at me pityingly. “Sean. I know you’re enamored at the moment. But you’ve only been seeing this young man for a short while. And next year, when you’re at Harvard, Bubba will still be at Madison, and—”
“I’m not going to Harvard,” I interjected.
They both stared at me in shock. “Whyever not?” my mom asked, as if she couldn’t fathom it.
I clenched my hands in my lap. I hadn’t decided 100 percent yet. But suddenly, I was certain. “I’ve been offered a better package to stay and do my PhD at Madison. And I want to stay there. With my friends and… Bubba.”
My dad’s expression turned stormy. “Sean….” He hesitated, as if biting back what he wanted to say.
It was my mom’s turn to pat his hand. “Sean,” she began carefully. “We know this is the first young man you’ve ever dated. And it’s easy to become… overly emotionally invested in your very first encounter.”
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“—but, if you could take a step back, and try to objectively observe for a moment, you’d see that Bubba, while a perfectly nice young man, is not….” She looked a little lost.
“He’s not what?” I demanded.
My father jumped in. “You can do better, Sean. You don’t need to settle for a… for a weight lifter. Or a personal trainer. You have a brilliant mind, and you come from a good family.”
“There’s nothing wrong with Bubba’s family.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Have you met them?” my mom asked.
“Well. No,” I admitted. “But I’m dating Bubba, not his father.”
She and my dad looked at each other. There was some silent communication going on. I surmised they were trying to think of a way to let me down gently. Or get around my stubborn streak. Or some such rot.
I was pissed, but I was also surprised and a little hurt. I wasn’t blind. I could tell they hadn’t been falling all over Bubba. But this conversation made it clear they had completely dismissed him as if he wasn’t even worth their consideration. It also meant they had no respect for my judgment in the matter. That knocked the air out of me.
“If Bubba gets his doctorate in physical therapy, he’ll have a wonderful career,” I said stubbornly. It didn’t even matter that much to me. I just wanted him to do what he wanted to do. But I knew it mattered to my parents.
My dad made a face. “Sean. He’s only a junior. There’s no telling if he’ll be able to manage the more advanced coursework—or the expenses of achieving a doctorate. He doesn’t have any familial support, and I assume his football food money, whatever that is worth, wouldn’t extend to graduate studies. And you don’t want to start out life with someone with a $100K in student debt. That’s even assuming he’s accepted and could get through the program.” He made it sound like it was more likely the heavens would open, and gold bars would rain down.
“And Harvard, darling,” my mom said earnestly. “I know you have a good head on your shoulders. Surely you wouldn’t give up the opportunity to go to Harvard for a… for a fling with a… a he-man. Please. Please be reasonable!”
“Don’t jeopardize your entire future. At least have the objectivity to do that much,” my dad agreed fervently.
“I don’t have to go to Harvard to be successful. Madison is top five, and their package gives me real-world research experience. And as for Bubba, you don’t know him!” I said. “You didn’t even try! He’s not just a he-man. God, Mom. Do you think I have no discernment at all?”
I wanted to cry. They didn’t see how gentle Bubba was or how optimistic and happy. The way he loved to help others, and teach, even me, even that first day at flag football. He was good. He had a good heart. And he saw the best possible Sean I could be. Why couldn’t they see that?
And okay, maybe they didn’t want to know or care about sex, but Bubba and I had chemistry. And that was not nothing.
“Listen,” my dad said in a soothing voice. “We’re all getting upset here, and that’s not helpful. Can I propose a compromise? You will admit that Bubba is the first man you’ve ever gone out with, yes?”
I glared at him but nodded.
“Well, no scientist worth his salt would form a hypothesis on the basis of a lone sample. So would you at least agree to go out with Jeremiah? Just spend a little time with him, talk to him, get to know a, well, a different sort of young man. Get a broader basis for making a judgment.”