‘What the hell is wrong with him? Is this puberty we’re dealing with now?’
‘You could be a little more sensitive,’ Jasmine whispered. ‘You’re always doing this.’
‘Doing what?’ Darnell shrugged.
‘Going on about those damn homosexuals. Times have changed, Darnell. Maybe you should too.’
‘What’s that got to do with him? I know he’s a millennial and they’re all about equality but it’s got nothing to do with me. He can believe whatever he wants but he knows my stance on those faggots. I don’t want them in my home, nor do I want them mentioned in here while I’m enjoying my dinner.’
Jasmine stood up and closed the door to prevent any eavesdroppers on their conversation. She then returned to her husband and sat on the arm of the couch next to him. A hand was placed on his and Darnell put down his fork, anticipating some delicate news.
‘There is something you should know. I want you to remain calm about this and please promise me that you won’t say anything to him until you’ve had time to come to terms with it.’
‘God damn it, woman, what is it?’ Spit flew out of his mouth and landed on Jasmine’s top, which she shooed away with her other hand.
‘Aaron is gay.’
Darnell’s eyes widened. He placed his plastic container down on the coffee table before brushing his hands.
‘What did you just say?’ Darnell asked, clearing his throat.
‘He’s gay.’
‘He told you this?’ Darnell looked perplexed as Jasmine nodded her head. ‘When? How long have you known about this?’
‘A while. He came out to me a few months ago. He was really upset. He begged me not to tell you. He was scared about how you’d react. No wonder really. You’ve proven his fears were valid.’
‘He damn well should be scared of how I’ll react,’ Darnell yelled. He stood up and stormed into the hallway. ‘Aaron! Get your ass down here at once!’
‘What are you doing?’ Jasmine tried to pull him back into the lounge but he was far too heavy for her gentle frame to handle.
‘I’m going to ask him to tell me to my goddamn face before I believe anything.’
Footsteps tiptoed down the stairs. Aaron stood at the halfway point shaking.
‘Aaron, I’m sorry,’ Jasmine pleaded as she hid her head in her hands, away from the judgemental eyes of her son before turning to her husband. ‘Darnell, please don’t do this.’
‘No, Mom, it’s fine. Yes it’s true, Dad. I’m a goddamn faggot. What are you going to do about it?’
Darnell stormed up the stairs and lifted his hand but found that his arm remained stagnant in the air. An indistinguishable force appeared to prevent the back of his hand from landing down towards his unruly boy’s cheek.
‘What’s up, Dad? Worried you’ll catch gay?’
‘Get out, get out of my house this minute!’ Darnell pointed towards the door and Aaron walked in the direction of his index finger. ‘You know what? Your Nazi loving little punk of a brother hasn’t upset me as much as you have right now! I better not catch you necking with some dude or so help me God I won’t be responsible for my actions.’
‘Fine, I’ll go stay with Thomas.’
Aaron slammed the door behind him as he left the house. His father ran down behind him and watched his son shuffling away from the drive with his head leaning on his chest. The sixteen-year-old glanced back with moist eyes but turned away when he caught the glare of his unforgiving father.
‘Thanks a bunch for that!’ Jasmine said with her arms folded. ‘You know you are so pig-headed. It wasn’t that long ago that we were the ones being victimised and here you are treating your son in the same way they treated us. Like he’s some piece of shit on your shoe.’
Darnell turned to his wife and lifted his hand before returning it to his side. He lowered his head as he remembered his promise never to raise it to her again. He made the mistake once drunkenly when they first got married; she warned him that if he ever did it again she’d be out quicker than a spitfire.
‘Don’t you give me that, woman!’ Darnell raged. ‘Don’t you dare compare those faggots to what we went through. We didn’t choose to be black. Those faggots weren’t imported on a boat and forced into slave labour!’
‘You know what, Darnell. Just go! What are you hanging on for? Just go to Kentucky and calm the hell down. Maybe you’ll gather a little perspective out there because right now I can’t even look at you. If my own children aren’t allowed in this house then neither are you. He’s your son, gay or not, and if you can’t accept that then you should leave.’
Darnell stormed out of the house, grabbing the blue cabin case which sat in the hallway. He turned to his wife, as he always did, to kiss her goodbye, but she had already returned to the lounge to clear the take-out food. Taking one last glance around the house which was losing its homeliness, he walked out and drove away from his family.
Chapter 6
The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace is located in Hodgenville, central Kentucky. Today the site is honoured as a National Historic Park for visitors to learn more about their former president and his life before he moved to Illinois. Acres of green land surrounded the cabin, which was
