The Significant Other (The Relationship Quo Series Book 4)

  The

  Significant

  Other

  By Nicole Strycharz

  “Funny isn’t it?” I said out loud. “They give all these options under relationships… then there’s ‘significant other’. What does that even mean? All the options are significant. All love… is… significant.”

  Fourth Book in The Relationship Quo Series

  Text copyright © 2017 by Nicole Paulette Strycharz

  All rights reserved. No Portion of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means without prior written permission from Nicole Paulette Strycharz.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  ~Acknowledgments ~

  Readers!!! Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU! That doesn’t seem to cover it but Thank You! Your support has been amazing. I can’t believe how far this series has gone and it’s all because of you guys. All of you around the globe are literally making my dreams come true and it’s humbling to the soul.

  To my write or die crew, you guys know who you are. You are all what makes up my heart. You keep me going and this isn’t a career without you guys at my back.

  Mom, you see yourself in here, I know, I did it again. Sorry/Not sorry. You are the beat of each heart in every character. Why? Because you created my heart, mind, and soul so actually, they all come from you. I love you forever, my Goddess.

  To Jon, because you make me feel like I can do anything. Except read lips. Haha! Hugs!

  And to someone who thought they weren’t born this way. Yes, you were and your soul shined brighter for it. This one is for you.

  Chapter One

  ADAM

  March 2001

  “Mom,” I swallowed. “Dad,” I took a steady breath but it still sounded like an asthmatic was shot in the throat. “I uh… well,” I pushed my glasses up my nose and settled my eyes on the cushion between them on the sofa.

  “Spit it out Adam,” Dad snapped. Yeah. He was my main concern with this. He’s as macho as they come which means he might be the one to karate chop me in half if and when I get this out.

  “Yeah… okay.” I bounced my gaze between them, not sure whose reaction I wanted to see first. “See, the thing is… uh…” Nope. Still no words coming out of my mouth. I’m pretty sure I look like Bambi’s mother seconds before she was shot.

  My mom crossed her legs and sat back, “Honey, did you get someone pregnant? Because if you did we forgive you.”

  “Absolutely,” said my dad. “Just don’t expect me to protect you when her father comes around to shoot you in the face. Gotta fight your own battles.”

  I frowned and shook my head, “Nobody is pregnant.”

  My mom narrowed her eyes, “Drugs? Because we’d rather you try em’ and tell us the truth, then never do it again. Was it the pot? No-, you don’t strike me as a pot kid. Is it crack?”

  I rolled my eyes, “No mom, it’s not drugs-.”

  My dad sat forward, “Then God Damn, Adam, what is it then? I need to get to bed. Got work in the morning.”

  My insides were shaking like jelly and I felt like either throwing up or passing out. After all, my little confession might kill one parent and cause the other to kill me.

  I froze then opened my mouth to spill it, “Alright,” deep breath, “Mom…dad…I’m gay.”

  Hmm, that came out nice and quick. It rolled right off my tongue. Didn’t come out how I practiced it, though.

  They sat in silence a minute and I felt the second hand on my watch ticking off the time.

  Then my mom with her eyes still on me, put out her hand below my dad’s nose, “Pay up, Carl.”

  “No,” my Dad smoothed his hand over his bald head and leaned away from her to put his palm out too, “No, Betsy, you pay up. You specifically said-.”

  “Oh, no you don’t you asshole,” she interrupted, “You said he would come out at seventeen, I said-.”

  “You specifically said,” He cut her off, “Around his seventeenth birthday, and I said at sixteen. Pay up!”

  I frowned at the two of them in utter shock. What the hell just happened?

  “You know what,” my mom glared at him, “You know you said seventeen and I said sixteen, and I’m not giving you shit.”

  My dad glared back. “You’ll do anything to be right.”

  “I don’t have to do diddly squat. I just am.”

  “Guys…” I pushed my glasses up again. “What are you saying? You’re okay with this?”

  They both stopped to look at me like they suddenly remembered this was kinda about me.

  My mom smiled in a lopsided way, “Well, yeah honey. We sort of knew since you were about twelve. You’re our baby; it’s our job to notice things.”

  I dreaded looking to dad, “But… you’re republicans…” is all I could say.

  Mom snorted on a laugh but Dad shrugged, “God doesn’t make mistakes they say, so I guess that means the gays aren’t a mistake.” He said.

  I folded my gangly arms and shifted on my feet, “You’re not like…angry?”

  Mom stood up and came over to me, “Of course not honey,” she wrapped her arms around me and usually I’d peel her off after a second but I was really afraid of telling them. Afraid she would reject this. So her hug felt amazing. “You’re our son, we don’t care who you-. Oh, Carl, he’s shaking.” She told him.

  I winced. Dad didn’t need to know I was a wuss. “I’m fine mom,” I said in a deep tone.

  “Were you that scared of us?” she asked.

  I pulled back to shrug lifelessly. My eyes flicked to Dad and then the floor. I was afraid of his reaction more than mom’s. He caught my look and sighed.

  “Come here,” he said standing up.

  I hesitated. Not sure why, but then he beckoned me again and my feet took me that way. When I was close enough he reached out and cupped the back of my head to pull me in for an awkward guy hug. My body stayed tense until he spoke.

  “Listen, Adam,” he began, “There’s nothing you could do, that would cost you this family. Understand?” he gave the back of my head a smack. “You listening?”

  I nodded but kept my face hidden near his shoulder.

  “Nothing.” He repeated.

  “Except murder…” Mom put in. “Carl, he has to have morals.”

  “Right,” Dad added, “Murder is not okay and we will stop talking to you if you kill someone.”

  Mom tilted her head, “Well, unless it’s justified, like if the person you killed was Hannibal Lecter.”

  I laughed and Dad nodded, “That’s different. That’s okay.” He agreed.

  I looked at both my crazy parents, “So…we’re okay?” I asked.

  Dad folded his arms like I do and nodded over and over, “Yeah, yeah, it’s fine. Don’t come to me for sex advice. Like. Ever. Can’t and won’t help. Nope. I’m for tits and bits so…”

  “Carl!” Mom scolded.

  I grimaced since he is kind of implying mom. “Great. That’s okay. I don’t really want… advice so…” I walked toward the steps feeling like our conversation was pretty good and done. “Thanks…” I told them before going up to my room. This is starting to feel so weird. I need a break from all the weird. I wasn’t in my room for ten minutes before my mom knocked then cracked my door open.

  “Hey,” she grinned.

  I laughed then went back to my task, “Hey, mom.”

  She came in and stood behind me. I could feel her going super still, “Adam…” she watched me wo
rk then reached out and touched the handle of my duffle bag, “What’s all this?”

  I licked my lips then shrugged as I continued to unpack. “I don’t know…”

  She sank to the mattress and kept a steady eye on me, “Did you pack your things?” she asked.

  I shrugged again.

  “Adam?”

  I wouldn’t look at her as I kept pulling things out.

  She gently took my chin and made me look at her. I hate mom crying. It’s literally my biggest weakness and right now she’s sporting the unshed glassy-eyed tears. “Adam, were you that afraid of us?”

  I kept my head in her direction since she had hold of my chin but my eyes darted all around. “I don’t know. No. Maybe. You hear stories, you know? Kids come out, then get kicked out and stuff.”

  She sighed then took my hand. “I’m sorry that we failed to make sure you understood how…” she looked for a word, “unconditional our love is for you.” She pulled me down to sit next to her. “I thought we made it clear that you could talk to us about anything.”

  “You did,” I assured her. “But, this is different this freaks people out.”

  “What made you finally come to us about it?”

  I looked away and shrugged again. That’s teenager language. We communicate everything in a shrug.

  She bumped her shoulder with mine and hung her head to see me better, “What? Come on, tell me.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  She widened hers, “Is it a boy?”

  I rolled my eyes again. More teen language.

  “Adam Holt Ryder! You tell me right now.” She demanded.

  I laughed, “Yeah, mom, okay. It’s a boy. Yes. Happy now? Ugh.”

  She slapped my knee, “Who is it?! Tell me! Is it-,” she gasped. “Is it David in math class? The popular one. The one on the hockey team. He looks gay to me.”

  I laughed and covered my face. “Mom!”

  “Honey, I don’t have a daughter, this allows me to pretend. We can talk about boys now!”

  “No, mom! We can’t. I’m not like… flamboyant gay. I’m not like… I’m still a guy. I don’t-.” I looked at the ceiling, “It’s still weird.”

  She didn’t hear me, “It’s Timothy!”

  My head whipped around, “Ew! How did you guess that?”

  “He’s your best friend; it’s not hard to figure. Does he feel that way too?”

  I debated another shrug but it’s a little late for secrets. “Yeah, we’ve kind of been dating. Like, secretly. Everyone thinks we’re just friends so…”

  She nodded and bumped my shoulder again, “Then this all leads back to why you felt the need to tell us now?”

  I sucked my lower lip, a habit since forever, “I- well, we… we want to go to prom together. Like… a couple… He asked me but I didn’t want to say yes till I told you guys.”

  Mom kissed my temple. “Now we know…” she reached over to grab my cell phone off my nightstand. She flipped it open and handed it out to me, “So call him.”

  I gave her a look.

  “Don’t worry,” she sang, “I’ll get lost but you better hurry up or he’ll think you don’t want to.”

  “Is dad really okay?” I asked what I needed to know.

  She looked into my eyes to portray honesty, “He has a stack of vintage playboys in the basement that he was dying to pass on to you, but aside from that I don’t think he gives a shit.”

  I smiled.

  “Just don’t tell Grandpa. He might die.” She stopped and thought a minute, “On second thought he’s a dick so go ahead.”

  I laughed and took my cell from her. She stood and kissed my head again, lingeringly. “Now,” she straightened, “I’m going to make dinner. You call your boyfriend and unpack and I’ll pretend you never doubted how much we love you. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  She was out the door but stopped to stick her head in as I stood.

  “Hey,” she said excitedly, “This means we don’t have to worry about you knocking someone up!”

  “Bye, mom,” I applied pressure to the door to close it.

  “Really this is a blessing because since your father and I are so beautiful you turned out so handsome. All the boys will rejoice.”

  “Bye, mom,” I pressed a little harder but she fought me.

  “If you still get someone pregnant it wouldn’t be a big deal because we could go on Oprah. Boys getting pregnant would be a big seller.”

  I laughed and finally got the door closed, “Bye, Mom!”

  She yelled ‘bye’ through the door so it was muffled.

  I pulled up all the courage I had to call Timothy. Just thinking about him makes my heart beat fast and my stomach does an annoying flutter.

  I feel free. I didn’t realize what a weight I was lugging around at the worry that my parents would disown me over this. I was so fearful of losing them, especially Dad.

  Now I feel free to be myself. To be Adam. I’d come out to my parents and now Tim and I would use prom to come out to the world.

  I dialed his number and flopped down on my bed. I don’t even know if he’ll answer. I sighed as his continues to ring and I let the buzz of happiness fill me up. With my parents behind me, I feel so positive about life.

  “Hello?” Tim said groggily down the line.

  I sat up a little, “Hey. It’s me.”

  “Hey.” He sounded hoarse. “What time is it?”

  I checked my phone, “Ten. Mom’s making dinner and-.”

  “Your family is so weird. Eating dinner at bedtime?”

  I laughed, “Yeah? Well, what are you? Six? Going to bed at nine? Where’s your teddy?”

  “Shut up.” He laughed.

  I laughed too until we fell quiet with a comfortable silence between us. “Did you tell them?” he asked after a moment.

  I raised my brows, still surprised by how it went, “Yeah. It was crazy, they like… knew.”

  He sounded awake now, “What?”

  “No lie, they apparently had a bet going as to when I’d come out.”

  He pushed out a breath, “That’s, weird but… I’m happy for you. My mom was okay about it but still a little creeped out.”

  I set my head back on the pillows, “So… now that I know… about mom and dad…” I let it hang.

  “Yeah?” he asked.

  “Well,” I rolled my neck, “There’s this…school dance…”

  I could hear him shifting around on his bed, “I heard.”

  I groaned, “Don’t be a dick.”

  “Who’s being a dick? I already asked you to go with me, you said, maybe. Why should I agree to go now?”

  He had a point. I pinched the bridge of my nose, “Ugh! Fine.” I grimaced. “Will you go to prom with me,” I said it super-fast so it sounded like I was on speed.

  “Nope.” He said.

  I sat up, “Tim, come on.”

  “Yeah, that sounds genuine.”

  I huffed, “What do you want me to do? Fucking beg?”

  “You’re such a robot.”

  I rubbed my face and blew out a breath, “Jesus…” I shook my head, maybe at myself. “Tim…”

  “Yeah?”

  I fought the smile on my face like I was afraid he’d see it through the phone. “Will you go to the prom with me, please?”

  Silence, “I’d like that.” He admitted.

  I swung my long legs over the side of the bed and felt the familiar tightening of my chest that Tim causes. “Thanks, and I’m not a robot.”

  “Being romantic kills you.” He laughed but I sense that he’s a little serious.

  After debating with myself I got up and got my guitar. “I heard a song a couple days ago,” I told him.

  “Cool.” He sounded frustrated that I changed the subject but willing to try and move on, “Which one?”

  I tuned the strings while we talked with the phone balanced against my ear and atop my shoulder, “That band N-Sync. It’s called This I Promise You. I f
igured out how to play it. Wanna hear?”

  He sounded open, “You know I like your voice. Yeah, I’d like that.”

  I let my fingers wander over the strings. “I only learned it because…” I really do suck at telling people how I feel. It’s like I’m emotionally dammed up.

  “Because what?” he asked.

  “It makes me think of you.” I blurted. “Of us.”

  I could tell by his breathing alone that I’d proven something to him. So I sang the popular song with my own twangs here and there. My voice wobbled a little on parts that meant something. Certain lyrics truly tell how I feel.

  He listened and didn’t say a word the whole time. As the song came to an end I worked up the courage to get his reaction.

  “Wow,” he paused. “Was that you telling me you love me?”

  I winced at the bluntness of that question. “Might have been…”

  He laughed. “Well, if it was… I love you too.”

  Those words woke up all my emotions and I felt heat spread through my veins.

  “They asked me to perform at the prom… I didn’t tell you yet.” I said.

  “All the teachers think you’ll make it big, that it’s either going to be hockey or music. I heard Mrs. Brown say you’ll end up as a legend either way.”

  I felt smug, “Maybe…but until then singing for you is enough. In fact… to prove I’m not a robot… I was thinking of playing this... for you… on stage. At the prom.”

  He didn’t talk for a long time, “You’d do that?”

  “I’d do anything for you.”

  “Are you worried about how your team will react?”

  I shook my head, “No…” I was but Tim was worth it.

  He started to sound sleepy again, “I miss you.” He said.

  “I miss you too.” I set my guitar on the bed. “So, you’ll be my date to prom?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And we are actually going as dates? We’re coming out…? This is it?”

  “Yeah, you and me. Together.”

  I smiled and nodded. “Yeah, always.”