Free Semper Fidelis by Morticia Knight Kendall McKenna Sara York LE Franks Devon Rhodes T.A. Chase S.A. McAuley

something?” Phil’s question pulled him from his memories.
    Dean gestured vaguely. “No, nothing so dramatic. Ronnie had been in town to visit his grandparents, but he left in the middle of July or something. After he left, I got to thinking about how good I felt when we were together. I wasn’t hiding my true self with Ronnie. So one day, I just blurted it out to my parents over dinner.”
    “Shit! No preparing them or hinting beforehand?” Phil chuckled. “That’s rough, man.”
    “I know, but it was like it had built up inside me, until either I said something or I’d hide for the rest of my life. At least that’s how I felt right then.” Dean huffed softly. “I was a complete idiot. I should’ve just waited until I graduated, and was on my way out of the house. I’d already planned on enlisting, just wasn’t sure which branch I wanted to go into.”
    Phil hummed, and Dean could see that he seemed to be thinking before he spoke. “You know, I’ve never had that moment. I’ve pretty much always known I was gay, but I never had that moment when I needed to announce it to the world. I have friends who know, which was always enough for me. Then I met you, and now I’ve come to the point where I want my parents to know because I want them to meet you.”
    “Why?” Dean held up his hand to stop Phil from talking. “I know you love me, and that’s great, but why do you suddenly want to introduce me to your family? What changed?”
    “What do you mean, what changed?”
    Before Dean could answer him, someone knocked on the door. Phil climbed out of bed, then went to answer it. A bellhop stood outside in the hall with a cart. After Phil signed for it, he pushed it into the room where Dean had cleared off the other bed for them to eat on.
    Once the food was laid out and they had taken a few bites of the burgers Phil had ordered, Dean glanced at Phil. “Why ask me to come to Cap’s party? When your mom turned fifty, you didn’t ask me to come.”
    Phil dropped his gaze to the table, and sighed. “I’m sorry about that, Dean. I guess I just didn’t think about it, though we’d only been dating for six months by then.”
    “True, and I shouldn’t have expected you to invite me, but still why?” Dean knew he was pushing his lover, but he did want to know.
    “Because I love you, Dean, and I realized that if I didn’t bring you all the way into my life, then I would lose you eventually.” Phil shrugged. “Does it matter why I decided to do it? Shouldn’t you be happy that I’ve got to this point?”
    Dean pursed his lips, then nodded. “You’re right, and I’m sorry to keep belaboring the issue. Like I said, tell your parents before the party, and if they’re cool with it, I’ll come with you.”
    “All right. I can do that, but tell me what happened with your parents after you blurted out your dirty secret.” Phil brought the conversation back to what they were originally talking about, and Dean let him.
    “What happened is I basically ceased to exist in my mother’s eyes. My dad wasn’t happy about it. He ignored my announcement and just treated me the way he always had, though he stopped asking about girlfriends and things like that. He forced my mother to acknowledge me. When he died, that was it. She didn’t have to pretend to like or even know me anymore.” Dean shoved his food around his plate. “That’s why we haven’t talked once since she remarried. I don’t send her Christmas cards, and she doesn’t have to remember that she has a son out in the world.”
    Phil winced as he reached across the bed to rest his hand on Dean’s thigh. “I’m sorry.”
    He shrugged. “Thanks, but I’ve dealt with it mostly. I made my own family over the years. I’ve got you, and the guys in my team. As much as I would love to have my mother in my life, I don’t need her.”
    Dean had known any connection he’d had with his mother had died the moment he’d announced he was gay. His