Chapter 31 The next morning Justin woke up alone. He almost thought that he had dreamt Lance's visit the night before, but he pushed that thought aside when he saw a folded piece of paper laying on the pillow next to him. Picking it up, he read, Justin, I needed to do something before we left this morning. I won't be gone long. See you soon. Love, Lance Justin sat up in bed wondering what Lance had needed to do. The realization came to him suddenly. 'Oh no, he didn't.' Jumping out of bed, he ran across the hall to Josh's room. Without even knocking, he walked over to Josh's bed and shook him awake. "Josh, where did Lance go?" Josh shook his head sleepily sitting up. "I don't know, Justin." Justin ran back into the guest room, throwing on some clothes. Within minutes, he was out the front door. Lance stood on Justin's front porch. It wasn't even 7:30 yet, so Lynn should still be home. Sighing, he knocked on the door, and waited for her to answer. When the door opened, Lance was rewarded with a deep scowl of recognition. "I said everything I had to say to Justin last night," she said as she began to close the door in his face. Lance reached out, and pushed the door back open. "I have something to say to you, though, and you will listen." Lyn didn't say anything. Just stood in the doorway with a look of hate and disgust on her face. "What you did to your son last night is despicable. Do you realize how much you hurt him? He cried himself to sleep. Do you realize how much Justin loves you? And yet you decided to not accept him for what he is, and as his mother love him anyway. I had hoped that you wouldn't react like my own parents had. That Justin wouldn't lose his mother to hate. I had come here today to try and talk to you. Try and reason with you, but I can see just by the look on your face that I am wasting my time." "Yes, you are, Lance." She began to close the door, but stopped herself. "You know this is all your fault. When I dropped him off at the dorm back in August he wasn't gay, but now look at him. You did this, and I know God will punish you both. "Mama, don't talk to him like that." During Lynn's speech, Lance had lowered his head looking down at the ground, but when he heard Justin's voice, his head whipped up to look at him. He had obviously ran from Josh's house to his own. Out of breath and sweating, he stood at the foot of the steps. "This isn't his fault. This isn't my fault. This isn't your fault. It just is." Justin reached up and took Lance's hand pulling him down the stairs. "I love Lance, and that isn't going to change, mama." Lance smiled as he wrapped his arm around Justin's waist. "Let's go, baby." Justin nodded as he leaned against Lance. "Bye, mama." He watched as she slammed the door before turning towards Lance's car. "Thank you, Lance." "For what, baby?" Justin sighed. "For trying." changes 30 menu changes 32