I sat and watched from the other side of the room, like a spectator at a game, as my sister flirted and tried to seduce him.
A part of me wanted to shrink down and I almost did. It was Lucias's father that stopped me. His arm was behind his son's on the back of the sofa and he was waving his finger at me to come over.
Taking a deep breath, I steeled my shoulders and walked over. He moved up so that I could sit next to Lucias who smiled at me and took my hand.
"How can I do that Lisa?" he asked as he held out a hand towards Henry.
We all watched as Henry placed another folder in his free hand. Lucias opened it up to reveal a photograph and a document. He placed it on the table in between us and smiled. We all leaned forward.
Lisa went deep red, my parents looked pale and I stared wide-eyed. Inside the folder was a marriage certificate and a wedding photo of my sister and her boyfriend. We all stared at Lisa who looked anywhere else
"You ran away like a spoiled child, and instead of helping and supporting your parents, who have given you everything you could ever want or desire, you married your lover. So even if I was willing to accept you, which I'm not by the way, how could I do that if you're already married and …"
He leant forward and pulled another piece of paper out and laid it down. It was a medical bill from a doctor's office.
"You're pregnant!"
My mother screamed at her as she stood and loomed over her daughter. Lisa refused to look at her.
"I made a mistake, I thought I was in love with him and that he could give me everything I wanted. It turns out he's a loser who is nothing compared to you. I am getting a divorce and I can get rid of the baby, or have it adopted."
My anger at how careless and heartless she was rose to the surface and I could feel myself shaking. Lucias squeezed my hand and I relaxed, if only a little.
"Mr and Mrs Timber, you doted on your daughter simply because your son was gay and a disappointment. Yet when she was asked to give something back she abandons you, marries someone else and gets pregnant. Then, when she learns who she was actually meant to marry, she decides then to try to be a good daughter. What do you do after this betrayal? You welcome her back."
"I knew after I sent her that picture of us, through your son's phone, that she would come running back. After all, like she said I am the better option and a pampered princess like her only wants what is best for her."
"Your son, who you have shunned, who has been made to feel like he is disgusting, steps up when you need him. Does everything you ever asked of him. He is the one that helps you in your darkest moment. Yet, you are here with your daughter to insist your son step aside. Despite everything you've done to him, all he has ever wanted …"
Lucias looked at me with a sad smile and he squeezed my hand.
"All he has ever wanted was your acceptance. For you to appreciate him, and recognise everything he has ever done for you."
My parents looked at me and I lowered my head. I couldn't look them in the eye, I couldn't do it.
"How can we accept him? We had so many hopes for him when he was young but now …" his mother was interrupted.
"Now what?" Lucias's father asked. "What did you hope for? A wife, kids and a good career? He can have all those things the only part that will change is that he will have a husband instead of a wife."
"When Lucias came to us and told me he was bi, I didn't think all my hopes for his future were over. This is just who he is and there is nothing wrong with that or with your son. In our day, yes it would have been hard, not impossible just hard, for a gay couple to have a good life but now that isn't true anymore. They can get married, they can have kids either through adoption or surrogacy and they both have good careers."
My hopes perked up at his words. I could imagine that life and I wondered if it would be with Lucias.
"We just feel it would be better if your son married our daughter as was the original agreement," my mother insisted, still gripping onto Lisa's hand.
Lisa smirked at me before softening her smile at Lucias. The final strand of my heart connected to my hopes for my family snapped, and my heart broke completely.
"I'm never going to be good enough, am I?" I uttered louder than I thought.
With a deep breath, I stood and let go of Lucias's hand. I could see the worry in his eyes as he stood with me.
"All my life I've done everything you've asked, I've tried so hard to be the son you wanted. I never accepted that part of myself because I thought if I did that then you would accept me. You would love me like you loved Lisa," I was close to tears now.
"But that's not going to happen, is it? No matter what I do now, it's too late. No matter what I do I'm at fault, I'm in the wrong. Several times, I saved you when Lisa did what she always does and thinks only about herself, yet you've never thanked me. Instead, I'm told to not mess up, to not let who I am get in the way of what you two need or want."
I took a deep breath.
"I'm done."
As I said those words, I felt a huge weight lift off of my shoulders. I knew I was carrying a lot of baggage. I just never realised how much it weighed me down.
"You're done?" Lisa asked me. "Done with what?"
"I'm done with hoping for your acceptance, your love. I'm done trying to be the son you want because I know I can't unless I can erase the memory of coming out to you, and marrying a woman and having a kid. I'm done denying who I am and feeling like I'm wrong or bad."
"What does that mean? Are you turning your back on your parents? On the people who gave birth and raised you!" she demanded standing up.
"That's rich coming from you," Lucias growled. "Seth has never turned his back on his family, Mrs Hollins. You all did that to him, over and over again, despite how hard he tried to please you."
"Lucias," I started turning my back to them. "We married because of the contract, if you want a divorce I'll understand but …"
"But?" he asked, cupping my cheek.
"It's because of you I can finally accept who I am and feel like I am enough, that I am ok as I am. I'll understand if you want a divorce but if you don't then I'll do whatever it takes to be worthy of being your husband."
Lucias smiled warmly at me but before he could respond my father's voice spoke up.
"Seth."