Homophobic Parents

Stuart found himself talking more than he normally would, but that was to be expected when he was with his overly excited twin. Marie refused to go back home and instead, stayed to get ready at Stuart's house. Stuart regretted ever providing the necessities for her in his house, but he knew he would do it all over again if needed.

They were both in the car, with Marie clinging onto Stuart's arm, effectively crumpling his neatly ironed shirt. They were both dressed for work, and, if anything, Stuart was thankful that he had made sure to only buy formal clothes for Marie in his house; otherwise, she would have worn something unprofessional, as usual.

"I have told you everything you need to know, Marie. Stop asking questions," Stuart chastised her for the umpteenth time, even though he knew his words had no effect on her. He decided to stay quiet and let Marie ramble on her own. She was bound to get tired after talking to herself for a while.

Finally, they arrived at their company, and Stuart jumped out as if his life depended on it before the driver could successfully pull over. Marie followed him immediately, and the sound of her heels hitting the concrete floor of the silent driveway echoed loudly. She was running, trying to catch up with Stuart, who was not even running but taking long and hasty strides.

As persistent as Marie was, she followed him all the way to his office, eager to get her answers. They were greeted by Stuart's secretary, who looked rather nervous. "Sir and Madam Garnett are here," said the nervous secretary, and the twins paused in their steps almost simultaneously, a horrified expression crossing their faces.

They couldn't believe that their parents appeared out of the blue without even calling to inform them first, and it could only spell trouble for them. They were both adults, but the presence of their parents, especially their father, scared them.

They considered turning back and only returning when their parents were gone, but they knew that it would only shift the problem to another day. Well, Stuart thought that way. Marie was already walking towards the elevator, ready to race out of the company if needed, but Stuart caught her by the arm and pulled her back, and they struggled wordlessly. They soon calmed down and took deep breaths before Stuart turned the knob of his office door and pushed it open.

The sight in Stuart's office almost left them in shock. It was a normal sight, with his father seated behind Stuart's desk and his mother on the white couch. What was abnormal was the scrutinizing gaze of his mother, who was staring hard at an ever so familiar bouquet of roses and a basket of confectioneries next to it.

Stuart's heart dropped to the ground, and the imaginary thud it made as it came into contact with the ground was extremely loud in his ears. Nothing was wrong with a parent checking out the gifts brought to her son, except that his parents were homophobic.

The twins exchanged gazes, and in that split second, a decision was made between them. Marie jumped forward and snatched the flowers and the basket from the coffee table and away from their mother's prying gaze. Stuart could have done it himself, but he was the good kid, and something like that would look very suspicious.

"Here they are!" Marie exclaimed suddenly. "I told you they were going to the wrong office, just like always!" She said again, and Stuart immediately nodded, going with whatever story his sister was going to spin. He knew Marie like the back of his hand. It wouldn't take her two seconds to turn things in their favor, and that's why he loved her most of the time.

"Oh, you're here!" Their mother stood up, and her face brightened when she saw her children, her son to be exact. She went around the coffee table, ignoring Marie, who was closer to her, and hugged Stuart instead, who smiled nervously before returning the greeting and the hug. Marie didn't mind; she was used to being treated like air whenever her brother was around or even when he was absent. Their parents never seemed to notice her.

"Look at you, you've lost so much weight, and you look so pale. What have you been eating?" His mother cried worriedly as her hand roamed over his face and body, checking for any sign of fever or discomfort. Stuart wanted to assure her that he was fine, but he knew his mother wouldn't listen to him, which is why his father was here.

"He is fine! Don't stress over it," his father's ever so serious voice came, and all noise ceased. Even Marie held her breath. He was now leaning on the desk with hands and legs crossed, his eyes fixed on Stuart like a hawk. Stuart gulped. He had never liked this stance of his father's.

It got his mother to stop, and his handsome, pitiful face finally got some relief from all the pinching and squeezing. "You never worry about him, and now you want me to stop?" His mother complained, a small pout forming on her lips. She looked aggrieved, like her most valuable possession had been stolen.

"He is a man. You have to stop worrying about him," the man of the family countered. "He will be the chairman of this company soon, not a child that needs pats from his mother."

"I don't care what you say; he is still my baby boy," his mother argued. "Just because he is a few inches taller doesn't mean I can't give him pats."

Stuart let his parents argue to their heart's content. As long as they weren't paying attention to him or Marie, everything was fine. The sooner they got tired, the earlier they would leave. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on his side today. The door was knocked, and after waiting for a response, Lucas entered. He acknowledged the other three with a small nod and made a beeline for Marie, who was beginning to dread the day. Seeing Lucas reminded her of nothing but work and work!

Lucas whispered something in her ear, and Marie's eyes widened, but she managed to control it with her superb acting skills. Stuart was starting to get an ominous feeling about this. He glanced worriedly at Marie, but she blinked once to assure him that all was fine.