“Gerald’s a lot like our dad,” I told him. “Mom kicked him out when I was at high school.” When I’d walked in wearing a rainbow print shirt, and Dad had hit me round the face with his belt, bad enough that I had to take a week off school while the bruises went down so no one would freak. Mom told him she’d call the cops, or he could leave the city and never contact us again. Dad leaving meant losing the support of his family, but Mom made that call in a heartbeat. For me.
I love his mom
