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I came home, all the way home, to my parent's house, only it wasn't my parent's house anymore. It was my mom's house. Dad had moved in with his girlfriend and the home that I had left, the home that had existed in various houses through the years was no more.

I was sad to see my mom suffering but I couldn't mourn the relationship. I had in my adult life grown aware that my parent relationship was not a role model for what I was seeking. My stay in Florida had provided me with something to aspire too. I loved Bill and Rob's relationship. They talked, the were considerate, they spent a-lot of time together but they each retained their seperate identities as well. Rob was the philosopher, nature boy and Bill the artist, tech geek, club kid. I watched them eat a loaf of french bread together. Rob liked to eat the inside. Bill loved the crust. They were perfect together.

Their far from traditional, non-monogomous, gay marriage had lasted 13 years. I wanted some of what they had and I knew, with all my heart who I wanted it with.

I called my best friend Bryna. She was working at the lodge in Yosemite but managed to find a ride down the mountain. I picked her up and brought her to my mom's house. She looked adorable. A failed attempt at having red hair had left her with a short eggplant purple pixie cut, which suited her full jaw and big eyes perfectly. We went to the park with a couple of my old school friends, and then we grabbed some groceries and made dinner for my mom and my little brother.

That night we sat in the garage having a smoke.

"Hey Bryna. I love you. I'd like you to be my girlfriend." I said it point blank.

She stared at me, and a hint of a smile appeared. "It's about time." She said. Then her thoughts caught up with her, and she tried to be cautious. "How do I know I can trust you?"

I knew that it would happen, that we would happen. That smile had made it clear. I was patient. We could have the conversations, we could put the pieces where they needed to be, but I knew that it was inevitable. "You have no reason not to trust me. I may have been slow, but I've always been consistent. What I say, I mean, to a fault."

She wanted to be careful. This was fair. I'd been hurting her for years. But we'd been unable to stay apart, even when we tried, since the day we met.

That night I set her up to sleep in my little brother's room, to keep my mom happy. I joined her in my brother's bed just as soon as mom went to sleep and we spent a few hours making out and enticing moans from each other.

In the morning we had breakfast and then my dad picked me up and took me to finally get my lisence. About time as I'd been driving for years. This was all part of getting ready for the road trip, the grand plan. Bryna and I were the only two left, but we were still planning on sticking to the plan. Come March we'd climb in the bus and head off across country. I couldn't wait to share with Bryna all the places and people I'd met and to discover new territory.

For now, it was time for her to head back up the mountain. As soon as Bryna was gone my mom asked me what was going on.

"So, what's between you and Bryna?" She always knew when something was up, usually before I did.

"I don't know mom."

"You like her don't you?"

"Yes. I like her a lot."

"Why don't I take you to visit her in Yosemite?"

"Come on mom, it's a three hour drive."

"That' alright. It's pretty. I'd be glad to drive you."

"No, that's too much."

"We'll go tommorrow." And that was that. Mom was determined. She was crazy about Bryna and she could see that I was too.

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