Damaged Goods by Diane McNab - HTML preview

Zac arrived home from School dropping his bag in the first available spot.

“Hey Mum” he asked “have you had a good day?”

Summer hesitated for a moment before asking Zac to sit down and have a chat.

“There is no easy way to say this Zac but I have decided not to see your Dad any more.”

“Oh shit, it's my fault isn't it, because of Prom night?” asked Zac.

Summer took both of Zac's hands pressing them tightly. “You have done nothing wrong, nothing, believe me. It was a decision I had been considering for a very long time.”

In Summer's mind that was the honest truth. After hearing about how Alice had decided to end her life and Graysons reaction to the event, without even realising it she had been drawing away. Crazy considering how much time had passed since that time but there it was.

Mother and Son had a conversation about the new dynamics in Zac's life.

“Gray is still your Dad and just because he and I have gone our separate ways you are free to reach out to him whenever you want to. I am sure that is what Gray would want and it would be good for the pair of you to continue your relationship,”

Unbeknown to his Mother Zac called his Father on several occasions. After receiving numerous knock backs in the form that Dr. Collins was unavailable he gave up trying.

Zac had a sunny disposition and decided to treat the experience positively. After all as a young boy there could be days or even weeks before he ever saw his Dad. He was well aware he had plenty of people around him that loved him.

All in all he couldn't complain and he didn't.

Ethan arrive on Summer's doorstep bringing a photo his two children knowing that would bolster her spirits. Summer had not shared with her Brother the demise of her relationship with Gray but Madge had taken it upon herself to keep him up to the date on the matter.

Over a cuppa Ethan asked “So how are things Sis?”

“Someone called you didn't they?” asked Summer.

“Yes” replied Ethan “and I am glad they felt they could reach out to me considering you obviously didn't need the feel to do so.”

“I was too embarrassed to, after all these years of not knowing the person I was in a relationship with” said Summer bursting in to tears.

“Come here Sis” and Brother and Sister held each other until the tears dried up.

“Talk to me please” asked Ethan.

Summer shook her head sadly and said “I just can't understand how I could have misjudged someone so badly.” starting to sob again.

“Okay lay it out on the table, tell me what happened” asked Ethan.

Summer spoke softly explaining the Prom night. The excitement of watching her Son and his choice of partner going off in a limo and how everything had gone downhill after that. “I could see Gray was in shock that night and I decided the best thing to do was to say goodnight to each other.”

“Gray came back a week later saying he had met with a colleague of his who could 'fix' Zac, a Behavioural Psychologist I think he called it and I just saw red. I was always aware Gray could be close minded but that truly shocked me and I probably said a couple of things I am not proud of.”

Ethan squeezed Summer's hand and said “Go on.”

Summer breathed in deeply and carried on“Gray then banged the table and said “First my Daughter and now this! I had no idea what he meant by that statement as he wouldn't explain it. I guess now I will never know.”

“I mean for God's sake Ethan, Zac is not an axe murderer, he just decided he was gay. It would be hard to find a more caring Son. Just because he made a personal choice it should be just that, his own personal choice, and yet Gray saw it as a defect for some reason. Personally I found his attitude unacceptable and decided there and then to end our relationship.”

Ethan chose his words carefully. “Well you made a decision and I am proud of you for doing that Summer. All that matters now is that Zac is happy and hopefully you will also feel that way sooner than later.”

He then added, handing her a photo of his children to Summer, “Do me a favour and do a portrait of my girls. The last one you did was when they were six and seven, time to update don't you think?”

Summer realised the tactic her Brother was using to distract her from her troubles and said “I will start today and I love you Ethan Dawson.”