way she'd treated Sam in the hospital. Even though she'd apologized repeatedly,
she knew she had hurt Sam and that her sister might not look too kindly on her
at the moment. Once we've been together for a while, then I'll see them again.
That way they'll know for sure I'd never hurt Sam again. She yawned as she
drove into her condo complex. She was still pretty beat and looked forward to
some much needed sleep. She couldn't wipe the wide smile off her face brought
on by her time with Sam.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Riley opened the door to her condo and immediately frowned. She didn't
remember leaving the living room light on. Stepping into the living room she
stopped dead in her tracks.
"Where have you been?" A gruff male voice demanded.
"Uncle Rielly, what are you doing here?"
"I left you a message on Monday that I would be here today. Where have you
been? I've been waiting over an hour."
"I'm sorry I didn't get your message. I've been at the hospital all week." Riley
said meekly staring at the floor.
Riley cursed herself for her meek response. She could feel herself falling back
into the role of the meek and mild child. Never cause any problems, don't rock
the boat. She looked up meeting her uncle's eyes.
"Is Aunt Margaret here?" Riley asked looking around for her aunt.
"You still haven't answered my question. I know you weren't at the hospital. I
called. Where were you?" He demanded again.
Riley was surprised at the amount of emotion in her uncle's voice. His voice
rarely gave any indication to his emotional state. He must be truly upset about
something. Riley couldn't help wondering what it was.
Before Riley could respond her Aunt Margaret came down the stairs. What the
heck was she doing upstairs?
Riley thought.
"I'm waiting." Her uncle reminded before she could greet her aunt.
"I went out to lunch with a friend."
"Was this the same 'friend' who has been hanging around the hospital?" He
sneered.
Just the way he said friend suddenly clued Riley into what this was all about.
That bastard Stevens had called her uncle. She would bet on it!
"Yes Uncle Rielly. I went to lunch with my friend." Riley said calmly offering no further details. Hoping to avoid the coming confrontation, she tried to change the
subject. "I'm sorry I didn't know you were coming or I would've been here to
meet you. One of my colleagues had a family emergency and I was covering his
call as well as mine. I got home early this morning. It's the first time I've been
here since Monday."
Rielly ignored what she'd said and went right to the heart of the matter. "I have
been hearing disturbing things about this 'friend'. I have a standing in this state
that I won't allow you to tarnish. This deviant behavior is unacceptable. I forbid
you to see that woman again."
"You went through a terrible ordeal when Keith was killed. He was such a
wonderful man and it must have been such a shock. You're just confused; we
know you're not 'that way'. This woman is taking advantage of you and trying to
corrupt you. We can get you the help you need." Riley's aunt added helpfully.
"WHAT?" Riley shouted, truly shocked. She'd known her aunt and uncle would
react poorly to finding out she was gay. But this! She couldn't believe what she
was hearing. Her uncle was worried his precious image might be tarnished and
her aunt thought being gay was something you choose. My God, do these
people think we're living in the 19th century? She asked herself incredulously.
"First off... No one corrupted me. I'm gay!"
Margaret gasped in shock.
"Secondly... I'm 35 years old and I will be friends with whoever I chose." Riley
stated emphatically.
Her uncle bolted up from his chair stomping across the room to stand right in
front of Riley.
"You will do as you're told! No niece of mine is a queer." He thundered. "I will not have you and your deviant friend embarrass me in front of my colleagues and
friends."
Riley took a step back in the face of his rage. Sam's face suddenly appeared in
her mind. Her back straightened and she squared her shoulders. Not this time
Uncle Rielly, not this time, she chanted to herself. She took a step back toward
her uncle.
"No I won't! I'm a grown woman and I'll associate with anyone I choose. I'm gay
and that's not going to change. The sooner you get used to it the better. Riley
adamantly declared. "And Keith who you think was so wonderful tried to kill me!"
she added for her aunt's benefit.
Her uncle's face turned purple and the veins pulsed in his forehead. Riley was
becoming concerned he was going to have a stroke.
"You're parents would be so ashamed." Margaret said in a sad voice.
Riley glared at her aunt.
"That's where you're wrong." She told her aunt trying to remain calm. "My
parents always encouraged me to be myself whoever that was."
Riley's uncle finally found his voice again. "I'm sure your Mother manipulated
him into believing that tripe. If it wasn't for that white trash little slut he married
your father could have made something of himself. Instead, he ended up
working as a common mechanic. If he had stayed in Los Angeles where he
belonged he would still be alive." Reilly ranted.
Riley couldn't believe the hateful words that spewed from her uncle's mouth. Her
anger soared at the horrible things he was saying about her beloved mother.
"My father loved my Mother and would've done anything for her. They were
happy together. He didn't want the empty life you have with your pretentious
friends and fake stature. He left LA to get away from you!" Riley raged.
Riley's head jerked back from the force of her uncle's slap. She put her hand up
to her bleeding lip.
"Your aunt and I did everything for you. Took you in, raised you as our own and
this is the thanks we get. You're the same white trash your mother was. You
should have died with her." He yelled.
Riley stood frozen in front of her uncle. Her aunt just stood by and watched, her
face a mixture of pity and disgust.
"Don't ever contact us again. As far as I am concerned I don't have a niece. And
don't expect any money from the family estate," he continued.
Riley actually laughed. Of course, to him that was what it was all about, money
and stature. "I don't want your fucking money." She sneered in her uncle's face.
Her aunt's eyes bugged out in shock. She'd never heard Riley use such
language."
Riley's head snapped back again as her uncle struck her across the face. After a
moment of shocked silence, Riley found her voice.
"Get out of my house before I call the police." She stormed over to her aunt who
backed up in alarm. "Give me your set of key's... right now." She demanded. She
quickly handed Riley a key ring. As her uncle reached the door, Riley made one
last comment. "My father would've been ashamed to have you as a brother."
Her uncle took a step back toward her. "Don't even think about it." Riley warned
picking up the phone.
When the door slammed behind them, Riley slumped to the couch and let the
tears she'd been holding back finally come.
Chapter Nine