by Shannon Cook
Acknowledgments
I would like to first thank you, dear reader, for taking time and reading my debut book.
Personally, I can't believe that I have written a book. I struggled a lot in school. Especially with reading and writing. It wasn't because I wasn't smart, it was because of all the bullying other kids gave me at school. My grades suffered and I became very angry with everything! A couple of my teachers never gave up on me. They knew I was much smarter than what my grades were showing. I eventually ended up going into Special Ed. My grades drastically improved and I held a GPA of 90 percent or above all through High School. For those teachers who never gave up on me, thank you.
I would also like to thank all who have inspired me to follow my dreams. Especially all of my favorite LGBTQ celebrities who have shown me that people in the LGBTQ communities can have a positive future.
I would like to thank my family. Coming out was one of the most terrifying things I have ever done! Terrifying, but worth it! It was terrifying because I didn't know how they would react. Everyone in my family accepted me right away. The person I was most terrified to come out to was my father. His religion was strictly against homosexuality. My father and I had different religions when I came out.
I couldn't bring myself to tell him, so I wrote him a letter. I remember what he told me. "We finally have something in common, we both like women." He took it surprisingly well. He actually switched his religion to a more accepting one of homosexuals.
The first person I came out to in my family was my grandmother. I figured it would be safe to tell her because she has many friends that are part of the LGBT community. She knew before I told her.
Lastly, I know she can't read this, but I would like to thank my dear girlfriend whom I lost in a car crash a few years ago. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you. This book is dedicated to you up in heaven.
Introduction
Love. It is the most powerful human feeling there is. But what happens when hate and fear tries to overcome love?
Mandy, a young woman in her early twenties tries her best to hide her sexuality from her very homophobic father, Lee. She could never open up to him and tell him who she is because he had always expressed much hatred towards the gay community, people in other political parties and those with different skin colors than him. Mandy feared her father substantially!
One day, her girlfriend comes out to her own parents when she introduced Mandy to them for the first time. Her parents were thrilled for them and ended up throwing them a huge party to celebrate their coming out!
Mandy goes into a panic when she finds out that her parents were invited to the party her girlfriend's parents were throwing! She tries to prevent them from going but doesn't succeed.
When Lee finds out about his daughter Mandy's sexuality, he is furious! He ends up attacking his daughter and takes his daughter, Mandy far away. This devastated Mandy's girlfriend! She blamed herself for what had happened to her girlfriend. Her parents tried convincing their daughter that Mandy's father's actions had nothing to do with her, but they couldn't get through to her. She was too distressed.
Young Mandy spent a year in hell, while her parents' marriage began falling apart. However, her mother, Barb, didn't want to divorce her husband Lee because she feared him as well.
When Mandy finally gets rescued, a nice officer realizes home isn't the safest place for her, so he hooks her up with a safe place to stay until she is able to get back onto her feet.
Mandy eventually ends up getting herself a steady good paying job and her own place to live. She never informs her parents where she was living in fear her father would try to come after her. She becomes very involved in the community and the media takes notice.
The owner of the company Mandy works for, Ross, finds out about her sexuality and isn't too happy about it. Little did Mandy know, her boss is old friends with her father. Her boss and her father meet up one afternoon for a business meeting. Love business that is.
The two men agreed to arrange a marriage between Ross's son and Lee's daughter. One day, Ross goes to the store that he owns and kidnaps Mandy during her break! He takes her right to the wedding ceremony. At the wedding, Lee threatens his daughter Mandy by telling her that if she ever divorces her husband, he would harm her!
After Mandy gets married, her new husband's job transfers him across the county. Mandy figured that this was her perfect escape! Little did she know, her husband worked out an agreement with her father that would prevent any chance Mandy could ever get away.
She ends up being a prisoner in her own home. She endures many years of both physical, sexual and mental abuse from her husband. She knew she needed to escape, but she didn't know how.
One day Mandy finds out she is pregnant with her husband's child! Her husband is furious about the pregnancy! He ends up accusing her of cheating and beats her up very badly! Mandy gets a break and is finally able to break free!
As she's driving away, a female officer pulls her over. The officer, Kate, could see Mandy was extremely distressed and full of bruises. Kate has Mandy come to the police station to have her fill out a police report.
Kate ends up sending officers to her house to arrest Mandy's husband. She tells Mandy that she needs to divorce her husband! Mandy is terrified to do that. Kate convinces her and goes along with her to see a lawyer.
Kate knew Mandy had a fear that her father would find out about the divorce, so every day Kate would come over and check up on Mandy's welfare.
Mandy's husband ends up being convicted and sentenced to many years in jail. Mandy figured that if she didn't tell anyone in her family about the divorce, they wouldn't know.
Even though Mandy didn't really need protecting anymore, Kate still came over every day. The two women enjoyed spending time together! Eventually, they became girlfriends.
Soon after Mandy's now ex-husband's conviction, her ex-husband's father finds out what happened and informs Mandy's parents.
Lee is outraged when he hears the news! Mandy's mother, Barb frantically races her husband across the country to try to get to their daughter first to protect her from whatever Lee was planning on doing to Mandy!
Mandy and Kate get surprised by Mandy's parents' visit. Lee tries attacking Mandy as soon as he saw her. Kate steps in and attempts to reduce the tension between Mandy and Lee. She recommends that Mandy's parents stay with them for a little while hoping that if Lee sees just how a same-sex relationship is, maybe he would change his views on homosexuals.
Mandy's parents end up staying with them for a few months and every day, Mandy is constantly trying to avoid her father's attacks on her! Eventually, Mandy's parents go back home but does Lee ever come to accept his daughter for who she is?
Mandy and Kate both become homesick one day, and they go home for the holidays. They had a great family gathering and Kate informs everyone that her job is transferring her back into town.
A few years after Mandy and Kate move back across the country to their hometown, they go on a vacation and Kate asks Mandy to marry her. Mandy says yes and a few years later they get married!
Mandy's parents are both at the wedding. Lee is sitting in the front row, but is he really happy to be there or not?
Mandy and Kate end up living happily with each other for many years and end up starting a family of their own.
The big question is, does Mandy's father Lee ever come to accept his daughter's sexuality? Or does he hate his daughter for who she is for the rest of his life?
Every day, there are some people that are part of the gay community that have to deal with being either disowned by their parents or being discriminated against in the community.
This is a fictional story about a young woman who has to p
ut up with a lot of backlash from her father just because of who she is. But Mandy stays strong and true to herself. That is important for people that are part of the gay community to do. Stay true to yourself! Only you can make yourself happy. Don't ever let anyone try to make you someone that you are not!
Now, most of the things the main character, Mandy, endures is the absolute worst-case scenario of what happens when a parent finds out about their child's sexuality.
It is important to always remember that when times get difficult, hang in there no matter how hard it gets! Things usually always get better!
As a lesbian myself, I have experienced both physical and verbal attacks against me because of my sexuality. That hasn't changed who I am. That's what I hope for all of my family in the gay community. Never let anyone change who you are!
Attention: This book might bring back bad memories to some, but don't worry, hopefully, the romantic scenes will make up for it. This book is intended for adults at least 18 years and older because of some of the descriptive topics in this book.
Lastly, just note, that if you are part of the gay community, and you are struggling with emotional damage, there is always help out there 24/7 if you need it.
Chapter 1
A young woman tiptoed slowly down the stairs of her parent's house late at night trying not to wake anyone up. Slowly reaching out her hand for the front door handle, she hears her father clear his throat behind her.
"Where are you going, Mandy?" Her father asked from the upstairs balcony overlooking the grand foyer.
Mandy froze in her tracks. Her father was very strict about going out late at night. She turned around slowly and watched in fear as her father come down the curved staircase heading towards her.
Lee got face to face with Mandy and crossed his arms. "Where are you going young lady?" he asked his daughter again. This time in a more firm and demanding tone.
Mandy didn't know how to respond to her father. She was fearful of him. She stood in silence just staring up at him. She didn't want to inform him she was going to see her date. Especially since her date was another woman.
For her entire life, Mandy's father has expressed much hatred towards the gay community. She never knew what caused this hate. He never went into much detail, but he had advised her many times that if he ever found out she was homosexual, there would be hell to pay.
"Nowhere." Mandy finally responded, as she slowly walked past her father and back up to her bedroom.
Lee slowly followed his daughter up the stairs, he went back into his bedroom laid in bed next to his wife Barb.
Barb rolled over and faced her husband. "What was going on?" she inquired.
"Mandy was trying to sneak out again."
"Secret boyfriend?" Barb laughed.
"She wouldn't say. I just wish she would stop trying to sneak out of the house so late at night!"
Barb sighed. "You know dear, she's twenty-three. She's an adult. I know you just want to protect her, but you need to let her start living her own life."
Lee laid and stared at the ceiling above. "I know. I'm just not ready to let go."
Lee's wife put her arm over him, hugging him as they laid in bed. "What would you have done if my father wouldn't have let me go out, and see you?"
Lee laid there and thought for a moment. His wife was correct. "I'll be back." He got out of bed and went over to Mandy's bedroom. He knocked on the door softly. "Hun, are you still awake?" he asked.
Mandy opened her bedroom door slowly, she had been crying. "Yes, father?" she asked as her voice trembled.
Lee could see his daughter was upset with him. "Why were you trying to sneak out so late at night?" he asked Mandy. "Do you have a secret boyfriend you'd wish to tell me about?"
Mandy still didn't know what to say. Lee placed a gentle loving hand on his daughter's shoulder. "It's okay, I'm going to let you go out tonight to see him. What is his name?"
She wiped away tears from her eyes. Was her father really letting her go out this late? She looked her father in the eyes. He seemed sincere. "Alex, their name is Alex," she said without hesitation. Mandy was relieved that her girlfriend had a gender-neutral name.
Lee smiled. "What does Alex do?"
Mandy wasn't expecting her father to ask her what her partner does for a living. She didn't want to tell him exactly what Alex does. She didn't want her father to go to Alex's workplace behind her back, and discover that Alex is actually a woman! "Don't worry Dad, Alex works a full-time job."
"That's good to hear, now please promise me you'll be home by 2 am."
Mandy gave her father a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. "I promise I'll be home by two." She ran down the stairs, put on her shoes and left.
She drove over to Alex's family farm and met up with her girlfriend in the barn. Mandy covered her nose as she walked in. The barn smelled strongly of cow manure.
"Do we have to keep seeing each other in here?" she asked Alex while covering her nose. "This smell is nauseating! Doesn't it bother you?"
Alex just shrugged. "When you've lived with it all your life, you don't notice it much. Besides our only other option is to go inside, but we risk the chance of my parents finding out about us."
"I take it your parents are just as much against gay people as mine are?" Mandy asked.
"No," Alex replied shaking her head. "They just think I'm too young to be dating. I keep telling them I'm twenty-one! I'm an adult! As far as being a lesbian, I'm sure they will understand. My father's best friend is a gay man. They've been friends since they were young boys!" she looked at her girlfriend curiously. "Why? Are your parents against gays?"
Mandy nodded her head. "My father especially, he hates gay people!" she paused for a moment trying to think. "I'm not too sure about my mother though, she's never mentioned anything about her views on gay people."
"So that's why I've never been invited over! I understand now." Alex smiled at Mandy and began to run her fingers through her hair slowly. "So tell me, what's on your mind right now?"
Mandy reached out and pulled Alex into her arms. "Only you right now Hun."
The two young women took off their clothes, and they began having sex on a bed of hay on the barn floor as the moonlight beamed in upon them. Mandy laid upon Alex french kissing her, then slowly moving her mouth to her neck, then her breast sucking and nibbling at every inch. Mandy reached her hand down, and Alex grasped a handful of hay in her fists and bit her lip as Mandy was pleasuring her.
Alex's loud moan echoed across the barn. They rolled over, and Alex returned the favor to Mandy. The young women laid in the bed of hay trying to catch their breath when they got done.
Mandy turned to Alex and said, "That was perfect! What time is it by the way?"
Alex picked up her phone and checked the time. "It's 1:50 am. Why?"
Mandy jumped up, and quickly put her clothes back on. "I need to go!" she panicked. "I promised my father I'd be home by 2! I love you!" she shouted as she ran out the door
"I love you too!"
Mandy ran as fast as she could back to the driveway pulling hay out of her hair that was stuck and tossing it to the side. She hopped into the driver's seat of her car and sped out of the dirt driveway, leaving a cloud of dust.
She frantically pulled into her parent's driveway, ran to the front door and went in. She went to charge up the stairs, but she was surprised by her father!
Lee was sitting on the bottom of the stairs in front of the door waiting. He looked his daughter straight in the eyes and tapped his watch. "You're late."
Mandy looked over at the wall clock. "Only by 5 minutes dad. Come on!" She went to walk by him on the stairs but he stopped her.
Lee could see that his daughter's hair was a mess. He got very suspicious. "Tell me about this Alex guy. Are you two having sex before marriage? You know how I feel about sex before marriage!"
"Yes, dad I know!" Mandy snapped. "I know how you feel about a lot of things! To answer your question, no I did
n't have sex with him."
Mandy barged past her father and ran into her bedroom locking the door behind her.
Lee stomped upstairs and pounded on his daughter's bedroom door. "Mandy!" he shouted. "Open this door! We need to talk!"
His daughter gave no reply. Lee knocked harder which woke up his wife Barb. Barb came out of their bedroom sleepy-eyed. "What is all the commotion about?" she asked her husband with a yawn.
"Our daughter is hiding something! I just know it!"
Barb knew her husband was going to start an argument with Mandy, and she was too exhausted to play the peacemaker at that moment. "Can't this wait until morning?"
"It is morning!" Lee shouted.
Inside the bedroom, Mandy covered her head with her pillow and cried herself to sleep as her parents argued outside her bedroom door.
"Lee! This can wait until breakfast!" Barb shouted back.
"She's hiding something I know she is!"
Barb grabbed her husband's hand and pulled him to their bedroom. "Calm down! You're going to give yourself another heart attack!"
She manages to get Lee into bed and cuddles up to him. "You need to relax a little." she softly told him. "If you weren't so strict with our daughter, maybe she would tell you what's going on in her life more."
Lee looked into his wife's eyes. "Did you know about her boyfriend?"
"Not at all." Barb confidently responded. "Although, now that I think of it Mandy's been working long hours. More than sixty hours a week!"
They both looked at each other with suspicion in their eyes. "Do you think she's been seeing this guy before, and or after work?" Bard asked Lee.
Lee's face turned red, he was beginning to become angrier. "I believe I'm going to have a stern talking to our daughter during breakfast."
"Please take it easy on her."
Barb kissed Lee on the lips and fell back asleep.
Chapter 2
The next morning, the three sat down at the breakfast table. Lee glared at Mandy as he slowly stirred his coffee, and she ate her cereal. Barb sat down between her husband and daughter looking down at the table. She knew things were about to get ugly.
