Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut

Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper

I just needed the mental hug. Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble was rough on my mental well-being.

He and Jerry had argued once, in their way, about the difference between Lincoln working for his dream and doing what he loved, and why Jerry might be tired at the end of each day. Mostly, Lincoln had gotten loud, Jerry had gotten quiet, then said, “I love them. They’re my family,” and Lincoln had given in except for the occasional mumbling.

The words in those books weren’t always meant for him, but they were something for him to have.

“Aw.” Lincoln smiled in sympathy, in a more playful mood than he had been a second ago. “You poor thing. But it was bound to happen sooner or later. Kids grow up. Next thing you know, you’ll be driving her to college and she’ll be— oh no! Jerry, don’t panic. It’s okay. Please don’t make that face.”

“What face?” Jerry felt a little frozen.

Jerry studied her short, half-dyed curls and her flushed cheeks. “You’re going to be a part of everything, Sof. That’s wonderful. That’s so wonderful. And you trusted us enough to tell us. That makes me very happy. Like we did something right with you.”

“Oh, Jerry,” Susanna whispered. “I just stopped crying.”

“When you told me you’d never dated, I thought a lot of things. Probably a lot of wrong things. But now—” he paused long enough to make Jerry tense “— were you trying to tell me you have literally no experience at interpreting romantic signals for yourself?”

Rating: 9/10

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