The Quitman residence...

This isn't real.

Therefore, this cannot be happening.

This isn't real.

Therefore, this couldn't be happening.

This isn't real.

Therefore, this wouldn't be happening.

This isn't real.

Therefore, this shouldn't be happening.

But the more that the memories of the beachside barbeque continued to flash through Ja'Marco's mind, gentle reader, the more apparent that the conclusion was starting to get as clear as day.

This WAS real. And whether or not Ja'Marco wanted to believe it- even as he was currently lying down unconscious from passing out; it WAS indeed happening.

"Ja'Marco?"

Said teen's eyes snapped open as he woke up with a start, his eyes bleary and his head disoriented from sleeping. He let out a jaw-cracking yawn before stretching his limbs before sitting up in the bed that he laid on. "How long was out?" he asked, grateful to see Kristen standing in the bedroom doorway.

"It's nearly noon, so you've been asleep for quite some time," the beautiful Korean-American teenager replied gently. "Everyone was freaking out after you passed out, your uncle blaming your mother for keeping you on your feet all day."

At the mention of the two adults, Ja'Marco took a deep breath. "Kristen, please tell me what we saw last night was either a bad prank gone wrong or it's part of some dream that I had last night. Tell me...that we did not see the guys turning into gay mermen and I had sex with some of them before last night! Tell me that we we saw wasn't real."

Kristen sighed heavily. "It's all real, Ja'Marco. Too real for my blood," she said morosely. "And after last night, it's time that we got some answers because I'm as pissed off as you are right now."

"Obviously," Ja'Marco said, grateful that he was still dressed in the clothes that he wore as he got out of bed and slid on his shoes. "Well, we might as well head downstairs and get the truth."

"We're all ready and waiting for you. And Ja'Marco?"

"Yeah?"

Kristen took a deep breath. "I hope you make the choice that you need for your life," she said. "Whatever you choose, you still have a few allies on hand."

"Thanks, Kristen. I needed that."

After getting his shoes on, Ja'Marco followed Kristen down the stairs and into the large family room where everyone- Ja'Marco's family (the Quitmans and Hedares), Reichen and his lovers, the Adamsons and their extended family members, the Freemans, and even Oliver- were waiting for him. "Ja'Marco," Melinda greeted him as he sat down in between La'Vanna and her mother. "I suppose that you want to finally know the truth after last night, right?"

"You have no idea," Ja'Marco replied, keeping his voice even.

"Well, it's time that you finally know everything," Oliver intoned as he began to age into a handsome and masculine older man who was more athletic than his teenaged self. "As you may have read already, Glenview Valley mainly got its start by the founding fathers and was based on people who wanted freedom from the Puritan movement. But you may be wondering whether Sarabeth's wish that became the curse was true or not."

Ja'Marco nodded, his mind reeling from watching Oliver morph into a handsome male.

"Well, Ja'Marco, there's more to it. Sarabeth and I were indeed lovers after she saw me on the beach and it was true that her family forbade us to be together. But it was mainly based on the older man being a secret Puritan himself," Oliver explained. "The man's true purpose was to reignite the strict values that were founded in Jamestown and were known across the colonies, demanding all the colonists to be extremely faithful to God. Eduard Allendam thought that I was too much of a freethinker and didn't want Sarabeth to marry me, so he barred me and my all-male family. And while it was true that Sarabeth had my child- a boy who died before his time, she knew that the child was not meant to be with me. That's when she made her wish to have all the townspeople cursed to become gay mermen. On the night she died, I had granted her wish and began the legacy of making sure that those who wanted freedom from extremists and religious fanatics to accept my gifts of being one with me."

"Who are you really?" Ja'Marco wanted to know.

The older man smirked at the teen's confusion. "My name...is Orion, the son of Poseidon and the main demigod for the seas," he said. "To the outside world, I am a simple teenager named Oliver, but I am indeed one with this town and all who chose to accept me as their fathers, the Quitmans included since they and the other descendants of this town have been with me since the inception."

Ja'Marco gulped before he turned to his mother. "And how...how are you involved in all of this?" he asked.

Melinda sighed. "You may have head about Steven Hedare, Beau's brother?"

Ja'Marco nodded.

Wayne stood next to his wife. "I'm actually Beau's cousin by blood," the older man explained. "Steven was as much as a cynic as you were back then. When the boys and their sister- your aunt Simone- moved to town with their parents, Steven didn't want any part of it, nor did he want to meet Ryan Jefferson- the descendant one of the founding members of this town or his cousins. After a bit of coaxing and threats, Steven finally got into the program, feeling as fearful when he began transforming yet gradually beginning to accepting his new life."

It was Mrs. Freeman's turn to speak. "I was Steven's best friend since we were in diapers," she explained. "When I learned of what was going on, I believed that there was something wicked going on and I didn't want Steven to fall into it. But having him killed was when my family was disgraced. To make things worse, our family was facing a lot of scrutiny when we moved here a couple years ago."

Chanel stepped forward. "By then, I had a brother that fell into the same trap and then he became a gay merman himself, him becoming the brother of one of the guys in this town," she commented. "When Gwen and I saw what had taken place, we were sworn to secrecy to not tell what we had seen or face a penalty for my mother's crimes. That was  when I promised myself to keep newcomers away from this town. Some attempts were more successful than others as La'Vanna, Kristen, and even Jose soon came to town...before Jose and his family also fell in line."

"Anyway," Melinda said, "the main thing is how you play a role in this, Ja'Marco. Before you were born, I had myself a summertime fling with Francis when I was younger. It was before I met Wayne and his family and I wasn't sure if I was ready to become a single mother. Francis promised me that I would be blessed immensely as he promised me that you would receive the ultimate birthright of being part of his family when you became of age. And when I met Wayne and learned of the story, I knew that our paths were meant to be crossed. Of course, your grandparents Jonah and Lizzadene Mae didn't want you to be involved and all but demanded to abort you. But then, they took to you when you were born and often raised you as their own while I was being favorable towards Gianna and Ciara. And before you even ask, they know of the story and what was going on. I made them swear not to tell you because they would do all they could to have you done away with if it meant keeping you innocent."

Ja'Marco felt sick, knowing that his grandparents had known of the story.

"For my and my family's part, we knew that you would be forced to meet the Quitmans and initially didn't want you to accept their gay immortality or whatever," Ro'Niah said, his eyes full of guilt as he faced his childhood friend. "Your grandparents made me and my kin promise that we would do all we can to keep you away from it all. Even if it means killing you."

"And now?" Ja'Marco asked, his voice full of emotion.

Ro'Niah inhaled sharply, him glancing at his parents. "As they say, Jay, so say I: if you can't beat them, join them," he said simply. "I know that it's crazy to say, but this is way above what we expected. You really cannot go against what's been destined, Ja'Marco. And as crazy as it sounds coming from me since I'm a pastor's kid, maybe this new life as a gay merman isn't as bad as I thought."

"Says you," Felicia sniffed, crossing her arms and glaring at her brother.

"I concur," Jeremiah said stiffly.

Ja'Marco sighed heavily as he stood to his feet. All he could comprehend was how he was lied to after all these years and how everyone was on his case to be closer to Francis and his family just so they can have him become a gay merman. He soon faced his mother, the look of indifference and serenity on her made-up face. "You did all this...to have me become a gay merman for your benefit," he said, his voice low and thick with anger.

"I'm doing what's best for this family," Melinda said simply. "And whether you believe it or not, you will become one of them as will all who side with us."

Ja'Marco only nodded once, knowing that his mother was unrepentant for what she did and planned.

It shouldn't go without saying, gentle reader, that Ja'Marco was taught to never hit a woman and to treat one a such no matter what they did or said in a negative light. But his rage overruled common sense as his fist was clenched tight and he only saw a red haze in his eyes.

Before anyone could stop him, the teenager landed a right uppercut to Melinda's face, blood pouring out of her nose as he watched her crumple to the ground like Humpty-Dumpty. He spat on her bloody face before turning on his heel and walking out of the house.

And not even once did the teen looked back.

Well, damn!

That was something else, wasn't it?!

Ja'Marco was betrayed in the worst way possible and even his old friends left him hanging. As for Jeremiah and his clan, they're going to have their say in the next chapter while an unexpected ally comes to Ja'Marco's aid. Don't go anywhere!

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