Note: brief mention of a suicide attempt in this chapter.

• • •

"Nancy!" Andrew yells in surprise, already feeling guilty that he has contributed to his new wife finding out George's secret. "You can't tell Stephanie about this."

"And why not?" Nancy challenges, before turning her attention to George. "I was literally correct about everything I ever accused you of, wasn't I? Not only are you cheating on your pregnant girlfriend — you're also gay, too?"

"This really wasn't the way I wanted you to find out about this," George begins to explain. "And I do plan to tell Steph about all of this ... just not today, okay?"

"Please, babe. Listen to him. He's already been through so much shit with all of this," Andrew reasons with her. "He's working his way through the people closest to him. He's been trying so hard to make things work out."

"How long has this affair been going on for, with Levi?" Nancy interrogates.

"About five months," George answers shamefully, averting his gaze to the ground to avoid eye contact with her. "I know it's wrong. But I need to take the right steps in order to get this right. You don't understand, Nancy."

"What don't I understand?" Her brows furrow in confusion, as she folds her arms once more. "Because I seem to have a pretty good comprehension of what you've done, here."

"My plan is to let her down easily," George tells her, softly. "I don't want to risk her taking Alex away from me. I don't want to miss out on my son growing up because of this."

"If you had no intentions of sticking around, you shouldn't have slept with her unprotected," Nancy scolds. "You know what that leads to."

"I fucking know that, Nancy. Thanks for the lecture," George scowls disapprovingly. "And for your information, we did use protection — every single time. Have you never heard of it being ineffective?"

"That's hardly the point, George. You slept with her knowing that your heart wasn't in it. How do you think she'd feel if she finds out? In fact, let me rephrase — how do you think she will feel when she does find out?"

"She'll be heartbroken. I know." George buries his head into one hand, rubbing at his temples with his fingers. "But please — you have to let me tell her myself. It can't come from anybody else but me."

"Why should I believe that you'll actually tell her?" Nancy quizzes sharply. "You could just keep this lie going for the rest of your life."

"Because I'd go insane if I had to spend the rest of my life with her!" George snaps back quickly. "I want to be with Levi. That's what I want to do with the rest of my life. She'll know eventually, because the idea of being with a woman — when deep down, I know I belong with a man — would eat me up inside. And no amount of self-deprecation can prevent me from giving myself at least that much respect."

"Fine." Nancy isn't convinced, but she decides there's no use in trying to talk sense into the Greek. "I won't tell her anything, and we'll carry on as normal. But — you have to tell her the truth before your baby is born. If you don't, I'll be the one to tell her. Mark my words on that one. She doesn't deserve this at all."

"I know she doesn't. I know I'm just another man to add to the already-endless list she has, of disgusting men who should never have even been given the chance to touch her." George's face contorts in frustration. "You think I don't look in the mirror day in, day out and hate myself for how I've handled this, Nancy? Well, let me tell you something: I've kept this part of my identity hidden for almost a decade. And you know what? It's been torture. Absolute torture." He shakes his head, knowing his description doesn't even scratch the surface on how terrible he's felt from all of this. "There have been days where I've woken up, and all I've wanted to do is go straight back to sleep and forget how fucked up I feel because of this. I want to forget that there's been plenty of times where I've looked at that girl, and I've felt sick with guilt for what I'm putting her through. I'm human, Nancy. I'm not some rigid, emotionless robot with no empathy. I feel it."

"Alright." Overcome with varying thoughts and feelings on the situation, she finally holds her hands up. "I get it. You've been through a lot. And I've said I won't tell her. But I mean it when I say to you: if that baby is born and she still doesn't know, then it will come from me."

"Okay, I'm glad we've come to an agreement now," Andrew intervenes, grinning over-enthusiastically to try and lighten the mood. "In case we all forgot, it's actually our wedding day. Let's go and have fun, now. How does that sound?"

"It sounds wonderful, honey." Nancy forces a smile for her husband, taking his hand in her own to lead him back inside where the party is getting going. "Let the lovebirds be."

George's expression becomes dejected, as he observes the pair re-entering the reception venue without him; although Andrew has been nothing but supportive since the start, George can't help but feel disappointed in himself for how things have turned out with Nancy. He trudges towards the entrance doors to the party, heaving a sigh that gets drowned out by the pumping disco music which has just started.

• • •

"I'm sorry things didn't go to plan this evening. I didn't want Nancy to find out about us like this." George gently rests his hands against Levi's waist, looking up at him sadly. "But she has said that she won't tell Steph about it."

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have ... let my emotions take over my mind," Levi apologises softly, caressing the side of George's face for a moment. "If I hadn't have been so blinded by my own silly feelings of lust, this would never have happened."

"Don't blame yourself. I shouldn't have been so forward with interrogating you earlier," George reasons. "You're allowed to mingle with other people aside from me. I feel stupid for acting so possessive."

"But I could have acknowledged you a little more," Levi chuckles. "I didn't do myself any favours at all." He checks the watch on his wrist, "Goodness me. It's already nearly one in the morning. I should be getting home, now."

"You should. You need your rest," George smiles. "Safe journey home, my darling."

"Thanks. The same goes for you and Stephanie, of course. Luckily you don't live too far away from here. But regardless, please be safe." Levi's eyes dart around behind George, to ensure that nobody is watching the pair; then, he pulls George into a soft farewell kiss.

"They do look adorable together," Andrew mutters to Nancy, distantly observing the two men engage in their sweet moment of intimacy in the darkness of the night. "You remember how George said you and I were a good match in his best man speech? Well, I think he's found his match, too."

"You're way too okay with this," Nancy frowns. "Your best friend is cheating on his girlfriend with another man."

"Do we need to have this conversation again?" Andrew sighs. "I don't think you realise just how much Yog has been through. Do you realise just how much he's been through?"

"He hates himself for what he's done. Big deal; he deserves to feel bad," Nancy spits. "I'm not sure what more you want from me. I've already said I won't tell Stephanie about it."

"I don't think you quite understand, babe." Andrew rubs the back of his neck with the palm of his hand, as sweat gathers on his forehead from the heat in the air. "This isn't about keeping cheating a secret from the victim. This situation is far from black and white. It used to be, that he was scared. He was scared of how people would react to finding out he's gay. But he's pretty much past that now. Now, it's the fear of losing his son. Can you imagine Rosa being taken from you because somebody didn't approve of who you are?"

"It just doesn't make sense. If he never wanted kids before, why does he suddenly want to keep Alexander in his life?"

"Because people's minds change, Nance. He's realised that the love of a father is unlike anything he has ever known. He even tried to avoid making the emotional connection because he knew it would make everything harder. He's told me all his feelings about this. But he couldn't help but get excited about that boy, and now he's too far in."

"And if he used to be so scared of coming out, why doesn't he care anymore?"

"He does care, still. That's why he's taking it slow. Telling the ones he loves that he's gay is still a huge thing for him. It's not the main thing that's holding him back from telling Steph anymore ... but it's still a big deal. He's worried that some of the important people in his life won't react well to it."

"Why is he so complex?" Nancy asks rhetorically, almost overwhelmed by it all. "He's scared of coming out, but he isn't bothered about coming out ... and he's scared of losing his baby, but he's willing to leave the relationship behind to be with Levi?"

"I told you it isn't black and white," Andrew reminds her. "His mind is very full at the moment. It has been for a long time. More than even I could imagine."

"Sure ... " Nancy jeers. "Full of ideas on where he plans to fuck Levi next? Full of scripts on how to tell Stephanie he's a player?"

"That's unfair," Andrew tells her, his tone suggesting his disappointment. "You know that George tried to take his own life because of all of this?"

The news is a little alarming to Nancy; her brows knit together sadly upon hearing this. "N-No, I didn't know that."

"He tried to overdose last year, he told me. And do you know why he's still alive today?" When Nancy shakes her head, Andrew continues to explain. "Levi saved his life. He called George while he was in the middle of the attempt. He knew what George was planning to do ... and he stopped it. Levi is the reason George is still here today, in more ways than one." Andrew gives Nancy a forlorn expression, not even wanting to think about a life without George. "I told you, George has suffered so much more than you'd realise. In fact — the attack that happened last year ... it was a homophobic attack."

Nancy remains silent for a few moments, taking in what she's heard; she still believes George is wrong for the way he has dealt with Stephanie through cheating, but she can't help but feel guilty for giving him a hard time after finding out how difficult the ordeal has been for him. "It ... must have been terrible for him," she whispers.

"It has been." Andrew glances back over to the area George and Levi were once stood together; now, only George remains. "Do you see how happy Levi makes him? He's stood there, with such a bittersweet expression on his face. You can just see how in love he is, watching his true love leave our special day in his car ... but you can't say to me, that you can't see the hurt in his eyes too. He feels the remorse, Nance. Look at him."

Nancy obliges, granting herself the permission to look across to George in the distance; he is stood by himself, waving to Levi as he drives out of sight. Once he can no longer see his lover's vehicle, he turns back around to head back inside; he slowly shuffles his feet as he trudges along. His eyes move across the open space he's walking in, spotting a bench; so he approaches it, sitting down alone to take some time to think things over.

"I want to go and talk to him," Nancy tells Andrew. "And once the conversation is over, I'll have made amends. And then, we can go to our hotel room for the night."

"Thank you," Andrew smiles. "I appreciate you being so understanding of what I've told you."

"I appreciate you telling me," Nancy returns politely. "Now, let me go and make things right."

George remains in his spot on the bench, his hands pressed against the seat either side of his body to hold him in place. His eyes have glazed over in contemplation, as he pensively stares at the ground while he thinks. Now that Nancy knows about himself and Levi, he worries that he has lost his power to control the situation he's in; that she will take over entirely and go around telling everybody his secret. He likes to think she has more humanity than this; however, with a subject as fragile as his sexuality, he trusts nobody. His heart sinks, as he spots Nancy heading his way; he evaluates in his head that she must be coming over to cause more tension.

"Hello, Nancy," he mutters monotonously. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Well," she begins, before taking a seat by his side. "I'm just letting you know, that Andrew told me everything. He told me how much you've been through with all this stuff. I-I know it wasn't necessarily his place or my place to be discussing your personal stuff, but ... if one good thing came out of it, it helped me to understand."

"I tried to take my own life last year," George informs her, unaware that she already knows.

"I know," she sighs, ensuring she makes eye contact with him to indicate her sincerity. "And I'm so sorry for it. Just because I don't agree with how you're treating Stephanie ... it doesn't mean you've deserved to face all this."

"I don't expect anybody to agree to what I'm doing. But I plan for the truth to come out ... eventually." He furrows his brows, as tears start to cluster at his lower waterline. "I'm just taking my time, so that I feel like I'm in control of all this. I didn't get to choose my sexuality, so ... I want to choose who knows about it, and when. I beg for you to let me have this, Nancy."

Nancy nods firmly, to reassure him. "You've got this, George. You've got full control. Just please tell her sooner rather than later ... that's all I ask from you."

George hesitates for a second, but eventually agrees for the sake of keeping the peace. "I will. She'll know soon. If not for my sake or hers, then for Levi's."

"He means a lot to you, doesn't he? Levi?"

Just hearing his name is enough to bring a smile to his face. "I love him more than anybody would ever be able to comprehend. And he's the first person in my life, who I've ever felt that for."

Nancy acknowledges this answer, using it as her motivation to be supportive towards him. "Then that's what matters the most. After everything you've been through, it's good that you've finally found somebody who makes you so happy."

"Thank you," George breathes, at a slight loss for words. "I-I just ... appreciate you being so understanding."

"Hey — I've had plenty of time to wrap my head around it. I said you were gay the day I met you, didn't I?" Nancy teases.

"I've been questioning how you knew since that day," George admits. "You've got some crazy sixth sense, or something."

Nancy laughs, shrugging to suggest she's unsure. "Well, I don't know about that," she answers. "But I do feel like things will eventually work out for you. And for Stephanie, too. And if I'm right, then that just shows that maybe I do have the sixth sense, or something."

• • •

Chapter forty-five! We love a bit of drama. xx