War Veteran Invites Comrades for V-E Day, Son Appears in Red Dress For His Coming Out – Story of the Day

During a gathering at a veteran's house on V-E Day, his son appears in a gorgeous red dress and cherry lips, shocking everyone. They look down upon him and expect the veteran to react the same way, but his words leave everyone surprised.

Oliver Finley reached into his bedside drawer and took out his diary. Flipping through its pages, he took out a picture from inside and grinned as he looked at it.

"Ah, those were the days. Perhaps now is the right time..." he told himself. Then he sat down at his desk, put on his glasses, and began calling each of his buddies one by one.

Oliver and his friends hadn't seen one other in several years, and he felt it would be nice to schedule a meet-up for the upcoming V-E Day. They certainly had made a lot of precious memories as comrades in the army, but after that, each of them had become so preoccupied with their mundane lives that they seldom had time to meet up.

So when Oliver checked the calendar one morning and noticed that V-E Day was approaching, he decided to organize a get-together. Thankfully, most of his pals returned his calls and informed him they would be there.

Several days later, when V-E Day arrived, Oliver was sitting on the living room couch, anxiously peering at the front door. "Will they show up? I hope they don't forget what they promised."

After losing his wife to cancer three years ago, Oliver had been extremely alone. His son, Tristan, had been by his side, but Oliver still craved company. Perhaps we can all relate to the feeling of loneliness even if we are not really alone.

That evening, as the clock struck 5:30 and his buddies didn't arrive, Oliver's heart sank. They'd decided to meet at 5, and he was worried they wouldn't be able to make it. But soon after, the doorbell rang, and on his front porch stood his buddies.

"Oh, you guys finally made it!" Oliver greeted everyone with a hug. Then he led them inside, made them a quick drink, and sat in the living room, reminiscing about their good old days and talking about their children's achievements.

"My son recently got into masters at NYU," Jack, who had been their team leader throughout the battle, said. "I am really proud of him. He's going to make a name for himself very soon. He even insisted on moving out, and he's managing everything by himself…."

Oliver smiled. "That's incredible. He was always a diligent kid. Remember how he used to send us all letters when we couldn't be there on his birthday? Oh, he's also been a very thoughtful child..."

"How come you're dressed like that? Why don't you tell him something and forbid him from doing that, Oliver?"

Jack smiled proudly. "Well, it all comes from his father," he said, and everyone laughed.

"What about your son, Oliver?" his friend Anthony asked. "I heard he was taking up a degree in the Arts the last time we spoke. What does he plan to do after that?"

"Oh!" Oliver chuckled. "My son has his way of doing things. He's doing pretty decent for people his age, and he recently bagged a gig with a major publisher, so yeah, he's been busy with that."

"That's wonderful!" Victor said. "We would love to meet him and congratulate him!"

"Of course, you can! He wants to be near his father, so he hasn't moved out yet. Let me call him...Tristan," Oliver called out. "Could you please come here for a few minutes? I want you to meet some people!"

But Tristan didn't respond. "I'm sorry," Oliver apologized. "He must be preoccupied with something. I'll be right back..." As Oliver rose from his seat to head to Tristan's room, the young boy appeared in the living room.

When Oliver's friends saw Tristan, their jaws dropped to the floor, and they exchanged furtive glances. To their surprise and shock, Tristan appeared in a gorgeous red outfit with cherry lips and stunning makeup. None of them had expected Tristan to be dressed like that.

"I was getting ready for the party, dad. My friends will be here soon," he said.

"Oh, no problem. I just wanted you to meet my friends. We served together in the army back in the war days. Everyone, meet my wonderful son," Oliver introduced him. "My son, Tristan!!"

Tristan smiled. "Hi, everyone. It's nice to meet you. I'm…." But before he could finish, Oliver's friends began throwing sexist questions at him.

"How come you're dressed like that? Why don't you tell him something and forbid him from doing that, Oliver?" Anthony asked blatantly.

Oliver's friends had a very adverse reaction toward the boy and expected the same response from Oliver, but he stood up for Tristan.

"Forbid? But why?" Oliver countered.

"He's a boy. Why would he dress like that? That's just out of the norm...." Jack pointed out.

Oliver sighed and shook his head. "When did we start judging people based on their appearances, Jack? Is my son suddenly a different person to us because he chose to wear a dress? I don't think so. When he recently came out to me, instead of criticizing him, I admired his honesty, and I believe that's what parents are supposed to do," he paused. "Today happens to be a special day to me for another reason as well. Tristan's friends are celebrating his coming out with a party, and I think my child looks fantastic! I'm not sure what's wrong...."

Soon after, Tristan's friends arrived, and he had to leave. "Have a good time, Tristan," Oliver told him.

"You too, dad. Bye, everyone, and yeah, I am very proud to have a father like my dad. I sincerely hope you come to appreciate me for who I am rather than judging me for what I wear. Anyway, it was lovely meeting you all...."

At that point, Oliver grinned, proud that his son stood up for his choices. And Oliver's friends regretted their words. They noted Tristan's wonderful manners and civility, and the good upbringing Oliver had given him, as well as how he expressed himself wisely even though they simply criticized him.

"It's okay if you disagree with my son's decisions, gentlemen," Oliver said as he returned to his seat. "After all, we all have the right to express ourselves. But I am extremely proud of my son, and I love him...."

"We understand, Oliver," Jack said, realizing his error. "You've raised your son well. We apologize for how we behaved...."

Oliver excused them, and they spent the rest of the evening chatting and relishing a lovely time together. Later, they enjoyed a delicious dinner that Oliver and Tristan had prepared for them.

"I must say, your son is a fantastic cook, Oliver," Victor commented as he took the first spoonful of the custard Tristan had made for them. "The dessert is just perfect! I loved it!" Others nodded in agreement.

What can we learn from this story?

• Be supportive of your kids' choices. Oliver is an excellent parent who supports and respects Tristan's decisions. Every child deserves a father like him.
• Everyone has the right to decide for themselves. Tristan came out to his father and didn't hide who he really wanted to be. It takes courage to accept reality, and Tristan did the right thing by accepting his true self and making his own decisions.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a young son who stood up for his mother after he learned she was fired from her job.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.