"...what's going on," is the first thing out of his mouth, when he sees the looks on his parents' faces. Maybe he should already know, but — he doesn't.
"I don't know how I'm going to hide that I'm dating you for three months."
Kisses! "I'm fairly sure she's not going to accept 'kissing guys is just better actually' as a root, and yet," and instead of finishing the sentence she kisses Asher some more.
"I met Raine and she was pretty," kiss, "and smart," kiss, "and amazing," kiss, "and made the most beautiful things, and now I am much gayer than previously supposed."
"I'm the luckiest girl in the world." She curls up in Asher's lap and melts into Asher's chest and keeps kissing him.
"All I want is for you to keep feeling like that." He considers. "Well, and a position as a principal dancer and to piss off my parents."
On Monday afternoon, they do not do yardwork.
Instead, Christine leads them all into the therapy room and says, "You've progressed to the next stage of therapy. We will continue to do gender-identity-affirming activities in the morning, but in the afternoon we're going to do group therapy."
This sounds distressingly like emotional intimacy in front of people he barely knows, and also fewer sports.
"For the next three weeks, we'll work on finding our roots. After that, we'll spend three weeks on nonsexual intimacy with men, three weeks on developing relationships with women, and two weeks on discharge planning and graduation. Throughout the program, we'll have special sessions on other topics, like alcohol and drug abuse, finding and submitting to your Higher Power, self-care, and identifying and avoiding your triggers."
"Your root is the cause of your homosexuality. All homosexuals experienced some pain or trauma in early life that caused them to inappropriately sexualize their natural desire for intimacy with other men. For some, their root is parental abuse or neglect. Others experience bad parenting that is not abusive, such as overbearing and intrusive mothers or distant and demanding fathers. Still others are bullied or rejected by their peers, perhaps because they are sensitive or gentle. Some experience sexual abuse in childhood or during puberty. And some had parents that failed to model appropriate gender roles and a loving relationship."
Asher writes down "root == cause of homosexuality" and then doodles a raincloud.
Lev hears the phrases "distant and demanding father" and "bullied or rejected by their peers, perhaps because they are sensitive or gentle" and curls in on himself.
Sasha is deeply, deeply skeptical that people become gay due to trauma. He draws another little heart and makes sure Asher can see it.
"Over the next three weeks, you'll hear testimonies from ex-gays about their roots and talk in group about your own experiences. At the end of three weeks, you'll be expected to share with the group what your root is and how it led to your homosexual behavior. Does anyone have any questions?"
"You can continue in private work with me, during free time, until you know."