Summary

6: Lance soon learned from the Mormon church that homosexuality was a sin that would bar a person from heaven and separate them from their family for eternity in the afterlife. Around his seventh birthday, Lance developed his first crush on a neighbor boy. Almost immediately, his feelings were replaced with terror as he realized that he was gay. He felt this was akin to being a murderer or rapist and would bring shame to his family; he knew this had to be a secret.

7: Anne got her first job at the Brooke Army Medical Center. Lance's fear and shame about his sexuality developed into panic attacks and extreme shyness; he hardly ever spoke in public and did not want to be seen. This meant that he was terrified at the prospect of performing in an upcoming church pageant. His mother insisted...