Chapter 61: Lip Has a Situation
Frank was searching through Lip and Ian's room, and it seemed like the owner of the "Adonis Physique" magazines hadn't realized they were discovered, as they were still hidden behind the cabinet.
Frank thoroughly searched the room and found a few more magazines, including two behind Ian's bed. However, this wasn't what convinced Frank that they belonged to Ian.
The real evidence was in the content of these magazines.
Frank noticed that many of them featured Captain America. Several posters of Captain America had circles drawn around certain areas with red pen, and some had even cut out certain parts and pasted them onto other muscle-bound posters.
This detail confirmed to Frank who the real owner was.
Lip had no interest in Captain America. He was a typical tech enthusiast, idolizing scientists like Stark. If these were Lip's magazines, they would feature Stark's face instead.
Only Ian, who had always aspired to join the military, idolized Captain America. His wall was lined with Captain America posters.
However, these magazines suggested Ian's admiration might not be purely platonic. Unfortunately, Captain America had been gone for decades.
"So many posters of Captain America's rear," Frank mused. "My son has high standards, aiming for Captain America."
Frank restored everything to its original state so Ian wouldn't notice.
"What about Ian's girlfriend, Mandy? Is Ian like Karen, interested in both men and women?" Frank pondered as he left the room.
Ian's situation was delicate. Frank needed to approach it thoughtfully.
Homosexuality is a sensitive topic, regardless of the country or culture. Even in the open-minded West, Christianity often regards it as a sin or a demonic influence.
Ian had kept this part of his life secret, clearly concerned about others' opinions. This was a sensitive matter.
But now that Frank knew, it was an opportunity to strengthen their relationship. He needed the right moment.
Frank decided to observe Ian's daily life.
Ian attended school regularly and worked at a corner store afterward until dark.
The store was run by a couple, with the husband running the shop while the wife cared for their two children.
When not working, Ian spent time studying or hanging out with Mandy or attended military training with the ROTC program.
After several days of observation, Frank noticed nothing unusual about Ian—nothing indicating he was gay.
"Maybe Ian's tendencies are deeply repressed," Frank considered.
While contemplating Ian's situation, Lip's troubles came to light.
"Hey, Morgan, it's Lip. About taking your exam for you, we need to talk. I have bad news about your scores. They're going to cancel them. I'll refund your money. Let's meet to discuss it further," Lip said over the phone.
"What's going on? Did someone find out you were taking exams for others?" Frank asked.
During the college entrance exam season, Lip made a lot of money. It was a peak time for him, known for reliably sitting exams for others.
Lip was known for his reliability and reasonable prices, with a reputation so strong that he often had to schedule clients weeks in advance. He had already made a substantial amount helping over a dozen students.
But playing with fire often leads to getting burned. Lip finally got caught.
"Yeah, an investigator from a higher education assessment group caught me," Lip admitted.
"Is everything okay?" Frank asked, concerned.
Getting caught taking entrance exams for others was serious. Jail time was a real possibility.
But if Lip were in serious trouble, he wouldn't be home calmly calling clients.
"No, the professor gave me a new test. I completed it perfectly, so he let me go, but banned me from doing it again. All my clients' scores were voided, and I have to explain to each of them."
"The professor is from the University of Chicago. He wants me to meet him at his office tomorrow," Lip explained.
"I'll go with you!" Frank insisted.
This was serious, and Frank needed to be there whether he could help or not.
"Alright," Lip hesitated but agreed.
Even as smart as Lip was, he was still a seventeen-year-old boy, not an adult. Though he usually operated in a grey area, this was bigger. He was anxious about what might happen at the university.
Lip planned to take Karen for support, and now Frank insisted on going too. Despite their issues, Frank was still Lip's father and an adult, providing some reassurance.
'Knock, knock, knock!' A knock on the door interrupted Frank and Lip's conversation.
It was a beefy young black man in a school uniform.
"I'm here for Lip, about the money for taking my exam," he said as he entered.
"Uh, Tyrell," Lip said, awkwardly.
"Hey, Lip, my best buddy. They canceled my scores. I only got a six on the test, and now I can't play college ball," Tyrell said angrily, lunging at Lip.