“DO YOU MINDtelling me what happened with your mom last night at the charity event?” I hummed “over the river and through the woods” as I drove us to Gram’s for dinner. Ben burst out into laughter and I glanced over at him. He was grinning like a loon. “What?”
“Get this! She tried to fix me up with JJ.” This time we laughed together.
“Why the hell would she do that? What redeeming quality would he have as a boyfriend or son in-law?”
“His name,” Ben answered simply. “JJ has become quite the power player in DC and my mom would do anything to associate our names together. Pathetic.” Ben sighed deeply before he continued. “I’m done with their passive aggressive behavior, Xavier. I’m through with them implying that I was lucky to be loved by them. Ha! Loved. They’ve never once told me that they love me. They tolerated me and I’m no longer willing to accept it. All I’ve heard from them my entire life is what a disappointment I was to them. I was the fat kid that no one wanted to befriend. I was the overly emotional gay kid with a chip on my shoulder. I failed to follow the career path they set for me.” Ben’s emotional outburst was followed by a frustrated breath. “Bevan is my family and he’s all I need.”
“You have me and my family too.” It was pretty much an acknowledgment of how deep my feelings went, how strong our brewing connection was. I just hoped Ben believed in those same things.
“That means the world to me, Xavier. Thank you.”
I reached over and entwined our hands together. “Yeah, you might want to hold out on thanking me just yet.”
I showed Ben around the grounds at Autumn Years and he was impressed with how lovely the grounds were with beautiful ponds, landscaping, and paved trails so the immobile residents could still get out and enjoy nature. We entered the dining room and the first thing I saw was Gram’s boyfriend, Lennie, circling a man half his size with his fists up like they were about to go a few rounds.
“Awesome! Rocky 98,” Ben joked.
“Lennie, knock it off,” Gram said casually from her designated dining table. Her calmness implied that Lennie’s fighting was a recurring event.
“I’m going to kick your ass this time, you horny old bastard.”Whoa.Lennie wasn’t playing around.
“Jesus Christ.” I jumped into the fray to avoid the fight from escalating further. I wrapped my arms around Lennie and began walking him backwards.
“It’s okay, kid,” the horny old bastard said. “I can take his candied ass. She’s probably let all the air out of his muscles and he’s ripe for a beat down.”
“That’s enough vulgar talk out of you, Edmond.” Gram’s authoritative tone was matched by her rising to her feet. “I’ll whip your ass myself.”
I looked over at Ben and was ready to apologize, but I found him grinning from ear to ear; he was clearly enjoying the show. I guessed my crazy family didn’t offend him after all. Three geezers grabbed ahold of Edmond and drug him from the dining room, warning that he better settle down before he gets tossed out for good.
“I love this place.” Ben smiled and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close and kissing my temple.
Gram’s shrewd eyes took it all in, not missing an expression or movement. “You boys look exhausted, but well-sated. I knew the moment I saw you two together that you’d be tearing up the sheets before long.”
“Be nice, Gram.” She waved off my lightly spoken warning. “My boyfriend isn’t used to all of this drama yet. I mean, I bring him home to meet my family for the first time and it’s an all-out brawl for your affection.”
“Not for long,” Lennie said, wrapping an arm around Gram. “I’m going to make an honest woman out of her yet.”
“Boyfriend!” I didn’t miss the fact that Gram deliberately ignored Lennie’s declaration. “I’m so happy for you both. You make such a beautiful couple.” She stepped to Ben first, hugging and kissing his cheek before turning to me and doing the same. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen your eyes sparkle that much. It goes well beyond the physical aspect, am I right?” The last part was whispered in my ear.
“Way beyond,” I whispered in return. I caught Ben watching us and I gave him a reassuring smile.
Ellie showed up a few minutes later. She looked so much better after she entered the second trimester of her pregnancy. Gram and Lennie fussed over her and asked how she was feeling. Everyone was getting excited over the fact that we’d have a new baby in our family by Christmas. I never told Ellie about the stakeout. She seemed as if she had come to terms with being a single mom and I didn’t want to stir up any pain. I was sure she had an inkling of just how bad he was and didn’t need me stirring up painful thoughts.
“El, I believe you’re already acquainted with my boyfriend, Ben.”
Ellie knew how much I missed Ben the week that we didn’t speak. I came clean to her one night about everything after I started going to NA meetings. She sat on the guest bed at the Wright’s house and cried with me as I fought so hard to reconcile my mistakes in my past and a chance with Ben as my shiny, promising future.
“Welcome to the family.” Ellie gave Ben a tight squeeze.
Dinner was served and I spent most of the meal telling hilarious stories from my childhood. Ben fit right in and it made me so fucking happy. There were many times that our hands connected beneath the table. It just felt right to have him be there sharing a meal and breathing the same air as my family. I hoped he would join us every Sunday and planned to ask him on the way home.
Awkward silence greeted us once our goodbyes were exchanged and we were back in my car. I figured it was because neither of us were ready for the weekend to be over or wanted to say goodbye, but weren’t sure how to broach the topic of sleeping arrangements for that night. Ben had to work the next day and I couldn’t leave Oliver alone for a second night. He had plenty of food and water, but I promised to take good care of him which included human contact for the little guy. If not, he acted up, which I learned firsthand when Gray left him in my care for a few days while he wooed Chase back after a misunderstanding.
I pulled up in front of Ben’s house but left the car running. Ben looked over at me with an unspoken invitation in his eyes.
“If I go inside with you now I won’t want to leave. I have to get back to spend time with Oliver. He’s probably destroyed their house by now.”
“I can pack a bag and stay over with you. I hate to be presumptuous, but damn I’m not ready to turn loose of you yet.”
