I held out my hand. “Nice to meet you, Mandy. The family was raving about you the other day, as was Maudra.”
She sidestepped my hand and reached up and pulled me into a hug. I had to stoop to return her embrace. She was even shorter than I was. Her hug felt familiar and unintrusive. With a final squeeze, she released me. “It’s great to finally meet you. Ever since Donnie and I started dating, nearly every story he tells me about his past revolves around you. I was nervous to meet you in person. I must have tried on three different outfits!” That was nothing. I tried on at least eight before I settled on my favorite Lucky jeans and a black T-shirt. I didn’t find it necessary to tell her I was more of a girl than she was.
“Well, come on. I’m starving! Let’s sit down and order the grub!” Donnie pulled out a chair for Mandy directly across from mine, then took his place beside her.
“Maudra told me I had to order the cheese enchiladas, so I’ve already got that figured out. I hope you don’t mind, but I placed an order for chips and queso.”
Mandy’s smile got even brighter. “Oh, that’s wonderful. I love queso, and Maudra’s right. Theenchiladas are amazing. They put bleu cheese in them! Have you ever heard of that? I don’t think it is very ethnically accurate, but it’s very good.”
Donnie placed his hand over Mandy’s. “Mandy is very concerned about keeping things ethnically and culturally accurate. She doesn’t like things to become gentrified.” He laughed. “I didn’t even know what that word meant until Mandy. She’s more progressive than most of us down here. Well, you know, she’s a big city girl, like you!”
Mandy gasped at him. “Donnie!” She looked at me, eyes wide. “I am so sorry. He was just teasing. Just because you’re gay doesn’t make you a girl.”
She really was charming, and innocently naïve. “Believe me, if Donnie’s mockery could hurt me, I would have died before the fifth grade.”
She leaned closer and whispered, “Well, then, betweenusgirls, I think I like the big city a little bit better than here, don’t you?” Maybe not as naïve as I had thought.
Donnie burst out laughing. A few of the patrons at the other tables twisted their heads to get a better look. “She’s a spitfire, I tell you! An adorable spitfire, but a spitfire, nonetheless.”
Surprisingly, I realized before we had finished our chips and queso that I was thoroughly enjoying myself. Maudra was right. I didn’t remember seeing Donnie so happy. He’d always been cheerful and never complained, no matter how bad things got, but he never seemed quite so carefree and willing to let the attention linger on himself.
As for Mandy, I don’t think I could have designed a better match. Indeed, she had qualities I never would have thought complementary to Donnie. She never stopped talking, but she spoke in such a way that it never seemed tobe based out of self-importance or a desire to have her own thoughts heard by everyone else. She had the type of personality that would seem artificially sweet from most people, but her genuineness was so palpable you felt like you were in the presence of someone who has never had the realization that there were people in the world who would hurt her. She had the same giving personality as Donnie, but where his was demonstrated though his constant selflessness and willingness to give of his time and resources, Mandy’s was manifest through her graciousness that overflowed to everyone around her. Even Shelly, who had seemed to be unequivocally irritated when I asked her to refill my cherry Coke, after a few moments with Mandy, seemed to be completely fulfilled in her life’s career and position.
In between bites of her own enchiladas, Mandy brought up the topic I was hoping to avoid. “I know this might sound trite, and I don’t mean it that way, but I can’t wait to meet Jed. I’ve never had any gay friends. Doesn’t that sound horrible? How could I have lived so long and not had any gay friends? I’m sure I’ve met people who were gay, but I’ve never really had any long conversations about the topic and seen it in motion.”
Donnie guffawed. “Seen it in motion? Mandy! I don’t think Brooke and Jed are going to get it on in front of us!”
She blushed and smacked his hand with her fork. “You’re horrible! You know what I meant!” She turned to me. “Oh, Brooke, you knew what I meant, right?”
“Of course, I knew what you meant, sweetie. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one Donnie likes to give a hard time to.”
“Hardly.” She took another bite and swallowed before continuing. “I just meant I am excited about getting to experience your relationship together. I grew up hearing such horrible things about gay people in church. Comparing them to pedophiles and people who like animals to… to… well, you know. It just never made sense to me. Can you believe people say such things?”
I laughed darkly. “Yeah, I can believe.” Donnie caught my eye and winked at me in brotherly support. “My mother helped get me caught up on what people like to say about homosexuals.”
Mandy quickly picked up on my sarcastic tone and continued. “Luckily, Mom and Daddy would always take me home after church and explain that a lot of people use the Bible to hurt others. They told me that gay people were not evil and deserved God’s love as much as they did.”
“Your parents sound great. Donnie was really bragging about your dad the other night.”
Mandy’s voice took on a serious tone. “Daddy really is wonderful. I couldn’t ask for better. He hasn’t really been the same since Mom died. Most people don’t notice, but I do. His smile never completely reaches his eyes anymore, and I can hear it in the timbre of his voice. You know what I mean?”
I nodded. I wanted to ask her how her mother had died but didn’t want to bring up painful memories for the sole purpose of satisfying my curiosity.
She continued before I was forced to say anything. “Donnie told Daddy and I that you got your degree in youth ministry. He mentioned you were interested in a position with the youth group. That would be so wonderful. I know how much Donnie loves doing it, but it has grown so much that one leader really isn’t enough.Plus, he would like to go have lunch with the kids at school sometimes, but there just isn’t time. Maybe with you on board you could split things up, and more quality time could be spent with the kids.” I glared at Donnie. Mandy didn’t seem to notice. “The fact that you’re gay is such a blessing. I know poor little Darwin is having such a hard time with it. He doesn’t talk about being gay, and I’m sure he wouldn’t admit it, but it is so obvious. It would help him so much to have such a wonderful role model.”
I jumped in at the first opening. “Mandy, I’m sorry. I told Donnie I didn’t want a position with the youth group. I don’t want to cause a rift with anyone in church over the gay thing, and honestly, I have my hands full with my mother. I don’t think I can handle any more.”
Mandy looked over at Donnie. He just shrugged. “What? I didn’t want to be negative. I’m sure once Brooke thinks things over and talks with Pastor Bron, he’ll be excited to take part in our little group.”
“You are insufferable.” I leaned forward. “There is no way I am going to get involved in church. I’m not even going to go to church. Maudra already tried to get me to commit to going in the morning. It’s not going to happen, Donnie. I love ya, but let it rest, okay?”
“What!” Mandy reached out and clasped my forearm. “Of course you’re coming to church tomorrow. We’re having a potluck! I’m bringing a homemade poppy seed cake! It’s cooling at home right now, just waiting to be iced.”
“That sounds great, Mandy, and I would love to try it sometime, but tomorrow’s not going to work. It’s just too soon.”
She continued, trying to be encouraging, “But you’ll be with us. I won’t leave your side, I promise. Plus, I want you to meet Darwin. He’s just adorable.”
“Mandy, I’m sorry. It would take a miracle to get me to walk through those doors tomorrow.”
