Sebastian climbed out of the passenger side.He and Alex had only been together for a couple weeks, so he waskind of a saint for helping with the move.And for putting up withAlex’s bitching.“At least you guys don’t have too much stuff,” hesaid as he selected a box to carry.“It took three moving vans toget my family here.”
“And movers, I bet.”Alex noddedemphatically.“That’s the way this should be done.Hot, fit guysgetting all sweaty while we watch.”He started for the front door.“That’s my kind of moving.”
Sebastian rolled his eyes and followed Alex.Lucas shook his head at Mark’s expression.“We donothavemoney for movers.And this is good exercise.And I used to work asa mover, part-time.We broke a lot of shit.”
“I’m not complaining,” Mark said.“Especiallyif my own hot, fit guy starts getting sweaty while I watch.”
“It’s November.I’m not going to get all thatsweaty today.”
“I think I can find ways to make yousweat.”
Lucas grinned and didn’t argue.Mark coulddefinitely get him worked up, and Lucas knew they’d both enjoy thesensations.But not quite yet.“Grab your end,” he directed.“We’regoing to have to turn it on its side.”
They’d almost finished emptying the trailerby the time Darren arrived.The parole officer struggled out of hiscar and leaned back in to pull out four steaming pizza boxes.
“Thank God,” Alex said emphatically.“We cantake a break.”
“No pizza until that trailer’s empty,” Darrenreplied.“I’ll put these in the oven to stay warm.”
Lucas ignored Alex’s moaning and watchedanother vehicle pulling up in front of the house.Mrs.Gage wasbehind the wheel and when she saw Lucas looking at her, she slowlyshook her head.He jogged down to her window.“He wouldn’tcome?”
“Said he’d be in the way.He’s still doinghis self-pity thing.But the ramps are great, Lucas.And thebathroom.Thanks so much for helping us with all that.”They’d hadto move Sean’s bedroom to the main floor and change around thebathroom to make room for a shower.Lucas had tried to get Seaninvolved in at least the planning stages of it all, but Mrs.Gagewas right.The man was still wallowing in self-pity and hadn’t lethimself be engaged.
“It’ll take time,” Lucas said, mostly becausehe had no other words to offer.“But I’ve figured out how to builda ramp here—in through the back of the garage, I think.So oncehe’s ready to come over, we’ll be ready for him.And in themeantime I’ll keep coming by when I can.”
“I know you will.”Her smile looked forced,but at least she was making the effort.And her expressionbrightened a little as she leaned over and pulled a series ofplastic containers off the passenger seat.“I made these for you.Casseroles, mostly, but there’s one with chicken and one withpasta.They’re all two-person sizes, so you and your lovely man canhave dinner together without worrying about cooking.”
Lucas was surprised to find himself almostchoked up by her support.It was always the little things thatcaught him.“Thank you,” he said.“I can return the containers toyou when they’re empty.”
“And I can fill them up again.With Seanhardly eating and the others spending so much time out of thehouse, I miss having people to cook for!”
“Do you want to come in now?We’re just aboutto eat.”
But she shook her head sadly.“Stacey’swatching Sean, but she has things to do today.I’d better getback.”
Lucas nodded his understanding.Sean’stherapist was still worried about his state of mind and one of theconditions of his release from the hospital was that he needed tobe watched closely.As grumpy and unpleasant as he could be, thefamily was taking their commitment seriously, and Sean was rarelyalone.
“Thanks for coming by.And thanks for thefood.”Lucas stepped back from the curb and watched the van pullaway, then turned to find Mark watching him.
“Nice,” Mark said.That was all, but Lucaswas pretty sure Mark was thinking of his own mother.She’d allowedMark to visit her a few times, but Mark always came home from thosemeetings drained and in need of comfort.Lucas was happy to offersupport, but it did seem a bit sad that it was Lucas’s surrogatemother offering them food for their new home, not Mark’s actualmom.Sad, and Lucas’s fault.But Mark just helped Lucas carry thefood inside and then snuck a kiss behind the open freezer door, soLucas didn’t let himself worry about it too much.
Father Groban was the next visitor, arrivingas they were setting up chairs around the dining room table.Thefurniture was all from Mark’s apartment and it looked kind ofstrange in the little house, familiar items in a new setting.Butthe team had somewhere to sit, so Lucas wasn’t complaining.
And Father Groban didn’t waste any time inpulling up his own chair.“I already ate,” he said when offered aslice.“I just wanted to come by and share in the joy of theoccasion.”He smiled at the assemblage.“It’s lovely to see you allso happy.And exciting to see this house turning into a home.”
“A home that needs a lot of work,” Lucas saidresignedly.
“All homes need work.Whether physical orspiritual, it’s the effort that makes the thing special.”
“Effort,” Alex said.“Effort sucks.”
“Not if it pays off,” Sebastian said quietly.He shrugged at Alex’s look.“Like coming out.It’s hard, and youhave to work at it, but then…it pays off.Right?”
“Being honest with yourself, and witheveryone else,” Mark added.“About anything.It’s worth theeffort.”
“And changing careers midstream, going backto school…that’s worth the effort too?”Alex raised an eyebrow inMark’s direction.
But Mark only smiled in return.“Itabsolutely is.Because it’s part of being honest with myself andeveryone else.I wasn’t meant to be a priest anymore.It would havebeen harder, long-term, to keep lying about that.”
