But Stark bristled. “One more chance to do what? Insult you? Put you down?”
“No,” Kyle said. “To apologize and make sure they aren’t banned from their grandchild’s life forever.”
Stark held his breath for a moment, too angry with his parents to respond, and then sighed heavily. He knew Kyle was right, even though he thought the omega was too forgiving and kind for his own good.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll call them. They can apologize to you on the phone.”
Kyle frowned. “Stark.”
“You want them to come over?” Stark asked incredulously, then realized Kyle was serious. “Really?”
“Really. This is the kind of thing that needs to be settled face to face,” Kyle said.
Stark pinched the bridge of his nose then finally said, “Okay. I’ll call themandinvite them over.”
Kyle smiled. “Thank you. I’m sorry, I know it’s asking for a lot.”
Stark sighed. “It’s okay. I couldn’t spend the rest of my life being angry at them, anyway. Fortunately, my mate has better sense than I do.”
“Right,” Kyle said with a playful smirk. “That’s why we’re a team.”
Stark put the back of his hand dramatically against his forehead. “What would I ever do without you?”
Kyle smacked him with a pillow as he leapt off the couch. He fished his phone out of his pocket and was halfway into dialling their number when he paused and said, “It’s not too late to change your mind, you know.”
Kyle cocked an eyebrow. “Stark.”
“Fine, fine.”
He hit the dial button and waited anxiously for someone to pick up. Finally, on the last ring, his mother’s voice came curtly from the other end of the line. “Hello?”
“Hi, mom,” Stark said. He became hyperaware of how awkward he sounded and winced. “How are you?”
There was a pause before she responded. “Fine,” she said slowly, as if wary. “How about you, dear?”
Stark let out a silent sigh. It was a good sign that she was asking him questions too. “I’m well. I’ve been - “
“Busy lately, I know,” she finished.
Stark didn’t know whether to be irritated or guilty or both. His mother had a peculiar way of making him feel that way.
“Listen, um,” Stark began, “Kyle wanted you and dad to come over for dinner sometime and help us pick out a name for the baby.”
There was another pause. This time when she spoke, she seemed a little less hesitant and more interested. “A name? You haven’t picked one yet?”
“Not yet, no,” Stark said. “What time is good for the both of you?”
Stark was getting a little tired of all the unusual pauses. His mother had usually talked his ear off at this point, but she was being strangely - almost irritatingly - quiet. He was about to prompt her if she was even still on the line when she finally spoke.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I’ll have to speak to your father about it.”
Stark curled his lip. “Okay. So not anytime soon, I suppose.”
Miranda let out a huff. “I don’t know, Stark. We’ll see.”
“Fine,” Stark said. He didn’t bother to hear what else his mother said before he hung up.
Kyle gazed at him sadly. “I’m guessing it didn’t go so well.”
