Lucas
Who’s Billie?
My baby niece
Sam
Wait. Whoa. Wait. You’re asking us for advice, to come to your house and you have a niece? Who the fuck is this and what have you done to Cubby?
Haha smartass. Can you come or not? I have beer and nachos.
Sam
And a baby. Be there in 10
Lucas
Dude, nachos. Make it 5
Not five, but thirty minutes later, I’ve confirmed that yes, O’Reilly’s wasn’t a prank. I do indeed wear glasses whenever I’m not with the team, Lucas is neck deep in a pile of cheesy corn chips, and Sam has Billie, who I hadn’t been able to settle after her last bottle, bouncing happily on his hip.
Slightly pissed that the kid whose umbilical cord I cut prefers a perfect stranger to me, I scowl and shove a quac-covered chip in my mouth.
“Your screen door’s broken? Why don’t you fix it?”
“Why are you so good with babies?” I counter, more comfortable with deflecting than answering with,I tried but it needs to be replaced, and we can’t afford a new one.
With a nonchalant shoulder shrug he swipes a chip, chews and then replies, “I don’t have any siblings, and there’s no babies in the family, so it’s not that. Must just be my natural charm.”
“I have one sister. Shit,” Lucas slaps his thigh, “a brother, I mean. Riley was assigned female at birth, but came out as trans last year and has just transitioned. I guess I’m still getting used to it.” Coyly, he watches us for reaction, fingers digging into the arm of the sofa like he’s waiting for a fight. To ease his nerves, I plop next to him and nudge his arm.
“He probably is, too.”
“Yeah. It’s been hard for him. Some of his friends have been dicks, but he has two friends that have been cool.”
Butterflies with wings of lead swarm in my gut. The gay thing suddenly seems an easier mountain to climb than the friend thing. “Can I count on that, too? Having two cool friends?”
Lucas’s mouth falls open. “You’re trans, too? Shit I thought you were just going to tell us you fucked Plum.”
“I’m not trans, dick. I’m gay. And I didn’t fuck James, either … I mean I kind of did but?—”
“I fucking knew it! You look at him as though it’s pitch black, and he’s a light switch you’re busting toturn on.” Dancing eyebrows Sam is so excited, for a second I think he’s about to toss my niece in the air, but he settles for a fist pump and light jig that has Billie giggling. Never laughs like that for me, the freaking traitor. “Hand it over, Lucas.”
Groaning, Lucas fishes a twenty from his pocket and slaps it in Sam’s palms.
“You guys were betting on me? Is it really that obvious?”
“Dude, no offense, but last year, off the ice I could have forgotten you existed.”
“Wow, Sam. How could I possibly be offended by that?”
“Wait. You didn’t let me finish,” he says, biting back laughter. “So yeah, once I remembered you were on the team, I thought you were an uptight ass … wait … andthenmagically when Plum shows up, voila! You were like a peacock finally letting those gay as fuck tail-feathers fly. It’s beautiful, Bro.”
Lucas buries his shaking head in his hands. “I think what the idiot is trying to say is you’ve come out of your shell since James arrived, and that the way you want to bone him is totally obvious. Can’t say I agree with all of it, since I wasn’t here, but yeah, I think that’s the point.”
“A hundred percent my point.” Sam nods. “And we’re absolutely your friends. As such, we should celebrate. Who’s up for O’Reilly’s?” I point towards the baby currently sucking on one of his black ringlets, eyes finally falling closed. “Oh, yeah.”
As quietly as I can, I slide from the sofa, take Billie from Sam’s arms and head upstairs. “Besides, there’s more I need to talk to you about. James has shoved me into the friend zone, so there’s that, and then Trent.”
