“Stop calling them tights.”
“Your ‘not tights’ will be okay. Relax, my boy.”
Ryan went back to folding things and putting them in the suitcase. Ten minutes had passed before he spoke up again.
“So do they know you’re heteroflexible, or whatever it’s called?” he asked as he took shirts off hangers. He folded them in half and set them in the suitcase, then went back into the closet.
“They do, yes.”
Ryan appeared with a handful of sweaters and set them on top of his shirts in the suitcase. I noticed that on top of the sweater pile was his navy sweater that had a small tyrannosaurus rex wearing a Santa hat over the left pec. I picked it up and folded it for him.
“I love this sweater of yours,” I said to him when he came out of the closet with his arms full of pants.
“Do you think it’ll be okay for Christmas?” he asked. “I thought it would be fun and was subtle holiday attire. I don’t want to embarrass you. I’m aiming for subtle fun.”
I wrapped my arms around him and stared into his big brown eyes.
“You are anything but subtle, my boy. I want you to be nothing but yourself. And your T-Rex holiday sweater will be wonderful.” I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “Okay?”
“Okay.” He nodded and we pulled apart to continue packing. I began organizing his heap of clothes that he’d piled into the suitcase as he ran back to the closet. “Okay, what about these?”
I turned around and saw he had a gray t-shirt with a Stormtrooper wearing a red and green scarf. In his other hand he held a long-sleeved shirt that had a Christmas tree on it. Standing beside the tree was a T-Rex attempting to put the star on the top. Ryan wore a hopeful expression as he began to justify the shirts.
“Because these are holiday too and—”
“They’re perfect, Ryan. Pack them and bring them along.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“They won’t embarrass you?”
“They won’t. One of the things I love about you is your youthful, playful side.”
“I’m sure I could do something to embarrass you.”
“Doubtful, Ryan,” I replied and continued to fold his shirts.
“Oh, really? That sounds like a challenge. A holiday challenge!” His lighthearted tone was back. “I’m sure I’ll find something on our trip.”
I smiled at his newfound goal for the trip. He continued with the conversation as we finalized his suitcase.
“What if I burped at the table?”
I raised an eyebrow as I looked at him.
“Do you think that would embarrass me more, or you?”
“Hmm… point taken.”
After the suitcases were packed, Ryan wheeled them down the hallway and left them beside the door leading into the garage. I set the alarm for six a.m. and quickly checked the weather again for tomorrow’s drive.
“What if I clog their toilet?” he said as he came back into the room.
“Again, would that embarrass you more?”
“It’s poop. Everyone poops.”
