As I pulled up in the driveway, I spotted Anson and Carson's vehicles, but there was no sign of Danny and Blake. My youngest brother and his husband weren't fixtures at Friday night dinners, but they attended more frequently than I think any of us had expected when Danny first moved back to Harmony Grove.
My mouth watered as I stepped onto the porch, greeted by the aroma of my mother’s cooking. A sense of comfort and familiarity swept over me as I opened the front door. The scents of rosemary, thyme, oregano, and garlic drifted through the air, carrying me back to my childhood with a warm, inviting embrace.
Stepping inside, I was greeted by the sight of Anson and Carson engaged in a friendly game of pool on the old table we had refurbished and which had served as the battlefield for many such matches over the years.
“Hey man, what's up?” Anson called out, giving me a wide grin. Anson was the eldest of us, always sporting a scruffy beard that gave him a rugged charm. “You look like hell. Grab something to drink and come kick Carson's ass. That'll make you feel better.”
I laughed, shrugging off my jacket and tossing it on a chair. I wasn't sure the shit from today could be wiped away with a game of pool, but I was always down for putting Carson in his place. I was the only one who could beat him. “Yeah, let me say hi to Mom and Dad, too.”
I gave Dad's shoulder a quick squeeze on my way to the fridge. “Hey, old man. What's new?”
“Not much. Been working on a new chicken coop for your mom. She's got it in her head she wants fresh eggs every day,” Dad grumbled, even though we all knew he'd do just about anything Mom asked of him.
“You never know, maybe she's onto something.” I kissed Mom's cheek as she rolled out biscuit dough. My stomach rumbled just thinking about pot roast and fresh biscuits with honey butter. “She keeps you busy building stuff around the house so you don't have time to get in her way. Plus, it keeps both of you young.”
I brushed flour off my arm after Mom swatted me playfully. The back door opened, and Danny walked in alone. Anything I might have been about to say was forgotten as Mom greeted my youngest brother as if she hadn't seen him in years.
They’d been back in town nearly four years now, but, some days, it seemed like Mom was terrified he'd leave again. There was a lot she didn't know about why he left the first time, but now that he had Blake, the rest of us were certain he'd stick around.
“Hey, man. Where the husband?” I gave him a quick, one-armed hug as he passed.
“He’s… working tonight.” Danny’s gaze drifted to Mom, making sure she wasn’t eavesdropping. I was the only brother who knew about the “work” that took Blake away from family dinners every once in a while. It was strange to me that he was still doing kinky scenes with other couples now that they were married but it really wasn’t my place to judge what they did. It obviously worked for them.
Dinner was a lively affair. As we sat around the table, the conversation flowed, filled with updates on our lives, ribbing, and shared memories. These weekly dinners were part of what brought me home after college. My family wasn’t perfect, but having a chance to reconnect and talk about what was going on in our lives kept me grounded.
As we settled into dessert, I felt it was time to tell the family what had been going on in my life. I didn’t often bring drama from Harmony House to the dinner table but today had rattled me. “So, we had a bit of a situation at Harmony House today.”
Anson looked up from his pie, a frown of concern creasing his brow. “What happened?”
“It involved James, one of the kids,” I began, my voice serious. I relayed the story, detailing the confrontation between James and his parents, and his fear of losing his family's love.
Carson was the first to respond after a moment of silence, his quiet voice firm. “It's tough to understand how parents can react that way. They should love and accept their children for who they are.”
Anson nodded, his face grim. “That’s the truth. Parents should love their kids unconditionally, but the world doesn't always work that way. It's a good thing James has Harmony House… and you, Billy.”
I wanted to protest that he was just as much a part of Harmony House as I was, but Anson was more comfortable being behind the scenes.
“Yeah,” I said, staring down at the crumbs of my apple pie. “I was… I was really proud of James today. He showed more courage today than many people do in their entire lives. He knew what he was facing, and he stood up for himself anyway.”
Danny slumped down in his seat. Shit. That hadn't been my intention at all. I squeezed his leg under the table, not letting go until he looked at me. I quickly shook my head. I wasn't about to draw attention, but I wanted him to know I wasn't implying he'd been a coward to run away the way he had. The situation between him and Michael had been fucked up on so many levels.
Carson cleared his throat. When I looked up, he cocked an eyebrow, as if making sure everything was okay. So, maybe Mom wasn't the only person who still worried about Danny. We all needed to quit that shit because he'd be pissed as hell if he thought we viewed him as weak.
Danny bumped his shoulder against mine. “Billy, you’ve created a place that helped James do that. You should be proud, too. Hell, all of you should be. You're doing good things.”
“You can too, Danny,” I reminded him. “Any time you're ready you just say the word. We'd love to have you working with us.”
Harmony House wasn't a family business in the traditional sense, but I couldn't think of much better than having all three of my brothers working next to me every day.
I felt nothing but gratitude as the conversation flowed into other topics. We had grown up in a house full of acceptance and love, with parents who loved us for who we were. The fact that we could use that love and support to provide a safe space for those like James was something that filled me with a deep sense of fulfillment.
And as I glanced around the room at my family, I knew I had their support in every step we took at Harmony House. We were in this together, and that unity was our strength.
As I was getting ready to leave, Danny followed me to the door. “Hey, that kid you were talking about. James?”
“Yeah?”
“Is he going to be safe at home?” Danny kicked at the pile of shoes, trying to get them in order. His eyebrows were drawn together, and I could almost see him trying to figure out what he wanted to say next. I didn’t rush him because this was simply how Danny processed. “I mean, does he have somewhere to go if he needs to?”
