"He's going to wrap it for me, too," said Clayton. "So you don't have to worry about that."
"He could wrap it in a paper bag for all Shawn is going to care," said Sarah, and her voice rose as if to emphasize this. "He just wants to see his Uncle Clayton. He misses you. I miss you."
"Is it going to be okay with Luke?" asked Clayton. He needed to be sure of Luke, too.
"He's already nodding at me and pulling out extra chairs from the back room," said Sarah. Then she paused, saying something to Luke. Then she asked, "He only cares that your friend?—"
"Kyle," said Clayton. "His name is Kyle."
"That Kyle isn't a vegetarian as we have no tofu in the house."
"No," said Clayton. "He is not a vegetarian. He loves bacon and butter and all the good things in the world."
"Then we'll be fine, Luke'll be fine with that."
A rush of love for his sister, so long missed, rose in Clayton's chest and he had to move his jaw to keep it at bay. But then he realized he didn't need to do that, not anymore.
"I love you, Sarah," said Clayton, feeling brave to be doing this with Kyle pressed close against him where he could hear Clayton's heart pounding.
"I love you too, little brother," said Sarah. Then, as if being brave, she went on, "I feel like I'm going to cry on the phone, I feel stupid?—"
"Don't feel stupid," said Clayton. "I'm the same. I'm exactly the same as you, here. It's going to be good, it's going to be better. We're going to be okay, you and me, okay?"
"Okay," she said.
He heard her sniff, heard Luke say something in the background, and then heard her swallow.
"I'm going to hang up the phone now," Sarah said. "I'm going to have a good cry in Luke's arms and then we're going to share a glass of wine and talk about how good it will be to have you both in our home. How good it will be for Shawn to see his Uncle Clayton."
"Okay, Sarah," said Clayton. "See you soon. We'll call before we head out, whether it's tomorrow or the next day."
"Later, gator," she said.
"Later, gator," he said back to her, and then closed his eyes when he heard the click of the phone at her end.
Kyle hugged him hard, and then let go, stepping back, his hands trailing on Clayton's waist. Clayton blinked against the heat in his eyes and handed the phone back to Kyle.
"What do you need?" asked Kyle, his eyes wide and blue and so very generous and kind that Clayton knew he wanted to look at those eyes until forever ended. "More movie? Rum without eggnog?"
"I need to sit on the couch for a little minute," said Clayton. "Could you make us some garlic popcorn while I do that? While I catch my breath?"
"Yes," said Kyle, without hesitation. "You go on. Find something really fun for us to watch, and I'll make popcorn. Go on, now." He made shooing motions as if, once again, Clayton needed to be babysat and Kyle was the one to do it.
Obediently, scrubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands, Clayton made his way to the couch and picked up the remote to scroll through the selections and give his mind something to do. Give himself a minute to catch his breath and make sense of it all. To make sense of being on the edge of such happiness, with his relationship with Sarah and her family well on the way to being mended. With a wonderful man in the kitchen making popcorn, giving Clayton the time he needed without making a huge fuss about it.
He found a movie, wiped his face with both hands, swallowed, and sat back on the couch. He took deep breaths in and out while he advanced the movie to just the end of the credits, inhaled the scent of warm garlic and butter, and smiled as Kyle brought a tray with a huge bowl of popcorn, and small shot glasses that looked like they were full of rum.
"Just a wee drop," said Kyle as he placed the tray down.
"Come sit next to me and hear my confession," said Clayton,holding his arm aloft so that Kyle would know he was more than welcome to sit quite close.
"What confession is that?" asked Kyle, his expression growing serious as he arranged the bowl of warm popcorn on Clayton's lap where they could both easily get at it.
"This movie," said Clayton. "It's the musical version ofA Christmas Caroland I know it's hokey and that the music detracts from the story, but I love it. Now, please tell me whether that's okay, or whether we're going to break up here and now before we've even gotten started?"
"The musical version?" asked Kyle, and though he sounded quite serious, there was a quirk to his lovely mouth as he scanned the characters on the screen. "Oh, you mean the Albert Finney version. I've never seen that one."
He turned to Clayton in all earnestness, though there was a twinkle in his eyes.
