“Pull myself together? How do you expect me –”
Hank stood up and said, “Jill, please sit down. The boys are serious, and we need to talk about this. Please sit.”
The temperature in the room dropped, and the atmosphere shifted. It was as if time stopped for a moment, and the world readjusted itself on its axis.
Mom made her way back to her chair. Her face was still agitated, eyes glistening with emotion, but she wasn’t falling to pieces. I had Hank to thank for that.
Once she settled, I continued. “To say that my love for Rafael is because of a troubled past is insulting, Mom. Rafael doesn’t deserve that. I understand this is jolting because we’re stepbrothers, but we’ve only been stepbrothers for like two seconds. You’re acting like we’re blood relatives or grew up together, and that isn’t the case. And as for me being gay, who knows? Maybe? Or bi. Or pan, or whatever. Perhaps I’m just Rafael-sexual because he’s the only person I want.”
I reached over to squeeze Rafael’s hand. When my gaze met his, I saw tears in his eyes. I brought his hand to my heart.
“Rafael, you said you wanted to leave at the end of July,” Hank said. “Is that still the case?”
Rafael looked at me, trying to control the emotion begging to release itself from his eyes. “I’d like to stay if the invitation still stands.” His voice came out raspy and rough. I wanted to kiss his cheek, but thought it might be better not to. Then, I realized I didn’t care and kissed him on the cheek anyway—no more hiding. I loved him, and I wanted him to know it.
“I’d like it if you stayed,” Hank said. “But it’s Jill’s home too.”
Hank looked over to Mom. She closed her eyes and said, “You should stay, Rafael.”
Now, it was my turn to tear up. “Thank you, Mom.”
“I don’t understand what’s happening, and I don’t know how to feel about this,” Mom swallowed and turned to Rafael, “but I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Rafael.”
“Thank you, Jill.”
The phone started ringing, and I knew it was probably Sue. I didn’t want her to think something was wrong at the cabin, so I answered it. “Hi.”
“Cody! It’s Sue. Your Mom and Hank are on their way. They didn’t warn me, she sent a text, and I just saw it—”
“Aunt Sue,” I interrupted. “She’s here. They know.”
“Know…?”
“About Rafael and me,” I replied.
Sue sighed before adding, “Well, sorry, kiddo.”
“Don’t be. It’s for the best.”
My mom called out from the dining room, “Is that Sue?”
“Is that your mother?” Sue asked.
“Yes,” I answered. To both Mom and Sue, I guess.
Mom stood up and rushed to the phone. “Keep her on the line, Cody, I want to talk to her.”
“She wants to talk to you,” I said to Sue.
Sue started coughing, then gasped out, “Gotta go!”
Click.
Rafael
Cody and I sat in the backseat playing footsies – yes, we were those people now – while Hank drove the car back to the house. Jill was still reeling from the revelation, but looked less frantic now.
Cody actually had the audacity to ask if we could finish the week at the cabin, and it took everything I had not to burst out laughing.
