He could imagine doing the same thing.
Not quite like this, but… if there was some way for him to convince his own mother that he was okay, that she didn’t need to worry about him anymore… he would have done it. She deserved that.
“I am happy,” Blake said, looking up at Rusty. It was all an act, but Blake wasn’t such a bad actor when he wanted to be.
“I promise I will finish these cards, but it’s been a long day,” he added after a moment. “I could really use a nap, and I’m guessing Rusty could, too?”
Rusty blinked at him, not sure if this was a genuine question or an unsubtle attempt to get out of the way.
Regardless, he probablycouldhave used a nap.
“Uh, yeah. Bit on the tired side,” he said.
“Oh, of course,” Susan said. “And you poor boys probably haven’t eaten, either, have you?”
Rusty’s stomach growled at the mention of food. All he’d had since this morning was a cup of coffee at the airport. And it’d been crap.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Is there anything you can’t eat?” Susan asked, turning to Rusty.
“Uh, no, I’m… fine with whatever.”
“I’ll put something together for you boys. Food in an hour, say?”
Blake smiled a warm, kind smile at his mother. “You really don’t have to do that. We can get takeout.”
“Nonsense,” she responded. “I have a right to feed my own sons. You two go rest, I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
Sons.
Rusty was shocked by how easily, quickly accepted he’d been. If there’d ever been any tension for Blake over being gay, it was gone. His mother was happy to have Rusty around.
Excited, even.
He wasn’t sure how to handle that. He’d expected to act as a buffer between Blake and his estranged parents, not to be welcomed with open arms.
Not that he was complaining. Welcomes were a lot more fun.
He was just starting to worry about how Blake was going to break it to them that he’d gone home and wasn’t coming back.
“Come on, I’ll show you my room,” Blake said, standing.
Rusty’s eyes lit up. Blake’s childhood bedroom would be a treasure trove of information about him. And things to tease him mercilessly over.
He swallowed down the last few mouthfuls of beer, nodded to John, and then rushed to follow Blake up the stairs.
