“Jesus Christ! Can we get some goddamn privacy?” I yell back.
“You know how Lana feels about this. The least you could do is wait until we’re gone.”
“WE DID!” I yell louder. Looking at Hanlon, I can see the shame settling in his eyes. Grabbing his chin with one hand, I force him to look at me. “This shit ends now. Help me get dressed. I’m going to set them straight, and I’m going to do it with your cum still leaking out of me.”
It takes close to ten minutes for us both to manage our clothes and get back to the living room. When we get there, Lana is in the kitchen making dinner, clearly prepared to pretend that nothing happened.
But that just doesn’t work for me.
“Can you two come in here, please?” I ask, but my tone is clipped. “This conversation is past due.”
Through the doorway, I see Lana look over her shoulder to where I assume my dad is sitting at the kitchen table. Hanlon and I are standing, too fired up to take a seat for this, even if the stance loses some of its power thanks to my fucking crutch.
I look at Lana first, but suddenly, her jeans are very interesting to her, and she keeps her gaze down.
“Look,” I say to Lana, hobbling into the kitchen since they can’t seem to move their asses to the living room. “I know our relationship is atypical, and it makes you uncomfortable. But seeing you with my dad after my mom left was also uncomfortable, but I never treated you like you were doing something shameful.” It’s not exactly what I meant to say, but when her eyes snap to mine, I know I’m getting somewhere. “Hanlon and I can’t help how we met. We can’t help that you two found each other before we did, but what if the roles were reversed? Would you want us trying to keepyouapart simply becausewefell in love first?”
“Stone,” my father interjects. “You know it’s different. You grew up together.”
“So do a lot of couples,” I point out before narrowing my eyes. “Is it because Hanlon and I are both guys? Like, it’s fine for Hanlon to fuck around with men, but not me?”
Hanlon puts his arm around my waist, a silent plea for me to calm down.
“Of course not,” my dad argues. “You two are still so young. What happens if it doesn’t work out? How will you handle it if Hanlon brings someone home for the holidays?” A low growl reverberates in my chest, causing my dad to narrow his eyes. “You’re proving my point, Stone. Lana and I have worked hard to make this family just that—a family. If you two get involved and then break up, what does that mean for us?”
Instead of answering with words, I give him an alternative outcome and throw the question back in his face.
“What if itdoeswork out? What if Lana,”—I swing my eyes to my stepmother—“finally gets to take on another maternal role for me as my mother-in-law? What if it works out and I get to keep Hanlon by my side every day for the rest of my life? Think about your future then…our family vacations, your grandkids, the wedding. No in-laws to try to get to know. Nobody coming in and trying to replace anybody. Just the four of us, the way it’s always been.” Turning to face my boyfriend, I place my cast on the side of his cheek while my other hand grips my crutch and lean in to brush a kiss across his lips before turning back to face our parents. “Can you honestly imagine anyone better for either of us? It feels like you’re so angry because you don’t think I’m good enough for him, and while I’m inclined to agree with you, you haven’t even given me a chance to try.”
This time, it’s Lana who speaks.
“Stone, honey, I’m sorry for making you feel that way. That’s not it. It’s…it’s hard to explain. I’ve done everything in my power to protect Hanlon since he was a baby. Especially since I knew he would face challenges because of his diagnosis.” She looks unsure as she starts the next part and casts a nervous look at my dad.
“Might as well get it all out in the open. Secrets won’t do anyone any good at this point,” my dad says, moving toward the counter. “Stone, bourbon still in the cabinet to the left?”
“Yeah, Dad.”
He throws a hand of acknowledgement into the air as Lana clears her throat.
“Your dad and I forced you together so much when you were younger because we hoped the proximity and shared memories would help create a bond, but then you left, and to be honest, Stone, that broke Hanlon’s heart, and I’m afraid of what will happen if you leave him again.”
I look at Hanlon, whose eyes are wide.
“How do you know that?” he asks, clearly thinking he hid it better than he actually had.
“Hanny, you moped around the house formonthsafter Stone left. We hadn’t given you a cell phone yet, and you asked your dad and me every night for three weeks straight if Stone had called.” Looking back at me, Lana drives a knife into my chest with her next sentence. “And the answer was always no.”
Leaning into Hanlon again, I bury my face in his neck.
“Jesus Christ, baby. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, Stone. I was never your burden to bear,” he says, turning his head to kiss me.
“Hanlon, you aren’t a burden at all, son,” Dad says, resuming his seat at the table, looking a little more peaceful now as he cradles the liquor.
“No,” Hanlon answers, not letting go of me. “But it does seem like, looking back, Stone’s identity went from only child toHanlon’s caretakerovernight.He was ten, for crying out loud, and he was suddenly expected to take me everywhere, introduce me to all his friends, and share all his stuff. I can see how the resentment would grow and how he’d need space as he got older. But he and I have already hashed out our past. We were kids then, stepbrothers, and just like you, we did the best we could. But now we’re men—grown adults with the ability to choose for ourselves. And we choose each other. I was willing to die for him. If that’s not proof of our commitment, I don’t know what to tell you.”
I’ve never felt more loved than when Hanlon is by my side. This strong, brave, intelligent man lovesme,wantsme, andis willing to risk everything forme.
