Daphne leapt from my lap and trotted after him.
Demetrius laughed. “Yep, they are so predictable. My two are always following whoever is headed to the kitchen.”
“Do you…?” I swallowed. “Do you have a picture?”
“I have about a thousand. Even more of Keegan and Alaina.” He gestured to the seat beside me on the couch.
I patted it.
He joined me.
We were still poring over photographs when Zahir arrived a few minutes later with food.
Chapter Nine
Zahir
Alaina and Keegan were adorable kids. Although Keegan was a teenager now and probably wouldn’t appreciate being calledadorable. My favorite pictures were the ones of the kids and their dogs. The schnauzers had the perfect haircut and the two dogs along with their human companions were…adorable.
Andre’s face lit at every new shot, even as he munched on the cheese plate I’d prepared. And with gusto, we consumed the vegetables I’d cut.
Demetrius was loosening up a bit as well. The smiles came more easily—especially when he spoke of Jai or their children. Well, or the dogs. I’d never seen four happier humans and two happier dogs. Grins all around.
When we’d finished all the food and had basically run through Demetrius’s entire phone photo library, he offered a small smile. “I would love for you to meet them. They’re your family. We’re your family. Being together would mean a lot.” At Andre’s obvioushesitation, he added, “We don’t have to tell them who you are. You can just be a friend.”
“Jai will ask a lot of questions.” Andre rubbed his hands up and down his jeans.
Slowly, Demetrius nodded. “Okay, he will. He’ll also accept when I say I can’t get into details.”
Andre shot me a look.
“Demetrius, when you’re next to Andre, the family resemblance is pretty darn clear. If not brothers, then first cousins. Absolutely no doubt in my mind—or anyone else’s who look closely.” He pivoted his attention to me. “And Jai knows about your text.” He gazed at Demetrius. “Or I assume—”
“Like I said, several of my friends were present. Including Lorcan. But he didn’t have a context for seeing you. I think if he’d known you were staying in Mission City with Zahir…well, maybe not.” Demetrius scratched his chin. “I don’t have an easy answer for this.”
“The truth is always a possibility.” I shrugged. “That is probably the most difficult path—but also the most honest. Less hurt feelings later—if the truth were to come out.”
“The truth always comes out.” Again, Demetrius scratched his chin. “As a parent, you learn this firsthand.”
I chuckled. “In a marriage as well. Marty always ferreted out the truth with me. And I did with him—but to a lesser extent.”
Andre cocked his head. “Why do you say that?”
“Because—” I shrugged. “I guess because I was more willing to let him get away with things. If he wanted me to think things were a certain way, then who was I to argue?”
“Even when you knew better?” He didn’t appear pleased.
“Especially when I knew better.” I sought the right words. “I think Marty eventually figured it out. The only time I called him onhis bullshit was with the cancer. I didn’t want us wasting precious time pretending he was going to be okay. I wanted every moment to be dedicated to making his life the best it could be.”
“And that meant truth?” Demetrius didn’t appear convinced.
“If we hadn’t acknowledged that truth, we might have frittered away what time we had left. Honesty was necessary—even if that meant we both had to face his death. I didn’t—” I swallowed. Hard. “—I didn’t want death to creep up on him and take him by surprise. I wanted it to be as gentle as it could. Even as it was horrible.”
Demetrius blinked.
Is he thinking about Jai? How he’d cope if his husband passed first? I don’t envy him that. It’s a horrible place to me.Just as, Marty assured me, that leaving behind the love of his life—knowing I’d have to cope on my own—was breaking him. But he thought I’d have our dog. Neither of us could’ve seen PJ dying a week later of a broken heart. This time, I blinked. “He chose MAID and had a gentle passing. As I’d wanted for him. I was with him and he didn’t suffer. That’s all anyone can ask for, I guess.”
“I didn’t know you back then.” Demetrius offered a smile. “I wish I had. I wish I could’ve helped you through that. I hope you had someone.”
