“Well, he was married to the kids’ mom, and she died. So…bisexual? I guess? I have no idea. Labels confound me.”
“Would you gentlemen like beef, salmon, or tofu?” Liliana leaned toward us.
“I adore salmon.” Zahir gave her a matching smile.
“Beef would be nice.” I liked fish as well, and was a huge tofu fan, but neither appealed at the moment. The beef would be heavy, but I could likely manage.
She gave us each trays and then turned to the people on the other side of us.
Zahir lifted the tin-foil lid.
The heavenly scent of fish wafted over me.
He eyed me. “Regrets? I can ask Liliana if it’s not too late to switch. Or we can just trade. I’m a huge lover of beef as well. I just don’t eat it very often. Today would be a treat.”
“Would you mind?”
“Nope.” Deftly, he switched trays. “All good with me. How about we try to eat it while it’s still warm?”
“Oh yeah.”
“But I’m open to hearing the rest of your story. What made you decide to head west? You’re in contact with your brother? He knows you’re coming? I should probably ask his name—”
“Demetrius. He’s, uh, older than I am. By a lot.”
“Well, I’m older than you as well.”
I tilted my head. Although he had crow’s feet around his eyes and a bit of gray in his temples, I hadn’t really thought much about this man’s age. “He’s thirty-nine.”
Zahir laughed. “I’m forty-one. Would this be Demetrius Fulton?”
“Yeah.”
“Lovely man. His husband, Jai, is the sweetest guy. Their kids…” Zahir furrowed his brow.
“Alaina and Keegan.”
“Yes, that’s right. And they have two rescue dogs. Schnauzers. Gus and Gizmo. Terrible that I’m better at remembering the dogs’ names. I met the family at a huge barbecue my friend Quinton was holding. I swear he invited half the town. Demetrius spent a good deal of time with me. I think…he sensed my discomfort. Parties were my never my thing. Even before my husband died.”
“Oh,” I frowned. “This is where I’m supposed to say that I’m sorry for your loss—which I am. Butlossdoesn’t feel like the right word.” I cut a bit of salmon and put it in my mouth. The flavor exploded on my tongue.
Zahir forked a bit of beef with the wooden utensils the airline had provided. “I was devastated. We’d been together for almost twenty years. He was my heart and soul. We married very soon after gay marriage became legal in Canada. And were happily together until he the day he died.”
“That’s really sad.”
“Well, he was also my pup.” Zahir smiled. Sadly. “So I lost a husband and my pup all in one go.”
I swallowed. “How did you know? About me?”
“Educated guess? The pin was my first clue.”
My hand flew to my collar. I closed my eyes and let out a long breath. “I hadn’t taken if off.”
“You can now, if that would make you feel better. I dare say no one else on the plane would even know what it means. Pups like yourself are rare—and very special.”
I blinked.He has no way of knowing that. I’m just some random guy who was having a near panic attack at the thought of getting on a plane. Dumb luck.
Except it didn’t feel like that. It sort of felt a bit like some force greater than myself was looking after me. Mom? She’d maintained she would always watch out for me. Then she died, and I called bullshit on the entire thing.
