CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
JAKE
I rocked on my feet in front of Maria’s door. I could hear the kids laughing and Maria telling Manny to help his grandmother with the tamales they were making while Jazmine talked about princesses. They were a real family and my heart squeezed that I couldn’t be a part of it.
Gabriel had been a wonderful distraction, but I couldn’t put off being honest with Maria forever. Christmas was not the day to have a breakdown, however, so I left the kids’ meager presents in front of their door. I knocked and rushed downstairs before anyone could answer.
The ground was drab and crunchy from dirty ice and salt, so I huddled against the building with my duffle bag.
I was nervous about meeting Gabriel’s parents today.
I wanted them to approve but was terrified they wouldn’t.
A chill crawled across my body that had nothing to do with winter.
My anxiety was abrading my nerves and I started thinking about things I didn’t like.
Gabriel pulled up five minutes later and jumped out of his Jeep. He looked amazing in a casual red sweater vest and khakis. The Santa hat on his head was an adorable touch and his bright smile tied the whole ensemble together.
“Hello, sexy. Give Santa a kiss.”
I accepted his quick smooch, the gesture feeling natural as if we’d been together for years.
When we were in his car, he took my hand. “I can tell you’re stressing out. Everything is going to be great.”
“I’m trying to remain calm,” I said, focusing on our linked palms, our fingers fitting together like they were made for each other. “It’s just, I’ve never done this.”
“They’re going to love you, I promise,” he said as he pulled into traffic. “My family is going to see what I do.”
I fisted my duffle, hoping he was right.
Because his parents’ house was in an affluent suburb west of the city, we’d planned to stay the night.
The idea of sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings was probably aggravating my anxiety.
Think of all the sexy things you’ve done with him. Meeting the parents is cake.
“Did you bring the gift?” I asked.
“It’s in the back, wrapped to perfection.”
As he entered the expressway, I chewed on my lip, my stomach knotting.
I couldn’t show up and eat their food without giving them a gift.
And because I couldn’t afford an expensive bottle of wine, I’d made a colored picture of his family's first dog from when his parents had married. Gabriel had provided the only picture they had of their pet—a torn and dirty photograph. He’d said his mother had loved that mutt, so I’d spent the last few days working on a Bristol board, carefully recreating every detail in the destroyed photo.
I’d ‘borrowed’ a hundred bucks from him for a nice frame.
The skyscrapers of downtown Chicago faded behind us, Christmas music blaring over the radio. Gabriel was all smiles and hummed along to “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer”. He was so happy bringing me to meet his family and I prayed I didn’t disappoint him.
It took about an hour to get to Hinsdale and as we passed through the town square, all the buildings and trees lined in white lights and red velvet bows captured my attention.
There was a park with an ice-skating rink, several people gliding over the surface.
It was the kind of scene you put on a holiday card.
We turned down a side street and I wished I had my sketch pad or a camera because the houses were huge and beautiful, all decorated for the holidays.
This was the kind of neighborhood where doctors and lawyers lived, with modern, stone houses and manicured evergreens lining the properties.
The neighborhood’s idea of streetlights were old-fashioned black iron lamps that made it feel as if we’d just wandered into 1920s middle America.
My heart beat against my ribcage as he pulled into a U-shaped driveway and parked in front of a mini-mansion that reminded me of the Home Alone house.
I wanted to hide and melt into the car seat.
Maybe if I weren’t noticed, I’d be forgotten.
But he held the door open for me like a gentleman.
I shuffled out and he kissed me chastely then retrieved his overnight bag and some gifts from the back.
I grabbed Pixel’s carrier from the back seat and held him close, the cat meowing to be let out.
The moment I stepped past the polished wooden door and onto the immaculate tiles of the foyer, I felt as if I were soiling the place with my thrift-store loafers.
A little girl came screaming and crashed into Gabriel. He barely had time to set everything down before scooping her into his arms and spinning her around, her giggles filling the house. A black Scottie dog dressed in a plaid sweater pawed at his legs, a stubby tail wagging.
“I missed my little seelie!” Gabriel said and hugged her closely.
“Santa came last night, Unky Gabe! Look!” She said, pointing to the living room where a huge, glittering tree sat surrounded with presents.
“Wow! Someone must have been a good girl this year,” he said, setting her down. “Why don’t you put the gifts I brought by the tree for me, okay?”
As she started arranging our gifts with the rest, Gabriel pulled me in and whispered against my forehead, “It’s okay, you’re going to do great.”
His affection and confidence in me went miles. The girl raced back to us and smiled up at me, curling her hair around her finger as if she were meek about meeting me.
“Amelia, this is Jake. He’s shy so we have to make him feel welcome.”
I kneeled to her level and fingered the fairy wings at her back. I’ve always been more comfortable with children. “These are really neat. Super colorful.”
“Amelia, dear, I told you no fairy wings today,” an older woman said as she descended the grand staircase. She was dressed in a classy red dress with a shawl around her shoulders.
“But, Gama, fairies can’t just take their wings off willy-nilly.”
“She’s right, Mom,” Gabriel said and kissed the woman’s cheek.
“Alright, but when we sit down for dinner, you take them off, hear? You can put them back on after,” she said to the girl. “Agreed?”
“Yes, Gama,” she huffed and pushed out her bottom lip.
“Mom, this is Jake,” Gabriel said, urging me forward.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you.” She pulled me into a gentle hug. I got a big dose of perfume, the scent digging up a fuzzy memory of my Aunt Gracie. I held onto her a second longer than I’d intended.
“T-Thank you for inviting me, Mrs. Northcotte.”
“Please, call me Martha,” she said and patted Gabriel’s cheek. “You look great. You’ve been eating, I see.”
He rolled his eyes. “Why are mothers obsessed with fattening up their sons?”
“Perhaps you can tell me why gay men are so obsessed with perfect bodies,” she bit back, her green eyes twinkling.
“One of the great mysteries of the world. Where is Dad?”
“Oh, he is in the garage digging out the extra chairs for the dining table.” She turned to me. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a full house. Can I get you some eggnog, dear?”
“Okay… Yes, thank you,” I mumbled.
When we were alone, Gabriel smiled at me and guided me into the lavish living room where I took a seat on the couch. “I’m going to get Pixel set up, okay?”
I watched as he retrieved the cat in his traveler and climbed the staircase.
Alone, I looked around the spectacular room.
Every window was framed with lacy curtains and a stone fireplace crackled softly, the mantle lined with photographs in beautiful frames.
The presents around the tree spilled out onto the floor, the crown topped with a gilded star.
It reminded me of Christmas with my aunt.
Our tree had been small and skinny and the presents under its branches were exactly two.
One to me from her and one to her from me.
She’d always made sure I’d known I was loved.
My curiosity got the best of me, and I approached the collection of photographs.
I spotted Gabriel, his youthful face creased with a big smile as he held up a degree.
There was another snapshot of him hugging a man in a buzz cut and fatigues who I assumed was his older brother.
A family photo took space in the center.
They all looked so happy that it was strange to me.
“Slowly, dear,” Martha said as she guided Amelia who was holding a cup of eggnog back into the living room.
I accepted the glass from the girl. “Thank you.”
She smiled shyly at me. As I sat back down, she asked, “Do you like fairies?”
“Very much,” I said and bit my lip. “Mrs.—Martha, would it be okay if I gave her my present now?”
“Oh, please, Gama?”
“That would be fine,” she said. “We usually open a gift on Christmas Eve, but we wanted to wait for you this year.”
“It’s that one,” I said to Amelia, pointing at the thin package wrapped in pink paper with glittery fairies printed on it.
She retrieved it and I helped her tear through the stubborn ribbon.
She made a sound of astonishment and gaped at the homemade coloring book.
I’d used a sturdy stock card instead of printer paper and inked in extra details on the fairies.
I’d drawn all kinds of flowers, jewels, and fancy clothing.
Gabriel had purchased a box of sixty-four crayons to go with it.
“Gama, look!”
“Oh my goodness, did you draw all these, Jake?”
I shrugged, wishing Gabriel were here to answer questions for me.
“Wow…” Amelia said as she flipped through the pages. “Gama, Gama, I like this one!”
“It seems Jake is a bit of an artist. Did you thank him for the gift?”
Amelia crashed into me and hugged me. She jumped up and down and danced around the table in her fairy wings and Christmas dress. It meant the world to me that I could make her happy in such a simple way. Children were precious.
“Thank you, Jake. That was very kind of you. Gabriel mentioned you are talented,” Martha said, touching my knee momentarily.