Chapter 27 #2
But that wasn’t why we were here, and I was afraid if I waited too long to say anything, I wouldn’t do it. “Slade, this is my mom, Jilly. My father, Les.”
The introductions fell flat when my brain started hammering and humming the importance of protecting them against whatever Slade felt was coming for us.
“Mace, sit down,” my mom said distractedly. “Do you want something to drink?” My mom flitted around under her excitement. “I’m goin’ to get the kids to meet Poseidon.”
“Mom, wait,” I said as she scurried past me, picking up the kids’ toys from the floor. Slade had followed instructions, taking a seat in a side chair, becoming the shiniest thing inside this home. He was staring at me over his shoulder. I stood close to the door.
Maybe the stare meant he’d changed his mind. Me and my family were too meh for his way of life.
The devil was messing with me. The man loved me more than I ever deserved.
“What, son?” my mom asked, her brow furrowed.
“Can you sit down before we bring the kids in?” I asked.
“Oh, this is gonna be good,” Lori said, dropping crisscross on the floor and clapping her hands together.
I glared at her while my mom took the only available seat beside Max, who—to his credit—had stayed quiet this entire time.
Slade stood and pointed me to his seat. I shook my head. This was on me and didn’t need to waste a minute sitting.
“Mom, Dad.” The sudden lump in my throat was hard to swallow. My eyelids closed of their own accord. My heart flip-flopped nearly out of my chest. I had to end my agony. “I’m gay.”
Silence. Since my eyes were closed, I couldn’t judge the expressions, which had me forcing my lids open. Everyone was staring at me expectantly. My left eye spasmed.
“Is that it?” my mom asked. “Nothin’ more?”
“Mama, you know this is hard on him,” my father answered for me in words that I didn’t understand how they fit, causing an eyebrow to lower. My body trembled.
“Right, Daddy, it’s just been so long,” she said, getting to her feet, coming to me. My father did too. “Son, you’re our child. Of course, we know you’re gay.”
“How did Wildflower get her name?” my father asked as my mother had come to me, wrapping both arms around my waist. My father stepped into us and hugged me tight too.
He spoke of a time I didn’t remember. “As a young boy, you loved flowers. You’re responsible for most of the wildflowers around our house.
There’s symmetry that isn’t natural to how they’re planted. ”
“I don’t understand,” I said, rearing back to better see him.
“I do. We knew. Maybe everyone knows. We were waitin’ for you to figure it out,” Lori said from her seat on the carpet. “Natalie told me a long time ago that you knew you were gay, but you wanted a family.”
“Yeah, lots of people suspect,” Max said, leaving his position with his elbows on his knees to sit back into the corner of the sofa.
One arm spread over the armrest, the other over the back of the sofa.
He appeared perfectly fine with what he’d heard.
“What I want to know about is him?” As if we didn’t know whom he spoke of, he pointed a finger to Slade.
My family turned a unified gaze on Slade. “Is he responsible for bringin’ you back to life?” my mom asked, and like she did with people, she left me and went to where Slade was standing off to the side, clutching my hand in support.
It was all too much for me. I’d fought my tears until that moment.
The love and acceptance to both of us pushed me over the edge.
They had known or highly suspected and had given me the time to come to terms with myself.
Man, I thought my heart had drummed violently when I’d arrived, but that was nothing compared to right then.
“He’s having a hard time,” Slade said. “Honestly, I am too. I’m not actively out either, but we’ve fallen in love.
I think we’re both tired of hiding all this from everyone important in our lives.
” Slade’s eyes were only on me as he stepped closer.
My mom wrapped an arm around his waist. We were all standing close together, meaning my mom and dad, Slade and me.
Tears slipped free, running down my cheeks.
Slade closed the space between us, taking me in his arms. He clasped me with both hands, holding me tightly.
Of their own accord, my arms circled him as I stared at my entire family, lovingly watching me and Slade.
My father took hold of my mom to share in all the love of the moment.
Yeah, this was too much. My eyes closed, my head bent, and Slade let me cry into his shoulder.
“Of course, greatness comes from greatness,” Slade whispered into my ear, his palm caressing my back. “I love you.”
“Here, babe. Dry your eyes. This is a happy moment.” Mom wedged between us and a warm towel dabbed at my face, lightening the moment.
She was five foot nothing, having to lift to her tiptoes to reach me.
This might be the moment I appreciated her the most in my life.
She broke the seriousness, allowing Slade to release me and chuckle with the family as I cleaned myself up.
“Drink this Dr. Pepper. It’ll make you feel better. ”
She’d placed a glass of ice and a cold Dr. Pepper can on the edge of the TV stand near me. She went to Slade with another towel, cleaning his shoulder where I’d given a pretty good sob.
“What can I get you, dear?” she asked Slade. “Do you know how much he loves Dr. Pepper?”
“No, I didn’t, and I’m good. I’ll have some of his if I need to sip on something with the rest of what we have to say.” Slade retook his seat and patted the armrest to hail me over. I didn’t sit, my legs were still nervously wobbling but there I stood.