Chapter 2
Chapter Two
It was a shame that they had already covered his father’s casket with dirt, Sky would have happily crawled into the hole and let them bury him.
Not because of any feelings he had in regards to his father and their abysmal relationship, but because Sky had never felt more miserable or mortified in his entire existence as he regained consciousness and took stock of his actions.
Getting trashed and sobbing like a baby in front of everyone was bad enough. He wasn’t sure how many times he had asked why his father had never loved him. The sympathetic grimaces would be burned into his memory.
“No! No, no, no, no, no! Fuck, no!” Sky rolled and screamed into his pillow when he remembered coming upstairs with Mason. Time was always soupy when he was drunk so it took Sky several moments to reorient himself and figure out what had happened and when.
What had possessed Sky to tell his first and lifelong crush that he was the dorm doorknob and that nearly every closeted gay and bi man on campus had taken a turn?
“Oh, fuck me!” He reached for the alarm clock and considered taking it into the shower but it was battery operated. “I tried to go down on him!”
Why, why, why?
Of course, Sky knew why. He was a horny, needy bottom and sex helped calm him and provided better, steady proprioceptive and vestibular input than bouncing on a yoga ball, a punching bag, or flapping could. And it was a lot more fun.
There was also the fact that Mason was—and always had been—Sky’s ideal man in every way.
Unlike the jackals that had raised Sky, Mason had been brought up in a normal, loving home and believed it was his duty to look out for everyone.
Being attractive, tall, broad-shouldered, and naturally athletic made it even easier for everyone to like Mason.
But it was his unfailing kindness and selflessness that made him beloved by all.
He even looked like a soft, warm place to hide with his reddish brown waves and gentle hazel eyes.
To make matters worse, Mason hadn’t freaked out or yelled at Sky. He kissed him back and it was really hot, if Sky remembered correctly. He didn’t think his wine and scotch-soaked brain had imagined Mason’s hard-on or how into it he was until he suddenly wasn’t.
“Is he secretly bi? He must be…” Sky mused into his pillow.
Despite being popular and the homecoming king, Mason had never been a player and Sky could only remember him dating a few girls.
Everyone assumed he and Sarina were on-again, off-again but Sky had never seen them behave in anything other than a platonic manner.
That didn’t really mean anything, knowing Mason.
He was genuinely wholesome and did his best to live up to his “golden boy” reputation.
Mason had always put others’ needs before his and honestly enjoyed public service, volunteering for anything he could and starting numerous fundraisers while they were in school.
Because he was so sweet and wholesome, Sky had just assumed that Mason was straight and vanilla.
Having slept with his share of “straight” guys, Sky was surprised that he hadn’t picked up that kind of vibe from Mason before.
Then again, Sky had been away at school the last few years and hadn’t really paid attention when he was home, generally preferring to disassociate while he was back and staying with his parents.
Reading people wasn’t one of Sky’s strongest skills, either.
He’d had decades to familiarize himself with Sarina’s and Mason’s communication patterns but he often took people too literally and missed nonverbal cues.
His mother had always chalked it up to him being too sensitive and hyper fixated on his interests and lamented his “overthinking” and “weirdness.”
Being out and decent-looking had eased Sky’s way when he arrived at Columbia.
He leaned into his weird, artsy, brainy tendencies and dressed like a moody skater because that was almost impossible to screw up.
As Sky had bragged, the closeted or “DL” guys came to him, eager to exchange numbers and arrange discreet hookups.
For a neurodivergent nerd, that was a godsend and Sky’s sex life was thriving without him having to be “normal” or sociable.
Good for Sky but why the fuck did he feel the need to share that with Mason?
Mason had asked but knowing himself, Sky had probably misread some sarcasm or disbelief and overshared. All the alcohol had obviously caused Sky to lose all sense and maul Mason.
He recalled how amazing the kiss had been and how much he had wanted Mason and groaned.
None of that had anything to do with the alcohol but that was the story Sky was going to tell when he apologized to Mason and Sarina.
Thankfully, Mason had come to his senses before they went too far and Sky would promise that nothing like that would ever happen again.
Still suffering but resigned to his fate, Sky showered and pulled on a different black sweater and gray trousers before heading downstairs.
He had slept through breakfast and lunch and there was already a houseful of visitors, offering condolences and dropping off bottles of wine and covered dishes.
His parents’ housekeeper, Nadine, rotated platters and refreshed salads on the kitchen island so food was available whenever anyone had an appetite.
She pulled Sky into a cookie-scented embrace as soon as he stepped into her domain. “How are you doing, sweetheart?”
For a moment, Sky let go of the grief and his deep, existential regret and was a kid again as he soaked up the hug and Nadine’s soothing aura. Once he was feeling more stable, he leaned back and frowned when he noticed that her red hair had faded and was completely silver.
When did that happen?
“I’m sorry I don’t come home to see you enough,” he said quietly and kissed her cheek, not wanting his mother to catch them. She resented how close Sky and Nadine were but she never did anything remotely maternal or wanted his attention or affection.
Nadine shushed him and fixed the collar of his sweater. “I understand! You’re busy with school and it isn’t easy for you here.”
Sky had always felt like an alien and an outcast in Roseview, but he was all but cast out when he was caught in the back seat of Mr. Digby’s car a week after graduating from high school.
Sky had never been a student of the beloved track coach and history teacher and didn’t think it was that big of a deal because he was newly of age.
But unbeknownst to Sky at the time, Mr. Digby was engaged to another well-loved teacher, Ms. Hill, and she was pregnant.
For some reason, Sky was blamed for the scandal and his parents had packed him off to the city well before the fall semester started.
“It’s not as bad as it used to be and isn’t easy for you either,” he pointed out.
In the months after Sky’s exile, more young men came forward and admitted to hooking up with Mr. Digby and the engagement ended with both Digby and Ms. Hill leaving Roseview.
Nadine smirked and tapped the end of his nose. “Unlike you, they pay me and I can quit whenever I want.”
Sky grimaced. “That’s true. We should get married,” he suggested and gave her another kiss on the cheek.
She gasped as she smacked his shoulder. “I’m older than your mother and I practically raised you!”
“You did raise me,” he whispered and swatted dismissively. “Not for romantic reasons. So I can take care of you and for tax reasons. Uncle Lance told me not to wait too long and made me promise to call his accountant.”
“Do not listen to that man or take any advice from that accountant,” Nadine said severely. “You have plenty of time. Wait and marry someone for romantic reasons. And for tax reasons.”
“What about you? How long are you going to put up with Mom’s bullshit?”
“For as long as you need me to, kiddo.” She gave his cheek a tender pat, bringing tears to his eyes.
“I’ll always need you, Nadine. When’s it going to be my turn to take care of you?”
His mother stormed into the kitchen in a black catsuit and heels but halted when she saw them.
“Thank goodness you have each other.” She sniffed and tipped back her chin.
“Your sister has asked us all to gather in the living room, now that you’re conscious.
She’s being mysterious and I don’t like it.
” She eyed them up and down before leaving in a huff.
“Eat something first!” Nadine ordered gently but Sky shook his head.
“Let’s see what this is about. I don’t want to chance it when my stomach already feels like ass.”
“I’ll come with you. This could either be a shit show or require champagne so I wanna be ready.”
“Good idea.”
Sky offered her his arm and they whispered and laughed as they turned into the hall.
It felt like a blessing, being able to smile after the last few weeks.
His father had lingered in the hospital after a massive stroke, fading and unresponsive before his mother was “finally” able to take him off of life support.
In the living room, Adele was wary and scowling by the window, probably afraid that Sarina’s news would alter her plans—whatever they were—or require her to do something motherly.
Their Nana Sutton was seated by the fireplace, beneath a portrait of her son, and the rest of their extended family and roughly two dozen of their neighbors were squeezing their way in and taking spaces along the wall and peeking in from the hallway and foyer.
Sky spotted Mason, hovering behind Sarina as she held up an empty wine glass and tapped it with a silver butter knife, causing the crystal to ring and calling everyone to attention.