Chapter Thirty Bennett
CHAPTER THIRTY: BENNETT
W ith a chill in the late March air, I took Vivian’s hand in mine. When she brought her gaze to mine, she cocked her brows, “Ready?”
I exhaled a breath. “As I’ll ever be.”
She grinned. “I can’t possibly imagine why you would want to spend your one free day between the regional championships at my baby shower.”
A nervous laugh bubbled from my lips. “You know I’d do anything for you.”
Vivian reached up to kiss me. “I do love you for that.”
“You’re welcome.”
“However, I would argue in this case you’d do anything for my mother since I wasn’t sold on having a baby shower.”
“How could I say no to your mother? The last thing I would ever want was to be on her bad side.”
Although Vivian wasn’t due until the last week in June, Laura was determined for her to have her shower early. She argued that Walker had come a month early, so she’d missed out on one of her baby showers. She wanted Vivian to get to experience everything. Laura also reasoned that by her ninth month, the last thing Vivian was going to want to do was get dressed up and gush over baby onesies.
There was also the fact that she and Miles were going on a three-week cruise in May. But Vivian had thought it best not to bring that fact up.
Of course, when Laura planned her family’s shower, she hadn’t foreseen that we would be in the championships. Thankfully, the window fell right when we had some off time in between practices before we headed to St. Louis for the Frozen Four.
Vivian smiled up at me. “It’s a little ridiculous how much she likes you. I’m seriously starting to think she likes you more than me.”
“That’s because lately, you’ve been a grump to her.”
Vivian’s eyes widened. “I have not.”
Squeezing her hand, I argued, “It’s the hormones, not you.”
“You try being six months pregnant and see how you feel.”
With a wink, I replied, “I’ll take your word for it.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I asked. “What about you two? Are you ready?”
Theo glowered as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Oh, now you remember us.”
Vivian giggled. “I’m so sorry you’re feeling left out.”
“How else should we feel having to walk behind you and pretend you’re nothing to us?” he countered.
Vivian’s smile faded. “I’m so sorry, Theo. I didn’t realize how hard it would be.”
“Remind me again how we got suckered into this?” Theo asked.
“You’re here to give me moral support as I’m paraded around in front of all the family as the baby daddy,” I replied.
Grayson nudged him. “Come on, T. You don’t want to miss your child’s baby shower, do you?”
“I guess not. I just hate feeling like a third wheel,” he grumbled.
“I promise I’ll make it up to you,” Vivian said.
Theo’s eyes lit up. “Does that promise involve you naked with my cock in your mouth?”
Vivian laughed. “Yes.”
“All right then. Lead the way.”
Vivian’s mother had rented out a local venue to hold the shower. I was slightly alarmed when she told me the reason she did was because she was afraid her house couldn’t hold all the guests.
When we stepped inside, it looked like a blue bomb had gone off. “Jesus, Mom, do you think anyone will guess I’m having a boy?” Vivian asked.
Laura giggled. “I know. I got a little carried away.”
After giving the two of us a hug, Laura glanced past Vivian and me to take in the guys. “Who are these handsome young men?”
“These are my roommates and teammates, Theo Novak and Grayson Collins.”
With a smile, Laura shook their hands. “It’s so nice of you to support Bennett today.”
“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” Grayson replied with a grin.
Nodding, Theo said, “We’ve gotten pretty fond of Vivian, too. Haven’t we, Gray?”
“We sure have. I mean, considering how much she’s over at our place, she could be our girlfriend.”
While Vivian and I froze, an irritated look flashed in Theo’s eyes. “You better watch what you say. You know how possessive Bennett is of Vivian.”
Appearing sheepish, Grayson replied, “Sorry. I was just teasing.”
Laura grinned as she patted his arm. “I think it’s wonderful that Vivian has you in her life as well.”
After glancing around, Vivian asked, “Mom, if the shower doesn’t start for another hour, why did you tell us to get here so early?” Vivian asked.
A secretive smile curved on Laura’s lips. “I have a surprise for Bennett that I thought he might like to enjoy before the others arrived.”
“You do?” I asked.
Laura nodded. “Close your eyes.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of this,” I teased.
“Oh, just humor me, sweetheart.”
After pinching my eyes shut, I said, “Okay, I’m ready.”
A few moments passed, and I could’ve sworn I heard heels clacking along the floor. Just when I started to get agitated about looking like an idiot, Laura said, “All right. You can look.”
As I opened my eyes, my breath hitched. Just a few feet in front of me was my mother. “Mom?” I choked out.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Hey, Bennett.”
I blinked in disbelief. “You’re really here?”
She nodded. “It took me far too long, but I’m here.”
Her words sent an ache reverberating through me. All the years of hurt swirled in an angry cloud around me. She’d let him throw me out. She’d let him beat me bloody that time to try to drive the gay out. She’d let him cut me out of her life.
As if she could read my thoughts, Mom took a tentative step forward. “I’m so sorry, Bennie. The greatest sin of my life was allowing the hurt from your father.
Although I knew a few words would never be enough to erase the past, the young boy who adored his mother couldn’t be held back. I then rushed forward to draw her into my arms.
Closing my eyes, I let the tears stream down my cheeks. She rubbed wide circles along my back just like she had when I was little and got hurt.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I whispered.
“So have I, sweetheart. So very much. I promise I’ll never let us be apart again.”
I pulled back to stare into her eyes in disbelief. “You won’t?”
She shook her head. “I’ve already lost almost six years of your life. I don’t want to lose another day. Especially not when you’re having a baby.”
How did you know?”
“Laura tracked me down.”
Turning around, I looked at Laura. She stood with her arm around Vivian. Both of them had tears streaming down their cheeks. “Thank you.”
“You’re so very welcome, sweetheart.”
Looking back at Mom, I asked, “And you flew up here all alone?”
She grinned. “I had some company.”
A volatile mix of fear and anger swirled within me at the thought of my father. At a noise in the doorway, I swept my attention away from my mom. My heart leaped into my throat at the sight of my younger sisters, Lindsey and Hannah.
“No way!” I cried.
They broke into a sprint, and we met in the center of the room. Since Lindsey was twenty, she’d snuck away a few times to see me after she went away to college. But at sixteen, Hannah was still under my father’s thumb.
“I can’t believe you guys are here,” I said as I squeezed them tight.
“We can’t either.”
“Dad’s going to flip when he finds out we left,” Hannah laughed.
Lindsey rolled her eyes. “I’d love to see the look on his self-righteous face.”
“Better watch it. You don’t want to piss him off to where he stops paying for that fancy school you’re at,” I teased.
She shook her head. “I’d rather go into debt by taking out loans than have our family splintered like it is.”
“At least play the game until you graduate.” At her frustrated huff, I replied, “Then you can tell him to go fuck himself.”
“Bennett,” Mom chided behind me.
Snorting, I replied, “Considering you’re here for my illegitimate child’s baby shower, a few curse words shouldn’t surprise you.”
Mom fiddled with the gold cross around her neck. “Yes, well, Laura said that the two of you might be getting married before the baby is born.”
At the allusion to marriage, every molecule in my body seemed to explode as a roar of panic swept through me. When I glanced at Vivian, she wore what I imagined was the same expression of fear that I did.
“No one’s said anything about marriage,” Theo piped up from behind us.
Mom frowned at me. “You’re not getting married?”
“Maybe someday, but not anytime soon,” I replied.
Turning around, Mom stared at Laura. “But you said they were getting married.”
Laura tittered nervously as she glanced around us. “When you assumed that, I didn’t correct you.”
“Why, Mom?” Vivian demanded.
With an apologetic look, Laura replied, “I was afraid she wouldn’t come if she thought you weren’t getting married.”
Mom shook her head. “I still would’ve come.”
“You would?” I asked.
“Oh, honey, of course I would have.” She placed her hand on my cheek. “There’s nothing you can do that would make me not love you.”
Although it was the worst possible time to think it, least of all say it, I knew I had to. “Even if I was in love with a man?”
Both Mom and Laura gasped. As my mother stared at me in horror, Laura asked, “Why would you say such a thing, Bennett?”
When I looked at Vivian for confirmation, she nodded while Grayson groaned and buried his head in his hands.
“Because it’s the truth, ma’am.”
“But you’re in love with Vivian,” Mom protested.
I nodded. “That’s true. I love Vivian with everything within me.”
“So you don’t love a man?” Laura asked her expression one of confusion.
“Just as I love Vivian, I love Theo as well.”
When the mothers looked at Theo, he grunted, “Oh hell. Here we go.”
“So it’s true?” Laura asked Theo.
“Yes, it is.”
Her gaze bounced over to her daughter’s. “Vivian, did you know this?”
“Yes, Mom. I did.”
Laura’s eyes bulged wide. “Then how can you be with Bennett if he loves his teammate?”
And here it was. The moment of the big reveal. I hated it like hell it had come to this right before Vivian’s baby shower.
After drawing her shoulders back, Vivian walked over to Grayson and Theo. She took both of their hands in hers. “I love his teammates, too.”
Laura shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m not just in a relationship with Bennett. The two of us are in a relationship with Grayson and Theo. We’re all in love with each other.”
Holding up his hand, Grayson said, “Well, actually, I just love Vivian. I mean, I love them platonically, but I only love Vivian.”
Looking at my mother, I said, “I love a man and a woman.”
Horror flickered in her eyes. “But I thought because you were with Vivian, you’d left the stuff with men behind.”
“No, Mom. I haven’t, and I never will because it’s who I am.”
“Oh, Bennett, I never imagined it could ever be worse, but it is. How can you do this?”
“Because I fell in love.”
She slowly shook her head. “What about the baby? Do you even know who the father is?”
“No. We don’t,” I replied.
Mom’s horrified eyes turned to Vivian. “You honestly don’t know who the father of your child is?”
Jerking her chin up, Vivian replied, “While I don’t know who the biological father is, I do know my son has three wonderful fathers.”
Appearing disgusted, Mom brushed past me and went over to my sisters. “Come on, girls. We’re leaving.”
Crossing her arms over her shoulders, Lindsey said, “I’m staying.”
Mom’s face flushed an almost eggplant color. “Now is not the time to be stubborn and dramatic.”
“In my opinion, there’s never been a better time,” Lindsey snapped back.
With a huff, Mom pointed to Hannah. “You’re coming with me.”
She shook her head. “I want to stay with Bennett.”
“You still live under my roof, and I make the rules.”
“Then maybe I’ll go live with Aunt Brandi as Bennett did,” Hannah countered.
“Don’t make me call your father. You know what he’ll do.”
Jerking her chin up, Hannah countered, “Beat me like he did Bennett? Or throw me out of the house like he did to Bennett?”
“Preach it, little sis,” Lindsey replied.
Mom pinched the bridge above her nose. “What has gotten into the two of you? How can you speak to me like this?”
“Sounds like love for their brother,” Laura piped up.
I whirled around to see her standing defiantly beside Vivian with her arm wrapped around Viv’s waist.
“You’re going to accept your daughter after this?”
“You’re damn straight I am. There’s nothing Vivian could ever do that would stop me from loving her.”
Mom’s eyes shuttered in pain. “But I do love Bennett,” she protested.
“You love a fantasy of me, Mom.” When she snapped her eyes open, I said, “The fantasy where I’m not bisexual or involved in polyamory.” I shook my head. “You love me with conditions whereas Laura’s love is unconditional.”
“I’m sorry, Bennett. But you can’t ask me to go against my beliefs.”
Shaking my head, I replied, “When it comes down to it, my sin is mine and yours is yours. No one is asking for you to carry my cross. The only thing I’m really asking is for you to love me like Jesus would.” As tears stung my eyes, I replied, “Unconditionally.”
Silence hung heavy in the air as Mom and I stared into each other's eyes. I don’t know if I’d ever seen such a myriad of emotions in them before or anyone else’s for that matter. “I don’t know if I can.”
Laura huffed a frustrated breath. “For a son as wonderful as Bennett, don’t you think it’s worth trying?”
“You don’t even know him,” Mom countered.
Narrowing her eyes, Laura said, “I know enough to know what a fine, upstanding young man he is.”
“Come on, Mom. Do it for us,” Hannah urged.
I’d resigned myself for her to walk away when she shocked the hell out of me by saying, “Okay.”
“Okay, what?” I pressed.
“I’ll try.”
“Seriously?” When she nodded, I said, “Does that mean you’ll stay for the baby shower? Because I can assure you that even if it turns out I’m not the biological father, I’m still going to be a father. In turn, you would still be a grandmother.”
“Yes, I’ll stay.”
Since I couldn’t find the words, I dove at Mom. Wrapping my arms around her, I said, “Thank you.”
A hiccuped cry came from close to my ear. “No, Bennett, thank you.” When I pulled away, tears filled Mom’s eyes. “Thank you for teaching me about mercy and forgiveness.”
“Anytime,” I whispered.