Epilogue - Hank
FIVE MONTHS LATER
This is the moment, right?
This is one of those key moments that every parent thinks about when their child’s born, one of those milestones they both look forward to and dread because it’s another definitive marker that time is passing.
After almost eighteen years, I’m about to watch my son graduate high school and officially become an adult.
I wish this June evening wasn’t so humid, but at least it’s sunny, a welcome respite from the week of rain we’ve had.
“Brody Rush,” announces Principal Aguilar, his name echoing through the sound system.
Our row, filled with Comebacks players, their kids, and Millie’s family, stands up and cheers at the top of their lungs. There isn’t a competition about which kid gets the most applause, but Brody would totally win.
He walks across the stage and gives me a wave. He looks like a man in that graduation robe.
I told myself I wasn’t going to cry.
Nick hands me a tissue.
“These are happy tears, I think.” Whatever they are, I wipe them away. Nick squeezes my hand. His eyes are misty, too.
Even Alfred, standing at the foot of the bleachers, stealthily wipes a tear from under his sunglasses.
I glance a few rows down to where Cathy and Oliver are seated. Alone. No other family or friends with them. Cathy may drive a Lexus, but she doesn’t have the Comebacks.
“You did a good job, Hank,” Griffin says. “You raised a great kid.”
Worrying is a full-time job when you’re a parent.
Will my kid be the one kid who doesn’t potty train?
Will Brody survive a rough divorce and shuttling between two houses for his adolescence?
Will he fit in and find friends? Will he be okay with a dad who’s dating a man who’s on track to be a literal king?
And as I watch him collect his diploma, a newfound peace comes over me. It all worked out. I did the best I could, and for the first time, I can admit to myself that it was good enough.
Am I ready to do it all over again?
I turn to Nick, and I find that same peace in his beautiful, proud gaze.
On the football field post-ceremony, families take pictures with their graduates. There are also quite a few who want to take pictures with Nick. Because he’s a nice guy, he graciously allows some pictures. After a few, Alfred steps in and ends the photo sessions.
My Comebacks teammates snack on Fig Newtons. Agnes got us all into them. I thought a snack pastry that’s trying to be a fruit wouldn’t work, but I was wrong.
Brody’s getting tired of all the pictures I’m making him be in. He’s no longer hiding his boredom.
“Dad, come on.” Brody fans himself with a graduation program. He puts on sunglasses.
I made us take pictures with my friends and their kids, with just the kids, with Nick, with Millie’s family, and with Alfred. (He seemed to like it!) I can see why he’s over it.
“We need a picture of the three of us.” I take Nick’s hand and bring him in. “If Your Majesty is done taking pictures.”
“Your Majesty is very done. I forget how pushy Americans can be.”
“Brody, take off your sunglasses,” I say.
“It’s sunny, though.”
“He looks good! Very cool,” Millie says, her boys hanging around her legs. “He’s getting his laid-back, California vibe down before the fall.”
“Promise us you won’t start saying stuff like ‘radical’ and ‘cowabunga,’” Tanner says.
“Have you met anyone from California in the last thirty years?” Des arches an eyebrow at his husband. “Also, he’s going to Stanford, not becoming a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Here, I’ll take the picture.”
Des takes out his phone. “Get close. Like you like each other.”
My friends take out their phones, too.
Brody stands in the middle. Nick and I flank him. The sun glares in my eyes. Now I get why he’s wearing sunglasses.
Nick smooths a sneaky finger over my hand as cameras go off.
“We’re already planning your going away party, Hank,” Jack says. “Not a bar crawl this time.”
My friends and I exchange a look mixed with sorrow and smiles. In two months, I will be moving out of the town I’ve lived in nearly my whole life, starting a new chapter with Nick in Ardenia. It still hasn’t hit me yet.
“I can’t believe it,” says Griffin. “End of an era.”
“I’ll be back to visit.”
“It won’t be the same. But we’re excited for you,” Tanner says.
Bill sighs. “I’m going to miss you guys.”
“Oh, Bill.” Nick claps a hand on his shoulder. “You’re just upset that you’re losing two goalies.”
We all explode with laughter. Des high-fives Nick, happy to find another person to give Bill shit.
“That, too,” Bill concedes.
“We’re going to start a hockey league in Ardenia. Maybe one day, we can have a match up,” Nick says.
“Nick may have to get home to Ardenia, but I’m not going yet,” I tell them.
Between his royal duties and caring for his father, Nick’s had a busy winter and spring.
I can’t imagine the strength it takes to manage everything, but he handles it without fuss.
He makes it look easy. He always has time for people on his staff, no matter how junior, always available to visit a children’s hospital or perform community service.
Watching him lead makes me love him even more.
Nick from Baltimore could never. Now I get why Disney made princes the romantic leads in all their cartoons.
How could you not fall in love with them?
“We’re going to live it up this summer,” Griffin says. He and I pound fists.
I force us all to take one more messy selfie. Comebacks, kids, Millie. Half of our heads get cut off, but it’s my favorite snapshot of the evening.
I clock Cathy watching us from the edges of the field. Brody took one reluctant photo with her earlier. I’m surprised she’s still here. I stroll up to her and shoot a friendly wave.
“Quite a night,” I say. “Where’s Oliver?”
“He had to go back to work. Things have been busy.” I feel her tense slightly beside me.
“They’ve lost a few clients. Any accusations you hear about fraud flying around are blatantly false.
The rumor mill in this town can be awful.
The economy’s been a little off, that’s all…
well, I think this is all outside your understanding. ”
“Nick and I had a lovely dinner with two Nobel prize-winning economists back in April, so I’m pretty sure I can understand just fine.”
A quick bolt of shock flashes on Cathy’s face, but she reels it in behind a flat expression.
“You know, I think it’s kind of rude that Brody only took one picture with his mother, and yet was taking picture after picture with his father’s friends,” Cathy says, crossing her arms.
“I guess he likes them more.” I shrug. Facts are facts. As Brody gets older, his relationship with his mother will continue to wither away. And that makes me a little sad considering how close I was with my parents. But relationships are two-way streets.
“I see you’re still with the prince. He needs to work on his manners.” She laughs to herself, still in a state of disbelief over our union.
She and Oliver met Nick a few months ago, the one time they deigned to step foot inside my house.
Oliver quickly began pitching Nick on investing with his company; my boyfriend politely brushed him off.
Since then, they have not been fans of him, the only people in town to have a negative view of Nick.
“It’s all so odd and curious. I just don’t understand it. And frankly, neither does my life coach,” she says, staring at Nick. In her worldview, guys like me aren’t supposed to find love, and not with people like Nick.
“I do.”
She swivels her head to me.
“I’ve got a great personality, lots of friends, a kid who’s crazy about me, a cool job, and a dump truck ass. I’m kind of a big deal. A main character, one might say.”
Watching her jaw drop in shock, horror, and devastating realization has the satisfaction of eighteen years of payoff.
“Hank…”
“That’ll be King Consort Henry of Ardenia soon.”
I stroll away with a spring in my step, but pivot around to face her after a few victorious steps.
“And come to think of it Cathy, seeing you on the sidelines, watching me…I think you’re the side character in my story.”
I run up to Brody and Nick, who embrace me in a big hug and bring me back into the group of our friends and patched-together family. The best part? None of us look over our shoulders at her reaction.
We head to our cars, the setting sun giving the parking lot an ethereal purple-orange glow. From here, we’re heading to a steakhouse for Brody’s celebratory graduation dinner.
Nick and I stroll between the rows holding hands. I’m still amazed that I get to be with him, but from time to time, I remind myself that he’s lucky to be with me, too.
“How do you feel?” he asks.
“I got you. I got my kid. I feel on top of the world.”
“Dad, you’re so cringe.” Brody runs ahead to the car.
I used to believe I was unworthy of all this. But turns out Mario the plumber does get the princess in the end. Or prince. I suspect if he could say anything more than “It’s a-me, Mario!” that he’d be pro-queer people.
“That’s quite a sunset,” Nick says.
I follow his gaze to the sky where streaks of puffy clouds fan out to the far reaches of the horizon, lit by the sun’s golden glow as it sinks behind the mountains. I can’t believe we get to live in a world with this much beauty.
“It’s the type of sunset the main character walks off into at the end of the story,” I remark.
Nick pulls me to him for one more kiss.
Then we continue walking.
Thank you for reading!