Chapter Nineteen
James
“You’re very tense, my love.”
Avery sighed and turned his head from the car’s window to look at me. “I’ve never brought a guy home to meet the parents before.”
I squeezed his hand. “I’ve already met your father, so I feel like we’re halfway there. If I can get the chief of police on my side as a felon, I think I can handle your mom.”
“Just wait until she convinces herself you’ve stolen one of her cups. Even the chief of police can’t stop her.”
“Yes, honey. But you actually steal her cups.”
“Whose side are you on?”
“I’m on the side of love.”
Avery scoffed. “That’s a little wet, even for you.”
“Well, you make me wet. What can I say?” I chuckled and stuck my tongue out at him as I pulled into the driveway of the iconic (at least, in my story) 4077 Boulder Crest Lane.
I’d imagined what the house looked like a million times.
Certainly every time I addressed an envelope.
I’d seen it in the dark that night I came to see Avery wearing the mask, but seeing it in the late afternoon light was an entirely different experience.
It wasn’t a mansion or chateau, but it was a nice-sized two-story home with tidy hedges and a white fence surrounding it.
“I’ll admit, I’m a little nervous, too. But we’ve faced much worse than Friday night dinner at your parent’s house. ”
“I just wish we didn’t have to do the thing,” he shuddered. “I want everything to be normal, already. Apologizing and all the other icky feelings and stuff.”
“It’s good to feel things, Avery,” I said.
“It helps remind us that we’re human. And, after the heartbreak, you deserve to have that be made up to you.
Misunderstanding or not, you mom completely invalidated your feelings when you were trying to come to her for help. There’s gonna be some making up to do.”
Avery turned his head to peer out the window as he collected his thoughts. Then he turned back to me and smiled wickedly. “I’m gonna make her give me half her cups! That’ll hurt!”
I reached up and lightly pinched Avery’s nipple through his sweatshirt. “You are a brat.” Avery squealed and opened the car door to get out of my reach.
I got out of the driver’s seat as Avery made it to the trunk of the car.
“I’ll get it, babe.” I said, shooing him away from the foil-covered casserole dish and the Tupperware full of the most delicious double-fudge brownies I’d ever tasted.
Avery smiled and stepped aside, hanging near to close the trunk after I’d grabbed the goods.
I could sense him getting more and more tense as we approached the front door.
“Maybe I don’t feel good,” he murmured.
“Sweetheart, I’m right here. We’re gonna make it through this, I promise. And we’re having steak!”
Avery smiled and looped his arm around my elbow as we walked into the house. He used the toe of his sneaker to nudge the door closed, filled his lungs with air, and then announced, “Mom, Dad! We’re home!”
Avery kicked out of his shoes and turned around as a dark-haired woman slowly stepped around the corner.
She had her hair pinned up atop her head in a messy bun and shared a lot of Avery’s features—the eyes, especially.
Hers were glossy with unshed tears that caught the porch light beams floating in through the windows.
“Avery,” she said softly as her lip trembled.
Avery winced. “Please don’t cry.”
But she did. Her first sob escaped as she wrapped her arms around Avery’s back and held him tight against her. “I’m so, so sorry, my baby. I had no idea, I’m…”
Avery pulled back and wiped at his eyes. “It’s not your fault, Mom.”
She shook her head and placed her hands on either of Avery’s shoulders to steady him so she could look right into his face. “Yes it is, honey. You came to me for help and I… I dismissed you. I promise you I will never let that happen again.”
Avery nodded. “Thank you.”
I smiled at Avery as he glanced back. “Oh shit! I’m sorry,” he said as he held his hands out to take the stuff I’d been carrying. “Mom, I’d like you to meet someone very special.”
The second my hands were clear, she took two large steps forward and threw her arms around my torso. “Thank you for taking care of my son when I wasn't there to do so. You saved him.”
After the shock of the unexpected contact wore off, I returned the hug. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, ma’am.”
“Oh, please call me Maggie. Welcome to our home, James.”
I hadn’t told Maggie my name, but it was obviously unnecessary.
“Where’s Dad?” Avery asked.
“Manning the grill,” she said.
“I’m gonna go out and say hi,” he told his mother.
Avery turned to head towards the sliding glass door when Maggie spoke., “Avery…”
He paused to look back over his shoulder, and she continued, “Uh… just…” She sighed. “Your father has also had a pretty rough week.”
Avery nodded his understanding and left us both with a small smile.
I followed Maggie into the kitchen where she took the containers from me and set them down on the counter.
Things were a little awkward for a moment while I tried to come up with something to say, and Maggie stood a few feet away wringing her hands together nervously.
Then she looked up at me and said, “You must think I’m just awful, and given what we’ve just been through…
” she stopped and shook her head before correcting herself.
“What you and Avery have just been through; what Avery’s been going through…
” She stopped again and swallowed hard. “I’m going to prove to both of you that I’m a better mother, a better person than that. If you’ll let me.”
Maggie walked over and tore a paper towel off the roll and dabbed at her eyes.
“You see, I love my boy. He’s my everything, but he’s always been a little…
flighty. My biggest worry since he started high school is that he never had any direction.
There was no passion for anything. His father and I tried everything.
Little League, dance classes, gymnastics, basketball, violin, after-school clubs, trading cards, video games.
He changed classes and electives so many times, he almost didn't graduate high school.” She chuckled.
“And then college was a nightmare for us all. It was all we could do to get him through high school; he didn’t last three semesters in college. ”
She set the paper towel aside and walked over to stand in front of me.
She slowly reached out and took my hands into hers.
"But do you know what? He sat right here at this kitchen counter and wrote you two letters a week. For years. You are the only thing that has kept that boy’s attention for more than a few weeks.
” She sniffled and patted my hand. “That’s powerful, young man…
that’s love.” She gripped my hands a little tighter and looked up directly into my eyes. “Please don’t hurt him,” she choked.
I wrapped my arms around her. “I will protect, nurture, and love your son for the rest of my life. I promise.”
I felt her nod against me, and then she took a step back. She grabbed the paper towel back up and wiped her eyes and nose before tossing it in the bin. She straightened out the front of her shirt with her hands, and then asked, “What kind of salad dressing do you prefer?”
A minute later, Avery and his father came walking in followed by a strong scent of charcoal.
“Goddammit, Frank!” Maggie cursed.
“It was my fault, mom. I was distracting him,” Avery said as he entered the kitchen.
Maggie sighed. “Grab the steak sauce out of the fridge.” She looked at me and rolled her eyes. “Anything's edible if you drown it in A1.”
“Beer?” Avery asked as he opened the fridge.
“Please,” I nodded.
“Me too,” Frank said as he set the tray of blackened steaks down in the center of the table.
As we gathered around the table, Frank held up his long-neck. “Well, I asked you boys here to celebrate.”
Avery looked over at me and then back to Frank. “Celebrate?”
Frank nodded. “Yes. We’re celebrating my retirement.”
I watched as Avery’s face scrunched up. “Retirement? You’re only 51. Isn’t that a bit young?”
Frank chuckled. “Internal affairs doesn't think so.”
“Dad!”
Frank put his hand up, “Please, son. It’s okay. I’ll still receive my pension, and now your mom and I can start doing all that traveling we’ve been dreaming about. We just get to start a little sooner.”
“I’m so sorry, I—”
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Avery. I swear. You are the one that deserves an apology. I pushed David onto you, and made several mistakes along the way. It’s only right that it blew up in my face.
This doesn’t change anything, Avery, but I want you to know that everything I did was to protect you.
I’ve been in law enforcement for decades, and I’ve seen the heinous things people are capable of.
You’ve always been on the softer side, and I worried that I’d get a phone call that some bigot had beaten the life out of you in the street.
When I met David and found out he was gay, I thought the best way to protect you was through him.
An officer I could keep an eye on… oh, bah,” Frank exclaimed, waving his hand.
“None of that matters. This will be a good change for all of us.” With that, Frank took a healthy swig of his beer and reached across the table for the potato salad
Avery kept his gaze down on his plate. I could almost see the wheels turning around in his pretty little head.
He’s spiraling…
Slowly reaching over, I covered his hand with mine. “Since we’re celebrating, you should tell them your good news.”
Avery locked eyes with me. “I’m not sure if it’s the right time.”
“Nonsense, Avery! Tell us!” Maggie encouraged.
“Well, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’d like to do with myself.
I know I’ve made some… sticky decisions in the past, but the one thing I keep coming back to is baking.
” Avery shrugged and dropped his gaze as if he was embarrassed.
“I think I want to go to culinary school.
There's a baking and patisserie program at Emberford Tech… and, well, I enrolled for the spring.”
Maggie gasped. “Avery, really?”
He looked over at her and nodded. “Yeah. I love doing it and would like to learn more than what TikTok offers. Maybe one day, I’ll have my own bakery. Who knows?”
“I think that’s a great idea, son. You’ve always been great in the kitchen,” Frank said.
“I think I’m gonna get fat,” I said, still trying to chew my first bite of burnt steak.
They laughed and everyone went about their plates for a few until Frank set his knife down and said, “James, I didn’t have a lot of time, but I was able to speak to the clerk’s office, and it seems like they are pretty unhappy with the shop they’ve been contracted with.
If your shop can handle it, I think they’d like you to submit a bid for monthly maintenance and repair on the EPD’s entire fleet. It’s about 650 cars, trucks and SUVs.”
For a split-second, I lost control of all motor functions. I heard my fork clang down against my plate. “Pardon me?”
“Dad, that’s amazing!” Avery cried.
Frank shrugged and went back to attacking the leather on his plate.
“Mr. Thompson, I don’t know what to say,” I exclaimed. “Th—thank you!”
“It’s nothing. Now, James, tell me about yourself,” Frank began. “Do you like to watch football?”