14. Tennant #3
Her hair was all brushed, her lipstick on, and her robe neatly tied over her pajamas. Just like every holiday morning I could recall. Except the holiday mornings of the past hadn’t included me being gay and having Mads as a lover. Man, things had been way easier back then.
“It was me.” She exhaled loudly, then glanced at me. “I’m a foolish woman at times. How dare I expect you to tell me every damn thing in your life now that you’re an adult just because you used to when you were five?”
“Mom, I swear I was going to tell you and Dad today… somehow.”
She patted my thigh, then picked a black lab hair from my jogging pants. That too floated off to join the notes and dust motes.
“You know what? Even if you hadn’t told us today, that would have been okay. It’s not for me to say when you fill me in on who you’re taking to bed. My God, I’m so nosy! It’s terrible.” She sort of laughed at herself.
I smiled a little. “See, the thing was that I wasn’t even sure what Mads and I were then, you know? I mean, we were crazy attracted to each other but… man, this is hard.” I shoved my hands through my hair. Mom instantly reached up to flatten the mess back down. That made me feel lighter inside.
“I just needed time. We needed time. To figure it out, to make sure. There’s been so much shit—I mean stuff—going on in our lives since I went to Harrisburg.
I never meant for Brady to be the first to know, he just kind of showed up at Mads’ when I was there wearing strawberries and…
You know what, we won’t go there, but if I could have picked one person to tell face to face, it would have been you. ”
“You’re a sweet young man, Tennant. I hope Jared knows how lucky he is.” She kissed me on the cheek, then reached up to pull out another sheet filled with notes. “How about one more song before I have to start baking pies and stuffing the turkey?”
“Sure, you pick.”
I knew before I saw the sheet music what it would be.
Her favorite song by her favorite Piano Man.
Not Christmas or Thanksgiving related at all, but it felt right.
I played and we sang. When we got to the part about Levon being a good man, she reached up to grab my chin and sing those words right at me.
Mom and I rocked that song to the very end.
I gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and went off to find Mads.
He was just coming up the stairs with Ryker on his heels.
“My mom says you’re a lucky man,” I told him as I wrapped my arms around him.
“I know that,” he murmured, before accepting the long, hard kiss I gave him in front of God and my half-awake family.
The rest of the day was off-the-charts good.
Tons of food, football, and cuddles on the couch with Mads.
I shit you not. Mads and I. On the couch.
Cuddling like a couple. And no one was freaked out in the least. After the meal was done at four, Ryker sat on one side of Mads and I on the other.
The women folk were in the kitchen cleaning up.
We manly men were spread out trying to digest and not fall asleep while we made predictions on who would win the Vikings–Lions matchup.
My head was lolling on Mads’ shoulder as I battled off a nap.
The tones of a mobile Pokémon game danced into my sleepy ears.
“Ryker, what does it mean when this happens?” I heard Mads whisper.
I rolled my head to the left to find Mads showing his son his morphing Pokémon creature.
“Dude, are you evolving your Charmander?!” I asked, all sleepiness burning off. Jamie was snoring in the recliner.
“Maybe,” Mads replied with a wicked smile toying at his kissable mouth.
“Okay, I love you more than pumpkin pie. I want to have your baby.” I grabbed his face and kissed him loudly. “Guys, we’re going to go make a baby. Be back in twenty minutes,” I told my brothers, father, and the dog. Bourque woofed lazily.
“Better give us thirty,” Mads tossed out, but couldn’t move due to overconsumption of turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, and mashed potatoes with gravy.
“You can have one of mine. Lisa made a spare,” Brady said around a yawn.
“Maybe we should digest a little more before we try to make a baby,” Mads offered, and yawned as well.
“Good call.” I curled into his side, sighed like a cat filled with cream, and promptly fell asleep.
It sucked having to leave that evening, but all of us had games either the next day or Saturday.
Ryker dozed on the flight back, his head resting on the window, his dad’s Railers coaching jacket as a pillow.
Jared sat between his son and me, reading a book, his strong, masculine profile keeping me mesmerized.
When he felt me staring, he glanced up from his book—some old thing with a knight on the front—and gave me a questioning look as he placed his open book on his thigh.
“You’re really handsome,” I said with a smile.
His gaze flickered to the people sitting in front of us, as if he were worried that they’d hear me saying that. With the love of a good family and this man welling up inside me, I placed my hand over his and his book.
“Ten, are you sure you want to make such a public gesture?” he asked softly.
I threaded my fingers through his. “I’ve never been more positive of anything in my life.”
He lifted my knuckles to his lips. “I’ll be right beside you.”
I sat back in my seat, my fingers woven with his, and let my eyes drift closed.
If I had Mads with me I could face anything my coming out publicly would bring.
I’d have to. There was no way I wanted to go back to hiding us from the world.
Maybe after I made the announcement I could just go back to playing hockey and loving Jared Madsen. You know… the important things in life.