Most of the younger kids were either running around shooting each other with water guns or playing croquet. At least, they were until the grown-ups were finished eating and kicked them off the course, leaving them with nothing to do but run around yelling loudly.
“Sorry,” Carey apologized. “This is boring, isn’t it?”
“No,” Brian said. “This is great people watching.”
Carey looked around. He didn’t think there was much worth watching about his family.
“Who’s that guy?” Brian jerked his head toward a man surrounded by several people laughing loudly.
“That’s my dad’s cousin Chaz. He’s a clown.”
“For real?”
“No, not a real clown. I mean he’s a jokester, always making everyone laugh.”
“Oh, duh.” Brian made fun of himself. “Your uncles are pretty good,” he said, referring to the music playing.
“Yeah, they play in a band at a local bar sometimes. My dad can play too, but not as well. His youngest brother plays saxophone.”
“I guess that’s where you get your musical talent from.”
Carey nodded.
They ate barbecued chicken with coleslaw and potato chips as they watched the action around them. Brian grinned when a toddler girl walked up to him and handed him her doll. She took it right back and waddled away.
“Brian, you didn’t have to take your earrings out for today,” Carey commented, noticing that Brian looked more conservative than usual. “And you could have put your eyeliner stuff on if you wanted.”
“I didn’t want to embarrass you in front of your family.”
“I’m not embarrassed by you,” Carey said. “I’ve never been embarrassed by you. I like the way you look–makeup or no makeup. I only suggested that you didn’t wear it before because I wanted those kids to stop picking on you.”
Brian smiled. “I know. But I figured if I came here looking all girly, everyone would think . . .”
“Are you finished eating? Let’s go say hello to my grandparents.”
“Yeah, okay.”
They threw out their trash and walked over to an older couple sitting with some of the other adults, including Carey’s parents.
“Hi Grandma Doreen. Hi Grandpa Gene.”
Carey leaned down to hug his grandmother, but his grandfather was in the middle of a conversation with Carey’s Aunt Barbara.
“Hello dear. Look how tall you’ve gotten.”
“Grandma, it’s because you’re sitting down. I haven’t grown since Easter,” Carey laughed and rolled his eyes.
Though in their seventies, Carey’s grandparents were spry and fashionable. His grandmother still prepared much of the food for gatherings, however, she was allowing other people to bring side dishes and desserts occasionally. Grandpa Gene wore a hearing aid and he could usually hear just fine with it. But he admitted to turning it off from time to time when his wife nagged him.
Carey’s father seemed a little conservative compared to them, and Carey wondered why. He guessed that maybe his dad’s way of rebelling against hippies was to be reserved and conventional. His younger brothers were more of free spirits.
“You remember Brian, right?”
Brian smiled as he stood next to Carey.
“Of course, you’re the one who dances, right?”
“Yes, m’am.”
“Oh, don’t call me m’am. Call me Doreen.”
“All right, Doreen,” Brian said shyly. His parents had taught him to address adults as Mr. or Mrs., or some other respectful title.
“Carey says you’re a wonderful dancer, but he’s never invited me to go see you.”
“Next recital, Grandma. I promise,” Carey said. “It won’t be until December.”
“That’s okay. I’ll still be around in December. I’m not that old,” she joked. “Now tell me, how is your college search going? Your father told me you’re going to start visiting some of the campuses soon.”
Carey nodded. “I’ve got a few I’m interested in. I think I might go for music education.”
“Really?” she brightened. “I was a teacher, you know.”
“I know Grandma.”
“But not music. You get that from your Grandpa Gene.”
“What?” Grandpa Gene asked, then turned back to Barbara.
Carey smiled. “Yeah, I love music. I want to go to a school that has a pep band or jazz band or something at least.”
“I’d wish you luck, but you don’t need it. I hear you made distinguished honors again this year.”
“Uh huh.”
“And what are you planning to do, young man?” she asked Brian.
“I’m applying to schools for musical theater.”
“Oh? You like to sing then?”
“Brian is always in the school musical. He’s really great.” Carey looked at him and beamed.
“Well, Carey was in the pit this year. He was the best clarinet to try out,” Brian added.
Grandma Doreen smiled at them. “No wonder you’re best friends. You’ve got your own mutual admiration society going on.”
Carey’s heart sped up as he was about to speak. He glanced at his father, then back to his grandmother.
“Brian isn’t just my friend. He’s . . . my boyfriend.” He took Brian’s hand.
“Did he say boyfriend?” Grandpa Gene asked.
Doreen looked Brian over. “Hm. Well, I don’t think I want you to call me Doreen after all,” she said. She took his free hand. “You call me Grandma.”
“Thank you, Grandma.” Carey leaned over to hug her again.
“What’s this about a boyfriend?” Grandpa asked.
“Some boy like boys, Gene. Get over it,” Doreen said. She looked at Malcolm sitting across the table from her and pointed. “You too.”
“What’d I say?” Gene shrugged. Some of the other people at the table laughed.
“When I was in school,” Grandma began one of her stories. “There was a boy, we all just thought he was sweet and sensitive. But some of the bigger boys picked on him, beat him up and called him names. Eventually, he got married and had a daughter. The rumors about him persisted though. His wife divorced him, and people said it was because he was homosexual. Our little town had nothing better to do than to torment people who were different I guess.”
Carey stood listening, as did the rest of the table.
“Anyway, that poor man committed suicide. Sure, the town folk felt badly about bullying him, but it was too late. And all because he was a little bit different.” She squeezed Carey and Brian’s hands. “Don’t let anybody bully you out of a happy life. If your town doesn’t like it, find a better town, if you have to. Be proud of who you are.”
“Here, here,” Barbara raised her glass.
“I’ll second that,” Jeannie said, raising her glass as well.
Carey had been avoiding his father’s gaze, not knowing how he would feel about Carey coming out in the middle of the family reunion. But he chanced a glance, and there a faint smile on his face.
Grandpa scratched his head. “I’m confused. Wasn’t he always your boyfriend?” he asked Carey.
“Dad,” Barbara interjected, “they’ve always been friends, but now they’re boyfriends. You know, dating.”
Gene furrowed his brow. “Yeah. I guess I thought they were already.”
Doreen shook her head and laughed. “You’d be dangerous if you paid more attention.”
“I did pay attention,” Gene protested. “When Carey was eight or so, he told me he was going to marry that boy. Said girls were too much trouble.”
Carey blushed as his eye widened. “I don’t remember saying that Grandpa.”
Brian covered his grin with his hand.
“We were playing Life,” Grandpa said. “You picked up another blue peg to put in your car. When I said you were supposed to use a pink one, you said you were going to marry Brian, and Brian was a boy. Then after you thought about it, you switched it
and said he liked pink better anyway.”
Most everyone at the table laughed, especially Brian.
“It’s true,” he shrugged.
“Well, you’re just adorable,” Grandma said. “And a nice, polite boy. No wonder Carey likes you.”
Carey cringed at the attention, but Brian smiled widely.
“Malcolm, you and Jeannie have done a great job raising this young man.” Doreen gave their hands another squeeze and finally let go. The second she did, Carey was tugging Brian away. Brian was still giggling.
“That was excruciating,” Carey said when they were out of earshot.
“It wasn’t so bad. They love me,” he squealed and took a bow.
Carey nudged him, making him lose his balance. He had to reach out and grab Brian’s arm to keep him from falling over. Brian clutched on and held him close.
Without even looking to see if anyone was watching, Carey gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
“Of course they do,” he said. Carey took a deep breath and let Brian go. “My whole family knows now. Well, my dad’s family does. And my mom’s sister and her husband.” He gasped. “I almost forgot. My mom said I can go to Aunt Dina and Uncle Rob’s house for a visit in a week. They live in North Carolina. A whole week of hanging out at the beach and relaxing.”
“Oh, sounds fun,” Brian said unenthusiastically. “You’ll be gone the last week before band camp though.”
“We’ll be gone the last week before band camp. I can bring a friend,” Carey smiled, nudging Brian with his elbow.
“Me? Your parents are going to let us go away together?”
“We’ll have to follow all the rules we follow here. But Aunt Dina is really cool. We can go to the beach every day, and maybe drive into the mountains one day. Uncle Rob golfs a lot, but I’ve only gone once with him and my dad. I’m terrible.”
“I don’t know if my parents will let me go. It’s pretty far, isn’t it? Are you going to drive?”
Carey nodded. “Come on, if my dad said yes, your parents have to let you go. Maybe my parents can talk to yours.”
Brian bit his lip.
“You want to go, don’t you?” Carey asked. “It won’t be any fun without you.”
“Yeah, yeah, of course. I just don’t want to get my hopes up.”
Out of nowhere, a water balloon smashed against Carey’s shoulder.
“Chris! You’re gonna get it now.” Carey gave chase, but he wasn’t angry. He grabbed a balloon from another cousin and ran Chris down, nailing him with the balloon. “Gotcha,” he laughed.
Brian watched, smiling. Carey looked more at ease every time he told someone else about him and Brian. Eventually, he wouldn’t feel the need to announce it at all. It would just be who he was.
Grabbing another water balloon, Carey started to run Brian’s way. Too late, Brian realized he was planning to throw the balloon at him. He began running but was smacked square in the back. More kids joined the water balloon fight, plus a couple of adults, including Malcolm’s cousin Chaz.
◆◆◆
With the reunion behind him, Carey looked forward to his trip to Wrightsville Beach. Michelle was upset that he was allowed to go alone, but she was promised a trip there when she was seventeen as well.
“At least I’ll have a whole week without a pesky brother around. Can I have Kailey and Jenna sleep over all week?”
“I don’t know about all week. But they can stay over a couple of times,” Mrs. Reid said. She turned her attention to Carey. “You have the GPS in the car already? And the address in?”
“Yes, Mom,” he answered. “You’ve asked me that twice already. I printed out the directions, too. We know where we’re going. I’m gonna make sure my phone is charged and I have Aunt Dina’s phone number.”
“Carey, this is a big trip, your first big driving trip. I just want to make sure you’re prepared.”
“It’s all good. We’re going to take a lot of breaks, stop for food, take turns so we don’t get too tired of driving, and we promise to keep to the speed limits.”
“What time are you leaving?” Jeannie asked.
“Six tomorrow morning. I figure even if we take our time and stop a lot, we’ll still get there before five o’clock.”
“Dina said she would be home from work around four, so that should be good.” Jeannie put her finger to her chin. “Anything else?”
“I’ve got the auto club card Dad gave me. Insurance and stuff is in the glove box. Dad checked. We’re good, Mom.”
“Do you think you have enough money?”
“I’ve got all my birthday money. And Grandma gave me some extra,” Carey said sheepishly. “Brian has money, too.”
“Okay.” She sighed. “I guess you’re all set. Why don’t we all go out to dinner tonight? It’ll be the last time being all together for a week.”
“Ooh, can we go to the steak house?” Michelle asked.
“Yeah, that sounds good,” Carey agreed.
“Why don’t you finish packing and we’ll go when Dad gets home,” their mother said.
Michelle followed Carey upstairs and right into his room.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I still can’t believe they’re letting you go away with your boyfriend. It’s not fair.”
“Mom said you could go there when you’re seventeen. What are you griping about?”
“Do you really think they’ll let me go with a boy?”
Carey chuckled. “So, turn lesbian and take your girlfriend.”
She punched him lightly in the arm. “Jerk. You know I’m right.”
He shrugged. “What do you want me to do about it?”
“It’s just not fair,” she grumbled.
Carey began putting some of his clothes into his duffel bag. “It’s not like we’re going to be alone. Aunt Dina is taking the week off to hang out with us. And we each have our own bedroom. It’ll be just like being at home, except on a beautiful beach,” he smirked.
“Hmph.”
“You’re so impatient. You’ll get your chance,” Carey said. “I’ll bring you back a souvenir,” he laughed.
Michelle sighed. “Man, you’re so lucky. You get everything.”
He rolled his eyes. “Hardly.”
“Yes, you do. You’re smart and musical.” She pouted. “You have a great boyfriend. And you’re prettier than me.”
Carey laughed, but stopped when he saw that she was serious.
“I’m not pretty. Boys aren’t pretty. Besides, you’re plenty pretty. And you know you’re smart. You just don’t try that hard in school. I work really hard to get my grades.”
“But you’re so lucky, you look like Mom. I look like Dad.” Her eyes widened. “I didn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the way Dad looks. But he’s a man. It’s just that having brown eyes and brown hair is so boring. I wish I had blue eyes like you and Mom.”
“I always wished I had brown eyes. I swear, I did,” he said at her skeptical expression. “Brian has brown eyes.”
“Well, everyone else on Earth seems to like blue ones. All my stupid friends are always talking about my cute brother and his baby blues,” she whined.
Carey wasn’t sure what to say to that. He was certain she was exaggerating to make a point.
“It’s not the color of your eyes that people are going to like about you, Michelle.”
“I know,” she shrugged. “It would be nice to be really pretty for once, to know what it’s like. I know it sounds shallow.”
“You are really pretty.”
“You’re my brother, you have to say that,” she grumbled.
“What’s this all about anyway?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“Michelle?”
“It was something on Facebook,” she reluctantly told him. “I wrote that I was excited to go to the big building next year, and someone posted something about you being my brother. And then someone else wrote t
hat they had no idea I was your sister, because you’re so handsome. And I’m so . . . not.”
Carey shook his head and blushed slightly. “I’m just as goofy looking as everybody else. You shouldn’t listen to random people on the internet.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “I guess maybe I’ve told you too many times over the years that you’re a spaz, and now you believe it. If I could take it back, I would. I’m sorry.”
He moved his arms around her shoulder and hugged her.
“You’re not really that big of a dork either,” she said into his chest.
He resolved then and there to make a point to be nicer to her when he returned. Carey wanted to have the same sort of relationship with his sister that Brian enjoyed with his. He felt he needed all the allies he could get. And so did she.
Dinner at the steak house felt like old times to Carey. More at ease because he was no longer hiding who he truly was, he didn’t have to censor himself nearly as much. Of course, he was worried about whether or not his father really accepted his relationship with Brian. He still couldn’t believe his father agreed to the trip. Knowing his mother had threatened his father with divorce when he first came out lessened his confidence, but he didn’t want to let anything spoil their evening out.
As much fun as he was having with his family, his thoughts often wandered to the next morning when he would be off on an adventure with Brian.
Chapter 14
Carey backed out of the driveway carefully, waving to his family briefly. Brian sat next to him in the passenger side and waved too. He had already said goodbye to his family before walking down to the Reid’s home. The sun had only been up for about twenty minutes and it was shaping up to be a beautiful day.
At the end of the street, when they reached the first stop sign, Carey put the car in park and leaned over to kiss Brian. He grinned.
“I can’t believe we’re really going.”
Brian grinned back. “I know, right?”
Putting the car back in gear, Carey continued driving. He ignored the GPS directions until they reached I95, and then only to make sure he was taking the right exit. They would be on the highway for most of the ride down, until they reached North Carolina. It would be a little tricky getting around Washington D.C. But other than that, it was pretty straight forward.
Brian and Carey Page 14