by Mary Calmes
"What?"
"Well, this oughta be the clincher," he sighed.
"What? Tell me."
"That was my mom calling to remind me that I'm already late for dinner."
"Dinner? Don't you guys usually do the Sunday thing?"
"Yeah, but Mike's girlfriend is a stewardess—"
"Flight attendant," I corrected him.
"Whatever, Mr. Politically Correct," he grumbled. "I'm just telling you that his girl flies like every Sunday, so the only time to catch her is in the middle of the week. My mom wants everybody to meet her so... we got Thursday night dinner at the Kages."
"Oh."
"Don't sound so excited."
"No, I didn't mean anything." I moved to get out of the SUV. "I'll let you go and maybe after, if you want, you can pick—"
"Hey," he said softly, taking hold of my arm, leaning me close enough so he could put his hand on my face. "I'm not going without you."
"Oh no, Sam, you—"
"Listen, I know you're scared to go over there, 'cause what does that mean, right? It's too fast and you're starting to panic."
"No," I lied even though he had hit the nail on the head. "I just think—"
He tilted my chin up and looked down into my eyes. "It's fast 'cause it's right, and make no mistake, I need you to go with me."
I stared at him and he leaned close and kissed me. It was so soft and so tender and I tried to deepen it, to draw him down, but he resisted.
"You can hurt me a little, Sam," I breathed against his mouth. My split lip didn't even hurt.
"I already did," he said softly. "Never again."
And I knew he meant when he left. "It's okay."
"It's not," he said, his eyes absorbing my face. "But I have the rest of my life to make it up to you."
"Sam—"
He cleared his throat. "C'mon, baby, get your belt on—we gotta hurry."
"Why?"
"'Cause my mom's making her world-famous casserole for Mike's new girl and we don't wanna miss the carnage," he almost cackled.
"That's not funny," I assured him, scowling. "Your family is big and loud and scary. Poor girl."
"It's a little funny," he argued, evil smile for me. "And don't kid yourself, you love my family."
"I love you," I said, turning the heater up.
"What?"
Too late I realized what I'd said. And I had voiced it before, but not without him asking me, pressuring me. The words had simply tumbled out and I could tell he was very pleased.
"J... what?"
"What?" I looked at him. I was hoping to play it off like nothing.
"Say it again."
"Say what?" I asked innocently. Maybe he'd let it go.
He smiled evilly. "You know, what ya said."
No chance he was letting it go.
"C'mon," he prodded me. "Say it again."
I stared at him and he leaned over the emergency brake to give me a quick kiss.
"I love you." He breathed down the side of my neck.
I nodded. "I love you too."
And the smile on his face when he leaned back, so wide, so arrogant, so relieved, so smug, was not to be missed. I had created a monster with four little words.
* * * *
Even though it was Thursday night instead of Sunday, there were enough people there that we needed to park the usual half a block away. With an arm draped over my shoulder, Sam led me through the front yard and around the side of the house to the steps that led to the back door of the large two-story, A-frame, redbrick home. I followed him into the kitchen, and as soon as I was inside I smelled the food.
"Jesus, what is that?" I said, breathing it in. I was almost salivating right there.
"It's the Mousalia." He smiled at me. "I told you it's world famous."
"It smells like heaven."
He winked at me before he yelled. "Mom! I'm home."
"What did you bring me?" she asked from the other room, and I could hear her laughing at her own joke.
I heard so many other voices laughing along with her that all at once I was scared. What if she was mad at me? What if everybody hated me now, what if they all thought that time away from me had turned him back into a straight man?
Maybe their son's gay lover wasn't the guest they were looking forward to seeing at their table, for a special middle-of-the-week-night edition of dinner.
"Sammy, get in here," Thomas Kage called out. "The game started on ESPN already."
"What's wrong?" Sam asked me quickly.
"You first."
"There's nothing wrong with me." He grinned slowly, devilishly. "You're the one who's freaked out."
"And if I am?" I asked, my voice rising just a little.
He reached out and put an arm around my neck, easing me up against him. He kissed my temple. "Aww, baby, everybody already loves you. You're golden."
I smiled up at him and he bent and kissed me.
"C'mon, baby."
I followed him into the living room.
"Look what I brought you, Mom."
Regina Kage was a stunning woman just sitting doing nothing. When she smiled, you saw the movie-star magic.
When she smiled, you got that she was luminous. She was smiling now. Her eyes darted back and forth between us and settled on me.
"Jory," she said, "oh my goodness, finally." Her breath caught as she rushed across the room to me. She threw her arms out wide and I stepped into them, hugging her tight.
"Finally."
She chanted the word with so much feeling and relief that I felt stupid for even doubting my reception. The woman loved me, it was obvious.
"Oh my sweet boy," she cooed into my hair, rubbing circles on my back. "My sweet-sweet boy." And then she said something into my shoulder that I couldn't hear before she pulled back to look at me. "Everyone, come see," she called to the women sitting in the living room. "My boy is home!"
And I looked over at Sam as he shrugged and people surged around me.
Jen came and threw herself into my arms, kissing and hugging me tight before stepping back to introduce me to her new boyfriend, Doug Yates. He was nice, had three kids of his own, and was a construction foreman. I liked him right away, and the fact that he didn't care one bit that I was gay was a big fat point in his favor. He cared more about Sam than me.
He was just as intimidated by Detective Kage as everyone else that ever met him, careful of his size, the muscles, and the quick temper. Me, he cared nothing about at all.
Rachel mauled me and her husband Dean was very pleased to see me. There were other cousins to see, and the men greeted me with outstretched hands, the cool-guy head tip, or a yell. The women quickly invaded my personal space.
I kissed and hugged them all and they pointed out the main attraction to me—Beverly Stiles, Michael's new girlfriend. She was meeting the extended family for the first time. My heart went out to her. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
"J," Michael said, smiling crazily at me as he breezed into the room. "Hey, buddy, I missed ya."
When he was close enough, he surprised me by reaching out and grabbing me into a tight guy-clench. "Sammy missed ya, too," he said softly, his voice catching. "More than a little.
Maybe now my brother can stop being such a prick."
"Michael!" Regina had overheard him and she was clearly mortified.
"Aww, Mom, you know it's the God's honest truth!" he grumbled at her, letting me go. "He's been a total asshole the whole time Jory's been gone."
"Yes, I know, but your words, Michael, Mother of God!"
"But Mom, we both know he should do a helluva lot of ass-kissin' or—" He stopped and looked at me. "And no offence there, J, since maybe that's something you're into or—you know—I dunno... but the point is, whatever it takes, Sammy should just do already, 'cause I can't deal with him when you're not around. He's a total dick." He was adamant.
"Michael!"
"Amen," Levi Kage chimed in, wal
king up to stand behind me. "How ya doin', Jory?" He held out his hand for me when I turned around. "I hope you're planning to stick around this time."
I took the offered hand and was pulled into the same guy-clench I had gotten from Michael. It was the hard handclasp, the shoulder-to-shoulder jerk, followed by the sharp back slap. It was slightly painful, so I knew it was sincere. I got many more handshakes as many of Sam's cousins flowed through the room.
Minutes later, I leaned over the back of the couch and reached out a hand to Joseph, Levi's brother. Funny to think that I had met all the guys years ago but it seemed like only yesterday. He stepped close so I could reach him and we shook hands.
"It's great to see ya."
"You too."
He nodded, staring at me hard. "Do me a favor and just hang out, okay?"
"Yeah, I'm going to."
"No, I mean like, stick around for a while. Not just for tonight."
I nodded. It was very nice.
"Seriously," he said, suddenly so quiet and still. "Sammy looks like himself again, ya know?"
I shrugged. "He looks the same to me."
Michael squeezed my arm as he walked by. "That's what he means."
I smiled, gazing after both of them as they left the room.
"Jory," Thomas Kage, Sam's father, called out to me from over near the TV. "C'mere!"
I moved quickly because you just did as he ordered.
He glanced up at me, but only for a second. Some game was on. "Jory."
"Sir."
"You stick around this time, Jory, all right?"
It wasn't my fault. "Sir, I—"
"Ah!" he cut me off sharply, loudly, leaving no room for protest. "Just do as I say."
"But it wasn't my—"
"Ah!" He did it again, and I realized what an annoying sound it was. "Just promise me. That's all I want to hear. I'm not interested in excuses."
I sighed deeply. "Yessir."
"Good," he said quickly and gestured to Michael's new girlfriend, whom I hadn't noticed until then, sitting beside him. "Did you meet Beverly?"
"No sir."
"Beverly, this is my son's partner, Jory."
She rose off the couch and gave me her hand.
"More friend," I corrected him, smiling at her.
"Partner!" Sam's dad yelled at me.
I shot him a look. Now I knew where Sam got his temper.
"You have something to say?" he dared me, finally looking from the television screen to my face. "Go ahead, speak."
"No sir," I whispered, drawing Beverly away from him, turning to look at her face.
"Good," he grunted, like everything was settled.
"I'm so happy to meet you," she said sincerely, clinging to my hand.
I saw the wide-eyed fright in her eyes and smiled tenderly.
Poor thing, they were scaring the crap out of her. I knew that, for people who weren't used to big families, the volume in the house, the yelling, and the way people just came and went, could be a little daunting.
"Same here," I told her. "So how long have you and Michael been going out?"
"About five months," she said quickly, turning and smiling after him as he walked through the living room. "And I have to say that this is like the first time I have seen his brother not look mean."
"Mean?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Oh yes," she assured me firmly.
"How so?"
She thought a moment. "I think the scowling is my favorite. And the way he never speaks to me and how gruff his tone is when he does."
"Really?" I just couldn't get over it. "Well, you have to cut him some slack. He's a police detective and—"
"Oh, I know all about his job." She dismissed my argument.
"So you understand why sometimes he can come off—"
"It must be very stressful to be a detective," she agreed,
"I'm not debating that with you. But it doesn't really explain his mood since I've met him."
"Oh. What does?"
"Well, I thought maybe it was because he was lonely."
I shrugged. "That would seem reasonable."
"So I asked Mikey, and he agreed with me that we would set him up with some of my friends."
Mikey? "That's really nice of you guys." I nodded, thinking how I could get Michael alone so I could strangle him. Set Sam up? Was he high?
"It was," she smiled sheepishly. "But the second you walked through the door, he leaned over and told me to not worry about it anymore."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. I think I know what Mikey wants now."
"And what is that?" Not to be called Mikey?
"Oh please!" She giggled. "He was worried about his brother and thought maybe I could help him do something about it. But now that you're here... he wants you and Sam to be together."
"You think?"
She laughed because she knew I was teasing her. "Jory, ohmygod, could Mikey like you any more? Could any of them?
My goodness, it's like Christmas around here right now."
"It's 'cause—"
"I had no idea Sam was gay," she said in a low voice.
"Nobody tells me anything."
"Well, he—"
"Holy crap," she said softly before I saw her glance warily around the room. I put an arm around her shoulders. "There are a lot of people here."
And I realized that, to her, we were just talking. She didn't care for a second that I was gay or Sam was. It was a tiny detail to her, a momentary "huh," merely something she hadn't known or considered. In her universe, where Michael was the center, the situation with Sam and me was meaningless. I loved the fact that no one cared at all.
"Beverly."
She turned to look at my face.
"Everything's gonna be all right. It must be a good sign that the extended family was summoned over here to meet you."
"I guess." She was unsure, and it was clear from her voice.
"No, I'm sure it was."
"Oh God." She flinched.
I smiled tenderly. "It's okay. You must always tell yourself, the more the merrier."
"Uh-huh."
"So, are you guys getting engaged?"
"Oh, don't I wish," she replied honestly, and I doubt she even realized what she'd said to me. "No, it's just he wanted me to meet his whole family and so did his mom, which is nice, I guess, but... I mean, I've been here a few times before, met his folks of course, and Sam and his sisters, but not... everyone."
"It'll be okay," I told her, patting her arm.
She whimpered.
"Why don't you come in the kitchen and help Regina and me?"
"Are you sure that's the right thing to do? I mean, I want her to like me but I don't want to push."
"Believe me, that's the way to do it. I'll help you clean the kitchen after the meal is set out. That's a step in the right direction, big time."
She grabbed my arm. "Thank you thank you thank you.
You have no idea how crazy I am about this man. I have to make his family love me."
"It's easy." I smiled warmly, speaking from experience.
"Just be yourself."
"Were you yourself?"
I thought about it a minute. "Yeah, I was."
"Did you know you wanted to be with Sam from the moment you laid eyes on him?"
"I don't know if—"
"Me too," she jumped to the conclusion even after cutting me off. "I want to marry Mikey," she confessed. "I'm in way over my head, Jory."
I put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed gently.
"Well, I think he'd be lucky to have you," I said supportively, realizing that I meant it. This was a really nice girl. I hoped that Michael was healthy enough to realize what he had.
Beverly Stiles was just a little shorter than me, so just under five-nine, with shoulder-length brown hair and big cornflower-blue eyes. She did her makeup with the heavy black eyeliner on top that made your eyes look like a cat's.
&
nbsp; The lipstick was pale and lined dark, and she had an amazing tan for the middle of winter. I was thinking at least two trips a week to the tanning salon.
"And how long are you going to be around?"
"What?" My mind had been drifting.
"I asked you how long you were planning on staying around."
This was a very good question.
"I hope for a long time, 'cause I need you."
"Me too," Sam said quickly, his voice deep as he walked up beside me.
"Hey." I smiled up at him. "Say hello to Beverly."
"Hi there." He smiled at her, his hand slipping around the back of my neck. "Hope you're not put off by the volume in here today."
She was stunned, you could tell. Like a lot of people, she had thought she'd seen Sam and knew what he looked like.
"No," she gulped, and I saw her pale, looking at him.
"It's good to see you again," he said honestly, moving his hand to massage the back of my head, his fingers buried in my hair. "My brother looks really happy."
She nodded, and I watched her melt under his warm eyes, his gentle voice, and trace of a smile. She wondered, like everyone else, how in the hell he hadn't commanded more of her attention before. Had he always looked like that? Was she so blinded by Michael that she had missed his gorgeous brother?
"I've never seen you look better," she told him sincerely.
Automatic smile in response instead of the cold, disapproving look I knew she was used to. "Thanks. You want something to drink? I'll grab it for you."
"No." I put up my hand. "Let Beverly get it Your mom will like that."
"What?" Beverly asked anxiously, turning from Sam to me.
"I've watched Regina—she likes her boys to be served, not to do the serving." I told her. "Really, go in the kitchen and tell her you're there to get Michael a drink, and one for Sam as well."
"Oh, okay." She nodded, moving around me fast. "Thanks, Jory."
I watched her go as Sam stepped behind me and wrapped his arms loosely around my neck. He leaned down and kissed my ear as his father yelled for the prodigal son to come into the living room and watch football with him. Like I even did that.
I sighed heavily. "What's with him pushing my buttons tonight? He's never been like that before?"
"Ask me what he said every time I came over here," he whispered in my ear, giving me goose bumps.