by E. F. Mulder
“You’re in love?” Mrs. Winner asked.
“Yes. His name is Gideon and he’s amazing.”
“He thinks you’re amazing, too?”
Rudy looked over.
“Absolutely,” Gideon whispered.
“He says yes.”
“Then I’m thrilled, because I certainly agree. “
“Mom…”
“You thought I’d have a different reaction?”
“Well…” Rudy shifted where he sat. “You know…Dad…”
“I’m sorry if you think I feel like him. I should have spoken up more.”
“Maybe I should have,” Rudy said softly.
“When can I meet your Gideon?” Mrs. Winner’s smile was as enchanting as Rudy’s.
“My Gideon.” Rudy looked back again. “Come here. This is him.”
“Hello, Gideon,” Mrs. Winner said.
“Hello, Mrs.—.”
“April. I’m April. When can we meet in person?” she asked.
“Christmas?” Rudy proposed.
“We would love to have you.”
Rudy was smiling and crying. So was his mom. Gideon pictured a rainbow over them, like when the sun shone, and it rained at the same time.
“He’s precious,” April said. “So handsome. I can’t wait to give you both a big hug.” Her every word seemed sincere.
“What about Dad?”
“Well…” She wasn’t a bullshitter, either. “I don’t know, but your visits have been far too infrequent, and if this is why, we’re done with it now. Should I speak to him?”
“I…I think I should,” Rudy said.
“Okay. I love you, Root Beer.”
Gideon bit his tongue to keep from laughing.
“I love you, too, Mom. Thank you.”
“This isn’t a thank you moment. I haven’t done anything special. I love my children, all of them. I want them to be happy, and now that you are…”
“Happier than I’ve ever been in my life.”
“Then I’m happy, too. See you for Christmas.”
* * * *
The first thing Gideon saw when he awoke December 25th was the tree he and Rudy had somehow crammed into the apartment over the bar—a six-footer—that they’d decorated together. They’d decked the halls at Rudy’s as well.
“I haven’t done this in years,” he’d said. “It might not look as perfect as when the professionals do it, but it’s way more special.”
The stocking Gideon made was first hung back at the apartment, on the curtain rod along with the others.
“You made this?”
“I did,” Gideon had said when he’d presented it. “See all the squiggly white lines in the red…the painted ones?”
“I do.”
“They’re not just lines.” From a distance it looked like modern art, a random pattern of very thin scrolls. “Look closely.”
Rudy did. “I see it…music notes…and dollar signs…”
“Because of your business prowess.”
“Prowess…now there’s a word. I see the racecar and shoes! I see shoes.”
“Yup. The ones that brought us together.”
They’d left the bedroom door open in order to see all the Christmas first thing upon waking.
“Do you think Santa will be able to fill them without us hearing?” Gideon had asked.
“We’re both very sound sleepers, now that we have one another to spoon with.”
After a good morning kiss, “Merry Christmas,” Gideon said. He had slept soundly. He always did in Rudy’s arms.
“Merry Christmas to you. I got us something.” Rudy shot out of bed, like he was five, and headed for the living room. Watching him bolt across the apartment naked with morning wood was a gift within itself. “I should say Santa did,” Rudy called back with a shiver.
It was a little chilly.
“Here.” He handed over a fancy envelope with a red and green ribbon as he crawled back in beside Gideon. “Open it.”
Gideon tore at the flap. “Oh.” Whatever it was, Rudy had wrapped it in the angel paper Gideon loved so much before he put it inside the envelope.
“It’s for both of us. I know you said no extravagant gifts, but this is our future. Keep going.”
Gideon was intrigued. He carefully undid the paper to find a deed for a piece of land.
“I’ve spent this year learning to delegate. I’ll be cutting back on travel in 2018. We need a house close to the bar. We’ll design it and build it together…and pay for it together with the extra income from Mr. Kobyashi. It will be ours from the start.”
“Take a breath.”
“I don’t want to give you a chance to say no,” Rudy said.
“I’m not going to say no, Rudy.” What Gideon wanted to do was kiss him. “You’ve given me the best gifts…last year and this one. I can’t ever match that.”
“You don’t get it…what you’ve given me. God! Gideon…This…this is the best gift. Us…having my brother back…and my mom. I don’t even care where I sleep with you as long as I get to. We don’t need to build a new house.”
“You could live here?” Gideon asked, practically daring Rudy to say yes. “Full time?”
“I could fuck you in every room every night for the rest of my life and never complain.”
“I doubt that, but thank you.” They shared another kiss. “The first thing we’ll need in our new house is space by the front door for the shoe mat.” Gideon could see that from the bed as well.
“You got it. What else?”
“A full-size aquarium for Priscilla.” When Gideon pulled back the covers and got out of bed, he took a moment to admire Rudy’s naked body some more, bedhead to hairy toes. The urge to kiss Rudy was overwhelming, so he went back, and did. “If I’m moving into a larger home, so should she.”
“Of course. And room for your shelf of shoes.”
“Meh. I don’t think I need that anymore…as long as we bring yours.”
Rudy chuckled. “Let’s go tell your family.” He got out of bed again, and walked past Gideon. Though tempted to stop Rudy, Gideon knew he’d enjoy the view of his lover’s furry ass if he followed instead. “There’s something I want to ask them.”
“Oh?” Gideon wrapped his arms around Rudy from behind.
“It’s a secret.”
“Fine.” Was the long, passionate mouthing Gideon offered upon Rudy’s neck surrender or a bribe? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t get any more information, but still, it was worth it. “Here.” He handed Rudy a small, wrapped box from under the tree as they stopped in front of it on the way to the bathroom.
Rudy shook it. “Paper?”
“You’ll see.”
The little box was torn open in a second, shredded wrapping flung here and there. “Sweet!”
“You know Andrew, the guy with the wild, white hair that looks like Albert Einstein?”
“Yeah.”
“He owns a shop. You don’t have to get the racecar. The coupon is good for any tattoo.”
“Maybe I’ll get all of them—all the original pieces.”
“Hmm. Start with one, and see what happens.”
“Are you doubting my bravery?”
“Never.”
“Does it hurt?” Rudy winced.
“A little.”
“Will Andrew make it hurt even more?”
Gideon chuckled. “I’ll be there to hold your hand. Maybe I’ll get a couple more—and something pierced.”
“Hot.”
“Right there.” Gideon’s slap left a handprint on Rudy’s ass. “That’s where your racecar should go.” He knew Rudy had to be hurting a little, even if the man was putting on a brave face, as their original Christmas plans had somewhat changed.
“Anywhere you want. Now, let’s head up to the roof.” Rudy tugged on Gideon’s arm.
“Wait.” He seemed pretty happy, though, despite what had happened. Christmas could do that sometimes, still, Gideon worried. “We ca
n sunbathe naked up there, but if you want to talk to the angels, you have to put on pants.”
“Oh yeah.”
With Rudy lying out flat on the rooftop, his head down low on Gideon’s thighs, Gideon revealed the gift he’d brought for his family. “It’s finally finished, I think. I hope you like it.”
He strummed an intro, then started to sing, as Rudy tapped the air with his toe on beat.
“My smallest pair hung from the mirror in your car.
“I don’t remember my first steps, or where the hell they are.
“Strolling beside you, looking up into your eyes.
“The three of us behind you, every one of your steps makes two of theirs and mine.
“Puddle jumping, a little fool. ‘Your feet will be wet all through school.’
“I didn’t care. As long as you were there…to walk with me, I could go anywhere.
“My favorite shoes were way too big, I barely kept them on.
“Just across the living room, I tumbled twice. ‘I need those, son.’
“I gave them up, I may have cried.
“I couldn’t stop. ‘I’m fine,’ I lied.
“As long as you were there…to walk with me, I could go anywhere.
“Running track, the marching band, no one was there to cheer.
“Beat up sneakers, shiny black ones, I never could find either pair.
“Boots on the ground fought side by side.
“At just nineteen, my buddy died.
“As long as he was there…to walk beside me, I could go anywhere.
“They say that angels don’t wear shoes, but I believe they do.
“I’ve heard his footsteps in the hall. I felt him kick me, too.
“‘Get up and run, you son of a bitch. I’ll help you if I can.’
“‘You’re not a boy in too big shoes, you’re one among the men.’
“Down the aisle to say ‘I do,’ then running to the car.
“Our honeymoon, barefoot in sand, how in love we are.
“Sneakers squeak on the shiny floors as we race to see you born.
“We barely even found our shoes, babies come so early in the morn.
“As long as you are there…to walk with me I can go anywhere.
“Christmas day, the sound of slippers padding down the stairs.
“We’ve made our little family, seven brand new pairs.
“Two dads, some kids, a golden fish.”
“That’s you, Prissy,” Rudy said, making Gideon smile.
“A dog, a cat my every wish.
“Put your little hand in mine.
“On sidewalks we make wobbly lines.
“As long as you are there…to walk with me I can go anywhere.
“They say that angels don’t wear shoes, but I believe they would.
“Here on Earth, from up above, beside me, yes, you stood.
“My brother, sister, Mom and Dad, with every step, you’re there.
“My husband and my little ones, through sadness, joy, and fear,
“As long as you are there…to walk with me I can go anywhere.”
“It’s beautiful.” Rudy had tears in his eyes. “I bet you could get it published, now that your foot’s in the door. Maybe you can even record it yourself. This time next year—”
Gideon kissed Rudy’s cheek. “Shh. I think right now, it’s just for us…and for them.” Gideon listened.
“They like it,” Rudy said.
“Yeah?”
“Definitely. I can hear them now, too, I swear. Can you…leave us alone a minute, maybe?”
Gideon kissed Rudy’s cheek. “Of course.” Gideon walked Rudy back to the safety of the bricks, then kissed him once more. “I’m glad you’re getting to know them.”
* * * *
As dusk began to fall later that evening, the holiday festivities back at the house were in full swing. “You were right, Sweetie,” Rudy said, sitting beside Gideon on the piano bench. “Today turned out to be awesome. This is what Christmas should sound like.”
“Good.” Gideon got up.
Rudy managed to keep the smile on his face most of the time, but once in a while, when he thought no one was looking, he let it slip away.
“Oops. Sorry.” The house was so full Gideon wasn’t even sure who he’d bumped into.
“Rudolph sucks.” Dissonant chords that were supposed to be “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” nearly drowned out the critique.
“Shh. He’s trying.” Gideon brushed Eileen’s arm. “I’ve only been teaching him a couple of months.”
“We’re really playing Monopoly after we eat?” Denise asked.
“Yes. We have to. And thank you again for coming.”
“Prime rib and a heated pool…I was going to miss that?”
“It’s more than that, and you know it. You like him.”
“Yeah, well…” Denise took another swig of eggnog in lieu of an answer.
The gang from the bar filled the house with laughter and music. The invitation was last minute, for sure, but just as Gideon figured, most of them were happy to spend the day together.
“I realized about this time last year that all of you had become like family to me since I started at the bar. And Rudy…he told me he felt like the doll in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, abandoned and unlovable. The rest of you misfits changed that. Thank you for being there for him, teasing him and loving him, too, sometimes.”
Dot stroked Gideon’s cheek. “We love you. And he’s kind of grown on us. If his family doesn’t want him…”
“Hey. I never thought I’d have a relative with moolah,” Jacob said. “Where’s he been all my life?”
Rudy’s father had rescinded the invitation to Utah. Rudy was supposedly welcome. Gideon was not. “No way am I going without you,” Rudy had pledged, so he and Gideon had made Christmas at the house.
Rex arrived just in time for pumpkin pie, complaining about having to spend time with actual relatives. He came with Tina, who quickly found herself challenging Rudy for the Monopoly crown. Gideon, conversely, was almost broke. He rolled a nine and landed on Chance. “I hope this is money.” When he picked up the orange card, he gasped.
Marry me, Gideon, and make me the happiest man on Earth.
Dead silence fell for the first time in hours, as Rudy got down on one knee. “The angels told me the time was right.”
“They did?”
“Yes.” The hinge on the ring box made a “pop” when Rudy opened it.
“I heard them whispering,” Gideon said. He looked at the ring—silver, maybe platinum—with a Monopoly boot so authentic, it could have come from the actual game.
“You like it?”
“I love it. How did you make sure I would get this?” Gideon asked, holding up the card.
“They all say it,” Rudy admitted.
“We conspired earlier,” Andrew stated. “Quite the actors we all are, huh?”
“I guess.”
“This guy’s alright.” Michelle gave Rudy a not so gentle nudge from her seat right beside him.
“You have our blessing,” Stefan added.
“He didn’t say yes yet,” Tina reminded them all.
“No. You didn’t.” Rudy took Gideon’s hand. “Will you be with me for every Christmas to come?”
“Yes, Rudy. Of course. Yes!”
It was another day by the time the party broke up. Everyone was gone except Dot.
“Thank you for coming.” Gideon hugged her.
“Keep in touch about that baby thing. I was serious. When you’re ready…”
“I think soon,” Rudy said.
“Seriously?”
Gideon nodded.
“We’ll have to talk through all the legalities and medical stuff.” Rudy went full-on businessman. “But—”
Dot ran to him and shoved him back against the door. “I can’t wait to see you two with a baby in your arms.”
Rudy squirmed. “It almost feels like we’re about to
make it happen the old-fashioned way.”
“Oh. Sorry.” Dot smoothed out her dress. “Congratulations.” Then she made a hasty exit.
“You okay?” Gideon asked.
Rudy answered by grabbing Gideon and planting a kiss on his mouth. “She just scared me a little.”
Gideon loved the fact Rudy was trying to make him laugh, even though he was the one in need of cheering up.
“It was a perfect day…a perfect gift, Gideon…a loud, rowdy, wild, cutthroat family for Christmas.”
With everyone gone, it had to be hitting him, the realization about who had never come.
“I was going to propose to you at my parents’…maybe somewhere with just the two of us. At least two people would have been happy…I think.”
Gideon wondered why they hadn’t at least gotten a call from Dash or Rudy’s mom. “Hey, so tomorrow is Mismatch Day. Can we play?” he asked. “I’d love to do it with our kids.”
“Sure.”
“Our kids…” Gideon stopped on his way to the kitchen. “What theme should we go with for names? Your sister did Sonny and Raine…”
“Had she not stopped at two, there might have been a Storm and a…Partly Cloudy.”
Gideon almost spit out the bite of pig in a blanket he’d taken. “Colors, maybe? Red…Blue…or planets…Neptune and Mars, and for the twins, Saturn and Jupiter.”
“I wouldn’t do that to the twins.”
“We’ll come up with something.”
“We will. You know what?” Rudy started picking up plates and glasses around the room. “We should have told everyone that was here tonight to show up at the bar tomorrow in their funky fashion finest. Get them all in on Mismatch Day. Brett could judge the worst.”
“We’ll call them in the morning…maybe early afternoon.”
“Sounds good.”
“I don’t know what I have back at the apartment, but I’ll come up with something.”
“Everything I have is yours,” Rudy declared, offering Gideon a kiss.
Rudy’s love, that was enough, even if it wouldn’t win him the Mismatch trophy.
“My closet is at your disposal…my shoe rack, my sock drawer.” Rudy’s brows went up and down.
“Like I haven’t already done nasty, filthy things with most everything in there.” They kissed several times, then once more in bed, much bolder. Gideon started down Rudy’s chest, all the way to the thick, blond fluff he loved so much at the top of Rudy’s dick. He didn’t pause there long. Though he’d definitely come back to it. Burrowing head first under the covers, he made Rudy laugh as he ended up at his feet at the bottom of the bed. Rudy grabbed one of Gideon’s, since it was up near his head. He tickled it. “See how that feels?” Then he gently bit the toe.