Beards

by Serena J Bishop

  Gretchen put the tray down in the living room and moved to the foyer. “Hi.” She shook hands and smiled warmly at both Roni and Steven, but stared a little bit longer at Steven. “Do I know you?”

  Steven did the same double take and then smiled broadly. “You’re a DA. I was a witness of yours once. Probably like ten years ago in family court.”

  Gretchen’s lightly freckled face beamed. “That’s why you look so familiar. You and your partner had to testify for me during the Anderson trial. I’m sorry, but I forget your partner’s name.”

  “Gina DiCarlo—former partner. She’s a detective now and will be picking Stevie up later on.”

  “Small world, huh?” Gretchen said, hands on her small hips. “Well, let’s do a quick tour so you can be assured Stevie won’t have any poor influences. Then we can chat and eat. I’m starved.”

  To expedite the tour, Gretchen showed Steven the family area in the basement while Becky showed Roni Devin’s room and the ground floor. Within Roni’s tour, the only two items that had even remotely raised a brow was Devin’s obsession with Pokémon and a hallway that led to a closed interior door featuring a green tag on the doorknob that read, “Come in”. In addition, each side of the hallway was decorated with a combination of disturbing and uplifting monochromatic paintings.

  “I’m an art therapist. The sign on the office door is just so Devin won’t knock or try to come in during a conference call if he is home.” Becky watched Roni analyze a piece that had been painted in shades of blue.

  “I can see how that’d be a potential problem.” Roni gestured to the wall of paintings. “Who painted these?”

  “This is my work.”

  Roni nodded in appreciation. They were well done, at least as far as she could tell. “Does Devin paint?”

  “Yes, he does. Maybe that’s something Stevie would like to try out while he’s here?”

  “Therapy?”

  Becky chuckled lightly and adjusted her light summery poncho. “No, just the painting part.” She heard the unmistakable sound of remote controlled cars being started from upstairs and gently touched the back of Roni’s arm. “Sound like the boys found something to do. Let’s join Gretchen and Steven in the living room before they end up talking about work.”

  After a half hour of safe conversation regarding their feelings about their little boys starting school, how long they had lived in the community, and some comparisons with Roni’s elementary teaching experience, Steven and Roni said their goodbyes.

  “I know I’m going to miss batting practice,” Steven said as he buckled up. “But it was worth it for that cheese. Was that gouda?”

  “That’s your big question after that meet and greet? The cheese?”

  “Yeah,” he said with a shrug. “I’m guessing you have a different question.”

  “Well, yes. I have several. Like, how much will Stevie tell them? Will Stevie start asking questions? What will we say when he starts asking those questions?” Roni started to grow more agitated. “When will—”

  “Calm down,” he said in his gentlest tone even though there was a problem that needed to be addressed. “You have to go with the flow here. This is the best thing that could have ever happened to us. Stevie has a friend who also has a gay family. He needs this and you could tell that Gretchen and Becky were relieved to have parents like us come over and treat them just like regular people.”

  “Okay. I agree that this will be great for Stevie and I could hear in their voices how excited they were to have us over. I’m just worried. This is sooner in the timetable than I anticipated. I thought we had another few years before we’d get to this point.” She stared out the window and tried to imagine being openly gay like they were, but was quickly replaced by another curiosity, “I wonder what they thought of us?”

  ***

  Once their guests left, Becky turned to Gretchen, “Something’s off.”

  Gretchen’s pale blue eyes widened with alarm. “You said the cheese was fine a few days past expiration!”

  “No. Not that.” Becky gestured outside to Stevie’s parents, “Them.”

  “I thought they seemed fine. Actually, they’re a charming couple.” However, Gretchen did have to acknowledge her partner’s intuition. Becky had borderline creepy levels of the sixth sense. “What about them seemed off?”

  Becky replayed their meeting in her mind and snapped her fingers when she reached her conclusion. “Body language! Their body language was way off for a married couple. The way they sat together, the space between them.” Becky considered that and something else too. “He never checked you out. Did he check me out?”

  “Now, you’re getting weird.”

  “Mommy!” Devin appeared at the bottom of the stairs. “The cars ran out of juice.”

  Becky looked over her shoulder to Gretchen. “Baby, do we have any more batteries?”

  She bit her thin bottom lip sheepishly. “I kinda had to use that last few when you were at your conference.” For a fearsome attorney, she could morph into the features of a busted teen fairly quickly. “I was lonely.”

  Becky smirked knowingly and then brought her attention back to the boys. “Looks like we’re going to do some painting.”

  ***

  Gretchen, Becky, and Gina sat around the small breakfast table and sipped their drinks while they waited for Stevie’s shirt to finish in the dryer. The painting activity, while fun, splattered his Phillies tee.

  “I think it’s so wonderful that Stevie has so many people who care for him,” Becky commented.

  Gina smiled broadly. “I had no idea I could love somebody so much. I feel like I’m his mother too. Early and I have been there with him since the hour he was born.”

  “It shows how much you care for him,” Becky stated. “Gretch, did you hear Stevie when he talked about Gina?”

  “I did. It was really cute. ‘God gave me a dimple, just like GiGi, so I’d know how much she loves me.’”

  Gina smiled and reflected on the past six years. “It’s funny. For the longest time, I never saw myself as someone who could be good with children. Just the thought was terrifying, but as soon as I saw him bundled up at the hospital, I just knew I was going to love him more than I had ever loved anything or anybody else.” She chuckled to herself. “If I could go back in time and tell my former self that, she’d probably lock me up in a psych ward.”

  Gretchen nodded. “I understand that, believe me. When I found out Becky had Devin, I freaked out. I had no idea what to do.”

  Gina lowered her coffee cup. “Really? I assumed that...”

  “Gretchen and I decided as a couple?”

  “Well, yeah, but you don’t need to tell me any details. I’m sure you wouldn’t feel comfortable telling a stranger.”

  “I’m very comfortable. We believe that the only way we can truly be a happy and functional family is through complete honesty and not shy away from natural curiosities. So, to answer your question, about a year and a half before I met Gretchen, I went back home to California for a visit with old friends. And I came back with a very special souvenir.”

  “Oh,” Gina remarked, surprised by that level of sharing. They really were open people. “I’m guessing you’re not referring to a magnet of the Golden Gate.”

  Both Becky and Gretchen chuckled at the joke. “No, definitely not a magnet. And by the time Gretchen met him, Devin was well beyond the size to hang on a frig.”

  “And you fell in love right away?” Gina tried to add helpfully.

  “Are you kidding? He was six months old and terrified me. But luckily,” Gretchen squeezed Becky’s hand that was on her knee, “Becky was patient and understood my fear. Then as our relationship grew, so did my connection with Devin.”

  Becky then kissed Gretchen briefly on the lips. “We’re an affectionate couple.”

  “I think that’s great,” Gina replied honestly. In fact, she thought it was so great, she felt a pang of jealousy from it. “How did you two meet
?”

  “A fundraiser for a women’s shelter,” Becky answered.

  “I got into a bidding war over a piece of artwork with this harpy,” just thinking about the infuriating woman made Gretchen’s features even redder, “and I lost. But luckily the artist saw how much I liked it and offered to give me a print. That print is now framed and hung in the bedroom the artist and I share.” A high pitch buzz from across the kitchen stopped their heart-to-heart conversation.

  “Sounds like Stevie’s shirt’s done.” Gretchen pushed herself out of her seat and left the two women alone to finish the conversation she knew Becky wanted to have with Gina.

  The impromptu laundry session with Gretchen and Becky had been eye-opening in a way Gina had not anticipated. She cocked her head to the side and thought about the question she wanted to ask.

  Becky noticed her struggle and grinned into her tea. It appeared as though she wouldn’t be the one to start the dialogue. “Just ask, Gina.”

  “Okay. Feel free not to answer if this is too personal, but how much does Devin know?”

  “Mmm,” Becky muttered into her cup, she understood exactly what Gina was referring to. “He knows that Gretchen and I love each other and him very much. He knows that while he doesn’t have a father in the traditional sense, there was one required to make him. And, unfortunately, he knows that not everyone in society understands or accepts the type of family we have, but there are plenty of other people who can see past that.”

  “Is Devin’s father involved at all?”

  “No, and that’s how we prefer it.” Becky sat her teacup in its saucer and folded her hands carefully in her lap. “I didn’t know this at the time we ‘reconnected’, but he had just started dabbling with ecstasy and unfortunately went downhill from there. When Devin gets older, I’ll elaborate, but for now, he just knows that his father’s sick and wouldn’t be able to take care of him.” She waited for Gina to finish her coffee before asking the question that had been swirling around in her brain for the past few hours. “May I ask you something?” Gina nodded. “Please forgive me if this is too personal, but how much does Stevie know?”

  “He knows that his family and household are a little different than most. That there are people who will judge him because of his skin color and he knows that’s wrong.”

  Becky shook her head. “That’s not what I’m referring to. How much does Stevie really know, Gina?”

  With wise blue eyes focused on her every move, Gina was suddenly struck with the knowledge that Becky, through some means, was able to determine that Stevie’s family was more than meets the eye. “Oh. I...um—”

  “GiGi, look what I made,” Stevie interrupted and proudly held up the picture he painted. The sun was out and he was in the center holding hands with Roni on one side and Steven on the other. Also shown, was Gina holding Roni’s hand and Early was holding Steven’s. There were hearts above the true couples.

  Gina’s eyes shifted from the family portrait to Becky’s. She didn’t see judgment, just compassion. “Can I get back to you on that one?”

  “Take your time. If you ever want to talk about it let me know.”

  ***

  “How was the game?” Gina asked as she set the table for three. Steven and Early had their once a month date night.

  Roni came from behind Gina and encircled her waist. “It was good. I mean, we still lost, but it was very competitive and no one was seriously injured.”

  Gina turned her head to kiss Roni softly and then resumed her task. “Did you pick up some movies for tonight?”

  “I did, but I have a feeling Stevie will just want to watch Toy Story again. I got us something a bit more R-rated for when he goes to bed and a bottle of wine to go along with it. Do you need some help finishing the table?”

  “Nope. I’m almost done here, but you can get Stevie from his room.”

  “Easy enough.” Roni smiled and turned to see a surprising piece of artwork. She pointed at a tempura painting. “Did Stevie do that today at Devin’s house?”

  “He did,” Gina responded carefully, “and I know what you’re probably thinking—”

  “They’re going to find out!”

  “I think it’s safe to say that they figured it out already and I don’t think that’s bad. I think we can learn from Becky and Gretchen—see what it’s like to be completely out. Besides, Stevie knows we’re a different family without us having to tell him. He’s old enough to start knowing more. He’ll understand.”

  Roni thought about what Gina was saying, but couldn’t neatly summarize her feelings. “I need some time to process this.” She turned and left to get Stevie for dinner. When she returned with him, more collected than when she left the dining room. Gina had the lasagna along with the salad in the center of the table. “This looks wonderful. What do we say, Stevie?”

  Stevie pulled out his seat and climbed in. “Grazie, GiGi.”

  Gina smiled back as she took her spot. “Prego.” After saying grace she added a surprise for Stevie, “And there’s mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert.”

  Stevie’s smile was so huge Gina was able to clearly see his dimple. “This is the best day of my whole life!”

  Roni chuckled at her son’s enthusiasm and put some salad on his plate, which immediately made the dimple disappear. “I guess you had fun at Devin’s?”

  The little boy nodded vigorously. “We played cars and went outside and had snacks during Pokémon and made por-trates.”

  Roni caught Gina’s gaze and cleared her throat. “I saw that. It’s very nice how you included everyone.”

  “Devin says I’m lucky, because I get two daddies and two mommies. He doesn’t even have one daddy. I should share.”

  Gina didn’t know it was possible, but she felt her love for him grow even more. “Maybe Steven or Early could play with both you and Devin sometime? We can get the tee-ball set out in the backyard.”

  “That would be so much fun!”

  Roni knew that while this new situation was going to make it next to impossible for them to keep their secret, it was important for her son to have friends and for Devin to have healthy male role models. “Would you like to invite Devin over next weekend?”

  “Yes! Can we paint again too?”

  Gina was attuned to Roni’s anxiety at the idea. “I think that maybe that’s a special thing when you go to his house. We can do the sporty things here.”

  Stevie smiled and went back to finishing his salad. He knew that if his greens weren’t all gone, there would be no ice cream. As he focused on the flavor of the Italian dressing, and not the bitter crunch of the leafy mix, something Devin had said to him popped into his mind. “Mommy?”

  Roni swirled the cheese from the lasagna around her fork, “Yes, Stevie.”

  “What’s lesbian?”

  Roni fork stopped halfway to her mouth as Gina coughed on her water.

  Stevie noticed their startled reactions and whispered, “Is that a bad word?”

  “No,” Gina said quickly. “It’s not a bad word. You just surprised us with the question.”

  Roni cleared her throat. “Well, you see, Stevie, there’s an island in Greece called Les—”

  “Roni, for heaven’s sake.” Gina put down her fork, annoyed, and looked right at Stevie. “Lesbian means that a woman is attracted to another woman in a mushy kind of way.”

  “Like kissing?” he asked innocently.

  Gina nodded. “Yes. That can be part of it.”

  Roni remained silent, avoiding eye contact with Gina, and tried to will the conversation to be over.

  “Oh, I think I understand now.” He went back to eating his dinner.

  Roni exhaled a sigh of relief, feeling that the subject had been dropped.

  Stevie looked at Gina. “So, you and Mommy are lesbians?”

  ***

  “Oops, I did it again,” Early sang in tune as he danced to the freezer for ice in his mid-thigh, purple robe. “I played with your heart, g
ot lost in the game. Oh baby, ba— ahh!” A seated figure in the dark dining room caught him by surprise in his mid-dance spin. “Jesus Christ, woman! You scared the shit out of me.”

  “Sorry,” came Gina’s melancholy apology. She took another sip out of her glass tumbler.

  “Are you drinking by yourself in the dark?” He asked as he approached her apprehensively.

  “It would appear that I am.”

  “Where’s Roni?”

  Gina shrugged and then gestured with her chin towards the window. “All I know is that she ‘needed to get out of here,’ so she took off in her car when I put Stevie to bed.”

  Early pulled up a seat beside her, forgetting all about his short robe. “What happened?”

  The concern in his voice broke her. She felt her eyes start to burn and the back of her throat constrict. “At dinner, Stevie asked us if we were lesbians. I said ‘yes’ and Roni said ‘I don’t like to use that word’.”

  “Ooooh. Ouch.”

  “We let Stevie eat dinner in the living room while he watched TV so we could discuss it.” Her eyes shined with unshed tears. “She was so angry at me for answering without talking to her about it first. I told her that we knew this was inevitable and how we even discussed how we would answer these questions before he was born. Then, maybe I exaggerated a little bit and said something I shouldn’t have,” Gina admitted.

  “What did you say?” Early knew that while Gina was a very loving person, occasionally she could let her passions get the better of her.

  Gina sighed. “I told her that she was twisting a great opportunity for our family.” She watched Early cringe and then continued, “She said it wasn’t practical to be openly gay, mumbled something about work, and we couldn’t change how we lived based on a couple of strangers.” She took another drink, not even bothering to taste the woodsy peat of the Scotch on her palate any longer. “Then I told her she was a self-loather who refused herself and us happiness. She told me I didn’t understand how the world works and left the house.”