by Max Vos
Leanne stood up, her hands on the hips of her too tight jeans.
The scene from last Christmas flashed in J.J.’s mind as if it were happening all over again…
They had all been standing in front of the church for early morning mass, ready to go in, when Adam stopped them all.
“I have a little announcement to make.” He took J.J.’s hand in his. “I’ve asked J.J. here to marry me and this morning he agreed.”
The stunned look on everyone's face was almost comical, all except Maggie’s, of course, she already knew.
Luke looked towards his mother, who was grinning, regarding Adam proudly. “Well, I’ll be damned, little bro. You sure work fast.”
“I fell in love with J.J. when I first laid eyes on him over two years ago. You know that. I just had to convince him.”
“What I mean, Adam…” Luke embraced his youngest brother and then kissed him on the lips. J.J. was still trying to get used to that. “Congratulations.” He then grabbed J.J. and hugged him close, squeezing the air out of his lungs. “Sorry, dude, but I’m not kissing you. Only dudes I kiss are these two knuckle-heads, and my kids.”
“’S…okay,” J.J. wheezed.
J.J. was spun around only be embraced by the other Sutton man, Matt. “Welcome to the family, J.J.”
Once again, J.J. found himself enveloped into a massive bear hug, air whooshing from his lungs which had only refilled. Frankly, he was feeling a bit dizzy from lack of oxygen.
Finally, when he stood on his own again, Maggie stepped up and hugged him. Like she'd done a few days earlier, she whispered into his ear, “Welcome to the family, Son. I am so happy for you both.”
“Dad?” Luke’s eldest son was tugging on his coat sleeve. “Can two guys really get married?”
Maggie answered the question. “They can now, Andrew.”
“Cool. I want to marry Buddy, my best friend, then. Girls are icky.”
“We’ll see what you think in a few years there, Son,” Luke said, chuckling, as was the rest of the small group.
J.J. could see over Maggie’s shoulder the small crowd that had gathered to watch them, smiles on their faces. Then he saw Leanne, Matt’s fiancée. Her face was contorted in a way he couldn’t read. What he saw wasn’t good, however.
“I… I cannot believe you people.” Leanne’s voice was shrill in the crisp morning air. “We are standing in front of the house of the Lord, and you are… condoning this abomination. The bible clearly states that this… this—” she waved her gloved hand at Adam and J.J. “This contemptible union is a sin. In Leviticus it even says they should be put to death!” Her sentence ended in a high pitched shriek.
Everyone stood there, their mouths hanging open. No one responded initially. It was Matt who spoke first. “Are you saying that my brother should be put to death?”
Leanne spun around to face her soon to be husband. “If he lies with that man as he would a woman, then yes. They should both be put to death and condemned to hell for all eternity.” She turned slightly, looking at the rest of the stunned family. “It was bad enough having that faggot around, but this—this is just too much,” she said directly at J.J. “But I can’t, and won’t just stand by and not say anything. It is wrong.” She took a small step forward, towards Luke. “And you—you should especially be ashamed, letting your children, innocent children, think that this kind of behavior is acceptable.”
J.J. could see the other parishioners who had been smiling only a few moments before averting their eyes and moving away. He could feel the blood draining from his face. This was a nightmare. It couldn’t be real.
“I think that is quite enough, Leanne,” Maggie said stiffly. “Only God has the right to judge. As a Christian, it is my duty to love everyone and that includes all of his children.”
“I can’t believe you honestly think that I, or anyone else, should kill my brother.” Matt was clearly shocked.
“Matt, I can’t see how you can even begin to think this is okay.” Leanne put both of her gloved hands on Matt’s arm. “We should at the very least cast them out. Not let them be around good, decent people like us.”
Matt shook her hands off him. “I don’t think I even know you. You’ve never said anything before.”
“That’s because…” She took a deep breath. “Because Adam wasn’t acting on his sickness. He was abstaining, or at least I thought so. But now? I can’t just sit by and witness this. It's wrong.”
Matt took a step back from Leanne.
“Oh, baby, surely you can see this,” she pleaded, stepping towards him as he took another step back, away from her.
“If you think for a split second that I would turn my back on my brother, or any of my family, then you are wrong, Leanne. That is something that will never happen.” Matt’s voice was low, his anger obvious. “I think it's best if you leave.”
“But baby—”
“Leave, Leanne.”
J.J. could hear the organ inside the church starting the processional. Only the Sutton family was still outside, thank goodness.
“How will I get home? I rode with you.” Leanne looked startled when she realized Matt was serious. “At least drive me home. We can talk about this.”
“There's nothing for us to talk about. Frankly, I don’t even want to be near you.” Matt’s hands shoved deep in his pockets. “Call yourself a cab. We’re through.”
“But, baby—”
“Leave. Now, Leanne!” Matt yelled at her. “I never want to see or hear from you again. Got it? While we’re at it, give me that ring back. I sure don’t want you getting any ideas that this is something you’re gonna weasel your way out of. We are done.”
J.J. watched as Andrea pushed her children towards the red doors of the church, craning their necks to watch the commotion behind them. He turned his own head back towards Matt and Leanne, and watched Leanne pull the glove from her hand, tears streaming down her face.
“Fine. Just fine.” Leanne pulled the fairly large diamond ring from her finger then flung it at Matt. “Here’s your stupid ring. I don’t want to be part of this family, anyway, if you’re gonna have a bunch of queers in it.”
J.J. wanted to run. The only thing he could think of doing was escaping. That choice was taken away when Adam put his arm around J.J.'s waist, pulling him close. J.J. glanced up, seeing the hurt and sadness in the eyes of the man he loved.
The sound of the sharp slap pulled him back to the present, that day a year ago gone in a flash. Leanne held her hand to her cheek, and Maggie stood face to face with her.
“You will not stand in my house and disrespect me or my family. You claim to be such a Christian, but you have no clue to the true meaning of the word.” Maggie was only inches from the startled Leanne.
J.J. had never seen Maggie truly angry before, and even he was a bit scared of her in that moment.
“It is people like you, people who spout off hate, that give the rest of us a bad name. I will pray for you, Leanne, and hope that one day you will see the light of what it means to be a true Christian of faith, to understand the teachings of Jesus.” Maggie pulled down on her red Christmas sweater, adjusting it. “Now, I think you just need to leave, and please, don’t come back. I wish you the best, but I have no desire to see you again.”
Leanne had tears running down her cheeks, leaving white trails where her makeup had washed away. “But, Mom, you’ve known me since I was a little girl. Surely, you can’t mean that?”
“Yes, Leanne, I do.” Maggie sighed heavily. “Your mother was one of my closest friends, and I am glad she isn’t here to see what a hateful, judgmental bitch you’ve turned out to be.”
It wasn’t only Leanne who gasped, but Andrea and all three of her children as well. J.J. had never heard Maggie swear and had witnessed, on more than one occasion, her disciplining her grown sons when they'd slipped up in front of her, using profanity.
Leanne burst into sobs and ran from the house, leaving the front door open. Luke
and Matt stood there looking at their mother and then at each other.
“Would one of you please close the front door? There’s no sense in trying to heat the whole neighborhood, ya know.” Maggie sat down, placing the white napkin with an embroidered holly leaf and berry in the corner, matching the tablecloth, back onto her lap.
Luke snapped out of the trance he’d been in, walked to the door, and closed it. Matt was still standing, his head bowed.
“Man, she’s just nuts,” Andrew said, looking at his mother.
“It’s not nice to call people names,” Andrea gently scolded.
“Oh, I think he’s right on that one,” Maggie said, snickering.
It wasn’t long before the rest of them were laughing again.
* * * * *
“Everyone bundle up now. It’s getting cold out.” Maggie fussed over her three grandsons.
“You okay, babe?” Adam asked J.J., who had remained quiet ever since the Leanne spectacle.
“Yeah, sure,” he answered without looking at his husband. If he had, Adam would have known he was lying. In actuality, he was furious that he had allowed Leanne's bigotry and hate to rattle his cage. It had been bad enough last year. How dare she hurt these wonderful people again? He especially felt sorry for Matt.
J.J. had bonded quickly with the family but had become exceptionally close with Maggie, and her protectiveness of her children had rubbed off on him. If any Sutton was attacked, it was like an attack on him, as well. One look at the matriarch and he knew she was also unsettled, if not outright mad.
“Why do we have to go out into the cold?” Luke and Andrea’s youngest asked.
“Don’t you want to go see the big Christmas tree and hear the carols?” Maggie asked the young boy. “We’ll have hot chocolate, too.”
“Okay. If there’s hot chocolate that will be all right, I guess.”
The adults snickered at the innocence of the little boy.
J.J. heard Matt mutter behind him, “Might need something a little stronger than just hot chocolate.”
“Got ya covered, little brother,” Adam said in a low voice, trying to be discreet.
Maggie looked at her three sons who were clumped together. She shook her head and gave a slight eye roll. “I would ask when you three are going to grow up, if I didn’t know the answer was never.”
Andrea and J.J. couldn’t help but bust out laughing as all three grown men frowned.
It was a short walk to the town square, where there was a roundabout. Each year an enormous Christmas tree was erected in the center and decorated. Maggie explained that many years ago it had become a tradition that, around dusk, families would come out to watch the final lighting of the tree and sing carols. It had become part of their family’s tradition, as well. She had even shown J.J. pictures of when Luke, Matt, and Adam were little, having the time of their lives, playing with the other kids, and drinking either hot apple cider or hot chocolate.
“Looks like a bigger crowd than usual,” Adam noted as they made their way to the side with the playground, so his nephews could play with the other kids.
“Who wants cider or hot chocolate?” Luke asked.
There were several food trucks serving hot beverages and snacks, including funnel cakes. The smell of chocolate, cotton candy and sugar permeated the air. The cold made everyone’s breath visible as they spoke and laughed with family, friends and neighbors. The sound of children playing at the playground was a constant din of noise over the carols that were playing from speakers surrounding the massive Christmas tree.
“I’ll go keep an eye on the boys,” Matt volunteered, chasing after them.
“Oh, there’s Caroline. I need to ask her if we are going to be doing the crochet group this week. I’ll be right back.” Maggie hurried off to catch her friend.
Adam found Andrea a seat on a nearby bench, which she readily accepted.
“I feel as big as a house. I wish this girl would come already,” Andrea said, sighing heavily. “It feels like I should have a sign on my ass saying, ‘Wide Load’.”
“She’s just like every other female I know,” Adam snarked, “late as usual.”
Andrea kicked him in the shin with her already extended foot.
“Ow!”
“You so deserved that.” J.J. snickered at his husband.
“So, when are you two going to start?”
“Start what?” J.J. asked.
“A family, silly.” Andrea fished around in her purse, pulling out a tissue. “Trust me, it is much easier when you’re younger.”
“Uhhh… Andrea, I hate to tell you, but it doesn’t exactly work the same for us as it does for you and Luke.”
“Not for lack of trying,” Adam tossed out, being his typical smart-ass self.
Andrea rolled her eyes at the couple. “Duh-uh. I know that. But there is adoption and surrogates, ya know?”
J.J. and Adam looked at each other before J.J. spoke. “We’ve not really talked about it. We kinda mentioned it a few times, but that would take some careful planning. Personally, I am leaning more towards older kids, who have been abandoned or abused by their own parents.” J.J. looked towards the ground, shuffling his feet. “You know, kinda like I was.”
The very pregnant Andrea leaned forward, no easy feat, to take J.J.’s hand. “You have such a big heart, J.J., and a lot of love to give.”
Adam reached over, pulling J.J. close. “That he does.”
J.J. looked up just in time to see Grace Griffin, another teacher at the high school where Adam and J.J. worked. The look on her face spoke volumes. The shape of her mouth looked as if she’d just sucked a big ol’ lemon.
“Uh-oh.” J.J. stepped out of Adam’s side embrace.
“What—” Adam saw instantly. His face fell.
“What’s the matter?” Andrea asked, trying to turn to see what was going on.
“Oh, that old battle-ax from school, Grace Griffin. She’s been giving us the evil eye ever since it came out that J.J. and I were married,” Adam explained.
“She and some of her other cronies have even taken to eating lunch in the teachers’ lounge, except on the days where they're on duty as lunchroom monitors,” J.J. added.
“Pfft. I wouldn’t be concerned about her.” Andrea settled back against the back of the bench. “I wish people would just mind their own business and quit worrying about what others do in their bedrooms.”
“Ewww…” J.J. said, wrinkling up his nose. “That was a visual I didn’t need. Just thinking about what Grace and her husband do in—”
“Yeah. Ewww,” Adam commented, with a look of disgust.
Andrea started laughing so hard she started to choke. Suddenly, she stopped, an expression of surprise on her face. “Oh, hell.”
“What? What’s the matter?” J.J. asked.
“My water just broke.”
“Oh shit!” J.J. yelped.
Adam looked around. “There are some paramedics. I’ll go get ’em.” He rushed off towards the pair in uniform.
“What should I do?” J.J. asked, alarmed.
“First off, calm down. This isn’t my first time, J.J.” Andrea leaned back, stretching her legs out in front of her. “Go get Luke for me.”
“But what—”
“I’ll be fine. Just go get him.”
“’Kay.” J.J. looked around, almost in a panic, searching over the heads of the crowd. He finally saw Luke at one of the food trucks. He was fairly easy to find seeing as he stood taller than most. As soon as J.J. knew for sure it was him, he made a bee-line for him.
Adam returned with one of the paramedics just as J.J. returned with Luke.
“Ma’am, are you going into labor?” the young female paramedic asked, kneeling down beside Andrea.
“Yes. My water broke and I’ve had one contraction.”
“My name’s Julie. I think we might want to get you to the hospital.”
“I think you may be right.” Andrea struggled to sit up. Luke held
out his hand to assist his wife, grinning broadly.
“I have a feeling this girl is going to be a lot like her mother—impatient,” Luke stated before kissing the top of his wife’s head. “Come on sugar, let’s get you to the hospital before you have this baby right here in front of God an’ Country.
Andrea snickered, cutting a side-way glance at Luke. “I think you may be right. She’s not going to wait.”
The male paramedic lowered the gurney as Julie helped Andrea sit on the paper covered trolley. A crowd of onlookers had gathered, most smiling. Maggie emerged, breaking through the front line of gawkers.
“Oh, my,” she commented. “Looks as if we have another Christmas gift yet to come.”
Andrea smiled at Maggie. “Mom, would you mind looking after the boys for a bit? I think Luke and I might be a busy for a little while.”
Maggie laughed heartily. “Of course, dear. I’ll let them tire themselves out here first, then Matt and I will round them up and take them home.” J.J. watched on as Maggie looked at the soon-to-be father again, and beamed. “Keep us up-to-date, Luke.”
“Will do, Ma.” Luke quickly kissed his mother on the cheek and followed his wife and the paramedics to the waiting ambulance.
“Now what?” J.J. asked, looking at Adam.
“Now we wait. We can go to Ma’s and have more pie.”
“You’re gonna get fat.”
“Naw. I know how to work it all off.” Adam leered at his husband. “I know the perfect way to burn all these extra calories.”
“You’re just a horn dog, you know that?”
“You complaining?”
“I plead the fifth.” J.J. snickered.
* * * * *
The phone was ringing as they all made their way into the house, Matt carrying the youngest Sutton, asleep in his arms.
“Hello?” Maggie answered, still in her coat. “That’s wonderful news.” She turned to the others standing in the hall, waiting. “Eight pounds, six ounces—” she repeated. “Eighteen inches long? Big girl—Lots of curly black hair. How nice. Yes, Son, I will be there first thing in the morning. Goodbye, give my love to Andrea.”