Christmas According to Liam
Page 5
“Yeah, I bet it did, buddy. It scared me, too, but it wasn’t real, it was a movie. The boys are actors. They’re all fine. One grew up a little and served on the Enterprise.”
“What’s inner pies?”
And with that question, and the guy behind me laying on his horn, we took off again, recording our talk about Star Trek and all things Will Wheaton. Our errands took well over an hour, so we stopped at a tiny coffee shop for two cups of cocoa to kill time. Liam was on the cusp of over-stimulation and so, in retrospect, perhaps hot chocolate wasn’t the best choice. By the time we were cruising through Squirrel Hill, where my sister and Liam lived in my old house, the kid’s mouth was running nonstop. Releasing him from the car seat after we’d pulled up to a tidy little yellow house on the north side of the neighborhood was akin to throwing open the gates that released the Kraken.
The only good thing was that Peter seemed to be in the same whirling vortex mode, so the two kids made several laps around the house yelling to the heavens as I met Mrs. Rawlings, a petite thirty-something woman with big brown eyes and a warm smile.
“Welcome. I’m Mary and everyone in Squirrel Hill knows you. Please, Michael, come inside where it’s warm,” she said, after shaking my hand. The inside of the house was nice, nothing overly expensive, but quality furnishings and bright white walls with dark blue drapes that matched the threading on the sofa nicely. The two boys thundered through the house, the yelling now muted, and fell down in front of the TV to fire up a video game. “Let’s have some coffee while they play a game.”
“I’d love that, thanks.” I removed my coat and knit cap, shoved the cap into my coat pocket, and followed her into a smallish kitchen with shiny silver appliances and buttery yellow flooring. It gave the room a sunny glow, even though the sun outside was hidden behind snow clouds.
“I’m sorry for calling at the last minute, but Peter was insistent. My husband had a cow when he found out I rang Bryn Mettler’s house during his days off.” She gave me a guilty sort of smile as we settled at the island with mugs of French vanilla coffee. “He’s a big hockey fan; any sport really, as long as it’s a Pittsburgh team.”
“It was fine. Liam’s told us all about Peter and how he thinks that Thor is better than Captain America.”
Mary snickered. “Oh yes, Peter loves Thor. Did Liam mention that Peter is transgender?”
“He did, yes.”
“I’m so glad you accepted the invitation over. Peter…well, he’s been having trouble making friends since he announced that he wanted to be known as Peter and not Meghan. It’s been…” She paused to lean back and peek at the kids playing Lego Avengers. “It’s been a hard time for all of us. Peter’s paternal grandfather refuses to speak to us anymore, for giving into this ‘liberal pick your gender bullshit’.”
“I’m sorry for that.”
“Oh, well, Bruce and I knew it would hard for the older generations in our family. We never thought we’d see such phobic behavior from our neighbors and the other families at school. Peter made me call all the kids in his class for playdates. You were the only one who accepted.”
That news broke my heart. Even in a city as progressive as Pittsburgh, bigotry ran rife. I knew that firsthand.
“When Bryn and I got home from our honeymoon, we were stunned at the nasty notes and threats that awaited us on social media. Thankfully, the majority of the fans were happy for us, but there’s a small but vocal group that made sure their hatred was spewed all over our profiles.”
Mary sighed into her coffee. Peter and Liam laughed at something in the video game. I could hear Hulk smashing.
“It’s quite hard for transgender children. They’re shunned everywhere, bullied, called horrible names, and that’s all from adults. Is it any wonder that transgender teen suicide rates have skyrocketed? And that with homelessness among LGBT kids, trans children are up to forty percent more likely to be thrown out of their homes.”
“God, I didn’t realize the numbers were that high,” I whispered, peeking around Mary to watch the boys. Peter looked no different than half the other kids in Liam’s class. Short dark hair, apple cheeks, bright brown eyes, dressed in jeans and a Thor t-shirt. He was smiling and laughing, shouting in joy whenever Lego Loki fell to bits. It broke my heart to think on the rough road that lay ahead of Peter. At least he had loving, supportive parents.
“Oh yes, and it’s not gotten any better with the government now speaking out against trans people, barring them from the military and trying to legislate what bathroom a person…I am so sorry. I invite you over and then I dump all my worries on your shoulders. Please, let’s talk about something more uplifting. Tell me about your honeymoon. Where did you go?”
Seeing that she was upset with herself, although she had no reason to be, I let the heavy stuff go and we visited for over two hours. I’d found her to be a delightful woman who had taken up the battle for her son with a vigor that was to be admired. She and her husband, a postal worker who was back on the job, while she, a dental office worker, had two more days off, were vocal activists, it seemed.
Liam hated to leave, and got a little snippy about it when I called for him to come get his coat on. The pout lasted all the way home, and only lifted when Bryn arrived home around three with bags of food and a pack of NHL trading cards for Liam.
“How did the charity meeting go?” I asked, stealing a quick kiss, then taking the bags of food to the kitchen. Bryn followed me, then veered off to the coffee maker.
“It was fine. Things are looking good for the youth hockey summer program for next year,” he answered, reaching to lift a mug down from the cupboard. Mm, stretchy goalies. Yummy. I then began sliding the aluminum pans into the oven, which was set on low.
“Great. Those kids do love hockey. Have you ever thought of putting your name behind something for the LGBTQ youth community?”
He gazed over at me quickly as he poured some freshly brewed coffee into his favorite mug. It was one Liam had gotten for him that read “Best Uncle Ever” on the side.
“Does this have anything to do with your playdate with Peter?” He turned, leaned his ass against the counter, sipped his coffee, and stared at me over the steaming mug.
“Perhaps.” I closed the oven, padded over to stand beside him, and then relayed all the facts that I’d looked up since we’d been home about trans teens and homelessness. Bryn listened intently, focused on what I was saying, his head moving up and down, until I’d reached the end of my pitch. “There’s a real need for a trans teen shelter in this city. As the only out gay athlete in this city…”
“It falls to me to do what I can for the young ones in our community who are suffering. Yes, I agree. I’ll call the president of my charity and ask them to look into the details of such an undertaking.”
I wiggled in close and stole a kiss or twenty. “You’re such a good, good man. Oh, you need to change the security access on your phone.”
His eyebrows flew up his forehead just as the front door opened with a shout from my sister. Liam screamed in joy. Bryn and I hurried out into the living room. Kelly was hugging the stuffing out of her son, and Adam was just entering the condo, looking rather smiley.
“Welcome home,” I said as Liam was now running around with his new trading cards to show Adam the good ones. “How was the night at the ski lodge?”
“I wager not much skiing took place,” Bryn tossed out.
Adam blushed to the roots of his dark hair. Kelly ruffled her son’s hair, threw out a hip, and then settled her gaze on Bryn and I smirking like idiots at her.
“No, you’re right, not much skiing took place. But this happened.” She pulled off the thick purple mitten on her left hand to flash a diamond engagement ring at us. My mouth fell open. Kelly’s mimicked me, jaw slack, eyebrows at her hairline.
“Oh my god, you’re engaged!” I shouted before I burst into tears.
“We are!” Kelly shrieked, then joined me in crying.
Bryn and
Adam did not cry, they simply shook hands. There was a good ten minutes of solid bouncing, clapping, and squealing until I had myself under control.
“Have you set a date?” I asked after hugging Adam and welcoming him to the family. Liam hung off his mother, sensing something big was happening but not sure exactly as to what his role in this whole wedding thing would be.
“June. You should be done playing hockey by then, right, Bryn?” Kelly asked, cuddling up with her son even though she was still in her coat and wearing one purple mitten.
“Possibly so. Late June, for sure,” he replied. “It all depends on how well we do from here on out. But yes, late June will see me freed from hockey.”
“Excellent. We’d love for you to be one of the groomsmen for Adam, and big brother, will you give me away?”
Tears welled up, yet again. “Yes, oh baby girl, of course I will!” I gathered her and Liam close and squeezed them hard yet again.
“Are you giving mommy to the Goodwill?” Liam asked, and we all laughed.
“Only if she turns into a bridezilla.”
That got me a swat on the arm from my sister.
“Come, let’s sit down and eat. I’ll open a bottle of wine and we’ll celebrate this wonderful news, and the joy this Christmas has brought us.” I hurried over to kiss my man on the cheek, then peeled my sister out of her coat and nudged everyone into the kitchen.
“If we give mommy away to the Goodwill for being a bride gorilla, can I get a toy from the big toy bin?” Liam asked among the chaos of chit-chat and food being placed on the table.
Bride Gorilla was the title of my next blog post. It beat out Butt Honks by a narrow margin.
The End
Afterword
Look for “Love According to Liam” coming June 8, 2020
A note from the author…
If you enjoyed Christmas According to Liam, I’d be incredibly grateful if you could leave a review on a major retailer site, BookBub, Goodreads, or on your personal social media platforms.
Reviews are the reason someone else might decide to give this book a try!
Deepest thanks,
*squishy hugs*
V.L.
Meet V.L. Locey
USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey
Penning LGBT hockey romance that
skates into sinful pleasures.
V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee.
(Not necessarily in that order.)
She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and two Jersey steers.
When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.
vllocey.com
feralfemale@frontiernet.net
If you want to keep up with all the latest news about her upcoming M/M releases, sign up for her newsletter by visiting her website:
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Scott – Owatonna Eagles #2
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Colors of Love Series
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