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by Dawn Kimberly Johnson

  Eli looked at him. “Alec, no one is angry with you.”

  “You seemed pretty angry the last time I saw you.”

  “I was mad at myself, not you, and I was… ashamed.” Eli continued to watch the elder Sumner breathe. Alec moved closer, but Eli started talking again. “I’m sorry I lied to you. I’m sorry I messed things up.”

  “Eli, you didn’t mess things up.” He took Eli in his arms, but Eli resisted, pushing against him to free himself.

  “I know you had Dray over—”

  “What?”

  “And that’s—”

  He silenced Eli with his mouth, kissing him long and hard, parting his lips with his tongue until Eli’s struggles weakened, and he clung to Alec, pressing the full length of his body against his.

  “Stop it!”

  They parted abruptly, their heads swimming. Eleanor Sumner stood in the doorway glaring at the two of them. Deb stood behind her, smiling like it was Christmas morning.

  “In the hall, now!” Eleanor hissed.

  Before following her, Alec glanced at Eli, but he nodded that he’d be okay, and Alec walked out.

  Deb smiled apologetically at Eli. “I’d better referee,” she whispered. “You have a seat. Read a magazine or something.” Eli nodded at her and smiled, and then she was gone.

  HE LOOKED at the elder Sumner lying there. The monitor beeped steadily, and his chest rose and fell smoothly. All seemed well. Eli sat down, opened a magazine, and waited. He was almost lost in an article when he heard raised voices in the hall. He looked at the door, but he couldn’t make out anything that was being said. However, he could imagine. The voices quieted, and he tried to find his place in the article again.

  “You… you mustn’t blame her,” Mr. Sumner whispered. Eli jumped, the magazine sliding to the floor at his feet.

  “Sir?”

  “Don’t blame her, please.” Eli didn’t say anything. He glanced at the door, thinking that perhaps he should summon someone. “It’s all right. I pretend to sleep when she’s here.” Eli grinned. He could understand that after only just meeting Mrs. Sumner. “Who are you?”

  “I’m… I’m Eli, sir. Eli Burke.”

  “Limey, huh?” he asked. Eli nodded. “You with Alec?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He sighed deeply and stared at the ceiling. “My wife… she likes things, her life, a certain way.” He looked back at Eli. “She tends to come undone when things don’t fit like she thinks they should—doesn’t know how to function.” Eli waited. “One day Alec—our boy, he just didn’t fit anymore.”

  “That must have been painful.”

  Levi nodded and closed his eyes. His expression twisted, and thinking he might be in pain, Eli stood. “Can I get someone? Do you need anything?”

  “Water.”

  Eli looked around the room and saw a water bottle with a straw on a cart against the wall. He went to it and brought it to Mr. Sumner. He held the straw to the man’s lips while he took a few tentative sips and sighed.

  “Good?”

  “Yes, thank you.” Eli returned to his seat, setting the bottle on the table next to him. Mr. Sumner was watching him. “How old are you, boy?”

  “Twenty-six, sir.”

  “What you need a cane for?” Eli opened his mouth to speak, but wasn’t sure how to begin. He closed his mouth. “Sorry,” Mr. Sumner said, turning away. “None of my business. Didn’t mean to embarrass you. Guess you might have been born that way.”

  “Actually, I was born just fine,” Eli said, the anger flaring in him. Sumner stared at him, waiting. “Almost three years ago I ran into a group of men who thought my partner and I probably shouldn’t exist.”

  Sumner was silent for a few moments, watching Eli’s face. “They hurt you?”

  Eli closed his eyes and sighed. “More than I can explain.”

  “And your… your… man?” They looked at each other, the silence stretching out between them until Sumner turned away. “Too much hate in this world.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “But then you met my boy.”

  Eli smiled, and when he looked up at Sumner, he was smiling too. “Yes. I saw him waiting outside a coffee shop holding a green handbag. You don’t forget that.”

  “You love him?”

  “Very much.”

  “Then you’ll be fine. He’s grown into a good man. I’m proud of him.”

  “You should probably tell him that, sir.”

  “I will… first chance I get,” he said, yawning. “And don’t let that wife of mine scare you.”

  “She doesn’t.”

  Sumner laughed. “Then you’re the only one, son.” They both laughed.

  AFTER Levi was settled for the night, Eleanor, Deb, Alec, and Eli left the hospital. First stop was dropping Eli off at his hotel.

  “Thanks for the ride, Alec.” Eli grasped the door handle to exit the car.

  Alec looked out the window at the hotel. “I’ve never stayed here. Is it nice?”

  Eli glanced at the nondescript building and then smiled at Alec. “It’s fine. Very comfortable.” He opened the door. “Thanks again.”

  “You hungry?” Alec asked quickly. “I’m sure we could find some place still serving over at Pullman Square.”

  “Alec, we really should be getting home,” Eleanor said from the back seat. “I was hoping you’d spend the night at my house. I’d hate to be there all alone.”

  Alec glanced in the rearview mirror at his mother and Deb. He and Deb rolled their eyes in unison. “Mother, I haven’t been staying with you the two days I’ve been here,” Alec said. “Why do you need me so desperately now?” Eleanor had no response to that, and Alec turned back to Eli hopefully. “We could try Uno’s or Five Guys… they’re probably still open. What do you say?”

  “I’m not really hungry, Alec. Thank you. I think I’m just going get some sleep. Still haven’t quite recovered from the flight.”

  Alec nodded, and they ran out of things to say. But then Deb hopped out of the backseat and gave Eli a hug. “I hope you’ll come to dinner tomorrow, Eli.”

  “Deborah, I don’t think—”

  “Mom!” Alec and Deb shouted in unison, and Eleanor quieted, averting her eyes.

  “Would you, Eli?” Deb said, replacing him in the front passenger seat as he held the door for her. “Come to dinner, I mean?”

  He thought about it, looking at Alec and seeing the hope in his eyes. “Yes, thank you, Deb. I’d like that.”

  Alec visibly relaxed, just as his mother tensed and puckered further.

  Chapter 31

  STACY stood by the dining room table holding as much silverware and napkins as her smaller hands would allow. Bobette, their Bichon Friese, walked around her and under the table, searching for attention. When she didn’t get it, she disappeared into one of the back bedrooms. She’d made the circuit at least twenty times already. After her father had placed all the plates, Stacy studied the table. “Who’s coming to dinner, Daddy?” she asked as she straightened a butter knife on a napkin beside a plate.

  “Your uncle’s boyfriend, Eli.”

  She continued to help her father set the table, carefully laying out another place setting of silverware in the proper order. “Is he nice?”

  “I haven’t met him yet, honey, but I think if your uncle cares about him, he must be.”

  “What does he do?”

  “I think Alec told us he was an interpreter for the deaf.”

  Stacy paused in her duties, her eyes widening. “We have a couple of girls at school who can’t hear. They have people with them who talk with their hands. That’s what he does?” Charles nodded and smiled at his daughter. “They always sit with each other at lunch. Maybe I could learn to talk to them.”

  “Maybe you could, dear, but it takes a long time to learn another language.”

  Stacy nodded thoughtfully. “Are they going to kiss?”

  Charles paused in putting out the drinking glasses and sta
red at his daughter. “Who?”

  “Uncle Alec and Eli.”

  “What do you know about kissing?”

  She shrugged. “Tommy Piper tried to kiss me last week.”

  “What?” Charles asked, standing up straight in shock. He turned to his wife who entered the room with Chuck in tow. “Deb? Stacy says some boy tried to kiss her last week.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Uh-huh? What the f—”

  “Dear… let’s not get worked up about that. Okay?”

  “She’s eight!” Charles roared.

  “Precisely.”

  “But—”

  Deb held up a silencing finger and turned to her daughter. “Stacy?”

  “Yes, Mommy?”

  “What did you think of that boy trying to kiss you?”

  Stacy’s face twisted in disgust. “Ewwww!”

  “What did you do?”

  “I punched him,” Stacy declared, imitating the move, punching the air with her fist. Deb smiled knowingly at her husband, and Charles appeared relieved. “I punched him right in the nuts!”

  The horror returned to Charles’s face. “Nuts?!”

  “Who’s having nuts?” Eleanor asked, entering the room.

  Stacy turned to her grandmother. “I was telling Mommy and Daddy that I—”

  “Stacy, come help me in the kitchen, dear.” Stacy dropped the remaining utensils and dutifully followed her mother into the kitchen.

  Eleanor scooped up Chuck and began tickling him. He squealed with delight, but his kicking feet startled her, and she quickly put him back down. Chuck waddled over to a blue toy truck and began scooting it along. Eleanor turned to Charles, who was finishing setting the table.

  “Do you really think this is a good idea? Having this man over for dinner?”

  “Oh? Deb told me you seemed quite taken with him until you caught him kissing your son,” he said with a smirk. Before she could object further, Charles raised his eyes to meet hers and said, “Alec cares about him, and therefore he’s welcome in our home.”

  “But surely—”

  Charles pointed his finger at her, silencing her effectively. “You should know that if you say anything inappropriate regarding Alec and Eli, I will not stop Deb from throwing you out of this house. And don’t call me Shirley.”

  “Ha! Good one,” Alec said, strolling into the room, straightening his collar, Bobette in his wake. The tiny dog made a beeline for Chuck. The toddler burst into a fit of giggles as the tiny dog nuzzled him.

  “Where have you been, brother?” Charles asked.

  Alec blushed slightly. “I was just… um—”

  “Checking yourself out in the mirror?”

  Alec didn’t say anything, but his mother glared at him and mumbled, “I hardly think I would be the one offering an inappropriate—”

  “Mother!” Deb said, entering the room and placing a casserole dish on the table. “We’d rather our children not be exposed to your hateful, ill-informed bullsh—”

  A knock at the door gave them pause. “I got it!” Alec rushed to the door, but before opening it, he turned to his mother. “Be good.” She harrumphed and looked away as he opened the door.

  Eli stood there holding a bottle of wine and smiling. He wore dark jeans, a blue button-down shirt, and a lightweight navy jacket. He and Alec gazed at each other. Deb stepped forward quickly, as Alec seemed tongue-tied.

  “Come in, Eli,” she said, taking the wine.

  “Thank you.” He looked around the room. “Alec,” he said, nodding. “Mrs. Sumner. Good to see you again.”

  “Mr. Burke.” She nodded coolly, staring at his cane.

  “This is Charles, my brother-in-law,” Alec said.

  “Hey there,” Charles said, coming forward to shake Eli’s hand. “You’re here just in time.”

  “Hi,” Stacy said, suddenly appearing and taking Eli’s hand to lead him to the table. “I’m Stacy. You sit next to me.”

  Eli glanced nervously at everyone, but he allowed himself to be drawn forward and into the dining room. Stacy sat him in a chair and dropped down next to him. “Uncle Alec, you sit on the other side of Eli,” she instructed.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Alec said with a grin.

  Eli jumped when Charles whistled sharply, opening the sliding patio door for Bobette. The dog obediently exited, taking up a position directly on the other side of the glass so that she could watch the goings-on at the dinner table. Though the family had quickly become immune to the tiny, fluffly, white dog’s pleading, dark gaze through the patio door, it was clear Eli and Alec were moved whenever Bobette lifted one tiny paw to the glass.

  “Ignore her,” Deb said with a laugh. “She’s playing you.”

  Deb took her seat next to Chuck and his highchair, while Eleanor sat on the other side of it. At the head of the table, Charles prepared to fill everyone’s plates.

  “Eli?” he asked, holding up a plate, his serving spoon hovering over the mashed potatoes.

  “Oh, a little of everything, please.”

  Charles began dishing out the food. Once little Chuck’s plate was ready, Deb cut his pork chop, carrots, and broccoli into tiny, manageable pieces, while she maintained control of his mashed potatoes and applesauce to avert total disaster.

  Eli watched Stacy cut her food just as her mother had done with Chuck’s and daintily spear and eat a piece of her pork chop. “My, you’re quite the little lady, aren’t you?”

  She beamed up at him. “Uncle Eli—”

  “Oh, he’s not your—”

  A look from Charles was all it took to silence Eleanor, and she went back to focusing on her dinner.

  “What were you going to say, Stacy?” Alec asked her.

  “Uncle Eli, how far is France from England?”

  “Um, just a few hours by train, but on very clear nights, there are places in southern England where you can see lights from France.”

  Stacy’s eyes grew wide with wonder. “You mean if I came to visit you and Uncle Alec, I could see France?”

  Eli looked nervously from Alec to Deb and Charles. “Uh… I think your mum and dad would have to—”

  “Stacy, if you came to visit me, I’d take you to France,” Alec said quickly. He looked to Eli for help. “There’s a special train… right?”

  “Oh, yes.” Eli smiled at Stacy. “It’s called the Eurostar, and one runs every hour between London and Paris. It goes about 300 kilo—” He scrunched his face in concentration. “Uh, 186 miles per hour. The trip only takes a bit more than two hours.”

  “That’s impossible!” Stacy said, beginning to giggle. “You’re making that up. My daddy’s an engineer. He knows.” She turned to her father. “Isn’t he making that up, Daddy?”

  Charles shook his head. “Nope, sweetie. It’s true. All of it.” He smiled as Stacy’s eyes got so big and round that they looked ready to pop from her skull, her mouth forming a silent, Wow!

  “Can our car go that fast?”

  “Not on its best day, hon,” Charles said, laughing.

  With no further snide remarks from Eleanor, dinner was a complete success, with plenty of laughter, delightful conversation around the table, and delicious food. Eli talked about when he first saw Alec on the street and how he had shown him around London. Charles asked some questions about sign language and how Eli got into it, which Stacy listened to intently.

  Eli showed her how to introduce herself to the girls at school. “And I suggest you get a book that shows you the alphabet. It comes in handy because there’s not a sign for everything, and knowing how to spell will save you.”

  When Chuck’s head fell forward, jerking him awake for the third time, his father hopped up from the table. “I’ve got him, honey.” Charles freed him from the highchair and carried him to his crib. “Let’s get your pajamas on, little man. Come on, Stacy. You too.”

  “Awww! I want to talk to Eli some more.” Stacy stretched up to Eli’s ear and whispered, “I like the way you talk.” Eli
blushed and smiled at Deb and Alec.

  “Time for bed, sweetie,” Deb said.

  “Okay, I’ll go,” Stacy said, stomping toward the hallway. “But I got one more question.” She had stopped and turned to face the table, her hand on her hip. It was all the adults could do not to laugh at her.

  “What is it, honey?”

  “Eli, what happened to your leg?”

  Their smiles faltered, and Eli stammered, “Oh, uh… well, Stacy….” She was still watching them, waiting for an answer, completely oblivious to the discomfort she’d caused.

  “Honey, that’s not really an appropriate question,” Eleanor said, but she looked at Eli with obvious interest and hope in her eyes that he would answer.

  “I’m sorry,” Stacy said, lowering her eyes.

  “No, Stacy,” Eli said quickly. “It’s fine. A long time ago, my leg got injured. The doctors worked on it for a long time, but this is the best they could do. I go to the gym three times a week to make sure it stays strong and continues to work for me.”

  “I’m sorry you hurt your leg, Uncle Eli.” Stacy came over to him, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek. “Good night!” She repeated the same maneuver on Alec, her mother, and her grandmother before rushing to the patio door to let the dog back in. Bobette trotted by her, heading for the bedrooms, and Stacy followed her.

  Alec began clearing the table, urging his sister to have a seat and some wine.

  “Let me help,” Eleanor said, grabbing some dishes and following him into the kitchen as Deb and Eli moved into the living room with their wine.

  “Alec?” Eleanor set her dishes on the kitchen counter.

  “Yeah, Mom.” His back was to her as he began scraping the food scraps into the garbage.

  “What… what happened to his leg?” Alec looked at her sharply, and she lowered her eyes. “I was… I was just curious,” she said softly. “I was… I guess, too charmed… and then too angry at the hospital to think about it.”

  Alec watched her conflicted expression for several moments, and then he told her exactly what had happened to Eli’s leg.