“Hey, sweetheart. Did I miss our monthly lunch?” she asked by way of answering the phone.
I chuckled. “No, no, we already had it. I just needed some advice,” I said softly so I wouldn’t disturb the other patrons.
“And you called me?” The shock in her voice was palpable. “It must be serious.”
“It kind of is…” I trailed off and fiddled with my cup.
“Well, spit it out, son. I have an appointment with my beautician in about thirty minutes, so I don’t have all day,” she demanded with a huff.
“If this is a bad time? I can always call you later,” I said instead.
“Nonsense, start talking. Is this about that boy you’re seeing?” she inquired. Damn, my mother was shrewd.
“How did you guess?” I asked with a light laugh.
I could hear the eye roll in her voice. “Because that seems to be the only time you call me about something that’s serious. What’s wrong?” she asked without giving me a chance to reply. “Did you break up, already?”
“Wow, mother. Your faith in us is astounding.” My voice dripped with sarcasm. “No, we’re fine. Great, actually. It’s just,” I groped around for the correct words to say. “I don’t know how to word it.”
“Well, I can’t really help you when ‘great but just’ is all you give me. So why don’t you explain what happened for the great to lead up to the just?”
I sighed and ran my fingers through my dark hair. My mother knew how I was when I tried gathering my thoughts. So instead of patiently waiting for me to talk, I heard the distinct sounds of running water, a clanging in the sink, and a zipper. She must’ve been getting ready to leave for her appointment.
“Jackson referred to us as a family,” I finally blurted out.
I heard the door shut behind her, and the sound of her alarm as she unlocked her car. “But that’s great!” she said before I heard her car door slam shut. “Or was that the ‘just’?” she asked and started up the ignition.
“I’m not sure. I love Marcus and I love Jackson, but sometimes I worry that we might have moved way too fast,” I admitted not only to her, but to myself for the first time, as well.
“What brought this on? You guys seemed happy at Thanksgiving.” She sounded as confused as I felt.
“We were, and are, but I think Rebecca showing up was a nice dose of reality.”
“Who?”
I sighed again and scrubbed my face with my hand before launching into the story of Marcus, Jackson, Rebecca, and her surprise visit. When I was done, I could feel my mother’s anger through the phone.
“If I weren’t a Christian woman, I’d have a few choice words to say about that… wench,” my mother seethed. “Be as it may, I will refrain and ask this, are you happy?”
“I am,” I answered without a moment’s hesitation. “But we went from dating to, living together in a matter of a few months. Look what happened when I rushed into my last relationship,” I reminded her.
“You are not comparing what you have with Marcus to that asshole ex, Sebastian, are you? That’s comparing a rotten banana to a fresh strawberry.”
“You hate bananas,” I reminded her.
“Exactly, and I love strawberries. My point is, Marcus is in an entirely different league than Sebastian ever dreamed of being in. You might think you guys moved too fast, and maybe by some people’s standards you did. But you and Marcus are living by your standards and no one else’s. And if that young man and his son are what makes you happy, then don’t worry about time frames.”
“I guess.” I exhaled slowly. “And I guess seeing her, there at his house, reminded me that they were married and have a history together. And I’m the first man he’s ever been with.”
“So? You have exes you have a history with, too. Everyone has a history, Anthony. That’s how we gain experiences. Stop overthinking things and just enjoy what you two have.”
“I’m assuming this means you really approve of my relationship with Marcus?” I asked.
“Marcus is definitely a strawberry,” she replied with a chuckle. “I’ve seen how he looks at you, Anthony. Don’t let exes and time frames ruin that for you.”
“How does he look at me?” I asked in confusion.
“For such a smart man, you can be so dense sometimes,” she sighed. I could hear the blare of a horn before she pulled the phone away from her mouth and yelled a few expletives.
I covered my mouth with my hand to try and stifle my laugh. Christian woman my ass. “You okay?” I asked.
“Yes, some nimrod just cut me off when I was trying to turn into the plaza. Anyway, as I was saying before that asshat distracted me, Marcus looks at you the way you look at him. Like you roped the moon and pulled it down out of the sky for him,” she huffed before I heard her car door open followed by a quick slam. “But I’m at my appointment with Kathleen. Stop stressing and enjoy yourself. Bye!”
I heard the phone beep as she hung up, and I stared down at the phone in my hand. Could it really be that simple? Could I just simply stop stressing about things and just enjoy what I had going on with Marcus? That’s what I was doing before Rebecca showed up, so why can’t I just do it again? The answer was simple, because I didn’t consider us a family until Jackson called us one. And I didn’t realize until that moment, just how badly I wanted us to be one.
****
I picked Jackson up from his art class shortly after I got off the phone with my mother. I could have utilized that time to do some last minute Christmas shopping, but thankfully, I had a few days left to buy a couple odds and ends. Even though I was at a complete loss for what to buy a twelve-year-old boy. Hopefully Marcus had a few ideas.
The smell of paint, markers, and waxy crayons assaulted my nose as I took in the sight in front of me. Children were spread out amongst the white tables where Christmas trees in various shapes were under construction in front of them. Some were modeled out of clay and currently being painted. Others were formed out of multiple pipe cleaners and wire clothes hangers. And a few kids even had three-dimensional drawings on a piece of paper. It was pretty spectacular to see.
The classroom was abuzz with chatter and the combined energy of the children. It felt like walking back into my own classroom, and I found myself kind of missing my students. But I quickly diminished that thought the minute it came. I wandered around and watched the instructor, Tyler, bent over helping Jackson with something he was drawing on a sheet of paper. I tried to see what it was, but Jackson caught me out of the corner of his eye and quickly hid it.
“Hey, Anthony. Is it time to go already?” he asked in surprise.
“Just about. I’m a little early,” I explained before turning my attention to Tyler. “Hi, I’m Anthony.” I held out my hand as I introduced myself. We hadn’t been formally introduced when Jackson first checked out the class. I had decided to hang back while Marcus and Tyler discussed things.
“Tyler Melton. It’s nice to meet you,” he said as he shook my hand.
“Likewise,” I said and gave him a quick once over. He was just a little guy. Probably a few inches over five and a half feet, with dark brown eyes and messy dark hair. I also noticed he seemed a little timid when I stepped closer to Jackson.
“What are you working on?” I asked curiously and peered over his shoulder.
“Oh, just a Christmas tree. Ready to go?” he asked as he shoved his papers into a cubby with his name on it.
“Sure,” I said and waved bye to Tyler after Jackson told him goodbye.
There was something a little off about that guy, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. But I filed that in the back of my head, for now. First, I needed to have my discussion with Marcus about Jackson.
Chapter 33
Marcus
Something had been off with Anthony the last few days. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I could feel the small waves of tension that rolled off him. He tried to play it off as being tired from the move or trying
to make lesson plans, but he didn’t fool me. I just wasn’t sure how to approach it. Did I ask him outright? Did I wait for him to come to me? Rebecca was so short-tempered that being direct with her was the equivalent of approaching a feral animal in the wild. And even though she and Anthony weren’t anything alike, this was new territory for me. But, unfortunately, it wasn’t something I could harp on since I was in the middle of the campaign for Lawson Electronics.
My work days were now filled with not only my typical workload, but also fielding calls with photographers, booking models, and trying to formulate a time-frame for when it’d be completed. It was hectic, which was something I thrived on, but I tried to maintain some semblance of a schedule. Sure, there were a few instances where I had to head to the office earlier than usual, but I almost always made it home in time to eat dinner with Jackson and Anthony. And I no longer went into the office on weekends, but opted to bring my work home with me instead.
“Okay, boss man, I’m headed home for the day. Need anything from me before I head out?” Sheila asked me from the doorway.
“No, I think it’s all been taken care of. Have a Merry Christmas, and I’ll see you after the holidays.”
“You too, boss. Try not to work too hard over the holidays, okay? Enjoy some time with your family,” she suggested as she shrugged on her coat.
“I will, I promise” I turned my attention back to the computer so I could leave, as well.
I clicked on documents to save them, checked my email for the last time, and sent out reminders to my staff and clients. Christmas was the only time of year that the company shut down for more than a few days. We closed our office doors on the twenty-third of December and didn’t open back up until the day after the New Year. I had planned to bring some work home with me, but had high hopes I wouldn’t have to touch it often.
With a final look at everything, I shut down my computer and shoved my paperwork into my briefcase. After locking up, I quickly jogged to my car, and drove home with a smile on my face. The conversation I had with Jackson just a few days prior replayed in my mind and quickly replaced the niggling thoughts that something was bothering Anthony. The talk went much smoother than I had anticipated and for once, I was actually looking forward to Christmas.
The drive home was short and I smiled when I saw Anthony’s car parked in my driveway. Even though he’d been living with us a little over a week, it still made my heart skip a few beats knowing that I was coming home to him. Although I had Jackson, I hadn’t realized, until I met Anthony, just how lonely I actually was. My life was so centered on my son and my job that I didn’t notice how much I missed having a companion. Someone to have adult conversations with and hold at night. To stress over mundane things together like whose turn it was to cook dinner, do laundry, or which bills needed paid and when. All of that was on me for three years, and to have someone to share that with again was a wonderful thing.
“Hey, guys,” I called out when I walked inside the house.
“In here!” Anthony’s voice carried from the kitchen.
I pulled my jacket off and hung it up, left my briefcase in the hallway, and followed the delicious aromas to the man making them. The sight that awaited me warmed my heart, and I leaned against the doorframe to watch it, instead of announcing myself.
Jackson was seated at the island with a book opened in front of him. He was softly reading some words aloud and using his finger to follow his progress. Anthony stood on the opposite side, and I watched his arm move up and down with swift movements as he chopped something. I crossed my arms over my chest and listened as Anthony’s soft voice gently corrected Jackson before he turned and walked back to the stove to stir and check on whatever he was whipping up.
“Hi, Dad.” Jackson’s voice penetrated my ears.
I had been watching Anthony so intently that I didn’t even realize Jackson had noticed me. “Hi, buddy. How was your day?” I asked, and reluctantly took my gaze off Anthony.
“Pretty good. I’m working on something really cool in my art class. I’ll have to show you later,” Jackson said as he closed the book and hopped off the bar stool. “We’re done since Dad is home, right?” he asked Anthony.
“Sure. Go get washed up for dinner,” Anthony told him.
I pushed off the frame and walked over to where Anthony was stirring something in a pot. When I stood beside him, he stopped the movement of his hand. I put my hand on the small of his back and leaned down to give him a brief kiss.
“What are you making?” I asked and peered over his shoulder.
“Chicken alfredo. Want to help?”
“Sure, what do you need?”
“Can you finish putting the salad together?” Anthony suggested.
“Of course.” I placed a brief kiss on the nape of Anthony’s neck before I pulled away and stepped over to the sink.
I rolled my sleeves up on my dress shirt, and after washing my hands, I picked up the discarded knife and began to chop the peppers.
“So my parents left an interesting voicemail on my phone,” I said nonchalantly, as I threw the peppers in the bowl with the lettuce that Anthony had already shredded.
“Oh yeah? Did they finally tell you what they were doing for Christmas?” Anthony asked as he pulled the garlic bread from the oven.
I chuckled and concentrated on slicing a cucumber. “Going on a cruise to the Bahamas.”
The oven door closed with a loud clang and I heard him set the pan on the counter. “Are you kidding me? Who goes to the Bahamas during Christmas? What about Jackson?”
I shrugged and turned around to face him. “It’s not the first time they’ve done this. My parents really aren’t into holidays and spending time together as a family,” I admitted with a sigh. “I just had my heart set on them officially meeting you.”
Shortly after Anthony and I had begun dating, I’d called my parents to let them know of my new relationship. And to break the news that it was with a man. I wasn’t surprised when they didn’t seem bothered that I was with a man. They were just happy that I was finally with someone. And then made numerous empty promises to meet him, as soon as they could get to Middlebury for a visit.
Anthony walked over to me and put his hand on my cheek. I put my hand over his and turned my face so I could kiss his palm. “I’m sorry, baby. But we can still have a great holiday with the three of us and my mom.”
“I love you,” I breathed as I looked into his intense blue eyes.
“Ditto,” he replied with a wink before he pulled my head closer to his and kissed me. “Now finish making the salad so we can eat. I need to discuss something with you when we’re done eating.”
“That sounds ominous,” I quipped and I felt a smack on my ass.
Anthony laughed as he turned away and went back to the stove. There was no more talking as we quickly threw the dinner together and called Jackson to join us in the kitchen. I put him to work with setting the table and once our plates were piled high with food, we migrated toward the dining room to eat.
“So what did you want to talk to me about?” I asked after we finished and were cleaning up the kitchen. Anthony concentrated intently on the pan he was drying, and I reached out and took it from him. “What’s wrong?”
Anthony stared down at the towel in his hands and begun to ring it in his hands. “It’s about Jackson.”
“What about him?” I asked and furrowed my brow.
“Ever since…” He cut off his words and licked his lips. “Ever since Rebecca showed up, I’ve noticed a regression in his progress with his dyslexia.”
“Seriously?” I was baffled. “Are you sure?”
Anthony turned his back to me and braced his hands against the counter. I watched his shoulders raise, then lower, as he took a few deep breaths. Finally, he turned back around to face me, crossed his arms over his chest, and leaned against the counter. “Of course I’m sure, Marcus. I’m his teacher. He’s displaying the same exact behaviors that alerted me to h
is dyslexia in the first place. I’ve increased our tutoring sessions, but I think you really need to talk to him about this. Clearly he’s hurting more than he’s letting on.”
I ran my hand through my hair and exhaled slowly. “You’re right. I’m sorry for asking if you were sure. Of course, you’re sure. You’re the one who pointed it out in the first place. Look, I’ll be back to help you finish cleaning in a minute. I need to go talk to him.”
“Take your time. I got this,” Anthony said with a reassuring smile.
I walked down the hallway, and with a quick knock on the door, I opened it and found Jackson lying on his bed with a comic book. “Hey, buddy. Can we have talk?”
“Sure. What’s up, dad?” Jackson asked as he closed the comic and sat up.
I walked over and sat down on the bed beside him. “I just had a talk with Anthony. It seems like you’ve been struggling a little bit with your reading, again. Want to talk about that?”
Jackson stared down at the bed. “Everything is fine, Dad.”
“I don’t think so, and neither does Anthony. In fact, he noticed that you started to struggle again after your mom showed up.”
Jackson’s head snapped up and his mouth fell open. “That’s not true. Why would he say that?”
I reached over and placed my hand on his knee. “Because he’s worried about you, as am I. Jackson, I know you’re trying to be strong, but it’s okay to admit that her showing up has upset you. It upset me, as well.”
“It did?” he asked quietly.
“It did. Especially because it’s upset you. It couldn’t have been easy for you to see her. And I’m sure it’s made you have a lot of questions and made you more confused.”
Jackson shook his head. “I don’t really have any questions.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You don’t even want to know why?”
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