by D. M. Cupp
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Actually we don’t. We’re simply sitting here trying to eat our lunches and enjoying each other’s company.” Javier said in a calm manner.
“I’m talking about Friday night.”
“What exactly did we do Friday night?” I asked not sure what lame excuse she would give.
“Don’t be coy with me! You know what I’m referring to. I saw the two of you at Olive Garden.”
“She found us out.” Javier said turning towards me. “You’re right Marcy. Daniel and I both love Italian food. That is incredibly wrong of us.”
I stifled a laugh and noticed Marcy’s face reddening.
“Marcy what did you think you saw. We did nothing wrong and all you saw was two men eating dinner.”
“I know very well that it was a date.”
“So you say.” Javier said not confirming her suspicions.
“Just wait until I tell everyone. Parents aren’t going to want their children taught by faggots.”
My blood began to boil and I couldn’t react fast enough and I had no time to look at Javier’s expression to guess what he was thinking.
“What did you just call them?” Mariela asked turning from her conversation with Paul, one of the P.E. coaches.
“Didn’t you hear Javier and Daniel are dating,” Marcy asked turning to look at Mariela, “and I was just telling them that parents might not be too kind to that sort of information getting around.”
“And that’s really none of the parent’s concern. The two aren’t making displays of affection around their students on school grounds, and you weren’t telling them out of concern. You were telling them out of spite.”
“You know it bothers all of you but I’m the only one with nerves to tell them how it is.”
“Don’t try to speak for me,” Paul said speaking up. “You owe those two gentlemen an apology for what you just called them.”
“Excuse me?” Marcy asked flabbergasted. “They’re just queers. They don’t deserve anything.”
My emotions were mixed. I was furious and I had never experienced this much verbal hatred from a single person since moving out of my parent’s house.
“What did you just say?”
The room’s entire attention turned towards the door and I saw Ken standing at the entrance of the lounge.
“Nothing that would interest you, Ken,” Marcy said turning on her fake charm.
“Marcy, I want to see you in my office immediately; Paul can you watch Marcy’s next class until I can arrange for a substitute to take over?”
“Not a problem Ken.” Paul said starting to pack up his lunch.
“I’ll be there after lunch Ken,” Marcy finally answered trying to keep her voice steady.
“I’m sorry I didn’t make myself clear using the word ‘immediately.’ You need to come with me right this minute.”
Marcy walked over to the door and the two left the lounge.
“Don’t let her narrow mind think that she speaks for all of us,” Paul said stopping by our table as he was headed out. “Keep doing what you’re doing.” He said and left.
I hadn’t really ever spoken to Paul except more than the casual greeting in the halls and lounge but his support was greatly appreciated.
“Paul’s right. I think you two make the cutest couple and don’t let Marcy get to y’all. Are you two okay? Those were awful things she called you.”
I was speechless. All these years I was hiding who I truly was and never sharing my life with my coworkers and they supported us. I turned towards Javier to gauge his reaction.
“Well you were right about her, but I’m not letting her evil words diminish this great thing we have.” He said reaching over and placing his hand over mine.
That was the first time Javier and I had ever shown public affection at work, and I fell a little more in love with Javier Fuentes.
Chapter Eleven
The next couple of weeks were uneventful at school. It was definitely quieter since Marcy had been suspended. Javier and I continued to get closer. Fridays had continued to be our date night and on Saturdays Donna, Javier, and I cooked dinner and would go out or stay in for game night, and occasionally Paul would come over whom Donna had started to see a few weeks prior, but I was completely oblivious since I was focused on Javier.
One Saturday night I was lying in Javier’s bed with his arms wrapped around me. We had just finished making-love and I was slowing starting to fall asleep in his arms. We typically fell asleep facing each other. We would spend hours talking about anything and everything. Nothing was off limits.
Javier gently stroked my bicep, “Papí, you awake?” he whispered.
I opened my eyes slowly, “Yeah babe I am, just enjoying your soft message.”
“Well I was wondering if you would come with me to my family’s Cinco de Mayo cookout. I don’t want you to feel obligated or overwhelmed, but the entire family will be there, but it’s a tradition my family had done for years.”
“You want me to meet your parents?” I asked. “Because I remember you telling me before that you didn’t want to just introduce just anyone to your parents.” I said smiling.
“Trust me you’re not just anyone. Yes, I did say that and I mean it. I’m not saying that I’m asking you to marry me because we’ve only been dating each other a month, but I do want to make it official and I want them to meet the man that I see myself getting serious with…I want them to meet my boyfriend.”
I couldn’t contain my excitement. I leaned in and kissed him with passion.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes babe, I will be your boyfriend,” I responded smiling.
“And you’ll go with me to meet my crazy family?”
“Yes, and I know that I will love them all.”
This time Javier pulled me into kiss him, and his hands slid down my back and found my naked ass. He pulled me closer to him and I felt his hardening cock. I nibbled on his lower lip.
“I want to make love to my boyfriend.” I said breaking the kiss.
“That’s funny because I wanted the same thing.” Javier said rolling me onto my back and opening me up so he could fit between my legs.
“Get a condom.”
“Already got it,” he said rolling it on. I gasped as I felt him push inside of me and I took him all the way to the root of his cock.
Javier started slow and was in no hurry to begin fucking me. He looked down at me and our eyes met in a state of desire.
“Fuck me, babe.”
Javier bit his bottom lip as he began to pull out and push back in with a steady pace. I wrapped my legs around his hips and pulled him closer.
After ten minutes of steady fucking Javier broke our kissing and released a loud moan of ecstasy. I felt his cock pulsating as he released his cum into the condom. He collapsed on top of me and kissed me gently on my neck.
“I love you, Daniel.”
It was the first time that he had not called me Papí. He loved me and he sealed it with calling me by my name and not some pet name.
“I love you, Javier Fuentes.”
***
“He asked you to meet his parents,” Donna exclaimed the next morning when I told her over lunch.
“Yes,” I answered, “and his family at their annual Cinco de Mayo party.” I added.
“Well isn’t that sort of a big deal with him?”
“I guess,” I simplified not trying to overthink the invitation.
“You guess?” Donna repeated questioningly. “Aren’t you the one that told me after the two of y’all started seeing each other that he had made the comment that he didn’t want to introduce just anyone to his family, but someone that he could see someone that is long-term?”
“Yes I said that.”
“So,” she questioned waiting for more elaboration.
“I don’t want to overthink it, Donna. I mean we’ve only been seeing each other for a little
more than a month and only made it official that we’re boyfriends last night.”
“This is true, but you and I both know people that have met people and only have known each other for about the same amount of time and have gotten married and are happy still years later.”
“Well we can’t get married.”
“You can’t bullshit a bullshitter. You know that he loves you, and don’t underestimate the invitation of meeting his family.”
“I also thought Charles loved me and we were together for five years.”
“You can’t let Javier pay for Charles’ mistakes. We don’t know what will happen. You and Javier could be together for the rest of y’all’s lives or not last over the summer. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but just take each day as they come, and don’t use that excuse that y’all can’t get married.”
I had no response because I knew Donna was right. I was deflecting my past relationships onto Javier, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Javier was nothing like Charles.
***
I sat in the passenger seat of Javier’s car as we drove to his parent’s house for the Cinco de Mayo party. I had been calm all week but this morning was a completely different story, and Javier must have sensed it.
“Papí, don’t worry everyone is going to love you because I love you.”
“But what if they don’t?”
“Then screw them and we don’t need them. If they can’t see how great you are then we don’t need them in our lives.”
“Our lives,” I asked questioningly looking over at him starring confidently on the road ahead of us. “You would give up your family just because they didn’t like me?”
“Papí, I told you before that I wasn’t introducing someone to my family that I couldn’t see a long-term commitment with. My parents have been together for over twenty-five years and I want a relationship like that, and I want that with you.”
I stared blankly at him unable to find the right words. How could this man know so confidently that we could last twenty-five years?
“Does that scare you?” He asked taking his eyes off the road briefly to look at me.
“No, it makes me incredibly happy beyond words.” I said leaning in and kissing him gently on the side of his lips.
“Good, because we’re here,” Javier said pulling along the side of the street in front of a two story brick house. It was in the newer subdivision of San Angelo. “Don’t be nervous my love. Just remember that I love you and that’s all that matters.” He said taking my hand in his.
“Let’s go, babe.” I said now smiling confidently. What could go wrong with this man by my side?
Chapter Twelve
We walked into Javier’s parents’ house and a rush of cool air hit us and was a relief from the hot Texas weather. The house was decorated in a conservative style and the walls were decorated with photographs of family members.
“Tío,” a little boy exclaimed running up to him and hugging his waist.
“Trevor,” Javier exclaimed picking up his nephew and giving him a big hug.
“Look what I got,” Trevor said excitedly holding up a foam airplane glider.
“That’s an awesome airplane. Have you been playing with it all day?”
“Duh,” he stated with a giggle as Javier ticked him under his arms. “Who’s he?” Trevor asked after regaining his composer and looking over at me.
“Well this is tío’s boyfriend, Daniel.”
“Oh- I have a best friend in school and his name is Daniel and I call him Danny. Can I call you Danny?” Trevor asked sweetly.
I always hated the name Danny and thought that it made me seem boyish as I had grown older, but I decided that this was the only little boy that I would allow to call me Danny.
“I think you should call him Dan-” Javier began to say.
“Yes you may call me Danny if you would like.” I said interrupting Javier.
“Where’s your mom?” Javier asked sitting down Trevor and looking over at me and mouthed Danny questioningly.
“He’s the only one that gets to call me Danny,” I confirmed with a grin.
“Yeah we’ll see about that.” He laughed.
“Mom, tío and Uncle Danny are here,” Trevor announced as he lead us into the kitchen.
I rolled my eyes in amusement because I knew how kids had a way of creating new names for adults. I still call my uncle Bobo to this day instead of Bob. So I silently came to the realization that Javier was right, and that as long as I was in the Fuentes family I would be forever known as Danny.
“Javi,” a young looking female exclaimed as she turning from the salad that she was making at the counter.
“Mari, how are you?” Javier asked hugging the woman.
“I’m good. I had to work the overnight shift last night so I was able to be off this afternoon, but other than that I’m good. Not too many babies born last night so I was just on diaper patrol.”
“Sounds like some fun times.”
“And you must be Uncle Danny?” the woman asked smiling and finally turning in my direction.
“Maribel, this is my boyfriend, Daniel Miles, he works at the high school with me in the communications department.”
“Nice to meet you Daniel, you may call me Mari. My entire family has since this one here started speaking.” She said poking Javier in the ribs.
“Hey you changed my name to Javi,” Javier exclaimed laughing.
“It’s very nice to meet you, and I guess I should get use to the name Danny?”
“So he plans on being around awhile?” Mari asked looking back towards Javier.
“If I have my way he’ll be around for a longtime.” Javier said with a huge smile and squeezed my hand gently.
“Well then I’ll have to steal you away later for the third degree interrogation, and by interrogation I mean the telling of embarrassing Javier stories.”
“That sounds like a plan,” I said laughing.
“I don’t like that idea at all,” Javier countered.
“Well here’s where everyone is,” a man said walking into the kitchen.
“Daniel, this is my husband Travis Scotts. Hun, this is Daniel Miles, Javier’s boyfriend.” Mari introduced.
“It’s nice to meet you Daniel. It’s about time that I’m no longer the new one in the family. I was tired of sitting at the kiddy table when the entire family got together.” He said extending his hand and laughing.
I took his hand and shook it, “Well I’m glad I was able to get you promoted.”
“Travis is only joking we only put him there because he lacks table manners.” Javier chimed in jokingly.
“Ha, ha, how I’ve missed that brotherly joking.”
“Do y’all not get the entire family together a lot?” I asked.
“The entire family gets together weekly, but Travis is a piolet and he doesn’t always get to join us.” Javier informed.
“Oh, really weekly dinners,” I joked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes, and I’m so glad that Javier finally brought you because he has not shut up about you for the past several weeks.” Maribel said smiling.
“He hasn’t has he?” I asked looking over at Javier.
“Are you blushing Javi?”
“I think that I’m going to take Daniel to meet the rest of the family before we sit down and eat.” Javier said taking my hand and gently pulling me away from his sister.
“Okay, that’s fine, but don’t think that Daniel and I won’t be talking later. So you’re only delaying the inevitable.” Maribel stated raising her voice slightly as I was lead from the kitchen to the backyard.
Javier led me into the backyard where I saw what he meant when he said he had an entire family get together. There were probably fifty people here and was a representation of multiple generations of the Fuentes family.
In the corner of the yard the younger kids where lined up to hit the piñata; while some were running around playing tag.
>
“Well I hate that not everyone was able to show up,” I said laughing.
“I told you I had a big family.”
“That you did. It’s just shocking. I mean you and your family get together once a week, and my family, all three of us, don’t even speak. It just is something that I always wished my family did, and I guess I’m realizing it’s something I miss.”
“Babe, you’re a part of my family now, and this is something that you will get to experience weekly.” He said leaning over and gave me a gentle kiss on the cheek.
This was another reason why I was falling in love with Javier Fuentes. I was seeing what Donna meant by when she said that people could only date for a short period of time, and just knows that it was meant to be. I was definitely picturing a life with Javier that was involving decades together and not just months or years.
Chapter Thirteen
Javier’s family all were wonderful, and were generally happy for the both of us. I had been worried that his family’s traditionalism would win out and that they wouldn’t be accepting of us. However, it seemed that we had both been wrong. His family had been warm and kind. His grandmother had been truly amazing. She asked how we had met and my plans to make an honest husband out of her grandson.
As the family was beginning to sit down in the backyard for the comida it reminded me of a Thanksgiving meal type of preparation. The table was filled with every possible dish imaginable.
I took a seat next to Javier and looked over and saw Travis sitting at the kids table. “He wasn’t joking about being banished to the kids table, was he?”
Javier looked over to where I was looking and laughed, “He sits there to make sure that Trevor eats. If he doesn’t he ends up playing more with his cousins and running off.”
“That’s cute. He seems like a really great father.”
“He is and he and Mari are great together.” Javier said just starring over at the father and son.
“What aren’t you saying?” I prodded.
“I just can’t wait until we can be like that someday…with a family I mean.” Javier clarified looking back over at me. “What did I just scare you?”