by D. M. Cupp
‘Can’t you come in this weekend,’ my father had asked.
I had told him that we had to go to our annual faculty cookout that my principal held annually for the teachers to celebrate the end of the year and to just enjoy each other’s company.
‘Well your mom and I are looking to see you,’ my father said.
I could hear my mother still on the other end and my father must have nudged her or something because she finally reluctantly added, ‘oh yes we simply can’t wait.’
I rolled my eyes at her lack of acting ability. I thought how she should have been much better at it coming from a high society background and having to act so fake to her country club friends. I would hear you talk so negatively about them at the house growing up, but then she her act like they were the best of friends when she ran into them at the club.
‘Okay dad, we’ll see you next weekend.’
‘Okay son, I’ll text you the information for the dinner details.’
“So how’d it go,” Javier asked when I disconnected the call.
“That was like a phone call from the twilight zone. My mother was the same, but my dad seemed genuinely excited to meet up again after all these years.”
“Well people change,” Javier reminded me.
“I guess, but I guess we’ll see how much things have changed when we go back next weekend.” I said sitting on the couch next to him.
He leaned his head against mine and sighed, “You are such a pessimist.”
“No I’m not,” I said laughing.
“Sure Papí, if that’s what you want to think to make you sleep better at night,” he said laughing softly patting my knee.
***
“Welcome,” Ken Winters said opening the door to greet us. “I’m so glad you could make it!”
“No problem Ken, thanks for having us,” I said smiling knowing that even though this was an informal gathering, and wasn’t required all of the teachers made an appearance to Ken’s gatherings.
I had been nervous the entire way driving to Ken’s with Javier. It was an unspoken fact that Javier and I were dating, and we went out in public and some of our students had seen us, but we were careful not to display a lot of affection, but that was okay because I wasn’t big on playing tonsil hockey in public…I don’t care who you are I didn’t want to see it.
“Hello Ken,” Javier said reaching out to shake Ken’s hand.
“Where are my manners come on in,” he said stepping out of the way and allowing us to pass.
Javier placed his hand on the small of my back and gently guided me into the room. It was a small sign of affection but it was nice and romantic, and it was an action that I liked. It felt that it was Javier’s way of saying this man is with me.
“Others are in the backyard. Burgers and hotdogs will be ready shortly. Go out and mingle.”
“Yes sir,” we both said giving a mock salute to Ken and walking towards the back.
“Funny and how long have you been together?” Ken asked.
Javier and I just looked at each other and laughed. It was funny how we found the same things funny, or did the same thing at the same time without being planned. We turned and walked to the backyard and began to mingle with the other teachers that had arrived.
After about ten minutes of mingling and friendly chatter with coworkers it began to feel more like a party then work social.
“Friends, may I have your attention?” Ken asked standing on a bench on the porch. He waited for a minute for conversations to end and everyone focused their attention on the elevated gentleman.
“I want to first thank you all for coming tonight, and I’m pretty sure you will enjoy the food and have a good time because I told you that you would.”
We all gave a polite laugh at the principals joke, and knew that he was being funny, and that our laughter wasn’t forced out of fear, but because he was a man that wanted the best for his teachers and did not seem them as employees but as friends.
“We had a great year. We all worked hard to find ways to encourage our students and pass all the state exams, and did it with reducing the dropout rate. Now I won’t stand up here and rattle off statistics, but I want you all to know how much I appreciate all of your hard work. We gained some new teachers this year: Mr. Fuentes, Ms. Ramos, and had some departments expand to encourage student engagement. So here’s to all of us at Nasworthy High. Now let’s eat!”
We all applauded Ken’s speech and hooted and hollered excitements and agreements of Ken’s speech. We all worked our way to the table that had been set as a buffet of the food and condiments.
Javier and I made our plates of food and zigzag through the tables to find two empty seats. We spotted two in the center of all the tables with Mariela and Paul.
“Hey guys, want to join us?” Mariela asked looking up at us and popping a chip into her mouth.
“We’d love to,” I said smiling at the two.
“Did you say us,” Javier asked.
Mariela and Paul smiled, “You caught us. We were trying to be secretive.” Paul said in his baritone voice.
“It’s just that it’s sort of new,” Mariela added.
“We good for you two,” Javier said raising his soda can in a mock toast.
“So what about you two, are things starting to heat up for you two?” Mariela asked.
“Well things are starting to get more serious I guess you could say.” I told the couple.
“Really, how so,” Paul inquired.
“Well, we’ve made it official and we’re a couple. Daniel has met my family a few weeks ago, and we’re going to Austin next weekend to meet his parents.” Javier said informingly.
“That’s great you two. Sounds like things are getting serious if you are already meeting each other’s families.” Paul said.
“Well my parents only dated for two months before they knew that they wanted to get married and that was twenty-five years ago, and with Daniel I just know that it’s the real deal.” Javier said turning and smiling at me.
I blushed at his statement. It amazed me how Javier could be so confident in what the two of us had with each other.
“Well Daniel you better hurry and put a ring on that man’s finger and not let him slip away. I might just snag him up,” Mariela said laughing.
“Hey, what about me,” Paul exclaimed.
“Well if I wasn’t with you,” she smiled.
“Well I guess someone forgot to invite me,” I head a female voice say from across the yard.
The four of us looked up from our conversation to see Marcy Thompson standing where Ken had given his speech a few moments earlier.
“Marcy what are you doing here,” Ken asked walking up to her.
“Well this a gathering for the faculty of Nasworthy High, isn’t it?”
“It’s for active faculty, and you are not an active member. Do you not recall the events from earlier this semester?
“Well I remember you taking the sides of some queers, and I told you that parents would not take too kindly to having them teach our students.” She said holding up a piece of paper. “I have a petition demanding the immediate termination of Javier Fuentes and Daniel Miles.” She said smugly.
“Well that’s interesting to know. May I see it?” Ken asked.
“I’ve already emailed a copy to the superintendent calling for an emergency board meeting; as well as my immediate reinstatement.”
“Well that is some news, but as you know the state education agency prevents discrimination based on sexual orientation. So what other grounds are you asking the board to terminate?” Ken asked with a smile just as smug.
“Parents have a right to whom their teachers are?” she said.
“They do to an extent, but Mr. Fuentes nor Mr. Miles have broken any ethical teaching code besides not wanting to date you. So again I ask you under what grounds you’re asking the board to seek termination; besides opening the district for a wrongful termination and discrimination
lawsuit?
“We’ll let the board decide,” she said yanking the petition from Ken’s hand.
Everyone watched the drama unfold from where they sat or stood, but I watched intently next to Javier absentmindedly reaching over and touching his hand.
“Nothing’s going to happen to either of y’all,” Paul whispered.
“Mr. Morris will you come here please,” Ken said speaking to the crowd.
“What,” Marcy asked dumbfounded.
“Yes, this is a gathering for active faculty members, and if you were so stuck up in the past to actually attend you would have known that I actually invent the school board because they also support the teaching staff and contribute to our success.”
“Mr. Winters it looks like we have some business that needs to be attended to,” Mr. Morris said walking up to the two.
“Yes it looks like it. I would inform you of the matter, but it seems like she has informed the entire guests here herself.”
“Yes she has,” he said sternly. “May I have the board members to the front please?” Mr. Morris said.
I looked uneasy as I saw Marcy’s face go from displaying confidence to uncertainty. I couldn’t help but look to Javier who was beginning to display an uncertain look as to what actions were about to take place.
“Mr. Winters, would you mind if the board stepped inside to have a private meeting on this personal issue?”
“Of course,” Ken said stepping to the French doors and opening them for the board members.
While the board was away the entire life of the party stopped. No one did anything. It was as if this was a garden of live statues. The board was gone for about ten minutes, but the intensity of the moments made if feel like an eternity.
Moments later the board returned and formed a line behind Mr. Morris while Ken and Marcy stood on the opposite side of Mr. Morris.
“Since this is a personnel matter it is not required to inform the public,” Mr. Morris began. “As for the matter being presented to the board for consideration concerning Mr. Fuentes and Mr. Miles employment with the district…”
I felt my heart drop to my stomach and I became sick to my stomach.
“…the board finds no just cause to end their employment and the motion to revoke their contract is denied.”
The entire audience of teachers and community members cheered at the decision and I was able to breathe again. Javier leaned over to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek, “I knew everything would work out okay.” He said turning my chin to force me to look at him. He was smiling.
“That’s the first time we ever showed affection in front of our coworkers.” I stated.
Admit that it felt good.” He demanded.
“It felt great,” I said smiling.
“As to the second matter that Ms. Thompson’s contract and position at Nasworthy High be reinstated is pending until further consideration. For now Mr. Winter’s decision of suspension stands and Ms. Thompson remains on inactive status with the district. For the record are the board members in agreement of this announced decision?”
A unanimous, “Aye,” came from the board members.
“The motion passes. This concludes the informal meeting of the Board of Trustees,” Mr. Morris announced.
“This is absurd,” Marcy shouted. “You call this justice?”
“Marcy, have some class and leave,” someone shouted from the crowd.
Marcy sensing defeat and unable to come up with a comeback considering the board was still reviewing her employment turned and stormed out of the party.
The guest returned to their conversations and a sense of normalcy, and Ken began to mingle with the eating teachers. Ken walked up to our table, “I’m sorry that had to happen and that had to put a slight damper on the evening but I hope you two know that you always have a place at our school. You two make a wonderful addition to the school. The students have nothing but positive things to say about you and that is a rare thing for principals to hear positive feedback from students, and believe it or not they don’t care about y’all’s relationship.”
“Thanks Ken,” Javier and I said in unison.
“You two are a couple, right?”
“Yes,” Javier said taking hold of my hand.
“That’s great news, and explains why the two of you are so in sync and finishing each other’s sentences and doing the same thing at the same time. My wife Margie and I do that from time to time.”
“We appreciate the support,”
“You’re most welcome, and it looks like we have a couple of new couples at our school,” Ken said looking to Mariela and Paul.
The two blushed, “We can’t hide anything from you,” Paul said smiling.
“I want to congratulate both of y’all, and have a wonderful evening and a great summer. Now I better go get some grub before it’s all gone.” Ken said smiling and walking off.
***
I had changed my outfit about five times until Javier came up behind me as I was reviewing my latest selection in the hotel mirror wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder.
“You look amazing. Don’t be nervous.”
“Thanks,” I said smiling at him in the mirror.
“You have nothing to be nervous about. You said so yourself that when you called them that they were excited to hear from you.”
“They were,” I agreed.
“And when you told them that you were bring someone to dinner?”
“They were hesitant at first, but I told them that you were the most amazing person I had ever met, and that you could be the one.”
Javier tightened his squeeze, “could be the one?” he asked laughing.
I turned in his arms to face him, “you are the one.” I said kissing him.
“That’s more like it,” he said after breaking from our kiss.
****
We pulled in front of Texas Steakhouse fifteen minutes to seven-thirty. I had finally decided on a pair of khaki color dress slacks and a blue buttoned dress shirt that Javier assured me made my eyes brighter and he couldn’t wait to get me back to the room and undressed for his dessert.
My parents were standing inside the restaurant and I could tell they had aged slightly but otherwise they were still the same looking people that I had left years ago when I left for college.
My mother was wearing black cocktail dress and my father was wearing charcoal colored suit. My parents never dressed in less than semiformal clothing. Dressed down for them was when dad didn’t wear a jacket with his suit and mom wasn’t wearing a current season designer dress.
“Daniel,” my mother greeted.
“Hello, mother,” I said greeting her and giving her a side kiss on the cheek. “Hello, dad,” I said extending my hand to shake his hand and hugging him.
“Mom and dad, this is Javier Fuentes, my boyfriend.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Miles, it is a pleasure to meet you. Daniel has told me so much about you.”
“Well it’s nice to meet you too Javier. I would say the same but Daniel hardly calls anymore.” My mother said.
“Mother,” I said softly but sternly.
“What Daniel, you don’t call and when you do you never speak of anything but your job and your friend Donna, but never about any of the guys that you’re dating.”
“There has never been ‘guys’ there has only been one other guy besides Javier, and I didn’t want to get into a fight over the phone is why I never brought it up.”
“Mr. Miles, your table is ready if you’ll follow me.” The hostess said guiding us to our table.
Javier took my hand and gave me a reassuring smile. “You’re doing great, papí.”
So how did you two meet?” My dad asked after the waitress had taken our drink orders.
“Well Donna and I had gone out dancing and we met, and hung out the next day, and on Monday we realized that we worked at the same school.”
“Well that’s some coincidence,” m
y mother added.
“It was. In all our conversations work never came up. So at the faculty meeting when the principal introduced me Daniel came up and reintroduced himself. It was very sweet actually.”
“I bet,” my mother said taking a sip of her wine.
“So what do you teach,” father asked.
“I teach Spanish,” Javier said plainly.
“Well that will be useful for the students to learn living in Texas.” My mother added.
“Yes it will be useful for them if they stay with it.”
“We tried to get Daniel to realize that in high school, but he never seemed to stay with it.”
“Well it’s easy to learn a language when it’s spoken in the home, and Daniel didn’t have anyone to practice with so it’s easy not to pick it up, but Daniel is learning it more that we speak it a lot at home.”
“At home,” mother asked suspiciously.
“When I stay over,” I clarified. “Javier and I practice when I’m with him because culture is important to Javier’s family and I want to let them know I take this relationship serious and that it is a long-term commitment for me.” I said placing my hand on Javier’s and giving it a slight squeeze.
“Well that’s very respectful of you son.” Dad stated matter-of-factly.
The conversation turned to more casually topics as we ate our steaks and I was relieved that it was going so well and I was mentally kicking myself that I was so nervous. My parents had seemed to change in the years that we had been apart.
“So will you two have one of those commitment ceremonies one day?” My mother asked after the waitress had taken our plates.
“No,” Javier stated before I had the chance to answer.
“Really,” my mother questioned.
“Really, one day your son and I will get married and not one of those fake ceremonies that politicians seem is sufficient to establish our commitment to one another.”