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“Staying for dinner?” I asked Chris, who looked exhausted.
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Why are you standing…” I waved at him there with crutches, shaky and pale.
He closed his eyes briefly. “Too exhausted to think about the chair, or walking.”
“Sit, sit, I’ll get you food. You want coffee?”
He slumped to the nearest table, and I set about taking care of him, starting with soup.
He loved the soup and had a hundred questions. “And what is in the soup, besides squash and…”
“Apples.”
“I’m eating apple soup?” He didn’t sound turned off by the fact, taking another mouthful. “What else, though?”
“Cinnamon and nutmeg for warmth, but not in-your-face hot, just subtle. Also, there’s a splash of coconut milk in it, and of course you can see the toasted pumpkin seeds.” At least talking about soup was a safe thing.
Then he took a big bite of the toasted cheese and rolled his eyes. “I love this almost as much as I love you.”
Silence.
He placed the toasted cheese on the plate and stared at me, shocked at what he’d said.
I laced my fingers with his free hand. “I love you, too.”
I leaned over the table and our lips met in a kiss that felt as if it could stop time. It was one of those perfect moments where everything else faded into the background.
We might have stayed like that, lost in each other, if Chris hadn’t suddenly pulled back with a grin. “We should probably eat before the soup gets cold,” he said, his eyes still sparkling with mischief.
I laughed, settling back into my seat. The aroma of the grilled cheese and the butternut squash soup filled the air, and I was about to take a bite when Fox’s voice startled me.
“You know, Chris, you could stay the night,” he said, glancing up from his homework. I turned to him, reminded of his presence, and feeling a pang of guilt for having gotten so caught up in the moment with Chris. “I don’t mind, now you’re boyfriends and all that.”
His suggestion didn’t sit right. I was pleased Fox felt comfortable enough with Chris to include him in our little family unit meant more to me than he probably realized. But a part of me wondered, what kind of father was I? To have been so absorbed in my own feelings that I’d forgotten my son was right there. I searched his face for any sign of discomfort or hesitation, but all I saw was a genuine acceptance.
I cleared my throat, trying to find the right words, but Fox shrugged, a small smile on his lips. “I like you for my dad.” He was talking to Chris. Then he faced me. “Don’t mess it up, Dad, because he makes you happy. “
His words struck a chord in me. He was right. Chris made me happy, happier than I had been in a long time. And Fox’s approval, and simple acceptance of my relationship with Chris meant the world to me. Still, it didn’t feel right, not yet.
“Maybe not tonight,” I murmured, and Chris squeezed my hand. “Another night?”
Fox nodded, then smirked. “Best I get some more sleepovers at Clarke’s house, then.” Chris snorted into his soup, and I stared up at Fox and really tried for innocence. Fox pointed a finger gun at me. “Nothing stealthy about you kissing yourboyfriendin front of me, Dad,” he said with a smile, his approval of me and Chris clear.
Fox headed upstairs for his hour of gaming.
“It’s good that he’s cool with us,” Chris said. “Something about kids today, the good ones, I mean. They see nothing wrong with two guys kissing.”
“My family wasn’t very supportive when I came out,” I admitted. “Maybe that’s why I ended up with Briggs. I felt isolated in who I was, like I had nowhere else to turn to help understand what a genuine relationship should be like.”
Chris listened; his eyes filled with empathy. “I was luckier,” he said. “When I realized I was bi, my family were there for me.” I envied him that, the familial support I’d craved. “Owning that part of me wasn’t something I saw coming, you know?” Chris said, his gaze distant as he reminisced. “I’d always known I liked men, but I never acted on it. I just followed the path I was given, y’know? I was a jock, going to the big leagues, dated the homecoming queen and everything.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Then, after the accident, like way after, when my head was less messed up, I let myself fall for someone new and I met Marcus.” A small smile played on his lips—Marcus must be a fond memory. “He was my physical therapist after the accident. Something about him… well we had a thing, and I knew I was bisexual.”
I couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy, even though I knew it was irrational. “Marcus, huh?” I teased, trying to keep the atmosphere light.
“Long gone. He moved to the east coast, and we weren’t this big thing where I pined for him, just missed him a little, but this was ten years ago now.”
“I guess I should thank him for helping you figure things out.”
