“Dad, this is—”
Mr. Hayes swings an arm around my shoulders before Luan even gets to finish introducing me. “Was about time you showed up here, boy.”
“I’m glad to finally meet you,” I say, though judging by the adrenaline that’s rushing through my body, I don’t think I mean it. Well, I do, I guess, but I would’ve preferred meeting Luan’s father somewhere more private. A rather public event like this means other people are there to hear our conversations, and I’d have preferred it if private information about me didn’t come out into the world for everyone to find with a quick google search.
“Likewise.” Mr. Hayes clears his throat and steps back from me, now paying his own son some attention. Knowing Luan, he didn’t exactly like being greeted by his own father last, but he’s also getting so much better at accepting that not everything is always about him. Though to be fair, I, too, would be upset if my mother chose to greet Luan before me.
“Luan’s been talking our ears off about you for years, and all Amira and I ever get to see of you are your interviews or brutality on the ice. Now tell me, why ice hockey? I’m sure Luan would’ve rather you played soccer instead, but this isn’t about him so forget I said that.”
I can already tell Luan gets the talking from his father.
“You donothave to answer that,” Luan tells me, sending a warning look into his father’s direction. He interlocks our hands, ready to drag me elsewhere to end a conversation we both know I’d rather not have.
I love talking about ice hockey, so that’s not the problem. However, ice hockey will quickly drift over to another direction, more personal, and I loathe those conversations.
“It’s alright, really.”
“Luan, honey, stop trying to hide your fine boyfriend from us.” Luan’s mother lays a hand on her husband’s shoulder, smiling up at me the same way she did when we first met. “How have you been, Grey?”
“Uhm…” Well, now that’s a question I haven’t been asked in a while.
How have I been?
So, I cut all the ties to my father because he is a homophobic asshole who’d rather not have a son than have an unlabeled one.
My parents divorced and my father is trying to sue my mother for money that she doesn’t have for no reason other than dragging their divorce process out publicly for her own safety.
All of my friends are married and have kids or are about to pop some out which results in me feeling as though I’m not doing this whole being alive thing the right way, which I know is bullshit because everyone goes about their life at a different pace. But it sucks seeing all three of my best friend’s growing their families while my boyfriend is just about to move in.
I haven’t seen my boyfriend in person in weeks, and now that we’re finally together again, I’m not even sure we’ll make it through tonight okay.
Also, I’ve been dying to rip off that tux of Luan’s ever since he put it on, but I probably shouldn’t say this to his parents. Actually, I shouldn’t sayanyof this to them.
“I’ve been great,” I answer.
Luan gasps and holds the hand that’s still holding mine over his heart. “How dare you give my parents more answers than you did me when we first met?”
I shrug. “Well, I didn’t like you when we first met.”
His jaw drops. “Youlovedme. I am a great person, Grey Davis.”
“Maybe in your dreams you are.” I smile at him, to which Luan’s expression instantly softens.
I’m so proud of Luan for being able to know when I am joking and when I’m being serious. It may be a rather normal thing for anyone else to see the difference between those two, but only a little while ago, Luan would’ve thought I was being serious.
Just when I started to think that maybe meeting Luan’s parents, or well, his father, isn’t going that bad, Luan looks around us to see who’s already present. When his eyes are back on his father, they fill with guilt, and I know what’s about to leave him.
Honestly, I wish I could confidently say that his parents freaking out on us and telling Luan he can’t date me that our relationship would survive. And as much as I want that too, I could never make Luan choose me over his family.
The only reason why I chose him over mine is because I didn’t choosehim, I chose my freedom, and he happened to be that freedom. Luan happened to be the one to show me that I could never be myself if I don’t cut the ties to the only person who was holding me back.
His family isn’t like mine, and I guess their support through all the years of Luan doing more shit to other’s than he should’ve, them staying when he needed them the most even when he’s already majorly fucked up, proved that.
Taking that away is something I couldneverlive with. So, yes, if it does come down to him having to decide, I won’t give him a chance to choose because that’s cruel. He’ll find love again, but he won’t find a second family like the one he already has.
“Mom, Dad,” Luan begins. He blows out a heavy breath and squeezes my hand like he’s trying to reassure me. “There’s something we should probably tell you.”
“We?” Amira’s eyebrows quip up in surprise. She looks from me to her son, and although she should be scared hearing those words, she just smiles. “Oh, my… Honey, you’re not getting married, are you? I mean, woah, I’d be so happy for you two, and I’d throw you thebiggestwedding in the whole wide world, but you didn’t even officially move in together yet.”
