“I didn’t ask.”
“’Cause if it’s the second one, they’re a little late.And if it’s the first one, it’d be good to know.”
My parents probably did think I was a virgin.I hadn’t given them any reason not to think that.
“Did you tell them we’re sleeping together?”he said.
The conversation I’d had when I came out to them was a blur.“I think so.”Why wasn’t I sure?
“’Cause I want to know if your parents are more like Tommy’s uncle or my parents,” he said.He sounded pissed off.“If Tommy and I had wanted to get married, his uncle would have paid for the wedding.Hell, he would have been the best man.He loved Tommy so much he didn’t care who he married as long as he was happy.My parents wouldn’t even keep a roof over my head when I was seventeen.”
“My parents invited you here for Christmas.”
“Did they actually invite me?Or did you just tell them you were bringing me?”
I couldn’t remember.“They didn’t tell menotto bring you.”
“Your parents know we’re engaged, right?”
“Yeah.”I remembered telling them that.They hadn’t congratulated me.Howhadthey reacted?Why was it so hard to remember?
“I’m getting the impression they don’t think of me as your fiancé.They just think of me as your friend.Your really close friend.It’s pretty easy for them to believe that, since you haven’t touched me once in front of them.”
“Oh.”
“You get what I’m saying?”he said.“Why I’m saying this?”
“Yeah.”
“We shouldn’t have to sneak around like we’re doing something wrong.We’re adults.We’re not cheating on anybody, and we both want to be here, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And I’m not saying we should be making out at the kitchen table, or you should be sitting on my lap watching TV, or we should be fucking full blast right now, but come on, Craig.You’re acting like you did that night with Cub and Andy.Your parents are gonna have to accept that you’re bi.”
“You said you’d never pressure me to do something I’m not ready for.”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I’m not ready to be openly bi in front of my parents.”
“Then why did you ask me to come here?”
“Because I want to spend Christmas with you.”
He lay back in the bed, looking frustrated.
“Are you mad at me?”
“I’m mad at your parents.”
“They’ll come around.They just need time, like I did when we first got together.”
“It’s not the same,” he said.
“Let’s go to sleep, huh?”
“Sure.”He turned over so I could spoon him.
