“I still can’t believe what she did,” Mason said as they slid back under the covers and reached for each other.
“She probably knew that you would be too busy to cook, and that I’d get hungry.”
Mason hummed in agreement. “That too, but I meant her speech. She took all the heat for our marriage and gave us cover. It’s going to be really hard to upstage her now, even if it gets out that I’m in love with my soon-to-be ex-wife's brother.”
“So…” Sky stalled.
Washeready for Mason to come out and for the rest of Roseview to know about them? It didn’t seem likely that it would stay a secret for very long, given that it was Roseview.
“Do you want everyone else to know about us?”
“I think I might…” Mason smiled as he nibbled on Sky’s lips. “My parents were happy when I told them that I loved you, and it made me realize that I was focusing on the wrong thing. I was worried that they’d be upset with me for hiding and lying about so much, I didn’t stop and think about how happy everyone would be foryou. I know we aren’t perfect in Roseview, but you’re loved by so many people here. Far more than you know.”
“I do!” Sky nodded and rolled his eyes at himself. “I’m related to the worst people in Roseview, but there are some really awesome people here too. It was just easier and less personal to blame it on Roseview, than to admit that I didn’t fit in at home with my own family. Now I know why.”
“That wasn’t your fault.”
“I know thatnow.I’m also working with my therapist to reframe my relationships with my dad and Uncle Lance. I was never going to win my father’s love because he never loved anyone, except maybe Lance. But Lance loved me and was there for me in all the ways I needed. I had a father, I just didn’t call him Dad.”
“I’ve been thinking about that…” Mason’s lips pulled tight and his eyes narrowed. “We all knew that Lance favored you and now we know why. But what about the others? Nana said she was sure that Lance had at least one other child, if not two. I can’t remember him being close to anyone else, the way he was with you.”
Sky thought back and shook his head. “I can’t either. Maybe it was because of Dad and how close they were. Maybe I meant morebecause they had me together, in a way?” He gagged at how twisted that sounded. “Maybe the others had dads who weren’t shit so Lance didn’t feel as sorry for them,” he guessed.
“That makes more sense than anything else that’s happened, and you knew him best.”
“I barely knew him at all.” Sky shook his head, sad about the missed opportunities. “We went on all those long walks on the beach and weekend fishing trips. He listened to me babble about books, and movies, and video games… But he barely told me anything about himself. He didn’t tell me that he was queer like me, and that he loved Dad more than he loved Cora. He didn’t tell me that I was his or help me understand what that means. I have a million questions about who I am that I’ll never be able to ask.”
“What about your mother? She might be able to shed a little more light on their relationship and Lance’s past.” Mason cringed apologetically. “It’s probably a long shot, but she’s the last one standing.”
“Possibly by design. That is something, though, isn’t it? Mom’s always been a survivor.”
Mason hummed in agreement. “I do my best not to cross her. How are you two doing?”
“Fine. Pretty much the same. I don’t call her, but I take some of her calls when I’m in a combative mood. That way she knows she hasn’t been forgiven. We never bring up Lance or Dad because I know she doesn’t give a shit.”
“Why…?” Mason asked hesitantly. “Youcouldpush her for more information or a real apology.”
Sky laughed it off. “I doubt I’d learn anything of value. Just a ton of shit I don’t want to know, and then I’d have to rehash it all with my therapist. We don’t need more work to do.”
“True. It’s a shame that Lance doesn’t have any other living relatives you can talk to and that Adele’s the only one who knew him and Stewart when they were younger.”
“The thing about Mom is…” Sky wrinkled his nose as he found the right words. “I’ve always expected the worst, so I’ve never been disappointed. And she always says exactly what’s on her mind, even if it’s brutal and ugly. There’s no mask. Mom is exactly what she is, which is not how most people work. She’s also…me, without the autism or a conscience. I understand myself better and the things Ihave tofix when I’m with Mom.”
Mason’s brows slid up his forehead and his eyes widened. “Wow. I’ve never thought of Adele as the dark version of you, but that’s exactly what she is. Or, you’re a better version of her. I take for granted that I can see my family’s history everywhere I look, and I know exactly where I get each of my features from. You’ve always had questions and felt lost, and all you have is Adele. I’m sorry.”
“She’s not all I have. Not anymore,” Sky amended with a smile. “I cut myself off from the rest of my family because of us, but I don’t have to do that now.”
“Wait!” Mason propped himself up with his elbow. “What about the rest of your family? What if you did one of those home DNA tests? Maybe we could encourage more people in Roseview to take them and find your other siblings. They might already be in those databases!”
Sky’s face pulled into a grimace as he considered. “I might put my DNA out there, and I wouldn’t say no if someone wanted to meet me. But I don’t want anymore drama, and I don’t want to turn anyone else’s life upside down. Not if they were hoping to find a president in their family tree or to reconnect with someone they actually miss.”
“That’s fair.”
Sky nodded. “One of the few things my therapist said that stuck was that I’m not really equipped to save the world and solve otherpeople’s problems. Not because I’m autistic, but because I wasn’t raised right. Tracking down my lost siblings and facilitating a reunion would require a bunch of tools I don’t have, when I’m not even sure if I need or want that. What if my DNA connects me to a serial killer, like in those crime documentaries? Or what if I find my long lost brother and he’s a bigger asshole than I am?”
“What if he’s lovely? What if he’s autistic, too?” Mason asked gently.
“What good am I going to do for him?” Sky laughed. “I can’t explain Lance or tell him who he really was. He’ll expect me to because I was the closest person to him, other than Mom. Anyone else who knew Lance is gone, but all we ever saw was Lance, the player. I certainly can’t help him with the autism thing.”
