Page 57 of Oddly Fine

“What?” Beck’s mother asked.

Beckett’s smile was positively evil.

“Nothing much. A quiet evening at home. We’re big into—staying in these days,” Beckett said.

The plug in Hayes’ ass suddenly increased in speed. He nearly lost his mind as tried to breathe through the surge of lust in his groin.

“Well I’m glad you’re together,” she said, reiterating her acceptance of their relationship for the umpteenth time.

Beckett snorted with amusement at his mother’s tendency to keep repeating herself, but before he got the chance to tease her about it, his phone beeped that he had another incoming call. It was Jackson, so, with a smirk, Beckett accepted the call.

“Hey, Jacks—Mom and Dad are on the call too,” he said as the Facetime call started, Jackson appearing with his daughter Allison perched on his lap.

“Heyyyy,” he greeted the group, “Merry Christmas!” he added, waving to the camera.

“Merry Christmas!” Allison said, her voice high-pitched with excitement. “Do we tell them?” she lowered her voice to a loud whisper directed towards her father.

“Tell us what?” Ma Thérault asked.

“I’m pregnant,” Beckett answered, because he just couldn’t resist.

“You too?” Allison gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth.

“Beckett!” Ma Thérault exclaimed sharply.

“You’re kidding, right?” John asked, sounding borderline worried. Beckett’s father had been remarkably open-minded about his youngest child suddenly switching teams, but he’d obviously made a tremendous effort to adjust to a reality that wasn’t part of his generation.

“Fuck off, Beck,” Jackson said, rolling his eyes. In the background, they could hear boisterous feminine laughter.

“And you say you’re accepting,” Beckett retorted in mock offense.

“You’ll make a fabulous mother, Hayes,” Maggie called out encouragingly.

Hayes made another strangled sound, unable to come up with a suitable rejoinder.

“Be serious for a minute!” Ma Thérault barked, trying to get them back on track.

“I’m going to be a big sister!” Allison announced loudly, impatient at having been ignored.

“Is it true?” Ma Thérault asked, and though they couldn’t see her, Hayes imagined her nervously clutching her pearls.

“Yeah, Mom,” Jackson said, chuckling happily. “Katerina’s five weeks tomorrow,” Jackson said, voice becoming shaky with emotion. “We were supposed to wait ‘til she got past 12 weeks, but—we couldn’t,” he laughed shakily, sounding as if he was holding back tears.

There were screams of delight and applause. Beckett shook his head, and rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his fond smile.

Beckett might like to pretend he wasn’t invested in these things, but being an uncle was something he was incredibly proud of, and he wasn’t fooling Hayes at all with his act of nonchalant amusement.

“Congratulations!” John said, his jovial voice reminiscent of Santa Claus.

“Cheers on stealing my thunder,” Beckett said, making Jackson laugh.

“Ma?” Jackson asked hesitantly, as she’d been oddly silent since hearing the news.

“Well—” their mother said, voice quivering with suppressed emotion. “I mean—I’m not sure how to be happier! This year has been so blessed—” she said, trying to keep it together. “Raphael, Hayes, a newborn—” She sounded as if they were all equal blessings.

Hayes was so overcome with his own mix of emotions that he was insanely relieved not to appear on camera.

“Merry Christmas!” she said again, and just like before, as soon as Hayes’ opened his mouth to respond, the plug in his ass buzzed to life again. But this time, Beckett cranked it up to the highest setting. It was all Hayes could do not to jump off the fucking couch. He instinctively moaned.