Page 77 of Josh’s Play

“They really do!” Campbell paused. I knew him well enough to give him a minute to go on. He was holding my hand but looking at the farm laid out before us.

“You know, if it weren’t for hockey, I probably wouldn’t have even gone to college. I would have just stayed here to help out. It’s a lot on them, and they can’t afford much help yet. But I certainly plan to invest just as soon as that first NHL paycheck comes in.”

Cam went to pull his hand from mine, but I held onto it tightly. “No need to knock on wood anymore, my prince.”

He pulled his hand away, and his tone was light as he rapped on the dashboard. “I can still get hurt, or …”

I leaned toward him and grasped his hand again. “You know that’s not wood, right?” Cam turned to me, and I expected a witty retort, but instead he kissed me, right there in front of his house, where anyone could be looking out the window and wondering about the short guy in the mom mobile who had driven their son home.

The farmhouse had a porch and a second-floor balcony that extended the entire length of the front elevation. There was a set of rocking chairs near the door, a table and chairs on one side, and a swing on the other. Two figures emerged and stood in front of the partially open front door, a man and a boy. I worried that they’d caught us smooching. Campbell seemed unphased as he gave them a quick wave with his free hand, and with my hand still in his other, he pointed to the side of the house. “Ready?” He gave it a squeeze. “Park behind Mom’s truck for now. The blue one.”

I had lived a pretty sheltered life, growing up in our ridiculously supportive college town with my ridiculously supportive family, but it’s not like I’d never met a homophobe before. I prepared myself for whatever awkward or downright-hostile situation I was getting myself into and reminded myself that I needed to focus on being there for Campbell.

I plastered a smile on my face as we exited the car. “Leave the bags.” Cam seemed anxious to get to his family. “We can get them later.”

I stood by the driver’s side door until Campbell came around. He threaded his fingers through mine, and I tried to pull away, but he held firm. I studied his face, mine asking Are you sure?, and he just smiled his shining smile in answer.

The smile on the man at the door, Campbell’s dad, I assumed, matched that of his son, and I could almost feel my rapidly beating heart skip a beat in shock. The boy beside him was smiling as well and calling out imaginary hockey plays like a radio announcer. All of them featured, “The rookie, number fifty-nine,” blocking a shot.

We mounted the stairs, and Mr. Campbell opened his arms wide as he exclaimed, “There they are! How was the trip?” Campbell’s brother stopped his commentary to run up and hug his brother, and Cam dropped my hand to wrap the boy in a hug, lifting his feet from the ground and swinging him around. Cam started spouting pretend hockey plays in the same radio announcer voice, this time featuring, “Young upstart, number eight.”

I was watching the scene in front of me and therefore taken by surprise when the outstretched arms that I assumed were for Campbell were wrapped around me. “This must be Joshua.”

Cam put his brother down. “Nah, Dad. That’s my Uber driver.”

Cam’s Dad pulled back quickly and took me in before Cam started laughing.

“Dad, meet Josh. Josh, Dad. How many times have I told you, you can’t just hug everyone who walks up these steps?” To me, Cam shared, “There are literally online reviews complaining about the guy who chases everyone around Pond View Acres with his arms wide open. I swear, it’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.”

“My son, the kidder.”

Cam grabbed his brother from behind and lifted him up again as if presenting him to me. “Josh, this is my kid brother Danny. Danny, this is my boyfriend, Josh.” I shot a quick look at Cam’s dad for a reaction to the word “boyfriend.” His warm smile allayed any fears I had about my welcome, though I felt a bit confused.

The boy with his feet dangling reached out his hand, and I shook it. “Pleasure to meet you, Danny.”

“Hi,” the boy said, giggling as I shook his hand and Cam shook him.

Cam was putting him down, and we were about to head in when a voice from inside yelled, “I thought I heard a car, are they …” A woman pulled the front door open wide. “Oh, here you are. Come inside, come inside. You’ll let all the flies in. And Lord knows we have a million flies around here.” We all walked in. “Straight through to the kitchen with all of you. Lunch is on the table.” Cam let me walk in front of him, and the woman took my arm.

She leaned in and whispered to me, though I was sure Cam could hear from his spot right behind us as we walked further into the house. “We’re so happy you’re here, Joshua.” She stopped and grasped my shoulders to turn me toward her. I shot a look at Campbell but was embraced in another hug before either of us could do anything about it. “Thank you so much for what you’ve done for my boy.”

“I …” I didn’t know what to say. Mr. and Mrs. Ryan were not at all what I had expected, and I was not exactly sure what she thought I had done.

“Mom, for God’s sake. Let the man go.” From behind me, Cam grabbed my waist so I could take a step back. “I told you they were huggers,” he said from behind me, into my ear but loud enough for all to hear. Then he stepped forward, wrapping an arm around my waist. With his free arm he directed a little shooing motion toward his mom. “Kitchen, remember?” She beamed at the two of us before leading the way to a large kitchen with modern appliances and wooden cabinets that matched a huge, natural-looking wooden table, a long rectangle that ran most of the length of the huge room and had chairs on one side and a bench on the side closer to the wall. From a window above the sink, I could see the little pond and the tree line behind it.

“Wow,” I breathed out, and all eyes were on me. “This is beautiful.”

“Thank you, dear,” Mrs. Ryan responded.

“What are you boys drinking? Cam told us you’re a senior, Josh. Does that mean you’re twenty-one? Can I get you a beer?”

“No, thank you, sir. I mean, yes, I’m twenty-one, but water, please.” Cam was directing me to take a seat on the bench as activity flew around me. Fried chicken and bowls of sides were delivered by Danny and Cam’s mom as his dad filled and delivered drinks. A door opened and closed somewhere close by, and a nearby voice could be heard.

“The stalls are cleaned out. Are they here yet?” Another young man, clearly Cam’s other brother, entered the kitchen from what appeared to be a mud room. He was pulling on a clean T-shirt as he continued talking. When his head popped out, he concluded with an, “Oh”; a blush like his brother’s began to creep up his neck as Campbell responded.

“Yeah, Chase, they’re here. Josh, this is my brother Chase.”

I waved and gave him a, “Hey, man,” as he came and sat next to his brother. They shared a side hug from their seats on the bench. Chase leaned forward to look my way.