Page 181 of Pretty ’n Peak

Austin scrunched his eyes closed. Of course. “And you didn’t want to steal her thunder.”

“Or ruin her day,” Teo agreed.

“Didn’t they see your earrings?”

“I’ve been wearing a hat.” To Austin’s eyes, the dark smudge was indistinguishable from Teo’s hair.

At a whisper, Teo added, “I’m sorry.”

Austin kissed his fingers, which were rapidly cooling in the November evening. “Don’t ever apologize for taking care of yourself and your family. But we should decide what to do. I can come in with you. I can go home. I can sneak upstairs. You just tell me what you want.”

The door opened again, and Teo took a hasty step back.

Austin understood, but it still hurt.

“Come in!” A woman’s voice called. A different woman, he was pretty sure. Teo’s mother? "¡Hace frío! ¡Vamos, vamos!”

Austin was proud that he at least understood that tiny bit of Spanish from the online program he’d been using each day. It was cold, so they were supposed to come in.

“I guess we’re doing this,” Teo murmured.

Austin wished he could just hold Teo’s hand again. Offer him some comfort.

Taking his arm for guidance up the stairs wasn’t quite the same.

Inside, the house smelled of good food and happiness, with children’s shrieks and adult’s laughter ringing through the room.

They stood in the doorway, and Austin could see well enough to know Teo was taking off his hat. He squeezed Teo’s elbow, but pulled back when Teo gently twisted his arm away.

A moment later, Teo’s warm fingers twined between his.

Slowly, conversation stopped. Little hissed phrases made their way around the room.

He and Teo were making a stand together, but he couldn’t see a damned thing, and he didn’t know what any of the words meant.

Finally, a voice cut through the silence, a clear alto that Austin was sure was Teo’s mother this time. “¿Mijo? Did you have something to tell us?”

Austin gave another squeeze. It was all he could do.

He could feel as much as hear Teo drawing in a deep breath. “I’m gay, mamá. Austin es mi novio.” Then in a voice that only cracked a little, he added, “And his name really does start with A.”

Silence reigned for another moment, and then everyone seemed to be talking at once. Still in Spanish. The word novio was tossed around several times, which at least Austin knew meant boyfriend.

So far, no one seemed angry, exactly. More surprised.

Teo took a step into the room and Austin followed. Two more steps.

Hopefully that was a good sign.

"¿Eres gay?” That was Teo’s mother again. “¿Por qué no nos dijiste?" She sounded maybe a little angry, like she was scolding him. Por qué was why, but beyond that, Austin was lost.

Other shouts… complaints? broke out from around the room.

But Teo kept leading him forward and around a couch, then tugged his fingers downward a moment before he sat. Austin sat too, his bag sitting awkwardly on his lap with his cane in front of it.

“What are they saying?” he leaned in to ask.

Teo whispered back. “They’re chewing me out for not telling them sooner.”