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After Mom made her exit from the campfire, turning her sights on Dottie and the rest of the debs by the shore, I cuddled up next to Gray. Christian handed me an edible from his tin, which I promptly snatched from his hand and popped into my mouth. He offered Gray one as well, but he just laughed it off and pulled me closer to his side.
Christian stared at us for a while, observing the way Gray’s hands danced up and down my arm. His brow was knitted together as he studied us.
“If you stare any harder, my fiancé is probably going to fire you in a fit of jealous rage.”
Gray rolled his eyes. “For the hundredth time, Christian’s not gay.”
Christian opened his mouth, only to shut it seconds later. After popping another edible, he slid the tin case into his pocket and drew in a deep breath. “I’m not,” he finally agreed. “But I’m starting to think I might be bi.”
I gaped at him.
He winked at me.
Gray slowly shifted his position until he was standing in front of me, barricading me with his beautiful body. “Half-pint?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“I’d like for you to go inside and shut the curtains.”
I arched an eyebrow at him. “Why?”
He bared his fangs at Christian. “Nothing to worry your pretty little head over. Me and Christian just need to have ourselves a chat about personal boundaries.”
I sighed when I saw his hand forming a fist at his side. “Jesus Christ, Gray. Just piss on me and call it a day.” I flung my hands in the air and walked away, stopping after only a few paces. I glanced back over my shoulder. “No. Scratch that. I’m an open-minded man when it comes to sex, but I draw the line at watersports.”
When Gray refused to drop the subject, I sauntered off long enough for him to threaten Christian within an inch of his life. I spotted Dottie standing at the shore, staring into the distance. Bernice stood at her left, rubbing her hand against Dottie’s back. Mom and Elmyra were standing off to the side, both staring at her with watery eyes. The fire crackled behind me as I walked toward them, its embers flickering in the half-light, dancing through the sky like an endless sea of fireflies.
“You okay?” I said to Dottie, standing at her side.
She leaned in and laid her head against my shoulder. “I’m doing fine, sweetie. Mighty fine.”
This lake. It hurt to know how much it had taken from her. Her son had been ripped out of her life because of a simple mistake. For placing her trust in a man who weaponized scripture.
“I think I’d like to try to get the lake renamed. I don’t know if it’s legal or anything, but maybe we could just spread the word around town. Put up a sign or something.”
“Well, sugar, why would you want to do that?” Bernice asked.
I glanced over at Dottie. “Because it’s taken enough. I think it’s about time we started taking back. Lake Isaac has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”
Dottie smiled and slowly nodded her head. “I think that’s a beautiful idea, Kent.”
“This lake used to be a place of fear. It took everything from us, but it’s done taking. Let’s make this a place of hope. For him. For us.”
“He would have loved you, baby. My Isaac would have been proud to know someone like you.”
“I think I would’ve loved him right back.” I reached up, cupping her face in my hands. “If he was anything like you, I know I would have.”
Dottie reached into her purse, letting her hand linger when she found whatever it was she’d been searching for. “There’s something I’d like you to have. Something I’ve wanted to give you for a while now.” She pulled out a small doll, and my jaw trembled when I realized what it was. Of who she once belonged to.
“Kent, this is Hattie.” She held Isaac’s doll out, handing her to me. I shook my head. I couldn’t take that from her. It was the last piece of her son. The piece they’d kept hidden away from his daddy. Dottie touched my cheek and nodded. “I want you to have her. I don’t need a doll to remember what my baby meant to me, or what I meant to him. It’ll do my soul a world of good just knowing she’s in good hands. Maybe one day, you’ll have a little one to give her to.” Dottie leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “The world is moving in the right direction. It’s because of people like you. People like Gray.”
“People like you, Dottie,” I managed, though only just. My voice shook, and tears were fresh in my eyes as I took Hattie and held her to my chest. “I used to think hearts couldn’t change. That once people were set in their ways, that was it.” I glanced over at the debs and wiped the tear that fell down my cheek.
“It’s never too late. Sometimes they just need to be shown. You showed them.” She pointed at the rest of the denim debutantes and chuckled. “They left their church for you.” She dipped her head in Gray’s direction. “For both of you. You boys are ours. Always have been, and always will be.”
***
The party started to unwind, and I was growing antsy, wanting nothing more than to explore our new little homestead and crawl into bed with Gray and Dog-Dog. My death glares did nothing to convey the message to those around me, but eventually Mom caught my gaze and nodded. She made an unnecessarily hostile announcement that it was time for everyone to “get the hell out of here before I have Rhonda and Sam Elliot run you over with her Fiat,” and the group said their goodbyes. She was the last to leave that night, and before she did, she pulled Gray and me in for a hug, insisting we make plans for weekly dinners back at the house.
