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“No,” their uncle said finally. “He had other plans.”
Blake coughed. “I thought he was doing paperwork you didn’t want to do?”
Aaron laughed nervously. “This salad is delicious,” he said, changing the topic.
“Thank you,” Gracie replied. “Everything was made earlier today. This was a little last minute.”
Jesse relaxed. At least they could count on Gracie not to lose her temper.
“Did you cook all the food yourselves?” Aaron asked.
Gracie nodded. “Raina has use of a kosher kitchen. We used everything from there so she could eat as well.”
“Ah, yes, that’s working out well for you?”
A panicked look appeared briefly on Raina’s face, but it smoothed out as Jesse touched her hand. “Yes, there are three of us, and it works out nicely.” Raina turned her hand so their fingers could link together properly.
There were only meaningless conversations as they began to eat the main course—a delicious garlic chicken that Gracie and Dean had slaved over that afternoon. Tehilla’s brother Yaakov had helped, because according to the kosher laws, someone who kept kosher had to be in the kitchen the entire time. Jesse didn’t really understand why, but maybe he would look into it later. Tehilla, for obvious reasons, had stayed far, far away from the kitchen when any Ashcrofts were present.
“So Blake,” Raina addressed him in what was an obvious attempt to be polite. “What made you decide to attend Trinity? I mean, you’re a senior, right?”
Blake put down his fork. “Well, I figured a change of scenery couldn’t hurt,” he said casually. He delicately wiped his mouth with his napkin, the perfect picture of innocence.
“Did your school really expel you?” Nicole blurted out.
Jesse sighed inwardly. He loved her, but she’d never been one to hold her words.
“I was ‘politely asked to leave’. But if you were asking why I chose to come to Trinity, it was my parents’ choice.”
By “parents’ choice”, Jesse knew that meant his uncle had used his status as the school principal and descendant of the founders to persuade the board to accept Blake. The bylaws stated all Ashcrofts were eligible for free tuition, but even so, Jesse was surprised the board had even considered letting Blake into the building. The substantial check Aaron had likely written was probably the deciding factor.
Zara snorted. “Or because no other school would take you,” she said, the first words she had spoken all evening.
“That too,” Blake agreed amicably, no trace of resentment in his voice. “So, I heard there’s a dance coming up?”
Nicole scowled. “Sure, if you have a date of the opposite gender. Did you hear about the declaration, Principal Ashcroft?”
Aaron looked uncomfortable, smoothing out his napkin. “I did.”
“And are you going to do something about it?”
Jesse could tell that Aaron chose his next words carefully. “I trusted Vice Principal Ashcroft to make decisions in my absence. It would be wrong for me to undermine his authority the day I return.”
“So you’re not going to do anything,” Jesse said, disgust filling his voice.
“It would be too controversial to publicly take back his decision. The board would not allow me to knowingly engage in something that will gain us negative publicity.”
“Screw the board!” Zara exclaimed. “Weown the school, not them.”
“That doesn’t mean I can do whatever I like, Zara,” Aaron said with a sigh. “Regardless of my personal beliefs, I cannot go up against the board, and I can’t openly challenge other administration unless there is a real reason.”
“What would you have done?” Dean asked quietly. “Would you have made that announcement?”
Aaron glanced at Zara and Theo for a second. “I can’t say for sure what I would have done in any situation.”
Dean shook his head, exchanging disappointed looks with Jesse. “Unbelievable.”
“Did my dad refuse to come tonight because I’m gay?” Theo asked suddenly, drawing all the attention to him. He sat stiffly in his chair, looking so uncomfortable in his neatly pressed button down. “Tell me, please. Is that the reason?”
