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Leighton brought me out of my reverie, repeating, “So … this ‘enough is enough’ thing?”
“They were determined to change that none of us had celebrations. And as I look back, they were determined to make a real family for all three of us. That very first Christmas after they saved me was about two months away. They were putting all their money into rent and food and their education. But they figured it out. I got my first Christmas present ever that year.”
I got teary-eyed. Teary to the point that they were falling down my cheeks without me noticing.
Leighton pulled me into him and kissed my tears away. He cooed, “It’s okay, it’s okay, darlin’. I got you,” to me in my neck.
When I pulled away from him to give him a kiss, he looked at me and asked, “Are you okay to tell me about that Christmas? I'd love to know ...”
“My very first Christmas, I didn’t know what to expect, of course. No memories to build expectations on, right? Well, Jerry found the perfect gift: He got one whole year’s worth of kickboxing lessons for me at the local Community Center. Two one-hour group lessons every week. I was ecstatic!”
Leighton looked at me with affection as I remembered.
“I only much later found out that it was cheap for residents—or free, sometimes—but I was so thrilled with my very, very first Christmas present that I could hardly wait for the first lesson in January. I never missed a lesson.”
Leighton was teary-eyed now, too. “And you’ve kept with it all these years? Wow. And too bad for a certain psychopathic villain.”
That brought us both back to smiles.
“And throughout the year, but only when I needed them, I went with them to the thrift shops like the Salvation Army and got ‘new’ clothes for just a few dollars. It’s an advantage having two gay men in the family: They were great personal shoppers. Even today, they know how to find a deal!”
Oh, that made me smile! That was a wonderful memory!
Leighton took my face in his hands and kissed me. “My beautiful darlin’! You are not only a survivor. You are a Superhero.”
He asked, “And what about just the everyday stuff?”
“Well, they’d made a decision years before for themselves: They were attending a free public school, so they took advantage of every single free activity and facility. They made me do that, too. I was on the Drama Club stage crew. I was a roving reporter with the school newspaper. I was in the Public Speaking Club. I was in the first Young Entrepreneur’s Association. I got somegirls together in a Jogging Club and we used the track around the football field to have informal races. I wasn’t into the whole cheerleading thing, or I probably would’ve done that, too. But, anyway, stuff like that. Every year.”
Leighton got it, “And because of your intensive participation, loads of students and teachers saw you and never suspected there were no parents in your life? Very sneaky. Or, should I say, very, very astute!”
“Yes.”
Leighton
Ilooked at her. “So, you’ve declared a day off from work for both of us?”
She nodded, “But not from food, beverage, and rest. Well, andmaybenot from just alittle moresex—if you behave with the food thing. What food do you have in the house?”
“Got me.”
“Nothing?”
“Probably.”
“That’s got to change—you know that. Right, baby?”
“I’ll call the bakery and get us some breakfast. I’ll have Roberta get it along with something for the staff. They all helped me yesterday, didn’t they?”
Duh, of course, they did!
“Baby, tell me why you connected to the social services thing … What happened?”
“I can do that. But breakfast first, okay? I’m ready for some of … hmmm … I guess today it’sAlex’screations, huh?”
She nodded, saying, “Get your usual and then whatever for McManus and Fielding and your sisters. They all helped. Then …? Order a loaf of bread, too. And two squares of focaccia.”
I not only ordered from the bakery. Later I ordered for delivery from the Italian restaurant we went to on our second date. Double soups and two entrée-sized salads. I thought that later in the afternoon, we could take a walk and get groceries together.
