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Call me when you get a chance.
It’ll have to be quick. My battery is almost dead, and I think Pops borrowed my charger. She answers right away. “Hey! Are you still on the clock? Or on the cock?”
“Neither, he just left. But I might have to rethink this whole thing because if he goes down on me like that again, there’s a hundred percent chance I’m going to stalk him.”
“Ooh, that good huh?”
“It really was. What’s up?” For her to stop by and then call, she must have news.
“We got a house! They called today. We can move in about three weeks.”
“That’s fantastic! Where is it?”
“On the south side of town near the library. It’s so cute. It has two bedrooms, a big porch and a fenced in yard for Twist.”
“I’m so happy for you! Does Lila know yet?”
“She does. Do you want to come over and celebrate with us? She’s making lasagna.”
“Absolutely. Be over in a few minutes.”
The trailer is quiet when I emerge from my room. Pops and Corbin must’ve gone back down to the golden guy’s place. After a quick hunt through the living room and kitchen for my phone charger with no luck, I open Pop’s door to see if it’s on his nightstand.
It is, but that’s not what stops me in my tracks.
Pops stands beside his bed, his arms around Corbin as they kiss. Both turn to look at me and their expressions say so much. Corbin looks terrified while Pop’s face softens with regret.
“S-sorry, I should’ve knocked.” None of us say another word as I hurry to the kitchen.
Pops has been single my whole life, and I’ve never stopped to think why. For someone who seems to have the dream of marriage for me, he’s never been down the aisle. I’ve seen him date, and he was obviously with my grandmother to create my father, but he’s never had much interest in relationships. That he may be into men has never occurred to me. I don’t think most of us want to picture a grandparent’s sex life.
Pops walks in and leans against the counter across from me. “Honey…”
It’s the only word I let him get out in his trembling voice before I grab him in a hug. “It’s okay. I’m just surprised, that’s all. But it’s fine, Pops.”
He hugs me back with a sigh. “I didn’t want to keep it from you, but he isn’t ready for anyone to know.”
“That’s okay. Have you two…been together long?”
“For about a year.”
“The other guys don’t know?”
He shakes his head. “Not about me or him. No one does. You know how folks around here are when it comes to gay people.” He’s right, especially among the older crowd. It’s sad, and things are slowly changing in the right direction, but two men in their sixties in a small Kentucky town? It’s difficult to say the least.
The only thing that matters to me is making sure he knows that I support him. I pull him into a hug again. “I love you. And there’s nothing wrong with the way you love. It breaks my heart that you have to hide it or worry about it, but I’ve got your back. Always.”
Pops isn’t normally an emotional person, and he takes a second to gather himself when I let him go. The sight of him wiping a tear from his eye makes mine well up too.
The sound of soft footsteps heading across the living room draws my attention.
Corbin pauses when I call his name, and hovers near the door, a wary look on his face. He stiffens up for a moment, probably from surprise, when I wrap my arms around him. “You don’t have to worry about me telling anyone anything that you don’t want to be known. I’m happy for you and Pops.”
He nods and looks like he’s fighting back tears as well. No one seems to know what to say and the awkward silence grows until I turn to Pops. “So, I was way off about Vera, huh?”
He chuckles and nods, joining us in the living room. “She’s a nice lady, but yeah, not my type.” Corbin doesn’t resist when he takes his hand and leads him over to the couch to sit down.
“All those years worrying about me finding a good man and you found one instead,” I tease, trying to lighten the mood and set Corbin more at ease.
