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“Because it’s unnatural,” Vaughn says.
“It’s not, actually,” I reply. “There are plenty of species that exhibit homoerotic behavior.”
His mom gasps.
“Your son is remarkable,” I go on. “He’s kind and sweet and wholly himself, and I couldn’t be more happy to call him my husband. If you can’t support that, maybe we should go. No offense, but I already don’t see family Christmases in our future.”
I chance a glance Kipp’s way. He’s smiling at me, his eyes wet.
“You have no right being here,” his dad cuts in, his voice low but undeniably laced with a threat. “You’re not a part of this family.”
“He’s a part of mine,” Kipp says, blowing out a breath. “And Teddy is right. We shouldn’t have come.”
Kipp slides his chair back, and his mom makes an aborted noise. His dad sets a hand on the table near Kipp, the thump of it stalling his departure.
“We never threw you out,” he says, his blue eyes nothing like Kipp’s. They’re cold and harsh and uncaring. “We didn’t abandon you because of your proclivities.”
Kipp sighs tiredly. “That’s not the ringing endorsement you seem to think it is, Dad.”
“We tried to help you,” he goes on. “You should be grateful that we care.”
Kipp takes a second to look at his family, one at a time. Finally, he says, “Caring shouldn’t hurt so much.”
I don’t hesitate to stand the moment Kipp does, and together, we walk out of the restaurant. Vaughn lobs an insult at our backs, but I ignore it, my chest bursting with pride. Kipp makes it all the way into the car, strong and solid and sure, before he finally cracks. The moment the doors shut, his hands land on the dash in front of him, and he takes in a shuddering breath. “Fuck.”
“All right?” I ask, gripping the back of his neck.
He shakes his head, even as he says, “Yeah. I don’t… I don’t know what I was expecting. Part of me thought, just maybe, they were going to be happy for me? That they wanted to come meet you because you were someone important to me? Or so they would have thought,” he says quickly.
I give his neck a squeeze. “I know what you mean,” I say, not wanting to linger on the tenuous validity of our marriage.
“But…they only wanted to make sure you hadn’t, like, brainwashed and kidnapped me. Which—sorry about that. Fuck.” He lets out a shaky sigh. “They’re never going to be proud of me, are they?” he asks, meeting my gaze. “No matter what I do, they won’t support me. They won’t approve of me being gay.”
“I don’t think so,” I tell him truthfully, slipping my hand up into his hair. He closes his eyes, hanging his head between his arms. “But you don’t need their approval.”
“I know,” he whispers. “I just wanted it.”
“I know, sweetheart.”
He huffs a small sound, leaning into my touch as I lightly scratch his scalp. “Fuck, that feels good. You always make me feel good, Teddy.”
My heart tries to take flight. “How about you let me take you home, then,” I say. “I can make you feel real good.”
“Yeah?” he says, turning his head. A smile settles on his lips. “That was cheesy, I hope you know. But hell yeah. Let’s do that.”
A slap on the window has the both of us turning. “I hope it’s worth it,” Vaughn says through the glass, his face an ugly, twisted facsimile of the man beside me. “I hope you enjoy spreading your legs for this asshole, you ball-less bitch.”
“Dude,” Kipp calls back. “I’m not spreading my legs for an asshole. I’m spreading them for a dick. Get your goddamn facts straight.”
Vaughn slaps the window again before backing up and making a lewd gesture at his crotch.
“And you bet your ass it’s worth it!” Kipp yells.
Vaughn flips him off as he walks away.
“Jesus,” I mutter. “He’s a charmer, isn’t he?”
Kipp’s laugh is devoid of humor. He plunks his head back against his seat, turning to face me. “He doesn’t get it. He thinks one of us has to be the ‘woman’ in the relationship. Guess he decided it’s me.”
