Page 45 of Say It Again

The laughter ceased.

“Enough, enough! You know what?” Aaron pinned Robert with his murderous glare and snagged Daniel’s hand. “He came here to celebrate your birthday, not to be bullied by a couple of classless men. We’re leaving.”

“Wait, what?” Robert grabbed Daniel’s arm. “Hey, stop.”

Aaron jerked Daniel toward the door. “Let’s go.”

“Hold on a goddamn second.” Robert tug-of-warred with Daniel’s arm. “Dan, tell this guy to chill out! We’re just joking. What the hell is your problem?”

“What’s my problem?” Aaron spun around, and they all flinched. His blood swished in his ears loud enough to make them itch. “Your son would love to have a relationship with you, but you can’t see him. Open your eyes and see him. He’s brilliant, he’s charming, he’s the funniest person I’ve ever met. He’s filled with passion and soul, and his heart—God, I can’t even describe it. It’s so pure and he’s so kind. How did you raise someone so kind?”

He tried to shake his fists out, but they stayed tightly bound. “For his sake, I hope he never answers another phone call of yours, but he probably will. Because your son is a bigger man than you, Mr. Greene. And my problem is with anyone who makes him feel less than precious the way he is.”

“Wait. Who are you?” Jerry asked, confused.

Aaron glanced at Daniel, who had turned into a wide-eyed statue. While he was already here beheading His Majesty, he might as well burn down the goddamn kingdom. “I’m his boyfriend.”

The statue’s eyes bulged even more.

Jerry floundered, “B-boyfr—?”

Aaron whacked the beer from Jerry’s hand then kicked it. “Boyfriend! Which is why I won’t tolerate another joke at his expense. Oh, and before I forget.” He pulled a small blue box from his coat and tossed it to Robert. “He got these for you.”

Robert fumbled to catch it like a juggling clown.

“Cuff links engraved with today’s date.” He tucked Daniel beneath his arm. “Happy birthday, asshole. Kind of hope you choke on them.”

Robert looked like he might already be choking.

With Daniel in tow, Aaron stormed back through the party like it was about to explode behind him. But even a slow-motion walk as the house burst into flames couldn’t make him look chill. What the hell just happened? He stopped to swig someone’s cocktail from a console table, to which a voice yelled, “But that’s mine.”

I am a caveman. He slammed it down and charged forward, yanking Daniel’s body past an electric-sliding Melissa, between the two Debras, then finally outside.

Because only a caveman would lose their entire MIND. He jerked Daniel down the street. They ran like they were being chased.

I didn’t just say any of that to Daniel’s dad. He fumbled with his keys. Because that would be out of line, domineering, and unforgivable.

They hurried inside the car and slammed the doors.

So, none of that happened.

They stared at one another.

None of that happened.

Daniel asked, “Did that just happen?”

“Fuck!” Aaron scrubbed his face. “I am so sorry. I’m an idiot. I have issues, and if you want me to apologize, I will go back—”

“Did that just…?” Daniel’s eyes were wide as he laughed, slamming his hands on the dashboard over and over. Then he shadowboxed the air. “Tell me all of that just happened. You knocked that guy’s beer out of his hand. You made us look like badasses back there. Aaron.” Daniel covered his mouth with his hand, his face positively aglow. “You told my dad to choke on those cuff links.”

“Did I say that?” He searched the walls of the car for answers to his behavior. He could not get more oafish if he tried. “I did. I said that. That doesn’t even make any sense. Why would he have them in his mouth?”

Daniel cackled.

“God, I’m the worst.” He buried his face in his hands. “My instructions were to defuse you, and what do I do instead? I detonate.”

“No, no, no. Sweet, sweet man. Come here.” Daniel shushed him, cradling his face in his palms, lifting it to see him. “Don’t apologize. Please don’t apologize. I couldn’t have asked for more. You stood up for me. You said those remarkable things about me. You did what I couldn’t. You’re the bigger man, Aaron. It’s you.”

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