Page 20 of After Hours

I climbed back up onto my bed and stared at the phone. They told people I left home for school? That didn’t even make sense. I started working at the family business at sixteen like everyone else, and I never did anything else until that fateful day when I packed up my turquoise teardrop and left.

For a moment, I wondered if I should tell Dec where I went and why I moved. He was the least likely to be judgmental, but also the one I didn’t want to lose touch with the most. No, I was done hiding who I was. Everyone would find out eventually when I never came back from school or whatever. Better to know now if my little brother would accept me or not.

Oscar:Hi Dec! I’m fine, really great in fact. I’m not in school though. IDK why they’re telling you that. I moved to NY by Finn – dad’s long-lost brother – and am building a life for myself here. How are you?

Oscar:Probably not a good idea to let mom and dad know you texted me, btw.

I knew why they told everyone I was in school; they needed some type of excuse for one of their sons suddenly going missing, and they’d do anything to avoid gossip. Even though their reputation didn’t affect me in any way, the last thing I wanted was for Dec to get in trouble because of me. He was nineteen and technically an adult, but they still paid for his vet tech associate degree program and the roof over his head.

Dec:OMG! I knew they were lying! What happened? And wait… Uncle Finn like dad’s the-gays-burn-in-hell long lost brother?

Oscar:Yeah, that one. I guess there’s more than one sinner in the family tree. Surprise.

When I drove across the entire country to start a new life, I promised myself I wouldn’t hide anymore. I’d be unapologetically me. If my favorite brother couldn’t accept that, it made more sense to know right away. Losing him would be harder than the rest of the family, but that was up to him, not me.

Time dragged out as I stared down at the phone, and the joy at hearing from Dec faded. Just when I was about to give up, the dots appeared, disappeared, and appeared again. I bit my lip and waited.

Dec:Make that three.

I blinked as my mouth dropped open. Had my little brother just come out to me?

Oscar:Dec… What do you mean?

Dec:No one knows. Well, I mean no one in the family. I have six months left until I get my vet tech degree, and then I’m out of here. I’m queer – he/him or they/them – and probably own more skirts, lip gloss, and nail polish than both of our sisters put together. OMG. I can’t believe I’m not the only O’Donnell with a secret.

That wasn’t hard to believe. Our sisters wore jeans and T-shirts and worked just as hard at the family business as any of the older brothers. They weren’t the type to worry about chipped nails or fashion. People relying on stereotypes might even assume they were lesbians besides the fact that they were both happily married to men and busy creating the next generation.

Oscar:Wow! Well, if you want to, you can always come out here with me! Even though I’m on the other side of the country, I’m here for you, Dec. Remember that no matter what.

We texted back and forth for another hour, and Dec even sent me a picture of him in one of his favorite fem-style outfits with a flippy black skirt and pink crop-top with a cat on it. He looked great, but most of all, he looked happy. My phone buzzed with an incoming text from Zane, so I said my goodbyes and told my sib I loved them.

***

A thick mat covered the kitchen island to protect it from the chunks of stone I sketched random shapes on with a white pencil. The late afternoon sun streamed through the sliding glass door to illuminate my workspace. Ever since I got the idea to maybe start up my little online business again, my mind filled with the urge to create. I hadn’t heard back about the job application yet, but I wouldn’t let it get me down.

The front door swung open, and Finn stepped in, kicked off his boots, and bent to give Bandit a few scratches around his ears. He passed me on the way to the fridge for iced tea, which he poured into a glass full of ice cubes.

“You want one?” When I shook my head, he stepped closer and peered down at the scattered stones and my hands. “What are you doing?”

“Carving rocks.” I looked up from a chunk of white marble with a fish shape drawn on it. “Well, planning. I won’t carve rocks in your house, don’t worry.”

He picked up a flat piece of soapstone and turned it over in his hand before resting it carefully on the mat again. “Is this what you do? I guess the family biz gave you plenty of access to rocks to get creative with.”

I shrugged and my cheeks heated up. Would I ever be able to talk about myself without blushing like my whole life was an embarrassment? “Yeah. I like carving things.” I held out my bracelet to show him, and he gave me an impressed nod and grunt. “I tried to start an online sales business, but never really had the time to work at it.”

“You have time now. How do you do it?”

“I have a rotary tool, like a miniature handheld drill that has different carving tips. It makes a lot of dust.”

“Well, you could probably do it out back.” He waved his hand toward the glass door. “As long as it doesn’t make much noise. Can’t disrupt the guests, you know.”

“It’s quieter than a blender, but I don’t know if I’m ready to start again anyway.”

Finn watched me add scale details to the fish. “Why not? If it’s something you like doing, do it. That’s why you came here in the first place, right? To live your life on your own terms.”

There was a reason I looked up Uncle Finn before fleeing across the country from the homophobic family. Maybe it was time I trusted him to understand more than our same sexuality. “I know I can’t work at the inn forever. You guys don’t really need the hours put in. I’m grateful! Super grateful, but I have to make more money and move out.”

He took a sip of tea and leaned back against the counter. “Yeah, you need your own place so you can invite your boyfriend over and have some privacy, huh?”

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