Page 60 of Havoc
“I did. We finished dinner a little while ago, and we’re just catching up and watching television.”
“Did you ask her about dinner on Saturday?”
“Yes, she’s excited to meet you.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Remy responded. “I won’t keep you. I wanted to make sure she made it safely. I’ll call you in the morning.”
“Okay, babe.”
They ended the call, and Lawrence grabbed the souvenirs he’d gotten for his mother and returned to the living room.
Remy sat in the restaurant Saturday evening, waiting for Lawrence and his mother. He’d volunteered to pick them up, but his boyfriend stated they would meet him there since picking them up meant him bypassing the restaurant and then backtracking. Remy hadn’t minded, but Lawrence insisted.
He’d only been waiting a few minutes, having arrived early, when he saw the host leading Lawrence and his mother to the table. She was a tiny something. Remy would guess she was no more than five foot two if that. There was no mistaking that shewas Lawrence’s mother. It looked as if she’d spit him out. Remy stood when they made it to the table.
“Hey, baby,” Lawrence greeted, kissing him. “Remy, this is my mom, Silvia. Mom, this is my boyfriend, Remy.”
“Nice to meet you, Remy,” Silvia greeted, pulling him into a hug.
“Nice to meet you too, Ms.—”
“Now, don’t you make me feel old,” she cut him off. “Silvia is just fine.”
Remy chuckled. “Nice to meet you, Silvia.”
He pulled out both of their chairs before taking a seat beside Lawrence. Now that their entire party was present, their server approached and took their drink orders. It was quiet for a few minutes as they looked over their menus before Silvia broke it.
“Remy, Lawrence tells me you’re the VP of operations at Cayman Industries. Do you enjoy it?”
“I do. Like any job, it has ups and downs, but I wouldn't trade it. He said you work with individuals with special needs.”
Silvia smiled. “Yes. It’s demanding and difficult sometimes, but I love it.”
The server returned with their drinks and took their orders, and when they were alone again, the conversation continued.
“The two of you met at Alijah’s wedding. That’s romantic. Most people don’t believe it, but weddings are the perfect places to make love connections.”
“I guess so. Even though he was trying to take me home to get into my pants,” Lawrence teased, and Remy raised a brow at him.
“Well, you clearly let him. I bet you didn’t even put up a fight,” Silvia countered, and Remy laughed while Lawrence stopped his glass halfway to look at his mom.
“I…have no defense,” Lawrence responded with a shrug.
The conversation continued, with him and Silvia doing most of the talking; Lawrence would chime in now and then but was giving him and his mother a chance to get to know one another until their food came. When it did, Lawrence changed the topic of discussion.
“Remy’s parents want to get together for one of the upcoming holidays. I think it would be a good idea for the three of you to meet. You and Rita would get along well.”
“I have to work Thanksgiving, but I have the day before and after Christmas put in for PTO if that works for them.”
“Both of my parents are retired. They’re fine with whatever works for you,” Remy stated.
“Christmas it is,” Silvia responded. “Wait, you said the three of us should meet. Are you not inviting Dennis? I thought the two of you were on better terms.”
“If better terms are him pretending I’m not gay, then sure. Honestly, Mom, I don’t want him there if he’s going to throw his little sly comments about praying and repenting. I don’t want him to offend Remy or his parents. It’s bad enough he tried during his visit when I introduced them.”
Remy shook his head. “Baby, being offended by anything your dad says means I care about his opinion on the decisions I make for my life and what he thinks of our relationship, and I don’t. My parents won’t be either because they’re proud of me and the person I am, and they adore you. Nothing else matters to them as long as we’re happy together.”
“I second that,” Silvia stated. “But I understand not wanting to deal with it, and you have every right not to invite him.” She paused briefly. “Your father is running from his truth instead of living in it. I think he looks at you and sees how happy you are with yourself and how you accept yourself, and he sees something he could never do.”
