Page 74 of Daily Grind
No, he couldn’t. While they finished up with the dishes, he filled his parents in on Rob and about the time his mom stopped grilling him, the front door banged open.
“Hey! Two for one!” his brother called. That was followed by a yelp. “Hey!”
“I’m my own person.” Zoe’s voice echoed through the air.
They thumped into the kitchen. “Didn’t have to smack me.” Len rubbed his arm.
“Sister’s prerogative.”
After that, it was hugs and chats and noise and wonder. Brian was so light-headed and relieved that he wasn’t sure his feet were touching the floor.
When the oven timer beeped, their mom shooed Brian and his father from the kitchen. “Go pour the wine.”
She had Zoe and Len make a salad.
Ten minutes later, they were sitting around the table, staring at the lasagna their mom set down.
“It’s like you know me,” Len said.
“I gave birth to you.” His mom sat back. “Let’s say grace.”
They did, and while he repeated the words by rote, everything his dad said flooded back. Joe and Darren. His criticism of those running the church. The acceptance that he was dating a guy.
He couldn’t help the giggle when they finished.
“What’s your problem today?” That from Zoe. “You’ve been in the wine already?”
“No,” he said. “I—uh—” He caught his mom’s eye.
“Brian has some news.”
Both his siblings stared at him.
Geez.Thanks, Mom.Brian swallowed and heat rose to his face. “I have a boyfriend.”
They stared at him harder.
“I’m bisexual. I met a guy. His name’s Rob and he’s kind of—” That giddy laugh escaped again. “—Amazing.”
Zoe leaned back in her chair. “Wow.”
His brother, however, nodded. “Makes sense.”
“Wait, what?” Zoe whipped her head to stare at Len.
Len snorted. “Oh, come on. You ever go into his room when we were growing up?”
Brian rubbed a hand over his face. Maybe the posters on the wall had been a giveaway. All the actors and actresses he’d found hot. “So this is news tono one, huh?”
“It is to me,” Zoe said, her face pink. “I kinda wanted to be the queer in the family, but you beat me to it.”
Oh. All of the attention shifted off of him. “Um… sorry?”
Zoe’s smile was sincere and joyous. “Hey, saved me having a heart attack figuring out how to tell Mom and Dad.”
“You know, we’re both sitting at the table…” His mom handed the salad to his dad and picked up a knife to cut into the lasagna.
She blushed harder. “I’m gay. Well, lesbian, but… yeah.”
