Page 94 of Daily Grind
“So.” Len passed the salad to Rob. “How’s the shop?”
Everyone saw the screwed-up face Brian tried not to make. “It’s… busy.” He piled some greens into his salad bowl. “Scheduling’s been complex.”
Not really. Brian took all the unworked shifts. Rob chewed on his tongue and took the offered salad.
“You’re not working those awful hours, are you?” That from Alice.
Brian dropped his shoulders. “Like I said, it’s complex.”
Nothing that hiring a few additional people wouldn’t solve. Rob didn’t know coffee, but he knew staffing. He handed the salad to Zoe.
“Do you two actually get to see each other?” Her eyes were the same shade as Brian’s.
The worry Rob felt lay in her gaze. That fear resided in each of them, including Tony. Brian stared at his plate, his scowl stony. Rob slid a hand on Brian’s leg and gave the tense muscles a squeeze. “Of course we see each other. We make time.”Hemade time, but the rope of tension beneath his hand loosened. “I understand the pressure of owning your own business.”
Brian lifted his head. “It sucks sometimes.” He covered Rob’s hand with his own. “But it’s getting better. The new hires are working out and summer’s coming. It’s always easier to schedule when everyone’s out of school.”
The concern in his family faded and the rest of the food was passed around.
Len talked a bit about his flights and some of the crazier things that had happened. “Had one passenger get rip-roaring drunk in first class and nearly start a fistfight with his neighbor. Except his neighbor was an air marshal, so that ended quickly and in handcuffs.” He shook his head. “But we had to make an emergency landing because of the idiot.”
Zoe recounted a win at her lab—one of her experiments had completed successfully and the data had been quite good. Rob understood some of the terminology, but other bits flew over his head—not exactly his field even if some of his robots were for the medical industry—but he understood the excitement of good data.
“So you’ll be able to build off of that?”
She nodded. “Oh yeah. Might even be able to get a grant to continue the research.”
Alice coughed. “And are we ever going to hear any more about this girlfriend of yours?”
A very quiet chuckle from Brian and Zoe got a sheepish look. “Um. Her name’s Jyoti. She’s from India. I didn’t know if…” She trailed off.
Fearful of the racial differences? Rob studied Brian’s family. Both Alice and Tony sat back, but it was Alice who spoke. “Would you like to bring her to dinner sometime?”
Zoe nodded. “She’s vegetarian, too.”
Len nodded absently and dabbed his ravioli in sauce. The smile on his face was mirrored on Brian’s.
“I’m sure we can manage,” Alice said, almost bemused.
Zoe exhaled and relaxed. “Thanks, Mom.”
Tony shook his head. “You’d think after all these years, you kids would realize we’re gonna love you no matter what.”
“Well, I do,” Len said. He popped a ravioli into his mouth. He met Rob’s glance and his smile deepened.
Now there was a story he wanted to hear. He’d have to ask Brian later.
“I do have a question,” he said to both Alice and Tony, “if you don’t mind something a bit personal?”
They looked at each other and then at him. Both expressions were inviting, and Alice nodded.
“Brian said you were both still Catholic.” They’d said grace. There were pieces of religious art in the house, plus some palm branches tucked behind a crucifix. “How does that work? I mean…”
“How can we be fine with a bisexual son and a lesbian daughter?” Tony watched him over his wineglass.
Rob swallowed and nodded.
Alice swirled her wine, a movement that reminded Rob so much of Brian. “God is love. Mankind isn’t always. I’d rather err on the side of love.”
