was using.
Chris spoke at last, carefully not meeting Dan’s eyes, but throwing a glance up through the fringe of hair that fell over his eyes. “They’re not so much accepting as resigned. They know I’m not going to change, but they’re not happy about it. And some of the other relatives haven’t come that far yet.” He must have seen something in Dan’s face, because he added in a defensive tone, “My uncle’s a minister.”
“And my uncle’s a rabbi.” One who kept reminding Dan there was now an established ceremony for joining same-sex couples. Dan didn’t know if Uncle Aaron was eager to try it out or if he’d run out of other members of the younger generation to nag about weddings since his youngest son had gotten married the previous year. Uncle Aaron loved officiating at ceremonies. According to Dan’s mother, Officious should have been his middle name.
Chris shrugged. “It’s partly my fault. I didn’t come out to them until after college. If I’d been braver, they might be used to it by now.”
“That’s bullshit. People come out when they’re ready. If you know your family is going to react badly, that’s good reason to wait until you’re independent.”
Chris shook his head. “I could have done it sooner. They’d never disown me outright.”
No, they just won’t own you publicly . Dan bit his lip. There was no point in making Chris feel worse about his family.
He gently pulled his foot from Chris’s grip, then crawled up his body, intent on making him feel very good about other things.
Chapter Six
Sixth night—Monday
Chris finished slicing vegetables, then contemplated the results. Onions, garlic, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, and carrots were spread out in bowls and on his big wooden cutting board. Good as far as it went, but…
He opened the fridge and rooted around until he found half a yellow pepper. That would do. With that additional color and taste added to the mix, the stir-fry would work. The chicken was already cut up and marinating, so as soon as Dan arrived, he could start cooking.
He checked the clock on the microwave before glancing out the window. It was already full dark. He’d expected Dan earlier. But offices tended to be busy the first day back after a holiday, and Friday really hadn’t counted as a workday, with most places minimally staffed.
Still he felt a foolish wave of relief when the doorbell rang. He wiped his hands on a dish towel, then went to answer it. His smile of pleased anticipation faded the moment he saw Dan’s face. “What happened?”
Dan grabbed him like a lifeline and held fast. “My father just called. The baby’s sick. Something about jaundice. I don’t know.”
Chris had heard of people with hepatitis being jaundiced. Was there something wrong with the baby’s liver? He suddenly felt cold in spite of his overactive furnace. “Come on in. Sit down. We’ll look it up.”
“I checked on my phone before I came over. The site I looked at said it can cause brain damage.”
Chris pushed Dan onto the couch. “What did your dad say?”
Dan took a deep breath. “That the doctors weren’t going to let Arielle go home from the hospital, because she had serious jaundice and they had to treat it. I could tell he was trying not to upset me, but his voice was shaking.”
Dan’s voice was shaking too, as were his hands. He was still clutching his cell phone. Chris took it away, then reached for the laptop he’d left on the coffee table. Awkwardly, with one arm around Dan, he started to search for information on jaundice.
The first thing he saw was that lots of babies had it. The second was if it was bad enough to be treated, it was bad enough to cause serious problems. He set down the computer, then hauled Dan close, rocking him a little. “It sounds like they caught it early. I’m sure everything will be fine.”
Dan started to relax a bit, but tensed at the sound of his mother’s ringtone. He pulled out his phone
Chris spoke at last, carefully not meeting Dan’s eyes, but throwing a glance up through the fringe of hair that fell over his eyes. “They’re not so much accepting as resigned. They know I’m not going to change, but they’re not happy about it. And some of the other relatives haven’t come that far yet.” He must have seen something in Dan’s face, because he added in a defensive tone, “My uncle’s a minister.”
“And my uncle’s a rabbi.” One who kept reminding Dan there was now an established ceremony for joining same-sex couples. Dan didn’t know if Uncle Aaron was eager to try it out or if he’d run out of other members of the younger generation to nag about weddings since his youngest son had gotten married the previous year. Uncle Aaron loved officiating at ceremonies. According to Dan’s mother, Officious should have been his middle name.
Chris shrugged. “It’s partly my fault. I didn’t come out to them until after college. If I’d been braver, they might be used to it by now.”
“That’s bullshit. People come out when they’re ready. If you know your family is going to react badly, that’s good reason to wait until you’re independent.”
Chris shook his head. “I could have done it sooner. They’d never disown me outright.”
No, they just won’t own you publicly . Dan bit his lip. There was no point in making Chris feel worse about his family.
He gently pulled his foot from Chris’s grip, then crawled up his body, intent on making him feel very good about other things.
Chapter Six
Sixth night—Monday
Chris finished slicing vegetables, then contemplated the results. Onions, garlic, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, and carrots were spread out in bowls and on his big wooden cutting board. Good as far as it went, but…
He opened the fridge and rooted around until he found half a yellow pepper. That would do. With that additional color and taste added to the mix, the stir-fry would work. The chicken was already cut up and marinating, so as soon as Dan arrived, he could start cooking.
He checked the clock on the microwave before glancing out the window. It was already full dark. He’d expected Dan earlier. But offices tended to be busy the first day back after a holiday, and Friday really hadn’t counted as a workday, with most places minimally staffed.
Still he felt a foolish wave of relief when the doorbell rang. He wiped his hands on a dish towel, then went to answer it. His smile of pleased anticipation faded the moment he saw Dan’s face. “What happened?”
Dan grabbed him like a lifeline and held fast. “My father just called. The baby’s sick. Something about jaundice. I don’t know.”
Chris had heard of people with hepatitis being jaundiced. Was there something wrong with the baby’s liver? He suddenly felt cold in spite of his overactive furnace. “Come on in. Sit down. We’ll look it up.”
“I checked on my phone before I came over. The site I looked at said it can cause brain damage.”
Chris pushed Dan onto the couch. “What did your dad say?”
Dan took a deep breath. “That the doctors weren’t going to let Arielle go home from the hospital, because she had serious jaundice and they had to treat it. I could tell he was trying not to upset me, but his voice was shaking.”
Dan’s voice was shaking too, as were his hands. He was still clutching his cell phone. Chris took it away, then reached for the laptop he’d left on the coffee table. Awkwardly, with one arm around Dan, he started to search for information on jaundice.
The first thing he saw was that lots of babies had it. The second was if it was bad enough to be treated, it was bad enough to cause serious problems. He set down the computer, then hauled Dan close, rocking him a little. “It sounds like they caught it early. I’m sure everything will be fine.”
Dan started to relax a bit, but tensed at the sound of his mother’s ringtone. He pulled out his phone
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