me.”
“First of all, you can call me Gale, or Mom, but not Mrs. Nash. Mrs. Nash is my mother-in-law, a lovely woman, but not exactly how I see myself yet. In twenty years, maybe. Second of all, you don’t have a thing in this world to be sorry for. I’m sure if your mother were here, she would do the same thing.”
Nate shook his head. “No, ma’am, she wouldn’t. My parents disowned me when they found out I was gay.”
Gale reached over and squeezed Nate’s hand. “In that case, I hope you’ll consider us your family. You already know Brandon and Keith. When you’re feeling better, I’ll introduce you to the whole clan. Right now, though, I want you to try and go back to sleep. Those dark circles under your eyes are just screaming for some rest. After your nap, come downstairs and eat some of the supper I brought for you and Brandon. I swear that boy doesn’t know how to fix anything that doesn’t come in a plastic tray.”
As she was leaving, Nate said, “Gale?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Thanks.”
“That’s what family is for, Nate.”
* * * Gale Nash sat down at the kitchen table still fuming, madder than Brandon had seen her since the day he and his brothers killed one of Grandpa Taylor’s goats with a potato gun. Not even Sasha, who adored his mom, was brave enough to come into the kitchen with the agitated woman. She wisely chose to take a nap on her doggie bed.
“What kind of mother disowns a sweet boy like that just because he’s gay? I’d like to get that bitch alone in a room for about ten minutes, just enough time to put the fear of God into her.”
“Mother!”
“Save it, Brandon. I’m not saying anything you haven’t heard before. A woman like that doesn’t deserve a son like Nathan.”
“From what Nate has told me, I think it was mostly his father’s decision. I believe his mother and brother probably just go along with whatever he says.”
Gale got up and started unpacking the food she’d brought. “Maybe so, but no man is worth abandoning your own child. Do you think for one minute I would let your father tell me I couldn’t see one of my babies?”
Brandon grinned. He came up behind his mom and gave her a squeeze. He might be over a foot taller than her, but all Gale’s children knew she was the boss.
“Not all mothers are like you, Mom.” He kissed her cheek and then went to the cupboard to get some plates. “By the way, have I told you lately how lucky I am to have a mom like you?”
“Yes, dear, but I never get tired of hearing it.” She put the last of the food on the counter and then turned to her son. “So, how come Nathan is sleeping in the guestroom instead of in your bed?”
Bran almost dropped the glassware he was holding. “Jesus, Mom, I just met the guy yesterday.”
“Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain. And don’t give me that bull. When have you ever let not knowing someone stop you from taking him to bed?”
“I admit, I have had my share of one night stands, but, for your information, I haven’t been with anybody since I ended it with Jeff. Besides, Nate isn’t like that, he’s—”
“Special?”
Bran paused before answering. “Yes.”
Gale turned her back to him, but not before he saw her smile. “That’s all I wanted to know.”
Bran closed the cabinet and went to stand in front of his mother. “You knew?”
“That you haven’t been with anyone since Jeff turned from a prince back into a frog? Of course I knew it. I also know that you didn’t have actual ‘sex’ with any of your one night stands. And I was pretty sure you were attracted to Nathan, but I wanted to be sure.”
“You are absolutely spooky, you know that? How do you know so much about my sex life?” “I’ve told you before, Brandon. Mothers just know these things. Why do you think you and your brothers and sisters were never able to get away with anything?”
Brandon pulled a chair away from the
“First of all, you can call me Gale, or Mom, but not Mrs. Nash. Mrs. Nash is my mother-in-law, a lovely woman, but not exactly how I see myself yet. In twenty years, maybe. Second of all, you don’t have a thing in this world to be sorry for. I’m sure if your mother were here, she would do the same thing.”
Nate shook his head. “No, ma’am, she wouldn’t. My parents disowned me when they found out I was gay.”
Gale reached over and squeezed Nate’s hand. “In that case, I hope you’ll consider us your family. You already know Brandon and Keith. When you’re feeling better, I’ll introduce you to the whole clan. Right now, though, I want you to try and go back to sleep. Those dark circles under your eyes are just screaming for some rest. After your nap, come downstairs and eat some of the supper I brought for you and Brandon. I swear that boy doesn’t know how to fix anything that doesn’t come in a plastic tray.”
As she was leaving, Nate said, “Gale?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Thanks.”
“That’s what family is for, Nate.”
* * * Gale Nash sat down at the kitchen table still fuming, madder than Brandon had seen her since the day he and his brothers killed one of Grandpa Taylor’s goats with a potato gun. Not even Sasha, who adored his mom, was brave enough to come into the kitchen with the agitated woman. She wisely chose to take a nap on her doggie bed.
“What kind of mother disowns a sweet boy like that just because he’s gay? I’d like to get that bitch alone in a room for about ten minutes, just enough time to put the fear of God into her.”
“Mother!”
“Save it, Brandon. I’m not saying anything you haven’t heard before. A woman like that doesn’t deserve a son like Nathan.”
“From what Nate has told me, I think it was mostly his father’s decision. I believe his mother and brother probably just go along with whatever he says.”
Gale got up and started unpacking the food she’d brought. “Maybe so, but no man is worth abandoning your own child. Do you think for one minute I would let your father tell me I couldn’t see one of my babies?”
Brandon grinned. He came up behind his mom and gave her a squeeze. He might be over a foot taller than her, but all Gale’s children knew she was the boss.
“Not all mothers are like you, Mom.” He kissed her cheek and then went to the cupboard to get some plates. “By the way, have I told you lately how lucky I am to have a mom like you?”
“Yes, dear, but I never get tired of hearing it.” She put the last of the food on the counter and then turned to her son. “So, how come Nathan is sleeping in the guestroom instead of in your bed?”
Bran almost dropped the glassware he was holding. “Jesus, Mom, I just met the guy yesterday.”
“Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain. And don’t give me that bull. When have you ever let not knowing someone stop you from taking him to bed?”
“I admit, I have had my share of one night stands, but, for your information, I haven’t been with anybody since I ended it with Jeff. Besides, Nate isn’t like that, he’s—”
“Special?”
Bran paused before answering. “Yes.”
Gale turned her back to him, but not before he saw her smile. “That’s all I wanted to know.”
Bran closed the cabinet and went to stand in front of his mother. “You knew?”
“That you haven’t been with anyone since Jeff turned from a prince back into a frog? Of course I knew it. I also know that you didn’t have actual ‘sex’ with any of your one night stands. And I was pretty sure you were attracted to Nathan, but I wanted to be sure.”
“You are absolutely spooky, you know that? How do you know so much about my sex life?” “I’ve told you before, Brandon. Mothers just know these things. Why do you think you and your brothers and sisters were never able to get away with anything?”
Brandon pulled a chair away from the
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