Thwarted - 24. Chapter Twenty-Four

“You’re going to what?” Gary set his coffee down and stared at his son.

“Live with Mark.” Trey smiled at Mark and turned to face his dad. “Before you even start, I already know what you’re going to say.”

“You think so?” Gary laced his fingers together on top of the table.

“Yep. You’re going to tell me that we’re moving way too fast”—Trey shrugged—“but you’re not telling us anything we haven’t already thought about.”

“Then why not wait?” Diane glanced at Mark. “Please don’t misunderstand, we’re glad Trey found someone, but shouldn’t you get to know each other better first?”

Trey didn’t give Mark a chance to answer.

“You obviously aren’t listening to me and are making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Trey stood and moved behind Mark’s chair. Before he could guess his intentions, Mark felt his boyfriend’s hands land on his shoulders.

“I said if things work out like we hope.” Trey squeezed Mark’s shoulders. “We have the next year to learn more about each other and then another month before my enlistment is actually up.”

Mark wanted to reassure Trey’s parents but there really wasn’t much that he could add, besides, they didn’t know him so whatever he said wouldn’t mean much. The only thing he could do was do his best to let them get to know him over the week and maybe, if it went well, make sure to keep in touch with them after Trey had been deployed.

“Well, you’re only here for a week”—Diane glanced at her husband—“and I don’t want to spend it arguing. You know we’ll support you in whatever you decide to do, we just want you to think about all of your options.”

“I know Mom and I am, so….”

“Are you boys getting hungry?” Diane stood and moved over to the fridge. “I made up a big pot of stew last night that we can have with some biscuits.”

“Sounds great, Diane.” Gary pushed his own chair back. “While you do that I’ll go get a few things put away.” Gary nodded at both Mark and Trey and headed for the front door.

“You okay staying with Mom if I go talk to Dad for a minute?” Trey kept his voice low but Mark had little doubt that Diane could probably hear him.

“Go ahead, I’m fine.” Mark certainly didn’t want to cause problems and hoped that Trey could get things straightened out with his Dad. He hadn’t known that Trey planned to bring up the idea of their going to school together up, especially not their first day. Granted, there hadn’t really been a way around it, but it was quite the bomb to drop on his parents.

Mark tilted his head up and smiled to make sure he knew it really was okay.

“Thanks.” Trey leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before heading out the front door.

Mark watched the front door close behind him and turned to watch Diane watching him, a small smile curving her lips.

He smiled back and got to his feet.

“Is there anything I can do to help you with lunch?”

“Sure”–she handed him a cookie sheet and a can of biscuits—“you can put the biscuits on the cookie sheet.”

“No problem.” Mark set the sheet on the counter and popped the biscuits open.

“Don’t mind Gary, he was looking forward to having Trey back home.” Diane pulled a large pot out of the fridge and set it on the stove. “I think that’s one of the reasons he was glad we never had daughters.”

“How so?” Mark placed the biscuits on the sheet and moved back over to the chair he’d been sitting in.

“Daughters get married and move away.” Diane turned the stove on low and came to sit across from him. “He always figured Trey would stay close to home.”

“It’s okay, I understand.” Mark couldn’t say much, Jackie had responded in much the same way when she’d thought Trey was going to take him away, so he couldn’t really fault Trey’s parents.

“What do your parents have to say about how quickly your relationship with Trey is going?”

Mark swallowed. He hadn’t really discussed his parents with Trey, which he should probably rectify in the near future. He certainly needed to tell Trey before he said anything to Trey’s mom. Instead of answering, he grabbed his water and took a swallow as he tried to figure out how to answer without really answering.

“They haven’t, but my sister had much the same concerns, mainly with Trey being military.” He really hoped that Diane wouldn’t push for more about his parents.

Diane looked confused.

“Jackie was concerned that Trey would get transferred to somewhere further away and that I’d go with him.” Mark smiled. “I only moved back after I got out of the army a little over six months ago and she just got used to having me around again. She wasn’t looking forward to me leaving again.”

“Ahh, so you at least understand where Gary and I are coming from.”

Mark nodded.

“We’d love to have Trey closer, but I do hope you realize that we’re not saying we hope it doesn’t work out, we really just want Trey happy.” Diane stood and put the biscuits in the oven as it beeped. She stirred the stew before coming back and sitting back down.

“We’re both hoping that it works out between us”—Mark paused—“but if that happens, it doesn’t mean that you won’t see him often. It’s not like while he’s in the military, even if we are going to school, there are long weekends, and breaks. You guys could come visit as well.”

“You’re right.” Diane smiled and reached over and patted his hand. “There’s plenty of time to figure it all out.”