Electric Blue and Catnip - 15. Chapter 15

Alexi sat on a plastic chair watching Shane, Joshua, and Joshua’s brothers’ in-law, Patrick and Tom playing a football game. Joshua and Shane were teamed against Patrick and Tom. Joshua threw the football to Shane, and they all watched Shane rush to the goal line. Joshua raced after the boy and swung him up in excitement at their score.

“They look alike, don’t they?” Alicia asked coming to sit in the chair beside him. She held out a bowl with grapes and he took one. Shane laughed out loud when Joshua swung him around.

He smiled and turned to Alicia. “They do look alike, down to the blue eyes.”

“Yeah,” Alicia said her gaze lingering over Joshua and Shane. She placed the bowl of grapes on her lap. “Thanks for coming with my brother. He keeps away so much, I worry about him.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Josh doesn’t bring his boyfriends home.” Alicia winked at him. “Also, he hasn’t seen Shane in a while. I guess it’s a pretty special day.”

Alexi chuckled nervously turning to look at Joshua. The game continued on with Joshua and Tom paired against Patrick and Shane this time. Shane kept laughing every time the Joshua missed catching him.

“How was your honeymoon?” He shifted his gaze to Alicia. Her dark hair was long and wavy. Her eyes were blue, but not the same as Joshua’s. He liked her smile, a kind smile that assured. Unlike her sister and Mom, she was tall and trim. She looked cute in a short denim skirt and a pink sparkly tank top.

“Hawaii was a lot of fun. I’d love to live by the beach if I could. I didn’t want to leave.” She smiled wide meeting his gaze. “Patrick and I watched the sun rise every morning. It was magical.”

“You love the beach.” He thought about his house in Osaka, and walking on the beach early in the morning before the sun rose. He missed it. “If you’d like, I live by the beach, in Osaka. If you ever visit, you can stay over.”

“That’s sounds like a lot of fun. I’ll hold you to that, you know. I’ve always wanted to visit Japan. It would be nice to know someone I can call.” Alicia grinned at him. “Josh said you write modern classical music. Is it like Josh Groban?”

He laughed. “Well, I don’t sing like he does. I just write the music for the orchestra and the piano.”

“Like Mozart?” Alicia raised a brow in question. “You really write such stuff?”

“Almost like Mozart, yes.”

“That’s impressive.” She held out the bowl of grapes. “What about your family? What do they do?”

“My family lives in Osaka. They all run the family business.” He hadn’t called his mother since the situation with Adrian. He’d not forgiven her for sending Taka without calling him first. “I’m the black sheep that went off on his own.”

“What is the family business?” Alicia grilled.

“Manufacturing parts for engines,” he nodded to a lawn mower that had been left out right outside the garage, “like that, car engines, etcetera.”

“Hmm…” Alicia frowned and he took the bowl of grapes from her. “How long are you going to be in New York?”

He bit into a grape before he answered. “Two months. I have a tour starting at the end of August in Tokyo.”

Alicia pondered that information for a moment before she took back the grape bowl. He knew exactly what she was doing. He could remember Lily doing the same to Joshua not too long ago in his kitchen while he made dinner.

“I love grapes,” she said giving him a short smile. Joshua jogged toward them and held out a cold beer. He wasn’t much of a beer drinker and his first one was half full and conveniently forgotten on a short table a few feet away.

“Alicia, I hope you’re not grilling Alexi.” Joshua winked at him and he smiled. Alexi took the beer and smiled at Alicia.

“We’re getting to know each other.” Alicia sat back in her chair and glanced up at Joshua. “Are you enjoying the game?”

“Yep, Shane is very energetic. I’m starting to feel my age here.” Joshua rubbed at the small of his back with a grin. “I’m going to be very exhausted soon. Alexi’s going to have to carry me to the car.”

Alexi laughed. “Not unless you want to be dropped a few times. I can drag you to the car though.”

Joshua made a face at him. “You’re supposed to be loving and sympathetic, dear.”

The endearment made him blush and Alicia chuckle beside him. Joshua reached out to ruffle his hair. Shane called out to Joshua.

“I gotta go,” Joshua said, “be good to him, lil’ sis.” Joshua headed back to where Patrick was helping Shane with his baseball glove.

Alexi pressed the cold bottle of beer between his hands. He didn’t like the taste of beer, never had. Wine he could drink, but beer, he sighed.

“You don’t drink beer,” Alicia said with a laugh. He glanced at her with surprise and she pointed to his earlier bottle. “That’s not finished. You’re looking at the one in your hands with worry.”

“You don’t miss much,” he said with a smile.

“Come with me.” She stood and took the beer bottle from him. She placed it on the table beside the unfinished one and started for the house. He hurried after her with a last glance at Joshua. His lover lay on his back on the grass with Shane kneeling over him doing his best to grab a baseball out of his hands.

In the evening light, their faces were flushed with excitement, Patrick and Tom laughed in hysteria when Shane started tickling Joshua. Joshua started laughing; trying to catch Shane’s wriggling fingers. He filed the fact that Joshua was ticklish away. He entered the kitchen after Alicia.

“There you are,” Eve said when he walked into the warm kitchen. “Did you get something to eat?”

Penelope, Jenny and Eve were perched on different places around the kitchen each of them holding glasses of white wine. Jenny slid out of a high stool and got a plate from the kitchen table. Eve patted the comfortable chair besides hers by the round kitchen table. Alicia held out a glass of white wine and he took it with a grateful nod. He sat beside Eve.

“Are those guys still rough housing out there?” Penelope asked. She bit into a chocolate chip cookie and moaned in appreciation. “Eve, you’re killing me. I’m going to end up doubling my time at the gym this next week.”

“Yes they are. And there’s no way the double time at the gym works.” Alicia sat beside him on the table sipping her wine. “You’re just straining your body that way.”

“It does too work,” Penelope insisted, staring at her chocolate cookie. “Imagine the amount of chocolate chip cookies I eat every time I come here. I’d be as fat as a house if it weren’t for the double time at the gym the next week.”

Alexi smiled at her reasoning. He liked the way she said the word chocolate, like chaw-colate.’ “You look great, Penelope.” She was trimmer than Alicia. Her tall figure encased in skinny jeans and a red clingy top. She had her blonde hair in a short pony tail. She gave him a charming smile at his compliment.

“Don’t encourage her.” Jenny placed a plate of barbecued chicken and coleslaw before him, the scent rich and mouthwatering. His stomach growled and they all laughed. “Alicia forgot to feed you when she was out there grilling you.”

“I was not grilling him.” Alicia scowled at Jenny. “We were just talking.”

“Don’t worry. Alicia grills everyone,” Eve said patting his back. “You should have seen Tom, Jenny’s husband. She asked him so many questions, he was sweating buckets by the time I rescued him.”

Jenny laughed and sat at the table, abandoning her perch on the kitchen counter. “I wanted to beat her for doing that to Tom.”

“She wasn’t too bad.” He turned to smile at Alicia. “To tell you the truth, I was really nervous when we were coming here. I was afraid of what you’d all think.”

“That’s normal.” Eve sipped her wine. “You looked like you might fall when you got out of the car.”

Alexi chuckled and bit into the chicken. “Mmm…delicious,” he said holding a hand over his mouth as he chewed. The chicken melted in his mouth, had to be the marinade before the barbecue, so good. He swallowed. “Josh was right; you do make the best barbecue.”

Eve beamed. “I think I’m going to keep you here. Tell me, Alexi; are you in New York alone? That has to be hard being away from your family. I’m sure your parents miss seeing you.”

“No, I’m not here alone. My grandparents on my mother’s side are American. They live here in New York. I’m planning to visit them on the fourth of July. As for my parents, I do miss them.”

Eve nodded. “Well, I know we have just met but I hope you won’t be a stranger.”

Alexi nodded touched by her open heart. Conversation continued into different topics after that. The best places to see in New York, other cities he just had to visit before leaving. Penelope’s job as a travel agent, Eve brought more chaw-colate chip cookies. Alexi spent a few minutes trying to say the word chocolate like Eve and Penelope.

They had a good laugh because he was sure he sounded insane.

“How come you don’t sound like that?” he asked Alicia when she said it right.

“I can talk like that if I want,” she replied. “Like a ‘stat’neyelin’ girl.”

“She refined her speech for business.” Eve teased rolling her eyes.

“Mum.” Alicia sighed. “It just happened. How come you’re not teasing Alexi for his accent?”

“That’s because he’s Japanese. By the way, he doesn’t really have an accent. He just speaks really proper English.” Penelope defended him. Eve and Jenny laughed while Alicia pouted.

“Okay, ladies, I think we all need more wine.” Alexi pushed his chair back and retrieved the bottle of wine. He glanced out the kitchen door to peek on Joshua. The game had ended; the guys were all seated in the plastic chairs outside talking. Shane was perched on Joshua’s knee eating a melon. His gaze lingered over Joshua for a moment, before he returned to the kitchen table.

“It’s almost ten o’clock, time’s moving fast.” Eve held out her glass for more wine. “Shane is probably fighting sleep right now.”

“I’m so glad Josh got to see Shane.” Jenny sighed. “Alexi, I’m sure this must seem strange.”

Alexi sat giving the bottle to Alicia. He’d gotten the story from Joshua once before, but he figured getting it again wouldn’t hurt. He needed to understand how Sherry was able to keep Joshua away from Shane. The boy obviously adored Joshua. “Why can’t Josh see Shane?”

“It’s a complicated situation.” Eve sighed and sipped her wine. Worry lines danced over her forehead and she glanced at Alicia.

“Shane’s mom, Sherry, lied to Joshua when they got married. She told him that Shane was his biological son, but he wasn’t. Five years later, Josh discovered the truth and they got a divorce.” Alicia paused and glanced at him. “It was the same time we found out that Josh was gay. I’m not proud of how we reacted to that, but-, Sherry reacted the worst.”

Alexi sipped his wine and sat back in his chair.

“She loves Joshua,” Alicia said trying to explain Sherry’s behavior. “Her anger is how she deals with knowing that Joshua can’t love her back the way she wants. So, she punishes him by keeping Shane away. She married Shane’s real dad two years ago.”

“Did they do a DNA test?” Alexi asked. “I mean, if she’s lied before-

“I insisted.” Eve explained cutting in. “He was my grandson too. I was losing Shane too. I insisted on a test, and there’s no doubt. Shane is not Josh’s biological son. But, he is Josh’s son in all other ways. That kid never stopped talking and asking about him. I take as many pictures as I can for both of them.”

“How is it that Sherry allows Shane to come here, but won’t let Joshua see him?” There was punishing and there was torture. If that woman really loved Joshua, shouldn’t she understand the difference?

“I know her mother. We talk a lot, and Sherry grew up in this neighborhood. It was easy to talk her into letting Shane visit me once and a while.” Eve sighed and sipped her wine. “She just wouldn’t let Joshua see him. I wish I could fix this for Joshua.”

“We all do, Mom,” Jenny soothed, rubbing Eve’s back gently. “I think we should get more food. We’re scaring Alexi with all the heavy topics. Mom, why haven’t you brought out the baby pictures? You practically pulled out mine the moment Tom walked in to this house.”

Alicia burst out laughing and got to her feet. “Oh, revenge is great. Baby pictures right now, Josh was really eager to show Patrick mine when I was in high school.”

Alicia and Jenny rushed off to get the pictures and Alexi laughed at their enthusiasm. He wondered if there was anything Taka could do about Joshua and Shane. He made a mental note to ask Taka about it later this week. He didn’t know American law but this didn’t make sense for Joshua or for Shane.

******

“This is daddy in high school. He played football, he was a quarterback.” Shane pointed out a picture of Joshua in his high school football uniform. Alexi followed the small finger to the next picture.

It was late, almost twelve o’clock at night. The guys had come into the house to find Eve, Jenny and Alicia showing him Joshua’s old pictures. Joshua had been carrying a sleeping Shane. The boy had woken up the moment Penelope and he started laughing at a picture of baby Joshua running around the backyard naked carrying his favorite blanket.

“Daddy, isn’t this Mommy?” Shane asked with a frown pointing at another high school picture. “It looks like her. Is it?”

“It is,” Joshua came to sit beside them. Shane pulled the album across his lap and sat back to settle against Joshua’s chest. The gesture was possessive, Alexi started to move to give them room, but Joshua stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Show Alexi the pictures, Shane,” Joshua encouraged.

Alexi looked at Joshua for a moment before he returned his attention to more pictures of Joshua and the woman he was starting to hate. Thankfully, they got through the high school era pretty quickly. Shane dumped that album on the coffee table with a thud that startled, Eve, Alicia and Jenny awake. Tom and Patrick were on the porch smoking.

“Aren’t you sleepy, Shane?” Eve asked rubbing at her eyes as she sat up on the couch where she’d stretched out.

“No.” Shane grabbed another album and pulled on Alexi’s arm. “Want to see the day I was born?”

Alexi smiled into sleepy red eyes. “Sure, Shane,” he said quietly.

Shane grinned at him and turned the cover. He wasn’t prepared for the pictures. The sheer joy in Joshua’s eyes as he held a tiny scrunched up baby. Joshua was in blue hospital scrubs, holding Shane carefully. Alexi felt tears sting the back of his eyes.

“Daddy told me I was a gift brought in this blue blanket.” Shane pointed to Sherry. “There’s Mommy. Isn’t she pretty?”

Sherry was a brunette, very beautiful, even in a hospital bed; she still managed to look attractive. Or was it the glow of child birth, he couldn’t tell. He swallowed a large lump at the sight of Joshua smiling into her eyes. He didn’t want to continue looking at these pictures.

Shane turned the page and he bit his lip when he saw a family picture taken when Shane was one year old. Joshua, a little younger, very handsome, Sherry, pretty and delicate holding a button nosed tiny Shane. The perfect little family smiling into the camera, he thought.

“Shane, I’m going to get some water from the kitchen for a moment. I’ll be right back.” He stood and hurried out of the living room. He stopped by the sink and braced against it wondering what he was thinking. Joshua belonged here, not with him. Joshua deserved to be with Shane, he shook his head and turned on the water.

“What’s wrong?” Joshua asked behind him.

He gasped and leaned to splash water on his face. They hadn’t gotten a chance to be alone since they’d arrived. He’d watched Joshua laughing with Shane all evening, talking with his family all night.

Warm hands dropped on his shoulders and turned him around gently. Joshua slipped a finger under his chin and tilted his head. “Are you alright? Is it too much?”

He breathed out a sigh. “I’m fine. Are you?”

Joshua smiled happily. “Great actually, I was thinking about spending the night. Shane might not sleep tonight. He will stay up as long as possible because I’m here.”

Alexi nodded. “I was thinking the same thing.”

“Good.” Joshua sighed in relief and pulled him into a quick hug.

He savored the feel of Joshua holding him for a moment. The need to keep holding on slammed into him so hard, his fingers bunched into Joshua’s light shirt. He buried his face into Joshua’s chest and forced his emotions into control. He was leaving in two months; that was a truth he couldn’t forget. Being around Joshua’s family and seeing him with Shane made him want to stay, it made him want to forget. His heart hammered in his chest. He wanted to keep Joshua.

He let go of Joshua and stepped back. Grabbing paper towels from the holder he wiped at the remaining drops from his face. He avoided looking into Joshua’s eyes incase he revealed more than he was ready.

“We should get back to Shane,” he said throwing the used napkin in the trash.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Joshua asked his tone concerned. “If you’re tired-

“Stop worrying about me.” He pasted on a smile and led the way out of the kitchen. In the bright living room, they found Eve ready to pick up a sleeping Shane.

“He finally slept.” Alexi reached out to push dark hair out of Shane’s sleeping face.

“I’ll take him, Mom.” Joshua moved around the couch and they all watched as he picked up his son carefully. Eve led the way up the stairs. Alicia who’d been passed out curled in an arm chair got to her feet with a dramatic yawn.

“I can’t believe its Monday tomorrow. I don’t want to go back to work.” She complained stretching her arms above her head. “Are you staying, Alexi?”

He glanced up the stairs. He couldn’t stay. He needed to think. “No, I have an early morning tomorrow. Will you give me a ride?”

“Sure,” she rubbed at her nose sleepily. “Go ahead and talk to Joshua. I need to collect a few things. Penelope and Jenny are staying.”

He thanked her and rushed up the stairs to the second floor. Eve appeared outside the second door on his right. “I need to get linen.”

Alexi stopped at the door of the bedroom and stood watching Joshua remove Shane’s shoes and socks.

“He’s out like a light,” Alexi said quietly.

Joshua pulled a blue quilt over Shane and brushed hair back from Shane’s forehead. “He played hard tonight.”

Joshua sat on the edge of the bed watching Shane sleep. He moved closer, wrapping an arm around Joshua’s shoulder.

“Talk to me.” Joshua shifted on the bed opening his legs to allow Alexi closer. Joshua buried his head into Alexi’s stomach with a sigh. Strong arms wrapped around his waist. He stroked his fingers through Joshua’s hair.

“I forgot how hard it is to leave him.” Joshua shook his head leaning into his caressing fingers. “Sherry will be back tomorrow afternoon.”

“Do you want to talk to her?” Alexi asked. “Maybe you guys can arrange some time-

Joshua cut him off. “I don’t want to talk to her. I’m not ready.”

“Alright,” Alexi soothed. He glanced at Shane. “Call me when you get home tomorrow morning.”

“What?” Joshua looked up at him. “No, no, I can’t let you go home alone.”

“I’m going to go back to the penthouse. I’m sure Lily will start worrying soon. My phone is at your house. I haven’t called in all day.”

Joshua frowned. Alexi traced an index finger over the worry lines on Joshua’s face.

“Is it tough being here? I mean, it’s a lot to take in all at once. My family-

“I love your family.” Alexi cut him off gently.

Joshua captured his right hand and stood. They both snuck a quick glance at Shane before Joshua led Alexi out of the dim bedroom. He watched Joshua close the door gently.

Joshua turned then and pulled him into a tight hug. He wished they were back at Joshua’s house. He wanted to kiss him, and love Joshua tonight. He sighed and settled for a kiss. Joshua moaned quietly holding him tighter. He broke the kiss keenly aware that Eve was likely to show up soon.

“I’ll call you when I get home.” He moved out of Joshua’s arms reluctantly, reaching up to caress Joshua’s jaw. “Tomorrow, I’ll be heading for the university in the afternoon, maybe we can meet there.”

Joshua frowned. “I don’t want to let you go.”

“I can get home alone.” He chuckled. “I’ll wait for you.”

Joshua stared at him, electric blue intense with emotion. His heart hammered at the heat simmering in those beautiful eyes. Eve came up the stairs and he broke the strangely intense connection.

“Is Shane all tucked in?” she asked with a whisper.

“Yes.” Alexi cleared his throat and turned to her. “Josh is staying over night. He and Shane can have breakfast together.”

“What a lovely idea.” Eve looked at Joshua. “You can use your old room. I got you some fresh sheets and a towel. Alexi, I’m sure we can get you-

“No, need,” he said shaking his head. He glanced at a mute Joshua for a moment. “I’ll head on home. It was really nice to meet you, Eve.”

Eve frowned, glancing at her son for a moment before she took Alexi’s hand. “I’d love it if you came back to visit me, Alexi.”

Alexi allowed her to lead him back down the stairs their fingers tangled as she asked if he wanted to take any leftovers. He declined the offer kindly. Eve was warm; it was hard not to like her. “You have a lovely home, and I loved your chocolate chip cookies. I will definitely come back for more.”

They got downstairs and met Alicia and Patrick waiting at the front door. “Alicia, I think Alexi needs a ride.”

“Yeah, we’ll drop him off at his apartment.” Alicia looked up the stairs to where Joshua stood leaning on the wall. “I’ll see you soon, Josh.”

“Drive safely,” Joshua murmured, his gaze found Alexi, “call me when you get to the penthouse.”

Alexi nodded. He hugged Eve, shook hands with Tom and left the house after Patrick. His thoughts centered on that look Joshua had given him upstairs. He wanted to think it had been full of love, but that scared him. He sat in the back of Patrick’s black SUV. Even though Alicia and Patrick kept up a steady stream of conversation, he could barely keep up. His thoughts were filled with the memories of a night spent in Joshua’s arms, and a day spent watching Joshua with his son. Joshua’s family was so unlike his own,-they goofed around, teased each other-, he’d loved the informal setting. They’d treated him like he was one of them. Then there was Shane. What a cute little boy. He hoped Sherry wouldn’t come early tomorrow morning. It would be good for Joshua to have more time with his son.

Alexi got to the penthouse well past two o’clock in the night. He rubbed his eyes as he removed his shoes at the front hall. He’d barely had any sleep last night. He grinned when he thought about why he’d been awake. He pulled off the dark jacket he’d borrowed from Joshua’s closet and dumped it on the couch in the living room. He paused when he heard giggling in the kitchen.

He walked in to the kitchen and stopped short when he found Taka Ichido standing at the kitchen table holding a spoon full of ice cream to Lily’s mouth. She was in a short red silk gown, and Taka was dressed in only black slacks.

Lily smiled when she saw him, and Taka gaped. Alexi chuckled and raised his arms up.

“I’m not here.” He winked at Lily. “Enjoy your night.”

He hurried out of the kitchen with a smile and headed straight for his room. He vaguely wondered how Taka and Lily had gotten together. A yawn escaped as he stripped out of his shirt and trousers. He crawled into the cool sheets of his bed sleepily. It was lonely without Joshua. He reached for a pillow and hugged it tight missing Joshua’s scent. He wondered if he’d get to see Joshua tomorrow before the start of the summer program at the university.

Happy Happy New Year, everyone. So, if I haven't wished you a good 2013, hope it's a great one for you.
Been scrambling to get this chapter up.  New schedules and work really do get in the way of the writing. I'm hoping to tame that busy beast.  
As for the story, Alexi thrust into a new world!  He meets Shane and family, what do you think? I've always thought the meet the parents scene a bit frightening in real life. I look forward to your comments.  Cheers.
Sui