2014 Prompt Responses - 29. Prompt 342

My mother held the door open for us as we ascended the steps to their brownstone. She embraced and kissed me. “It’s so good to see you, Adam.”

“Mom… dad… this is George.”

George held his hand out, but my father drew him into a quick hug instead. “It’s great to finally meet you, son.”

“Yeah… you, too.” George looked at me, puzzled. I shrugged.

“Would you two like to settle right in or visit a bit and wind down from the road?” my mom asked. “I have the spare room all set for you.”

“I’m so sorry for the inconvenience, Mrs. Rogers. I’m claustrophobic and I just couldn’t handle getting on that plane.”

“Nonsense. It’s no inconvenience and call me Sandra.”

“Why don’t we turn in for what’s left of the night and we can catch up before the party?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea. I’ll plan on breakfast at 11:00.” My mother hugged us both briefly before we headed upstairs.

“I thought we’d be in separate rooms,” George said as he set his suitcase down in what used to be my childhood bedroom.

“I’m just as surprised as you are.” I stripped to my boxers and flopped down on the bed. I stretched and yawned and then got under the covers – an American Flag quilt sewn by my grandmother - followed quickly by George. He spooned behind me and kissed my neck. We fell asleep almost immediately.

I awoke to soft knocking. George and I were entangled and I cursed, pushing away from him as I jumped out of bed, hoping that my mother hadn’t already opened the door. “Yeah, ma?”

“It’s almost 11:00, sweetie. Breakfast is just about ready. Your brother and his family just arrived.”

“Ok, we’ll be right down.”

I sat on the edge of my bed and put my head in my hands. I wanted it to be just my parents present when I made the big announcement. I felt the bed move as George sat behind me and wrapped his arms around me.

“Do you want to wait and talk to them alone?”

I shook my head. “I don’t want to hide you at the party. You’re my fiancé and I love you. I’m not ashamed of you.”

“Your family’s great, hun. It’ll be ok.”

I turned and kissed him. “I hope so.”

“C’mon, let’s go get breakfast. I’m starving and I bet your mom is a great cook.”

The dining room table was full of every breakfast food imaginable: eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, pancakes, hash browns, and muffins. It smelled amazing.

“Hey, little bro!”

“Hey Brandon, Sarah,” I said. “This is George. George, my niece, Debbie and my nephew, Nick.”

After introductions we all tucked into the feast before us.

“Wow, Mrs. Ro – uh Sandra. Everything is delicious!”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full…” I admonished him.

George looked chagrined. Brandon snickered.

“Thank you, George.” My mom turned to me. “So, sweetheart what’s your big news? We’ve just been dying of curiosity.”

Everyone stopped talking and stared at me. I gulped and looked at George nervously. He squeezed my leg under the table and nodded reassuringly. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I took George’s hand and exhaled.

“Well, Mom, Dad, everyone… I’m engaged. I asked George to marry me last week and he said ‘yes’.”

My mom immediately burst into tears and clung to my father. My heart sank and George squeezed my hand tightly. My brother punched me in the arm and I flinched away.

“It’s about damn time! You’ve been together for what, five years now?”

I looked at him, stunned.

“Oh, c’mon little bro… none of us bought that ‘roommate’ crap.”

My mother ran over to our side of the table and tried to embrace us both at once. “Why did it take five years for you to introduce us?”

“You knew?”

“Oh honey, I suspected for a long time but knew for sure when I found that letter you wrote to your first boyfriend when you were a teenager. And those flowers from ‘Sam’? I knew Sam wasn’t short for Samantha.”

George raised his eyebrows. “Sam?”

“My second boyfriend. I almost broke up with him for sending those damn flowers!”

The doorbell rang and my niece got up to answer the door.

“Sorry everyone! I meant to call, but someone dropped my cell phone and then stepped on it!” My sister glared at her husband. He rolled his eyes. She walked over to me and gave me a big hug.

“Hi Adam, it’s great to see you, little brother.” She straightened up. “What’s wrong? Why is mom crying?”

“Nancy, Rob… I’d like you to meet my fiancé, George.”

She gasped and stared at me, wide-eyed. “Oh. My. God. My little brother is finally getting married?” She looked George over and then winked at me. “You picked yourself a real cutie, little bro. I approve.”

“So you guys all knew I was gay?”

“We’re all a lot smarter than you,” my brother deadpanned. I slugged him in the shoulder good naturedly as we all laughed.

After we cleaned up breakfast and my parents retreated to their room to get ready for the party, I stood in front of the fireplace looking at an old family picture from when I was a kid. I was grateful to be part of such a loving, accepting family. George wrapped his arms around me from behind and I turned in his embrace, laying my head on his chest. A CD of my parents’ favorite songs played softly in the background.

“I told you everything would be ok.”

I smiled into his shirt as we gently swayed to the music. “Yes, you did. Amazingly, you were right for once.”

His chest vibrated with his deep chuckle. “I’m so happy that I finally got to meet your family. I’m so excited for our wedding I can hardly wait.”

“Neither can I. We have to some serious thinking about our honeymoon, though. Apparently it needs to be somewhere close enough to drive to.”

“I’m never going to live this down, am I?”

“Nope.”