Page 118 of Soft
Sure enough, there was a flood of couples. Dinner was loud and warm. Conversations stacked on one another, each building in noise and excitement. I couldn’t keep up.
I sat between Daddy and Finn Bellport. It made it hard to focus since Daddy was always a distraction, and Finn wanted to get to know me better. I did my best to juggle the two since I didn’t want anyone to feel ignored.
Paxton’s dad had arrived shortly after us and welcomed as delightfully as we had been. He didn’t hesitate to drop into a seat and start up a discussion about the breadsticks on the table. Something about how delicious bread could be on its own without any type of dip. Of course he faced some backlash for the thoughts. We had some dip lovers in the group who spoke up.
The food was as extraordinary as the company. I ate more than I planned to, and I talked far more than usual.
Jake was telling a story about a hotel in Miami that involved, as far as I could follow it, a misunderstanding about a room key, two members of a rival hockey team, and a ferret that had not been part of anyone's original plan. His Daddies, Leon and Maddox, watched him with serene looks. They were completely at ease with his emphatic performance.
"The ferret," Leon said, when Jake paused for breath, "was mine. That's the part of the story he always leaves out."
The table erupted.
Paxton’s dad leaned forward and pointed at Leon. "Hold on. What was this ferret’s name?"
"Geraldine," Leon replied.
"Geraldine," he repeated, with a sort of reverence you didn’t expect for a tiny animal.
I caught Daddy’s eye during the exchange. Part of me wanted to keep listening to them, but a bigger part needed to share our good news. I wanted to brag about my boyfriend to anyone who would listen.
Royce, because they missed very little, looked between us. "There's something you two aren’t telling us.”
The table settled a bit, as if everyone found interest in whether the statement was true or not.
"What something?" Jake demanded.
"They've got a secret," Royce said. "I can tell. Just look at them."
"I don't know what you're—" Daddy started.
"You've been sitting on it since you walked in. You both have. It's extremely obvious. I held off on saying anything, but you really are killing me. I need to know." Royce’s eyes were pleading.
Mama Bellport called out from her spot. "Let them tell it in their own time, Royce."
"I've given them time, Mama," Royce groaned.
"That's true, they have," Jake confirmed. "Very patient for Royce. They usually don’t make it this long."
"Extremely patient," Bellamy agreed.
Daddy looked at me, as if deferring the choice to me. The question in the look said a lot—our call, our news, our moment. He would wait as long as I needed. He would let me get there on my own.
I put both hands flat on the table.
"Meridian finalized today. Paxton Wells is their first openly queer athlete who is still an active player. It is also the biggest deal they’ve ever signed."
The room went still for exactly one second before screams echoed around us. There were congratulatory hugs and back pats, along with a host of questions. For several minutes, we went over everything we could give them. If felt like an interrogation in some ways even though I knew it was all love.
"When did you find out?" Royce asked once it was calm again.
"Standing on your mother's porch.” I grinned. “The email helped us finally knock. My nerves had been a mess before that.”
"I want the full version from start to finish," Jake said, leaning forward with his chin in his hands. "From the beginning. Howlong did it take? Who was difficult? I want the difficult people named. We can get them out of there."
"Jake," Bellamy chided.
"I want them named so I know who they are going forward. It’s no good to have people working against our family."
