Page 117 of Code Word
“Mom,” I said, kissing her cheek. Then I kissed Luke’s mom. “Mrs. Dougherty.” And that left Becca. “Hey,” I said gently.
She smiled. “Hey.”
I walked over to her and gave her a hug. “Thank you,” I said. “For everything.”
She gave me a smile—a little sad, a little proud. “I’m glad it worked out.”
“We saw all the photos and videos,” my mom said. “And Blake, I was so worried about you before you left. And your knee? Is it okay?”
I put my hand on her arm. “I know. I’m sorry. I was a bit of a mess. My knee’s okay. I had scans done in Mexico, but I’ll make an appointment this week with my doctor.” I took a deep breath and looked at Luke before turning back to our mothers. “Mom, I guess there’s no easy way to say this so I’m just gonna say it. I’m with Luke. As in, together. We’re together. I love him.”
Luke came over and slipped his hand into mine.
Mom stared at me like I’d just told her I discovered the sky was blue.
“I know, love,” she said softly. “Becca told us everything.”
Luke and I both looked at Bec. She shrugged. “I had to tell them something. You were MIA,” she said to Luke. Then she looked at me. “You were a basket case. We broke up, and then I drove you to the airport so you could go tell my brother you finally realized you were in love with him.”
Right, then.
It wasn’t like I could argue. “That kinda covers everything,” I mumbled with a wince. “Except the basket-case comment. Wow.”
She raised an eyebrow, and I conceded defeat.
“It’s okay, Blake,” Mom said. “You two have been close for so long. You’ve been through so much together. It’s not that surprising. Well, it kind of was. At first. But you were soupset on the phone, and then Becca told us why.” Mom made a sad face. “It’s okay to be gay, darling.”
“Okay, Mom,” I said, shaking my head, waving my hand. “It’s not... we’re not, I mean, we know it’s okay. I... just think it’s...” I stopped and tried again. “Thank you, Mom.”
She smiled at us fondly and then looked to Mrs. Dougherty as if it were now her turn.
I needed to say something first.
“Mrs. Dougherty,” I began. “Can I just say how sorry I am. I really am very sorry.”
Luke stood a little closer. “Blake,” he whispered, as if I had no reason to apologize. But I really did.
“It’s okay, Luke,” I said to him. Then I smiled at Bec, then at their mom. “I hurt both your kids. I didn’t mean to. That was never my intention, but the truth is, I did. I hurt Bec by not being what she needed, and I hurt Luke for not seeing what was right in front of me for so long.”
She gave me that warm, fond, motherly smile she’d been bestowing on me for over a decade. “It’s okay,” she said. “I know you didn’t do it intentionally.” Then she reached her hand over to mine and gave it a pat. “Lucky I don’t have three kids or you could have had yourself a hat trick.”
I gasped, horrified, but everyone else laughed, and Luke gave me a squeeze before he kissed his mom on the cheek. “Thanks, Mom.” Then he looked at Bec. “Can we talk?”
She gave him a nod and they walked out through the glass doors toward the pool.
And that left me alone with both mothers. “How about I make some coffee?” I said. “Well, I hope we have coffee. We only just got back. I don’t know what’s here.”
“Yes, we passed Jeremy and Steve at the gate,” Mom said. “Jeremy laughed and told us to let ourselves in.”
I bet he thought that was hilarious. Dickbag.
I found some coffee beans and there was creamer in thepantry, and it was good to keep myself busy while trying not to think about what Luke and Bec were talking about.
“So,” Mom said. “We saw you playing the piano at the airport. That looked like fun.”
I put their coffee mugs in front of them and slid the sugar and creamer closer. “It was incredible. So much fun,” I said. “Luke and I have been writing music again. We don’t know yet what we’ll do with it, but it’s like we’re finding our love of music all over again. It’s awesome. And freeing,” I said, bringing my coffee over. “I’ve never felt so free.”
“I’m happy for you, love,” Mom said.
