Page 7 of Under The Twilight Rainfall
You can see the small dining area and part of the kitchen from the entryway, so I spot Ma and Lola right off the bat, but it’s neither of them that notices us first.
Little feet patter down the stairs, and before I can offer an introduction or even a hello, my arms are full of fifty pounds of six-year-old and my face is assaulted by unruly black curls.
I stumble backwards as Theo’s legs lock around my waist, but a hand on the small of my back keeps me steady. With a peek in Dex’s direction, I can tell that he’s working hard to school his expression, but the fish out of water look in his eyes is louder than a firework display.
“Hey, buddy.” I pat Theo’s back, catching my mother’s small, indulgent smile briefly from the other room. “Don’t let Lola see you jumping in her house. She’ll stick you in the garden. Maybe even give you your own pot.”
“Nu-uh!” Theo pulls back to look up at me with the cutest dimpled smile. “Lola loves me.”
I kiss the top of his head and untangle his legs so I can set him on the ground. Those big blue eyes only stay on me for another beat before they realize we have a visitor, and then he lets out a little gasp followed by a squeal and nearly mauls Dex with questions.
“Is thistheDex? Do you know Vally talks about you all the time? I’ve been dying to meet you. I asked if you could room with me because that would be so cool, but Mama says I have to use a sleeping mat with her and Papa. Oh, we could lay one down for you, too! Can I have a sleepover with Dex, please please please, Vally?”
I don’t think a single breath was taken during any of those sentences, and by the wide-eyed frantic look on Dex’s face, his overwhelmed meter just maxed out.
I crouch down next to Theo and hold out my hand, and even though it takes him a minute to turn away from our visitor, he eventually slaps his hand on top of mine and meets my eyes. Theo has a hard time focusing, a lot like Dex, but a physical connection during conversation helps keep him from wandering off.
“Buddy, do you remember coming here last year and feeling kinda icky for a day or two? Remember needing lots of cuddles and back rubs and time by yourself?”
He nods, little fingers squeezing mine as he starts to wiggle.
“This is Dex’s first time here, and he’s going to need space to get used to it. We don’t want him to feel icky do we?”
Theo shakes his head, and I squeeze his fingers before letting go.
“I think Pa has your train set upstairs. Why don’t you go help him with that while I settle our guest? We can hang out before bed, okay?”
This time he nods, throws an excited smile at Dex, then bounds back up the stairs in a fit of giggles that has Ma peeking out at us again. She doesn’t say anything, doesn’t come over, just offers silent support. Ma knows Dex is likely to be overwhelmed, and I’ve always had the easier time reigning him in.
“So, uh—” Dex clears his throat, literally shaking off his surprise, even if he ignores how it still clings to him. “Who’s the kid?”
“That’s Theo.” I watch him for the incoming reaction. “We adopted him last year.”
Something shudders through his eyes, there and gone too fast for me to catch, but it leaves a loneliness in its wake, an ache in Dex’s expression that I don’t think he even realizes is there.
I see it in his videos sometimes. Hear it in his voice.
Lola takes that moment to step out of the kitchen and regard us. She’s a small woman, coming in just under five feet, which means Dex and I dwarf her—I’m 5’11’’ and Dex is borderline six feet. She comes up to us with her apron slathered in sauce, and I draw her right hand to my forehead with a bow.
“Sorry we’re late, Lola.”
She waves me off and pats my cheek, moving over to Dex, who fumbles his way through a greeting and ends up absolutely butchering his mano, but Lola only smiles and gives me a secret, knowing look.
One thing to know about Lola Nancy is that she’s known about my being queer since before I came out to my parents, and she’s made it her mission every time I come to visit to introduce me to local gay men in hopes I’ll settle down and stay here permanently.
But ever since that first summer visit after Dex came to live with us, where I couldn’t shut my mouth about the boy with sad eyes who I wanted to make whole, Lola has known that my heart is completely spoken for. Not that it stopped the blind dates, but now there’s a mischievous sparkle in her eyes like there’s a secret to it that I’m not privy to.
“Come sit. You hungry? Long flight, of course you’re hungry. Sit.”
Dex sends me this bewildered look that I think is a cry for help. His eyes are wide, his jaw is locked tight but he’s moving his mouth in these miniscule movements like he’s trying to place out his words, and he keeps tapping his fingers on his palms as if he were clenching them but in a softer pattern.
“If Lola says sit, we’d best sit.”
She’s walking away before I can make an introduction, but with how much I’ve gone on about Dex over the years and how antsy I was watching the clock to pick him up—she knows exactly who I’ve brought home.
We follow her into the kitchen, but before Dex or I can break for the dining table, Ma steps up and wraps her arms around Dex’s shoulders. He stiffens with his hands frozen in the air like he isn’t sure where to put them. Ma has always been good at reading people, so she backs off and gives him a cursory nod before returning to the stove.
“It’s nice to see you, Dex. Thank you for joining us.”
