Rum & Ginger (23 page)

“He’s having a tough time adjusting to all this stuff on his own. It might be good for him to realize he’s got friends as well.”

Derek shrugged. “Yeah. That’s cool, I guess. I haven’t seen Lucky in forever.”

“Don’t call him Lucky, if he decides to show. Just sayin’.”

“Got it.” Derek gave Ben a thumbs-up. Once inside, Ben sent Brodie a text about his parents and Chance a text about the cookout, and then he dropped onto his bed and passed out.

B
EN
ROSE
two hours later and jumped in the shower. When he walked upstairs, Rosa was humming happily in the kitchen as she tended an army of pots and pans. “Hello, Mister Ben,” she called when she noticed him.

“Hey, Rosa. This place smells great.” Ben walked up and rubbed Rosa’s shoulders.

“I am so happy Mister Derek found you again.” Rosa turned and gave Ben a great big hug. “He has not been the same since his family fell apart, but now he has a brand-new family, and I have not seen him this happy in a long time.”

“I think a lot of us have discovered something we haven’t had in a while.”

Rosa released Ben and turned back to her work. “Mister Derek is outside. He’s waiting for the others to arrive.”

Ben clapped his hands. “So. What can I do to help?”

“You know how to chop onions?” Ben didn’t answer, just grabbed a knife and started chopping. He and Rosa prepped happily, chatting. Rosa cooked macaroni salad, potato salad and boiled eggs for deviled eggs.

“Well, look at this,” Derek said, stepping into the kitchen from outside. “You want a beer, Benny?” Ben nodded, and Derek grabbed him one from the refrigerator. He opened it and sat it on the counter by Ben’s arm. “Jennie’ll be here soon with the kids. And my dad’s bringing the meat. He has a guy.”

“A meat guy?” Ben asked.

Derek shrugged. “My dad has a guy for everything,” he explained. “But he’s got a buddy who has a farm.” He sipped from his own beer. “Did you hear anything from Brodie or Luck—” Derek stopped himself. “—Chance?”

“No.” Ben shook his head. “I completely forgot to check my phone. It’s downstairs on the coffee table, if you want to check it.”

“I’m on it.” Derek rose from his seat and jogged to the basement. He returned a moment later with Ben’s phone. “Brodie said his parents are down, but they want to know what to bring, and no word from Chance.”

“I think Rosa’s got just about everything covered as far as the food goes,” Ben stated, looking at all the dishes cooking as they spoke.

“They could bring a dessert, Mister Derek,” Rosa offered.

“How long did my mom have to prepare?” Ben asked.

“I invited them as soon as I knew you’d be there,” Derek replied.

“She’s going to bake her peanut butter chocolate pie. It’s kind of her go-to bring along dish.”

“So I’ll tell Brodie’s folks to bring ice cream?”

“That’s a good call,” Ben said with a nod.

Derek sent the text and laid Ben’s phone down. “Man, where’s Jennie with those kids?” Derek walked over to the window and looked out.

“They will be here, Mister Derek. Just calm down.”

“So what made you decide to invite everybody’s families to this cookout?” Ben wondered aloud.

“I don’t know. I just feel like reconnecting with you and Lena has done wonders for me. And with you and Brodie hooking up, I just felt like we all needed to celebrate.”

“You’re kind of inadvertently rushing things with me and Brodie, you know?”

“No. What? How do you mean?” Derek looked a little hurt by Ben’s words.

“Just that we’re both going to meet each other’s parents before we’ve even been on a second date. I don’t know about you, but I usually don’t introduce my parents to people until I’m sure about the relationship,” Ben explained.

“What’s to not be sure about, Mister Ben? You and Mister Brodie make a wonderful couple. So cute.”

“Yeah, Benny. So cute, see? Even Rosa can tell.” Derek gave Ben a big grin.

“I’m glad everyone else is so sure of my personal life.” Ben pouted as he continued to chop ingredients for Rosa. Then something occurred to him. “How’s your dad going to handle this?”

“Handle what?” Derek asked.

“Me and my boyfriend. I can’t imagine your dad is very open-minded.”

“Yeah. Well, he’s mellowed a bit in his old age. Besides, one of the old guys he takes his big fishing trips with just came out. He’s a developer from Pittsburgh. They’ve been going on those trips up to Canada for, like, twenty years or more, and the whole time he was in the closet. I guess he helped my dad out of a couple of tight spots over the years, and my dad’s sense of loyalty overrode his intolerance.” Derek had propped his feet on the coffee table as he explained. “He knows you’re a stand-up guy, Benny. I think that will matter to him more than you being gay.” Derek laced his hands behind his head. “Of course, if he gives you any shit, just punch him in the mouth. He’ll respect that for sure.”

“Yeah, that’s a great idea,” Ben said sarcastically as he heard a vehicle pull into the driveway.

Derek jumped out of his seat and ran over to the window. “It’s the kids! Finally.” He threw open the door and dashed out to meet his children. Derek returned five minutes later with a suitcase in one hand and a little girl in the other. His son trailed just behind him. “Benny, I’d like you to meet my kids, Mikey and Ginny. Kids, this is Ben Silver. He’s stayin’ here for a while in the guest suite.”

“Hey, Ben,” Mikey said as he ran up with his hand outstretched.

Ben wiped his palm on his pant leg and shook the tiny hand. “Hey, Mikey. Pleased to meet you.”

Ginny leaned as far out from Derek’s arm as she could, studying Ben. “Ben.”

“Ginny,” Ben responded.

“Are you my uncle?” she asked with a scowl.

“Not technically,” Ben answered.

“Can I call you Uncle Ben?”

“Like in
Spider-Man
?”

Ginny’s face broke into a beautiful smile. “Exactly like in
Spider-Man
!” She jumped from Derek’s grasp, and Ben was lucky enough to catch her as she landed in his.

“I guess so, as long as I don’t have to get killed by a mugger,” Ben answered, holding the little girl.

“Hmm. At least not until I get bit by a radioractive spider.”

“Fair enough,” Ben said with a smile.

“Don’t mind her, Uncle Ben,” Mikey said, excusing his sister. “She’s a little bit delusional.”

“Is she?” Ben wasn’t sure what surprised him the most: the fact that Derek’s son used the word delusional or the fact that he’d called him Uncle Ben as well.

“Hola, pepitos!” Rosa interrupted the exchange with open arms and both children ran to her.

“Hola, Rosa!” they called in unison, hugging her with all their might.

“You must now leave the adults to cook. There is lemonade in the cold box.”

“Rosa’s right,” Derek added. “Put your stuff in the bedroom and go on outside and play.”

“Yes, Daddy,” Ginny answered.

“I want to play Duty,” Mikey stated.

“Later, dude,” Derek said. “You have all week to play
Call of Duty
. Today’s for outside and dinner with family.”

“Okay,” Mikey answered begrudgingly.

“Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben!” Ginny chanted as she carried her bags back to the bedroom.

“Welcome to the family, buddy,” Derek said with a pat to Ben’s shoulder.

“Looks like it.” Ben sat back down. “They are some damn cute kids, Derek. Smart too.”

“Yeah. I don’t know where they got it. Neither me or Jennie were straight A students in school.”

“Just be grateful,” Rosa told him.

“Oh, I am. You know I am. Ginny won’t be satisfied ’til she’s a superhero, though,” Derek continued. “She just saw
Spider-Man
so that’s what it is for now. It’ll probably be
Iron Man
next.”

“That’s harmless.” Ben steadily peeled eggs for deviling. “I went through plenty of those phases as a kid.”

“Yeah. I’m just glad she doesn’t want to be Batman anymore.”

“Why? Batman’s awesome,” Ben said.

“Totally. But she kept trying to get us to go to late night movies together in the hopes we’d get shot so she could start on her trail to vengeance.”

Ben laughed. “That’s hilarious!”

“She even bought Jennie a string of fake pearls to wear,” Derek said, sharing the laugh. They were still laughing as the kids ran through to the backyard. Ginny had slipped on a Spider-Man mask and chased her brother out the door. “Sometimes they’re a huge pain in the ass, but most times they’re the best things that ever happened to me.”

“Aw, Derek. I might cry,” Ben mocked.

Derek opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the sound of a large engine. “That must be Dad,” he said.

“Or Brodie and his parents in the Impala.”

Derek looked out the window once more. “Nope, it’s Dad.”

Ben became irrationally nervous at the prospect of being reintroduced to Derek’s father. Especially if Reginald Collins knew about Ben’s sexual orientation. It really shouldn’t matter to him. He’d never really liked Derek’s dad, and he’d already come out to his own parents, but his heart was racing a little nonetheless.

“Calm down, Benny.” Derek must have noticed Ben’s distress. “It’s not like he’s gonna burn you at the stake or somethin’.”

Ben managed a halfhearted laugh. “Yeah. No, I know.”

Derek’s father didn’t bother knocking, just opened the door and strode in, carrying a huge, blue Coleman cooler, presumably filled with flesh in all its myriad forms. “Derek, goddammit, who’s the old man here? Come get this goddamned cooler!”

Derek ran over to comply. “Hey, Dad. Here, give me that.” Derek took the cooler from his father and just about dropped it, though Reginald had been carrying the thing with ease.

Mellowed with old age?
Ben thought.
Yeah, right.

“Hola, Mister Reggie,” Rosa called from the kitchen.

“Jesus Christ, Rosa,” Derek’s father spat. “You’re still letting this horse’s ass con you into cooking for him and cleaning up after him?”

“It’s no con, Mister Reggie,” she answered, unfazed.

“Mister Reggie?” Ben whispered to Derek.

He shrugged. “She’s the only one I’ve ever heard get away with that little nickname,” Derek whispered back.

“Whose pussy-ass Jap rice wagon is sitting in the driveway?” The old man looked around the room as he asked the question. He folded his muscular arms over his broad chest. Ben thought he might be in better shape than Derek.

“That’d be mine,” Ben admitted.

“Dad, you remember Ben Silver,” Derek said.

Ben, his hand extended, approached the old man. “Hello, Mr. Collins. It’s been a while. You look well.”

Derek’s father grabbed the hand and pulled Ben in, studying him. Absurdly, it occurred to Ben that Mr. Collins looked suspiciously like Ginny with that expression. “Are you hitting on me, boy?” the old man growled.

Ben, his eyes wide with shock, spared a glance at Derek, who had gone completely pale. “No, sir. I just, um…,” Ben sputtered.

“Relax, Benjamin. I’m just fuckin’ with ya.” Mr. Collins didn’t exactly smile as he straightened up and shook Ben’s hand, but Ben assumed that’s what his face was trying to accomplish.

Ben made sure to shake as firmly as Mr. Collins. “Oh. Right. Good one, Mr. Collins.” Ben managed a chuckle.

“And none of this ‘Mr. Collins’ shit. You’re not a snot-faced kid anymore. I think we can address each other by our big-boy names, don’t you?”

“Makes sense to me, Reginald,” Ben answered.

“Dad, that shit’s not cool.” Derek scowled at his father.

“Relax. He knows I’m just kiddin’. Besides you’re just jealous ’cause he noticed I’m in better shape than you are, you pudgy fuck.” Reginald finally released Ben’s hand and slapped him on the back. “No offense, Benjamin.”

“None taken, sir.” Ben wasn’t sure if that was exactly true, but this was a much more positive reception than he had expected from Derek’s father.

“Good man, Benjamin. Grab me a beer, would you?” Reginald asked. Ben opened the refrigerator as an ear-piercing squeal sounded from the backyard.

“Grampy!” Ginny called as she ran like a shot into the old man’s arms. He didn’t miss a beat, sweeping her up into a hug.

“How’s my sweet little girl?” he asked, his entire demeanor changing. “Have you managed to find a gamma bomb yet?”

“No, Grampy,” Ginny said, giving Reginald a swat. “That’s the Hulk. I’m on the lookout for a radioractive spider now.”

“Ooh. Sounds like fun. Here. Don’t tell your daddy I gave this to you,” he said, slipping Ginny what looked suspiciously like a fifty-dollar bill. “Where’s that brother of yours?”

“I’m right here, Gramp.” Mikey gave a wave, and Reginald put his hand up for a high five rather than embracing the boy. Mikey slapped his grandfather’s hand, and Reginald feigned falling backward from the impact.

“You get stronger every time I see you, buddy,” Reginald said with overdramatic awe. “Are you sure he wasn’t bit by a radioactive spider?”

“He better not!” Ginny shot Mikey an accusing look.

Reginald tipped his head back and laughed heartily. “Why don’t you angels go out back, and I’ll be out to play catch with you in a minute?” He lowered Ginny and slipped Mikey an equally suspicious bit of paper. The children shouted their acquiescence and ran outside.