He turns back to Leigh. “So when you come here on a high horse you haven’t earned, demanding to speak to him, telling him to take you back, don’t you see how ridiculous you look? And on top of that, to insult Stella and use the relationship we have to make yourself look better in comparison? You make me sick.” He’s addressing the whole room now. “Stella and I are both adults. We enjoy each other’s company. We make each other happy. You,” he points at my siblings, “haven’t stopped telling her that you wanted her to be with someone. I’ve only been here a week and I’ve heard you say it at least ten times. Now you find out she is with someone, and you don’t like it because there’s an age difference…” He shakes his head. “If we’re both happy why does it matter to anyone else?”
There’s a warmth in my chest as I look at him, and I realize that even though my family is looking at me with shame, I don’t feel it. I’m not ashamed with being with him. Trevor crosses the dining room to me, and takes my hand. He presses a kiss to my lips, soft and chaste, and it feels amazing to not be hiding that.
Leigh gives Trevor a withering look. “Nice speech, asshole. You know as well as I do I’m the best thing that ever happened to Brad, and he needs me. So don’t tell me I’m a terrible person when you’re the one getting your rocks off with an old woman.”
“That is enough.” Brad’s voice cuts through the air. “Leigh, I want you to leave.”
“What? Why?”
Brad huffs a humorless laugh. “It’s the fact that you even have to ask why. You forced your way into my home, insulted my mother, insulted my best friend. You cheated on me, and treated me terribly. We are not, nor were we going to, get back together. You interrupted—and ruined—a day that was supposed to be for my family. So will you please, get the hell out of my house?”
Leigh looks around at everyone. If she’s hoping for some kind of support, she doesn’t get it. She stalks towards the front door, rage written in every line of her body. “Leigh,” Brad calls to her, and she turns back. “Don’t even think about trying to use this against me at school. My mother is a better woman than you’ll ever be. She deserves to be happy, and if Trevor makes her happy, then I’m all for it. I’ll have strong words for whoever ‘happens’ to hear otherwise.”
The slam of the front door echoes loudly through the house.
Brad turns to us, and I feel a bubble of hope rise up. It’s so fragile, and I don’t really want to say anything in case it breaks, but I have to know. “You’re okay with it?” I ask softly.
He gives me a lopsided smile. “It’s a little weird,” he says, “but I know how good he is. If this is what you want, why would I be mad about that?”
I reach out and pull him into me for a hug. “Thank you.”
He pulls away and looks at Trevor. “If you hurt my mom, you know what’s coming for you.”
“I do.” Trevor laughs, the sound releasing the tension that was in the air. He takes my hand in his again, and I feel the touch through my whole body.
I look towards my siblings, and none of them seem to know what to say. Finally, Bradley clears his throat. “You know, this isn’t exactly what we meant.”
“I know.” I say, “but it’s happening. Please try to accept that. Be happy for me.”
Anna comes over, holding her stomach. “We are, sweetie. We just…it’s a little non-traditional.”
“Well,” I shrug, “there hasn’t been much in my life that’s traditional anyway.”
Brad claps his hands together. “After all that, I think I’m ready for some dessert. What do you guys think?”
“I’m all for that,” Maria says, and the spell breaks. Everyone falls back into their roles, trying to make things normal. Or at least a new version of normal.
Brad says to Trevor, “So I guess you haven’t been sleeping on the couch, have you?”
“Do you really want to know?” Trevor asks.
“Good point.”
Brad finds a Christmas movie for us to watch and we all go back into the living room with various desserts. Pie, ice cream, brownies. This time though, Trevor and I sit together. I sit on the end of the couch, and he sits next to me. I kick off my shoes and tuck my legs over his, grinning like an idiot to be doing something so normal. I lean on his shoulder after finishing my dessert, and I ignore the little looks that everyone keeps giving us. They don’t matter.
Later, after Maria and Anna are gone, and the rest of the family is packing to leave in the morning, the three of us are left in the living room.
Trevor is the one who speaks first. “You sure you’re fine with this, Brad?”
Brad looks a little uncomfortable. “Yeah. I think I will be okay once I get used to it. I mean, if you had asked if you could date my mom, I probably wouldn’t have said yes.” I laugh, but he goes on. “But I’ll be okay with it. Besides, if I need it, I already have all the blackmail I need.”
“Thanks man,” Trevor says.
Brad stands, stretching. “I’m going to bed. See you guys in the morning.” He starts to walk up the stairs and stops. “For the record, Trevor, if you two get married, I’m not calling you dad.” He disappears before either of us can say anything.
We sit in silence for a while, just enjoying sitting together without worrying about someone walking in on us.
“So,” Trevor says, “now that people know, does that mean I can make you scream when we’re not alone?”
“I think I’d still like to spare everyone that embarrassment.”
He sighs. “Fine. But I’m still going to try.” He picks me up and carries me into my bedroom, kissing me before the door has even shut behind us.
Epilogue
Christmas Day
Christmas day is so much simpler than family Christmas. There’s only a few presents to open, though I held back one. I gave Trevor a nice shirt, but that’s not his real present. Trevor hasn’t given me his yet either—I think he’s hesitant to give me whatever it is in front of Brad.
Brad loved his money and his small gifts, and he gave me money too—a gift card to a clothing store he knows I like, with one rule: I’m not allowed to buy anything black. I laughed at that, but I agreed. I’m prepping for our Christmas dinner with Maria, but I would really love to give Trevor my gift before that happens.
I’m a little embarrassed by what I’m about to do…but oh well. I tap Brad on the shoulder and have him follow me into the kitchen.
“What’s up, Mom?”
I hesitate. “I was wondering if you’d be willing to do me a favor.”
“Sure.”
“Can you go to the store and get some…” Crap. I should have actually thought of something we needed first. “Eggnog. We’re out of eggnog.”
He gives me a look that tells me he sees right through me. “Eggnog?”
“Yes, eggnog.”
“And how long would you like me to be gone while getting this eggnog?”
My entire face goes bright red. “What?”
“How long do you need me to leave to he can give you his present?” He clears his throat. “Sorry, so I can pick up the eggnog.”
From the living room, Trevor calls, “Two hours, dude.”
“I’ll be back in one,” Brad says loudly.
I give him a squeeze on the shoulder, as he puts on his coat. I know it’s weird for him, but he still smiles as he goes out the door. At the very least he’s trying to be happy for me. As soon as the door shuts, Trevor is in the doorway, pulling me back into the living room. “He very much knows what’s about to happen.”
Trevor laughs. “Well he knows what happens when we go to bed, too.” He reaches into the tree, and pulls out a rectangular box. It’s long, flat, and beautifully wrapped in royal blue paper streaked with gold. “Merry Christmas.”
I sit down on the couch, tearing open the paper. Inside is a black box, soft and velvet, like—
Like jewelry.
“Trevor…” I say, unable to make myself open it.
He sits down next to me. “Open it.”
I do.