Family Ties

Susan did her best to hide a grin as I returned her car keys. Christy seemed relieved when no one said anything about how long we’d been gone or why we were both flushed with excitement.

I sent her back to work with a quick kiss. Then I took the stack of towels to where Kirk and Doug had assembled a long table out of several smaller ones. I walked around and dropped a towel on each chair. Most of them had padded vinyl seats, which were a nuisance with bare skin.

The women started bringing food over almost immediately. Dinner was simple but abundant: spaghetti with meatballs, garlic bread, and a huge tossed salad.

Christy managed to hide her look of dismay when Susan handed her a plate of pasta with several meatballs.

“Let me know when you’re ready for more,” she said.

“I will, thanks,” Christy said. Then she looked at me with pleading eyes.

“What’re you doing, Paul?” Erin protested. “Those are hers.”

Christy looked at me again and begged me not to say anything. She even tried to push my hand away.

“Get your own,” Erin said.

Mom gestured. “Hand me your plate, Paul.”

“No, it’s fine,” Christy said. “He can have mine. I—”

“She doesn’t eat meat,” I told them. “And she’s too polite to say anything.”

“Oh, thank God,” Dawn said out of the blue.

Kirk looked chagrined.

“I thought I was the only one.”

Everyone shifted their attention from Christy to Dawn.

“I’m a vegetarian too,” she explained.

Then she looked horrified. “Oh my goodness! And I asked you to make the meatballs.”

It was Dawn’s turn to look chagrined. “It was all I could do not to gag.”

Susan turned her gaze on her son and glared. “Kirk Edward MacLean, why didn’t you tell me? I’ve been trying to feed this poor girl meat since I first met her. Almost two years!” Her expression softened as she looked back to Dawn. “You should’ve told me. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s all right,” Dawn said. “I didn’t want to make a fuss.”

“Bless your heart. But make a fuss next time! I don’t mind. I want you to be happy.”

I’d just started to relax when Susan turned her high-intensity look to me.

I felt a sudden fit of pique. “Why? Because we’re the men?”

“Oh, indeed! Did you think this was a man-woman thing? It isn’t. It’s common courtesy!” She drew breath for another lash of the whip, but changed her mind when my mom laid a hand over hers.

“I think they understand,” Mom assured her. “And… maybe you’re a little embarrassed that you didn’t figure it out sooner? About Dawn?” She caressed Susan’s hand to take the sting out of her words.

“Maybe you’re right,” Susan admitted.

“No ‘maybe’ about it.”

Susan nodded and then smiled at her with such tenderness that my breath caught in my throat. Christy’s hand found mine under the table and squeezed.

“I should’ve told you,” Kirk said into the silence. “Sorry, Mom.”

“Me too,” I said. “And… I’m sorry I thought it was a sexist thing.”

“I’m sorry I lost my temper,” Susan said. “I guess I’m still upset from Jeremiah’s death. And… Beth’s right.” She looked at Dawn. “I’m so sorry I didn’t realize.”

“It’s okay,” Dawn said. “I didn’t want to make you feel bad.”

“Next time, tell me,” Susan said. “I can take it. I’m a tough old bird.”

Every head at the table swiveled toward me.

“You aren’t as tough as you think,” I said mildly. “You aren’t that old, either.”

All the men and most of the women shook their heads.

“And if you’re a ‘bird,’” I finished, “it’s only because you’re a hot chick.”

Mom smiled at me gratefully, and Christy squeezed my hand again.

“He’s right,” my dad chimed in. “One of the hottest chicks I know.”

“You’re just saying that because you’re hoping to get lucky,” Susan shot back, but sweet instead of tart.

“Keep that up and you just might,” Mom told him with a smile. She also squeezed Susan’s hand, and they shared a look that spoke volumes.

Christy gripped my own hand so hard that I thought she might burst. She smiled at me with tears in her eyes.

After dinner we cleared the table and cleaned the kitchen as a group.

Everyone helped, and we finished in about fifteen minutes with all ten of us working. Then we took our towels and headed out to the hot tub to relax and soak. I hadn’t seen Dawn or Olivia in a while, so I used the opportunity to discreetly check them out.

Dawn was an athletic blonde, although taller and heavier than Christy.

Her figure was more boyish, though, with flat breasts and slim hips. She’d had a full bush the first time I met her, but her current hairstyle was a small triangle at the top of her shaved slit. She also sported an engagement ring that was new since the last time.