Venetian Masks (28 page)

Authors: Kim Fielding

BOOK: Venetian Masks

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And then they were finally out in the waiting area, where family and friends hugged and chattered and children ran around screeching with excitement. Jeff’s parents were waiting patiently, his father in slacks and a polo shirt, his mother in yellow capris and a flowery blouse. As soon as they saw Jeff, they rushed forward and nearly smothered him with hugs. His mother got a little teary, and Jeff and his father had to clear their throats.

Finally, they separated. Jeff looked at Cleve, who was standing several feet away, looking very alone. Jeff walked over, grabbed his hand, and pulled him into the little group. “Mom, Dad, this is Cleve Prieto. Cleve, meet Lois and Arnie Dawkins.”

Cleve looked as though he’d rather be shot again.

But then Jeff’s mother wrapped her arms around Cleve and cried on him instead, thanking him for saving her son, telling him how excited she was to finally meet him, saying he was even more handsome in person than in the pictures Jeff had sent. Jeff’s father joined them, patting Cleve a little awkwardly on the shoulder and welcoming him home. At first Cleve looked slightly overwhelmed, but as Jeff’s parents continued to touch him and smile at him, Cleve’s face filled with wonder—as though he were a child expecting underwear for Christmas and getting an iPad instead.

Jeff finally had to rescue his boyfriend. “C’mon,” he said gently, pushing his parents away. “You’ll have plenty of time to embarrass me at home. We’ve been cramped in a plane for eleven hours, and I’m jet-lagged. Let’s go.” He held Cleve’s hand as they followed his parents to the parking garage. Nothing had ever felt so good, so right.

Jeff and Cleve climbed into the backseat of the car. As they pulled away, Cleve leaned in against him and whispered, “I love you, Just Jeff. And that’s nothing but truth.”

Jeff smiled at him. “I know.” He caught his father’s eyes in the rearview mirror, and his father winked.

“You know,” Arnie said loudly, “if you two are feeling rested by this weekend, I have tickets to a River Cats game. It’s just minor league, but that can still be fun.”

Cleve leaned forward. “Baseball? God, it’s been so long since I’ve seen baseball! When I was eleven, a friend’s dad took us to an Indians game, and I had the best time.” He turned to Jeff, looking more than ever like an excited kid. “Can we go, do you think?”

Before Jeff could answer, his father butted in. “Indians? Pfft—American League. I’ll take you to a Giants game, son. Now,
that’s
baseball.”

Cleve and Arnie began a long discussion about sports, most of which Jeff couldn’t follow. But he didn’t care. Cleve’s eyes were sparkling, and Jeff’s mother turned around in her seat to smile at them both. Jeff grinned so widely that his face hurt.

His Kindle was destroyed, but for now that didn’t matter. He had his own happily ever after.

About the Author

K
IM
F
IELDING
is very pleased every time someone calls her eclectic. She has migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States and currently lives in California, where she long ago ran out of bookshelf space. She’s a university professor who dreams of being able to travel and write full time. She also dreams of having two perfectly behaved children, a husband who isn’t obsessed with football, and a house that cleans itself. Some dreams are more easily obtained than others.

Kim can be found on her blogs:

http://kfieldingwrites.blogspot.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4105707.Kim_Fielding/blog

and on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/KFieldingWrites
.

Her e-mail is
[email protected], and she can be found on Twitter at @KFieldingWrites
.

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K
IM
F
IELDING