Love is Always Write Anthology Bonus Volume

pizza and talking and I never got the chance to call Alan. Finally, though, Will was asleep on a mattress by my bed and the house was quiet. Figuring texting would be less likely to disturb him if he was asleep, I sent a message to Alan that I loved him and I hoped he slept well.
    Alan texted back that he missed me, especially since he had this thing needing sucking.
    I hear phone sex can work , I sent, but I kind of doubt text-sex would.
    He sent me a picture shot down his pants. I snickered and sent him a picture of my mouth.
    autehigixuhi&^%$ , he sent back. Then, yeah, phone sex not satisfying. Also I think I dick-dialed Kentucky.
    I snorted laughter. I have a lot to do in the morning , I texted, and then I have to work. I'll see you after?
    Go hug your mother, Lukas. Don't tell her I told you to. Good night.
    Crap. It really wasn't fair that I'd fallen so hard for him and not come an inch closer to understanding him.
    I'd given the insurance company my number in case my mom's phone died again, so I was the one the towing company called at six in the morning because they couldn't read the driver's handwriting on what shop was to get her car. Will swore at me as I tried to answer, so I got up and slipped out. I straightened that mess up while I made coffee, and got on with my day.
    Lilia got up at seven, and I reported that she did not, in fact, need to string my mother from the yardarm. Yet. At eight the insurance company called, and I spent an hour working my way up the management chain to explain something so simple and common as a deer-strike in Western Pennsylvania. At nine fifteen Mom got up, took her headache medicine, and went back to bed. I started calling around to locate the rental car her insurance had finally admitted she had a right to.
    At ten Will staggered downstairs growling like the bear he resembled. I told him I didn't speak Wookiee and he tried to hit me but tripped over Midas. I kept him from breaking anything and handed him a cup of Lilia's coffee and he stopped trying to hit me. Lilia and Will got on each other's nerves until I dragged Will off to get his and Mom's stuff from the car. I let him drive.
    The car was supposed to still be in the yard at the towing company, but first they tried to tell me it had been taken to the mechanic already. Then they confirmed the mechanic didn't have it yet, found it in the yard, and told me I couldn't get Mom's property because I wasn't on the title and no, my notarized durable power of attorney wasn't sufficient.
    I sent Will outside before he blew up, and I started on my umpteenth argument of the day.
    As Will drove us home with Mom's stuff and a new charger for her phone a freezing rain fell, but it was nothing on the icy silence we walked into between my mom and Lilia in the kitchen. Lilia pointed me at a chair. Will took one look at Mom's face and abandoned me to my fate.
    "I don't recall inviting you to this conversation, Lilia," my mom said as I sat.
    "I don't recall inviting you to my house, Marcia, but here you are."
    "Are you two sure you need me for this?" I asked, and both glared at me. I pretended to cower from them and Lilia snorted. Mom shook her head. "Okay, then, I'm here," I said, sitting up. "So if you don't mind, let's start with— I love you, Mom, and I love you, Lilia. But Mom, I'm really confused why you're here. You didn't want to talk to me, so why drive across two states?"
    "I didn't want to talk about it on the phone," Mom said. "Lukas, I would never—"
    "You hung up on him," Lilia interrupted. "What was he supposed to think?"
    "If you two are going to fight, I'm leaving," I said over whatever Mom tried to say back. Lilia put her hands in her lap.
    "Sorry, lad," she said. "I'll keep my mouth shut unless you ask me to man the guns."
    "You were a secretary," Mom snapped. "The navy-speak is a sham."
    "Thirty years, girl, from the top of the world to the bottom and all the way around. If you want to fire broadsides, I'm in, but tell the boy to go first."
    Mom shook her head. "Lukas," she said, turning in her chair so she faced only me. She leaned her head on her hand so her arm blocked sight of Lilia. "I don't understand. I don't think it's possible for someone to suddenly be gay."
    "I'm not gay, Mom. I'm—"
    "You said you had… that you… okay, you didn't say you were gay, but—"
    "I've fallen in love with a man named Alan. I said I wanted you to meet him." And you hung up on me , I didn't add.
    "You just said you're not