Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 8

her arm through Josh's and tugging him toward the steps. Trey reached in for the cooler and tagged along behind.
    As they reached the porch Uncle Ted appeared in the open doorway.
    "I bought the woman the anniversary cruise she always wanted, and three days into it she was as antsy as a cat in a henhouse. She finally decided what she really wanted was time with family, especially since Trey was here with you, so we hopped a plane back." He stepped past Josh with a pat on the arm and held his hand outstretched to Trey. "Welcome, son. It's been too long. Glad you could make it here with Josh."
    Trey hesitated, and Josh saw tension cross his face, but he juggled the cooler as if that had been the problem, and reached out to take Uncle Ted's hand. "Thanks, it's been... nice."
    "The damned pony didn't kill you yet, I take it?"
    Trey's frozen expression eased a bit. "Nossir."
    "You must be fast on your feet."
    Aunt Julie pulled Josh inside, saying back over her shoulder to Uncle Ted, "You lay off the damned pony. I mean the poor pony. He's not that bad. I told you the boys would be fine."
    Then Josh quit listening to their banter, and almost quit breathing. Because there on the couch were his mother and father. Here. On the couch where he'd been considering throwing Trey down the minute they walked through the door, back a lifetime ago when sucking the hell out of Trey or vice versa had been at the top of his list. Instead of completely panicking. "Mom. Dad. You're supposed to be camping!"
    "Well, that's a nice greeting." His mother stood gracefully and came to him to have her cheek kissed. "You're looking well, Josh. Although those shorts are rather ragged, aren't they?"
    "We were at the beach," Josh muttered. "Mom, what are you doing here? I mean, yes, it's nice to see you but how...?"
    "That was your aunt's doing," his father said from where he sat. "We came back home early from the mountains, because your mother picked up some kind of stomach bug. But she was fine by Thursday morning and we were just deciding whether to take a weekend trip with the camper when your aunt called to invite us here instead. She bought the tickets and everything."
    Of course, that would have cinched the matter, right Dad? A free holiday versus the cost of gas for the camper? No brainer.
    "Isn't it lovely?" Aunt Julie continued blithely. "And we have plenty of room, as long as you boys are willing to share the bigger guest room for the weekend. We can move in the folding bed."
    Josh glanced behind him and met Trey's panicked gaze. "Um, Aunt Julie, I don't know, Trey might have stuff to do..."
    "Nonsense," his father said firmly. "Your aunt has gone to a lot of trouble to get us all here for the weekend and we're going to enjoy it. It takes me back ten years to see you two boys together."
    Really seeing us together is more likely to take ten years off your life.
    Aunt Julie said, "Did you boys have any dinner? We've had ours, but I could throw something together for you."
    Josh stepped away from her and paced over to the window. He turned and put his back to the curtains, not sure if he wanted an escape route or just to know his parents weren't sneaking up behind him.
    Trey said, "No, thanks, we already ate." He came over to stand next to Josh, the fabric beer-cooler still dangling from one hand. He set it on the floor and the cans clinked.
    Josh's dad frowned at them. "I hope you weren't driving after drinking."
    Josh's mind was spinning in circles, and he couldn't blame the beer. He wondered if his expression looked as gobsmacked as Trey's. Probably worse. His mother was following Aunt Julie toward the kitchen, talking about making coffee. Uncle Ted joked to Josh's dad about the sunburn on his bald spot. All very normal and familial and suddenly Josh couldn't stand it anymore. He said loudly, cutting over the conversations, "I'm gay."
    There was a moment of stunned silence as everyone turned to him. In that moment, Trey spoke up in a drawl that only shook a little. "Nah, you're bi. You dated Claire and Linda in addition to Stefan. That makes you bi. I'm gay."
    There was another suffused moment where Josh's family members neither moved nor spoke. Then his dad said uneasily, "That's not a very funny joke."
    "It's not a joke." Josh turned to Trey, trying desperately to read how far Trey wanted to take this. I'm gay was huge enough. I'm in love with my childhood best friend might be something for the next fight. But Trey held out a hand, and