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When You Least Expect By Josh Blake
Chapter 50
Our house was extremely busy over the next few weeks. The twins were growing rapidly and needed nearly constant attention between feedings, diaper changes, and just general love and affection. Bonnie was spending a great deal of time at our house, to the point that Mark made the comment one day that she should really just move in and let him have their house all to himself. This earned him a middle finger salute from Bonnie, who said that she would spend as much time as she wanted to with her grandchildren.
On top of everything, Jackson had decided that he wanted to play football! I was never an athlete and Braden was more into baseball and track than football, so neither of us really knew much about it. We weren't going to deprive him of the opportunity, though, and we got him signed up for the little league team nearby. Getting Jackson to football practice three or four times a week added a new wrinkle to our routines. Thankfully, Mark stepped up and offered to make sure Jackson got to practice. Mark found his place as the team grandpa and was soon shuttling several of the kids who lived nearby to and from practice!
"Let's go, Jackson!" I yelled from the stands one Saturday morning. It was the team's first game. Braden and I had left the twins home with Mom and Bonnie while we came to the game with Mark.
Jackson's team was called the Thunderbolts. They were playing against the Hornets, and so far the Thunderbolts were winning.
"You really don't have a clue what's going on, do you?" Braden asked as we watched the little kids run up and down the field. Mark had gone to get some popcorn.
"Not really," I said. "But that's my boy!"
"Which one's yours?" I turned around to see a pretty young lady behind us.
"Number 29," I said. "Which one is yours?" I asked in return.
"Number 18," she said. "What about you?" she turned to look at Braden. "Which one is yours?"
"Oh, number 29 is ours," he said. "This is my husband, Josh, and I'm Braden. Our little boy Jackson is number 29."
"Oh," she said, obviously confused and somewhat flustered. "I didn't know. I know Jackson, but his grandpa is usually with him at practice."
"Yes, he helps us out quite a bit. With both of us working and new twins at home, it's a handful," I said.
She grinned weakly. "I'm sure." I turned back around to watch the game.
"I'm sorry," she said, suddenly. I turned back around.
"What for?" I asked.
"My manners. I reacted poorly when I realized you were a couple. I'm just surprised, is all. There aren't many gay people around here. Not that are public about it, at least. My cousin is gay, but he lives in Oregon. I'm Brittany."
"It's nice to meet you," I said. "And you don't have to apologize. I'm sure we'll get to know each other well."
"Go Charlie! Run run run run!" I heard someone shout from the other end of the bleachers. I recognized the voice, but I couldn't place it. The little boy named Charlie was clutching the football against him and running to make a touchdown. He made it, and the crowd erupted in elation. I then realized where I knew the voice from. It was the couple we had met at the waterpark a couple months earlier! Sure enough, Aaron and Jamie were there cheering on their son, Charlie, who apparently was also on Jackson's team. I pointed this out to Braden, and he insisted we go talk to them. Mark was by the concession stand talking with some of the other parents, so we weren't worried about him.
"Hey guys!" Braden and I said as we approached Aaron and Jamie. "Remember us?"
"Well, what a surprise!" Jamie said. "Who could forget you two?" We found seats near Aaron and Jamie and spent some time catching up with them. After meeting them at the water park, we had intentions of meeting for coffee and getting to know them better, but it just hadn't worked out. We enjoyed catching up with them. Charlie had been playing football a little longer than Jackson, thus his ability to run the ball. Jackson, on the other hand, was currently sitting down on the field pulling up grass.
"Jackson! Get up!" Mark yelled from the fence. "You know better than that! Get up and play!"
"That's my dad," Braden said, laughing. "Thank God for him handling this for us."
"I take it neither of you played football," Aaron said.
"No, I never played any sports. Braden was the athlete."
"Just baseball and track," Braden said. "What about you?"
"I played," Aaron said. "I was pretty good. I played all through high school."
"I wasn't an athlete," Jamie said. "Although I went to a lot of football games to see the hot football players!" Aaron elbowed him lightly and put an arm around him.
"Was it hard for you being a gay athlete?" Aaron asked Braden.
"Sometimes," Braden said. "I had to be careful where I looked in the locker room for sure. But no one ever suspected. Was it hard for you?"
"Yeah, especially in the showers," Aaron said. He had lowered his voice so as to not be heard by everyone around us. "So much cock!" Jamie rolled his eyes and we all laughed.
Finally, the game was over and the Thunderbolts won! All the boys huddled up together to be congratulated by their coaches. Then they all went and high-fived the other team. I was glad that the coaches were teaching them to show sportsmanship!
"Great job, buddy!" Braden said, hoisting Jackson into the air as he ran to us.
"Did you see me out there, Daddy?" Jackson asked. "I was fast like the wind!"
"Yes, I saw you, buddy. And you were pretty quick!" I said. I turned away so he wouldn't see me laugh.
"Where did he get that?" I asked Mark. "Fast like the wind?"
"Beats me," he said. "I guess he heard it somewhere."
Aaron walked up and put a hand on my shoulder. "Jamie and I are taking Charlie for ice cream to celebrate their win. Do you guys want to come and bring Jackson?"
"Sure, let's just grab his grandpa over here and we'll follow you there," I said. We let Jackson finish celebrating with his team, then finally got both him and Mark to the car where we followed Aaron and Jamie to a little ice cream shop they knew about nearby. I knew we were in for a treat when we pulled up and I saw the sign out front. The sign read `Dorothy's' in glittering red font with a pair of equally glittering ruby slippers with a scoop of ice cream on each one. I looked at Aaron, and he just smiled and winked.
"Welcome, boys! I'm Dorothy!" said a loud drag queen from behind the counter. Her hair was huge and her makeup was perfect. "Oh, what do we have here?" said Dorothy, motioning to Jackson and Charlie.
"These are a couple of champion football players," Jamie said. "They just won their first game!"
"Oh, how wonderful! Dorothy cried. "That most definitely deserves some ice cream! What's your favorite, honey?" Dorothy was looking at Jackson.
"I like chocolate," he said.
"And I like vanilla and strawberry," Charlie added.
"Oh, do I have just what you want!" Dorothy exclaimed. She got Jackson a concoction she called The Wicked Witch,' which consisted of chocolate ice cream with caramel syrup, marshmallows, and pieces of chocolate fudge. Charlie had The Good Witch,' which was vanilla ice cream with a strawberry swirl and cheesecake pieces. Braden and I shared The Yellow Brick Road,' which was cheesecake-flavored ice cream with blonde brownie pieces. Aaron and Jamie shared The Tin Man,' which was a chocolate ice cream with peanuts and peanut butter cups. Mark had `The Wizard,' which was a mint chocolate chip ice cream.
"Here you go, Mary!" Dorothy said as she handed me the ice cream that Braden and I ordered, complete with two spoons.
"I don't think anyone's ever called me Mary before," I said.
"That you heard," Dorothy said.
"How did you find this place," I asked Aaron and Jamie as we sat down at a table to enjoy our ice cream.
"We've known Chad, I mean Dorothy, for a long time," Jamie said. "He used to perform at a club we like to go to. You should see him when he's not in character. You'd never know. Anyway, he got tired of doing that and had always wanted to run an ice cream shop. So, he applied his stage character to running a shop, and here we are!"
"I'm surprised this went over around here," Braden said. "And there's a club? What club?"
"You girls have to get out more!" Dorothy said, walking over to our table. She looked fabulous in her red dress.
"You have to come to the club with Aaron and me," Jamie said. "You simply must!"
"I don't know," I said. "It would be pretty risky for us to be seen in a club. Any club."
"Yeah, I forgot about that," Aaron said. "Why don't we go to Atlanta one weekend? There are fabulous clubs there, and you don't have to worry about being seen!"
"If you queens are going to Atlanta I want to come with!" Dorothy exclaimed. "This girl hasn't had her dancing boots on in way too long!" Dorothy did a little dance behind the counter for emphasis.
"We'll have to let you know about that," I said. "But I do have a proposition for you, Dorothy."
"I haven't been propositioned in a long time, honey," Dorothy said.
"No, not that kind of proposition. Two of our good friends, an older gay couple, are going to get married soon. It'll be a small ceremony for friends and family. But I was wondering if you would consider doing an ice cream station and maybe performing?"
"Interesting proposition," Dorothy said. "I do love a good queer wedding. Especially if they are old queers. Reminds me of that show about the two old gay lawyers that leave their wives and get married. What's it called?"
"Grace and Frankie," Braden said before anyone else had time to answer.
"But Josh, we don't even know if David and Robert like drag queens," Braden said.
"Honey, old gay men always like drag queens," Dorothy said. "I'm in. I'll do it. Here's my card. Text me with the details and we'll work it out!"
"A drag queen?!" David exclaimed. "A drag queen at my wedding. What has my life come to? I'm just glad Mother isn't here to see this."
"To be fair, honey, your mother wouldn't be happy with any part of this wedding," Robert said, trying to console David. "I think she's fabulous! Look at her out there dishing out ice cream to the guests."
"They do look happy," David agreed. He laughed. "I guess I shouldn't doubt Josh. He did manage to pull it off."
"For the love!" Rose exclaimed, walking into the room where David and Robert were looking out the window to the back of their lake house where the wedding was about to take place. "You know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding!"
Dorothy and Rose wanted to be involved as soon as I told them about the wedding. They volunteered to host the wedding in Chattanooga, but I explained that David and Robert wanted a small reception with friends and family at their home. Dorothy and Rose had become close friends with David and Robert. Rose immediately volunteered to handle the catering for the wedding. Her Buick was packed out with supplies when they drove down from Chattanooga. Since our house wasn't far away and had a large kitchen, she prepared most of the food there and we transported it over for the wedding.
"I really don't think any bad luck is going to come to us today, sweetheart," David said, hugging Rose and giving her a peck on the cheek.
"It's almost time," she said. "You two studs better be ready once the music starts."
Outside, Braden and I were greeting people as they arrived and helping them find seats. I was surprised to see some of the family members who disapproved of the relationship arriving. David's daughter Sharon and her husband Michael walking toward us. They were both dressed nicely and gave a compulsory smile as they found seats. They were joined by David's other daughter, Grace, his son, Wayne, and his wife, who happened to be Robert's daughter, Jane.
"Did we invite them?" I whispered to Braden.
"No, we didn't," he said. "How did they know?"
"I told them," said a voice from behind us. It was David's grandson, Ryan. "They've finally started speaking to me again after I came out. It's taking some time, but we're mending our relationship. I told them about Grandpa and how he knows what's happening to him. I wanted to try to bring our family back together before it's too late."
I put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him in for a hug.
"I understand, son. I hope it works. Because if this goes bad..." I trailed off. Lucas was giving me the signal from near the house. It was time to start the ceremony.
Dorothy approached the microphone. Just as she had done for Braden and me, she was officiating the ceremony.
"Friends and family, if you will take your seats, we will begin our ceremony," Dorothy spoke into the microphone. Lucas started the music and "In Your Love" by Tyler Childers started playing over the speakers we had rented.
"I will wait for you Till the sun turns into ashes And bows down to the moon I will wait for you"
David and Robert walked out the back door of the house and down the aisle together, arm in arm. The best men, including Braden, Ryan, Stephen, and me were standing on either side of Dorothy as they approached.
"We were never meant to run forever We were just meant to go long enough To find what we were chasing after I believe I found it here in your love"
Finally, they made it to the altar. The music faded out and Dorothy began speaking.
"Friends and family. Today, I have the privilege of joining together two men who have found what they were chasing after, much like the lovers described in the song you just heard. You see, David and Robert found each other many years ago. But, society has not always been kind to those of us who found our love in members of the same sex, and they had to keep their love hidden. They packed it away and tried to fight it. But, ladies and gentlemen, love always wins. And here we are today. David and Robert have written their own vows and will share them now.
David began reading from a sheet of paper he pulled from his pocket. "Sweetheart, loving you has not always been easy. For many years, I felt guilt and shame. No matter what I did, I just couldn't quit you. And I'm forever thankful you were the one habit I couldn't kick. Our love has overcome great obstacles for us to be where we are today. I love you, sweetheart, with everything I am, and I give myself to you and only to you for as long as we have left."
Robert followed up with his vows. "David, I remember the first time I saw you many years ago. We were at a charity golf tournament back in the 70s, and you shook my hand and introduced yourself. Your father-in-law's car dealership was sponsoring the tournament, so you were there. You had a twinkle in your eye that I recognized, and it scared me. That was not a time when men like us could be who we were. You winked at me and, well, I'll leave out the rest of what happened that day, but I went home thinking that if someone like you were ever to love me, even just a little bit, I would probably lose my mind. It took us a long time to get here, but here we are, honey. I promise to always be here for you. I'll take care of you and be your one and only, in sickness and in health. I love you now and forever."
By this time, I could see some of the women in the audience dabbing their eyes with tissues. Surprisingly, I noticed both Sharon and Grace becoming somewhat emotional.
"David, do you take Robert to be your husband?"
"I do," David said.
"And Robert, do you take David to be your husband?" Dorothy asked.
"I do," Robert said.
"If anyone here has any reason that these two should not be married, let them speak now or forever hold their peace," Dorothy said. I looked up in time to see Sharon look down quickly. She remained silent, however.
"Then, it is my pleasure to pronounce you married. You may kiss your husband!" David and Robert shared a kiss, then held hands and raised their held hands over their heads in triumph. The audience cheered and clapped.
David and Robert made their way down the aisle into the audience. There were hugs and handshakes in congratulations. Dorothy the drag queen had taken the stage and was belting out a stunning rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
"Daddy," said a voice from behind David. He turned to find Sharon and Grace along with Jane and Wayne.
"Hello," David said. Robert moved to hug Jane, but she backed away slightly. "I'm surprised you came," David said.
"Ryan invited us," Sharon said. "Daddy, I want to be a family again. We all do. But this is just. I mean. Mom is dead! And you. And him." She was crying by that point. David moved to take her in his arms, and she let him. He held her and she cried. Finally, they separated.
"Sweetheart, I loved your mother," David said. "I was the best husband I could be to her and the best father I knew how to be for you kids. I'm ashamed of the lies that Robert and I concocted over the years and for being unfaithful to your mother. I have no excuses. If things were different back then I probably would have met a man like Robert and married him instead of your mother. I always knew I was different, but being different was something that would get you arrested, beaten, or even killed in those days. The Stonewall riots had just happened and police officers were posing in public places just to catch gay men and cart them off to jail! So we did what we had to do."
"That doesn't make it right!" Grace exclaimed. "I don't care if you're gay, I just wish you would have told us sooner instead of lying all those years!"
"So do I, Daddy!" Jane directed at Robert.
"Baby, you have to understand," Robert said. "Things were so bad for gay people then. They would have taken you away from me and I would have never been able to see you. Then the 80s came along and AIDS was out of control. That pushed people like David and me further into the closet. By the time things started changing in the 90s, we were already getting old. What was the point? Then your mother passed, and David's wife passed, and well, here we are."
"I'm trying to understand," Sharon said. "I'm trying to be a good daughter and a good mom. I have a gay dad and a gay son. Welcome to the 2020s!"
"Speaking of Ryan," David said," Where is he?"
"I haven't seen him in the last few minutes," Sharon said. She looked around trying to find him among the guests.
Meanwhile, Braden approached me near the back of the house. "Jackson and Asher want ice cream again," he said. "Have you seen Dorothy the drag queen lately? She finished singing but I don't know where she went."
"I saw her go into the house a little bit ago. I'll go see if I can find her," I said.
I walked into the house and was immediately hit by the refreshing cool air. The house was empty, or so I thought.
"Dorothy?" I called out. There was no response. I thought I heard a voice from the guest bedroom, so I headed that way. I walked down the hall toward the bedroom. I could hear rhythmic squeaking and low moans. I should have walked away, but the door was slightly ajar. I pushed the door open to find Dorothy the drag queen bent over the bed with her dress pulled up, exposing a surprisingly hairy body. Behind her, fucking her ass with rigor, was none other than Ryan. His pants were down and bunched around his ankles as he fucked Dorothy, also known as Chad, up the ass. I quietly closed the door behind me and walked back outside.
"Fuck me, you slut!" I heard Dorothy/Chad moan as I walked down the hall.
"Have you seen Ryan?" David asked as I came back outside.
"Umm, yeah, actually, he's in the house. He said he got a little too hot out here and needed to cool off. He'll be back out soon."
"Daddy, I want ice cream!" Jack exclaimed as he ran up to me.
"Where's the drag queen?" David asked. "We need to get this kiddo some ice cream, stat!"
"Oh, she'll be right back out," I said.
"Oh, she's in the house, too?" David asked. He walked toward the back door with Jack's hand in his. "Let's find her and see if we can get you some ice cream!"
"Uh, David, don't." I said.
"Excuse me?" he said.
"Just give them a minute. I'm sure they'll be back out in a minute," I said. Braden had joined us and was snickering. He'd figured it out.
"What are you not telling me, Joshua?" David said. "Why are my grandson and the drag queen in my house together?"
"Oh, hey Grandpa!" Ryan said as he came out the back door. His face was flushed and he looked a little disheveled. David looked him over suspiciously. Ryan just grinned and went to join his family. As he walked by me, I put my hand on his shoulder and pulled him aside.
"Next time, make sure the door is closed," I said. "Unless you want someone else walking in on you."
"Oh my God!" Who saw?" he asked.
"Just me. But your grandpa was getting ready to come in. What's going on with you and Chad?"
"I'm not sure yet, but I got his number!" Ryan said, fishing his phone out of his pocket and waving it in the air.
The next chapter in this series will be posted as soon as possible.
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