Page 8 of Quinton's Quest

“Today was sort of boring. I also baked a lasagna. We’ll have enough food to see us through.”

“You’re working tomorrow, right?” Mama did on-call work these days. That said, she worked most weekdays and some weekends as well. She claimed she liked to keep busy.

I worried about the strain on her body. She always appeared so slender and frail to me. Yet she worked so damn hard.

“Yes, I’m working a shift in the kidney dialysis unit.”

“Ah. So you’ll see Lucia.”

Mama smiled. “Lovely girl. Too bad you can’t marry her.”

I pointed my fork. “I’m gay. She’s a lesbian. That just doesn’t work.”

She shrugged. “How are you going to have children if you don’t marry?”

I sighed. “Mama.”

“Yes?” She arched an eyebrow.

“First, who says I want children?” I took a mouthful of stew. The rich flavor hit my tongue, and the savory taste elicited a moan from me.

“Well, I want grandchildren.”

She never said she was disappointed her only child turned out to be gay. That said, she’d always wanted more children—but that just hadn’t been in the cards. I always wondered if they’d considered adopting. Regardless, she had me and she claimed she loved me very much.

But she wanted more out of life.

“You could always volunteer at a preschool.” I grinned.

“Not the same thing. I want to have someone I can help raise.”

“Mama—”

She waved me off. “Just an old woman talking. Now, how are the plans going for your Valentine party?”

“You mean my Absolutely Amazing Valentine Shindig?”

“Yes, my dear. You remember I’m working the night shift at the hospital.”

I sighed. “You don’t have to leave the house during my parties. I’d be thrilled if you attended.”

Yet she never would. She always made herself scarce—usually taking a shift at the hospital.

“These are your friends, Quinton. You have the right to privacy.”

I burst out laughing. “We’re not having orgies, Mama.”Although I’m not going to mention the time Rayne and Everett went at it in my office. Especially since that was the night Foster and Arnav were in the spare bedroom.Halloween last year had been truly epic. At my New Year’s party, Foster had proposed to Arnav—pretty much shocking everyone. He was the quiet one in that couple. They’d been together just over a month. Yet the proposal—and subsequent quickie marriage—worked. That couple was going to go the distance.

“Maybe no orgies, but you’re entitled to a life of your own. You'll be forging your own life at twenty-six.”

Almost twenty-seven, but I’m not going to mention that…“Well, we’ll save leftovers. I think Ravi’s bringing those pastries you love so much.”

“Dean makes the pastries. Ravi makes the roti.” She closed her right eye in contemplation. “Or maybe not.”

I loved that she tried to keep up with all my friends and their culinary abilities. I grinned. “Regardless of who brings what, I’ll save some for you.”

“And a Nanaimo bar—I have to have a Nanaimo bar.”

Since the chocolate and pudding goodness was my favorite as well, I could easily save her one. “Anything else?”