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TREY

“Please behave,” Arella says as I pull her car into the driveway of a corner house—one that looks waaay too nice for a former mechanic and a stay-at-home grandma.

The large property is surrounded by blooming flower gardens and lawn gnomes. Thank fuck they’re the cute cartoony gnomes and not the creepy grinning ones that look like they come alive at night. Some of the gnomes are even wearing Santa hats.

Christmas lights hang from the edges of the roof. A decorated tree with an angel on top sits just inside the living room window. I admire the cozy family-friendly vibes this house is giving. I could see myself raising kids with Arella in a house like this. Our current house is too small for that.

I turn the car off, unbuckle my seatbelt, then turn to face my girl for the last twelve weeks. “You don’t trust me to charm your grandparents into liking me?”

“Honey, you’re not about to meet Javina for the first time. My grandparents will need a little more convincing than some free spa days. They figured it out that I left Caleb for you, and when they asked me about it, I didn’t want to lie. To them, you’re what ruined my marriage.”

I scoff. “Did you tell them that I moved across the country for three years just so I wouldn’t ruin what you had with Caleb?”

“No. They think we met recently, remember?”

“Shit. You’re gonna have to help me keep our story straight.”

“Just go in with the knowledge that they think Caleb and I could have made things work but I gave up on him because I met you.”

“Didn’t you tell them Caleb’s gay? Unless you’re going to magically grow a beard and a penis, that man is not interested in you anymore.”

The last I heard, Caleb and Rakesh told their families about each other. Unfortunately, neither family took the news well. Caleb’s parents even called Arella, asking her to take him back.

I overheard the conversation and felt so proud of my girl for kindly explaining to Caleb’s parents how they could be more supportive of their son instead of attacking him for something he can’t control.

Love is love, no matter the gender or lack of powers.

Maybe if Caleb’s parents can see it that way, the zovernment can too. More wishful thinking, I know.

Arella and Caleb have been keeping in touch, which I don’t mind. Not just because I’m confident that he won’t ever try to steal her back, but because they really do care about each other, and not because their minds were altered to care.

“My grandparents don’t think Caleb is actually gay,” Arella says. “They think it’s ‘just a phase,’ which really rubs me the wrong way. But I’ll work on getting them to understand that another time. For now, let’s just focus on having a good Christmas dinner and getting them to like you.”

I slash a nonchalant hand through the air. “Don’t worry, babe. They’ll like me.”

“Okay. Remember that Grandma Roxy likes it when people compliment her garden and Grandpa Phil likes to talk about baseball.”

“Garden. Baseball. Got it.” I flash her a thumbs-up.

“And above all else, do not swear.”

“Damn, babe. You didn’t tell me your grandparents are prudes.”

She slumps her shoulders and scolds me. “Trey, please. Just behave, okay?”

I throw my hands up in surrender. “All right. Don’t say fuck . Got it.”

Together, we exit her car. I don’t need my powers to know my girl is nervous.

She’s rubbing the ends of her hair between her fingers and biting her lip.

She’s got nothing to worry about though.

From what she told me, it seems like her grandparents are mostly concerned that what we have is a fling.

They’re concerned about whether Arella is going to be loved and treated right.

I have every intention of loving and treating this woman right, so getting her grandparents to like me is gonna be a piece of cake.

Arella is about to knock on the front door when it opens. Her grandma is on the other side, wearing a huge smile on her face.

“Ari, dear! I’m so happy to see you.”

Arella gives her grandma a tight bear hug. “Merry Christmas, Grammy.”

The seventy-something-year-old woman drops her smile when her eyes land on me. I drop my friendly smile too, because all of a sudden, the zense in my chest is tingling.