Page 139 of Smoky Mountain Dreams

Joe drew up beside their huddle by Jesse’s car, and Jackielet go of Christopher’s face to put on the coat he held out for her.

“Joe, Jackie, this is my…boyfriend?” He caught Jesse’s smileand felt a bit stronger as he went on. “This is my boyfriend Jesse.” He turnedto Jesse. “This is my sister, Jackie, and her husband, Joe. And you’ve heardabout my nephews, Lee and Aaron, and my niece, Sara Beth.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jesse said, taking Jackie’shand first. “I wish it was under better circumstances. I’m so sorry about yourgran.”

Jackie smiled a little tightly, but Christopher could tellshe was genuinely trying.

“Good to meet you, dude,” Joe said, shaking Jesse’s hand andthen putting his arm around Christopher. “Our Christopher deserves the best.”

Sara Beth looked up at Jesse a little dubiously but sheshook his hand, and Lee did the same. Aaron just said, “Jackie says there’ll becake at Grandma Sammie’s house.”

Jackie said, “Come back to Mama’s with us. I’m sure she didn’tmean it. Not under these circumstances, anyway.”

“No, Jackie.” Christopher shook his head. “I can’t go backthere. I’ll never go there again. I’m done.”

Jackie sighed. “Come on, Christopher. You can’t be seriousabout not coming to Christmas at least.”

“She told me not to come back until I wasn’t gay anymore.”He motioned at Jesse. “I’m still gay. So I’m not welcome. And I wouldn’t goeven if I was.”

“But Uncle Christopher, if you don’t come then Grampa Bobwill pick on Lee,” Sara Beth said.

“Not this year, he won’t,” Joe told her. “He won’t bepicking on anybody this year.”

Jackie stuck to her guns, though. “She’s grieving. She’s outof her head. Listen, Gran’s dead and Mom needs us—needsyou—there.If not today, then at Christmas at least.”

“How does she need me? Jackie, you know damn well what shesaid! She told me not to come back.”

Joe nodded his head at Lee, who rolled his eyes and thenrounded his brother and sister up.

“C’mon, let’s go see if we can look in the hearse for Gran’scoffin before it drives away. Wanna see if we can see inside it?” The kidshurried after him like that sounded a good idea and Joe grumbled only a littleunder his breath.

Jackie stayed on topic. “She was being an idiot. She wasscared and angry. But now Gran’s gone, and she needs her babies around her nowmore than ever.”

“She’s got Bob. And Jackie? Let’s get real, I’m not herbaby. I’m her mess-up. Her scapegoat.”

“No.”

“Yes. Listen, I want to come home and hug her and tell herit’s gonna be okay. I really do, okay? But she let him abuse me for years and—”

“He never laid a hand on you!”

“C’mon, Jackie. You’re a nurse. You’re smarter than that.You know it doesn’t have to leave bruises to be abuse. If someone at thehospital was talking to their kid the way you heard Bob talk to me for years,you’d be obligated to report it or you wouldn’t be doing your job.”

Jackie looked down at her feet and opened her mouth, butChristopher didn’t get to hear what it was she was going to say.

“Here you are! Both of my oldest children in the same place!Sweetheart, come here. I found Christopher and Jackie.” Their father’s voiceboomed across the parking lot.

Christopher felt a hot rush of panic, and he turned to Jessewith a frantic feeling in his chest, wondering if they could just get in thecar and leave. But they were hemmed in by Joe, Jackie, and other exitingvehicles.

Jackie turned from Christopher in almost slow motion, anexpression of wide-eyed disgust on her face.

“Christopher?” Jesse asked, his hand on Christopher’s elbow.“You okay?”

“Fuck,” Jackie muttered.

That summed it up so well but even so, Christopher wasimpressed at Jackie for saying it. He’d never heard her use the word before. “It’smy dad,” Christopher murmured to Jesse.

Before Christopher could say more, he was swallowed up inbig arms and the scent of Brut cologne. There was a moment of release, and thenJackie was smooshed up against his side, and his dad was holding onto themboth.