Page 42 of Straight to You

Ryder groans but climbs out of the car with me, holding the flowers for his mom.

I take the ones for mine and keep his other hand in mine.

We walk up the front steps, and before I can even knock, the door swings open and Mom is standing there with red-rimmed eyes like she’s been up all night crying over us.

She steps forward and pulls me into a crushing hug, squishing her flowers in the process.

“Oh, honey,” she whispers against my shoulder, squeezing me so tight I wince. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Mom,” I grunt. “Ow. Still healing.”

She releases me, then her gaze lands on Ryder, and she makes an entirely different sound. A soft, heartbroken noise as she reaches for him, gripping his face like she’s making sure he’s real.

“Ryder,” she breathes.

His throat bobs, but he doesn’t pull away. “Hey, Mrs. Hart.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” she murmurs, cupping his cheeks before pulling him into a hug. “We were so worried. I’ve been worried sick about you both.”

Mom holds him for a long moment, then finally pulls back, brushing her hands over his arms like she’s checking him for injuries herself. Then she turns over her shoulder.

“Jim, Michael, they’re here!”

“Mom, these are for you. I’m sorry I was an asshole in the hospital, I was so scared and I was taking it out on everyone in the room, including you. You didn’t deserve that.”

“Oh, honey, no. I get it. I am so glad you pushed so hard and you’re both okay.”

I smile at her, and Ryder does the same, as my dad comes into view. His eyes flick between me and Ryder, like he’s checking to make sure we’re actually okay.

“Hey, boys,” he says.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Mr. Hart.”

“Oh, Ryder, sweetie. Call us Jim and Anne, please. We’ve been through enough for the formalities.”

Dad nods, then moves toward Ryder, pulling him in for a hug before doing the same to me.

Michael comes bounding out of the house in jeans and a gray hoodie. He looks so much like me, just a couple of years older with shorter, neater blonde hair that’s a little darker.

“Little bro, you had me so worried!” he exclaims as he walks over and pulls me into a bone-crushing hug.

“Missed you, too. But you gotta loosen your grip.”

“Oh, shit! My bad, I didn’t mean to squeeze you so hard,” he looks apologetic.

“You and Mom,” I laugh, shaking my head.

He turns to look at Ryder now and pulls him in for a loose hug, probably aware Ryder also has some stitches.

“Michael, we just want to tell you something quick,” I say when he and Ryder break apart. I walk over to Ryder and take his hand in mine. “We’re together.”

A big smile takes over my brother’s face, as expected. He gives us both a long, knowing look. “So, you two finally figured it out, huh?”

Ryder immediately groans, burying his face in his hands .

Dad just shrugs at this interaction. “I’ve been calling that since, oh, I don’t know. Years. You always were like an old married couple.”

“Jesus Christ. Maybe a little, ‘happy for you both’ first?” I deadpan.

Ryder groans, turning to me. “See, this is why I didn’t want to have to come out. Told you, you did me a favor.”

“Ryder, you know we love you. We are so happy for you two,” Mom coos, while Dad just nods alongside her, and everyone’s smiling at each other, right in time for Ryder’s mom, Emma, to pull up. She barely stops the car before she comes rushing over to him.

“Ryder!” she yells as she pulls him into a big hug, her face a mix of relief and exhaustion.

Ryder sinks into her hug, and she murmurs something I can’t hear into his shoulder. He nods in response, eyes squeezed shut, and I let them have their moment. He hands her the flowers he bought for her, and she smells them. “They’re beautiful, thank you, Ry.”

Then her gaze shifts to me.

“Hi, Emma,” I greet.

“I’m just so happy to see your faces again,” she exclaims, pressing a hand to her chest.

“You do know it’s been, like, not even twenty-four hours since you last saw us, right?” Ryder says with a teasing tone, though I can still hear the emotion beneath it.

Emma’s eyes snap to him, fire immediately returning to them, and I have to bite back a laugh. “I don’t care how long it’s been, you were kidnapped, Ryder! Kidnapped by a lunatic!” she reminds us, throwing her hands up. “Of course I’m going to act a little out of my mind every time I see you! ”

I watch Ryder try—and fail—to hold back a smile at his mom.

Mom claps her hands once the moment settles. “Who’s hungry? I made a ton of food.”

It turns out the day is mostly about them checking in on us, making sure we’re okay in every possible way—physically, mentally, emotionally. There are a lot of hugs, a lot of reassurances, and while it’s exhausting, it’s also healing.

We talk a little about Ryder and me—our relationship, how it happened—without mentioning the mutual jack off session that turned into ‘sharing’ lube, or how I kind of accidentally came out for him.

Ryder’s mom, of course, already figured it out based on our behavior at the hospital, but even with the teasing, everyone is unbelievably supportive.

We’ve been inseparable for a decade, and if anything, it seems like our parents have been waiting for us to figure it out.

So while their acceptance of our relationship isn’t surprising, it still feels really good.

When it’s finally time to say goodbye, Ryder’s mom pulls him in for one last hug before she prepares to head back home, her arms wrapping around him tight, like she’s holding onto him for both of us.

Then she pulls back slightly, her eyes meeting mine as she says, “I’m so glad you’re okay. I’ll come back soon, okay? You come visit me too.”

Ryder nods at her and promises he will.

Then she looks back and forth between both of us as she says, “I’m happy you both have each other. It makes me feel better about leaving, knowing you won’t be alone, Ry.” He swallows hard, and his eyes get a little glassy as he smiles.

“Me too,” I say softly, taking Ryder’s hand as he separates from his mom and steps back toward me. I give his hand one last squeeze, then lead him to the car, so we can finally go home.