The Gus Diaries

Part 37

Family
 

Finals went by like a flash. It seemed that before I knew it my freshman year in high school was over. Next year should be, or at least I hope it will be, a blast.

I’ll be a sophomore. No more newbie, except for Jeff, of course. He really has adopted that as a pet name for me and I have to admit that I kind of like the idea that he actually wants to have a special name for me.

I can’t believe that next year I’ll be the news editor of our school paper. When I told my dads they nearly flipped. Well, MJ flipped and I could tell by Dad’s face that he was just as excited, but he prefers to be “restrained” even though his feelings are totally transparent most of the time. They were so proud of me that they offered me a celebration dinner at Papagano’s. That place is so cool. The menu is all in Italian and none of the items, except for starter salads are less than $10.00.

We went out with Jeff (it’s great that they expect him to go out with us all the time – they really make him feel like family), Grandma Jen and Tucker, Grandpa Carl & Grandma Deb, and Michael, Ben and Jenny, Uncle Em & Drew and Ted & Blake. (Ted told me I was old enough to drop the “Uncle” – he can be pretty cool in his own geeky way.) It was weird not going out with my mothers, but it has already become an unspoken awareness in our home that unless I bring them up, I don’t want to talk about them.

I haven’t brought either of them up, and MJ only tried once and he realized what a mistake that was when Dad glared at him and I told him, “I don’t want to even think about them, let alone fucking talk to them, or even worse, have dinner with them.”

I guess I’m still feeling pretty damn bitter over their lying and turning their fantasies into truth at Dad’s and my expense. I still think about them every day, even though I pretend not to, but there doesn’t seem to be any way to approach them – nor do I want to.

The best part about next year (well, maybe not the best, but the most fun) will be that it’s Jeff’s senior year. I was a bit gun-shy about approaching the topic of us still being together through next year, but one day Jeff brought it up when I met him for lunch at the diner during our first week of full-time summer employment.

Well, actually he was working, and I sat at one of his tables. “Hey Newbie.”

“Hey Jeff. How’s full-time at the diner?”

“It sucks, but I’m getting better at dodging pinches and the tips are great. I’ve already put a shitload of extra cash in my bank account. We’ll have a blast next year going to all the senior events.”

“We?”

“Of course we. Who the fuck did you think I’d take – your grandmother?”

“You’re the best.” I just had to stand up and kiss him – hard.

We got a round of applause and Grandma Deb screaming, “Would you two get a fucking room…after his shift’s over?” And then she cracked her gum really hard, as if it was an exclamation mark. I still can’t believe that woman is old enough to be a grandma.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 

About three days after lunch at the diner, my formal grade report finally came in the mail. I had looked it up online, but getting it in front of me was the best.

I was keeping my grades a secret from my Dad and MJ because I wanted to surprise them. I knew that I’d gotten all A’s in my classes but until I checked online I wasn’t sure I’d been able to pull an A- in math, but I did it! I figured I’d tell them at dinner time when it would be just the three of us. Jeff was working the late shift and Grandpa Carl was going to drive him home after his shift.

Obviously Grandma Jen isn’t the only one who’s taken Jeff under her wing. Grandma Deb was supervising him during work times and Grandpa Carl liked doting on him when he wasn’t with either me or at Grandma Jen’s. I think, for Grandpa Carl, it has to do with the fact that his kids live far away and never seem to visit.

“You know Newbie,” Jeff mentioned last week, “for a guy whose mother and father practically abandoned him, I have more adult supervision than anyone I know.”

“Welcome to my world.”

While we both laughed, deep down we both knew how lucky we were to have all these great adults in our lives. It was just a shame that neither of us had mothers we could count on.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 

I asked MJ if I could start learning to cook with him a couple of times a week. It was a good way for us to spend time together without any particular pretense. I didn’t want him thinking I only wanted to spend time with him when I was having a problem.

He seemed to really go for the idea and Dad was thrilled.

“Now I have two chefs on call twenty-four, seven.”

Justin turned on this major syrupy voice. “Right, Brian. Because I live and breathe to serve only you.”

“And that’s just the way it should be.”

“For the one hour a day you’re not expected to serve me.” MJ smirked.

“Hey Sunshine, just remember who bought Britin in the first place.”

“And you, Brian, just remember why, and for whom, you bought said estate.”

“It’s been ten years; that argument is dead and buried.”

“So is the theory that the one who put down the cash, gets to be the lord and master.”

“Except in the bedroom.”

MJ laughed out loud. Most of the time.”

Ewww! “Time out, kid in the room.”

“What’s the matter Sonny Boy? If it’s getting too hot, get out of the kitchen.” Dad was laughing now, too.

“I would but I’m one of the chefs making your fucking dinner,” I snorted.

“Brian, let’s discuss the lord and master concept later tonight so my sous chef and I can finish our meal prep.”

“In that case, boys, I’ll see you when the dinner bell calls. I’m off to work in MY domain.”

“That’s right, mon cher, go be a mogul so we can buy another estate for you to lord over.”

At that point Dad grabbed MJ around the waist, spun him around and gave him a wallop of a kiss. I thought MJ would fall over when Dad let go of him. I would have called him kind of starry eyed, but he’s too old for that.

I rolled my eyes. “Excuse me, hungry teen here. If you guys don’t cut it out soon, it’s peanut butter and jelly all around.”

Dad and MJ put their heads together and each of them said, “Later.” Then Dad took off for his office and I finally had MJ back for my next cooking lesson.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
 

Dinner was great.

“MJ, I still can’t understand why it is, that when Uncle Ben uses the same basic ingredients his meals taste like boring slop but yours always come out so good. Whenever I eat over at their place when I’m visiting Jenny, I feel so sorry for her. She’s always visiting with Grandma Deb, at her house or the diner, to get some decent food.”

“That, Gus, is the trick in how you spice it up.”

“And you’d better listen to Justin. He always knows how to spice things up.”

“Brian!”

“Dad!”

“Now, now boys, facts are facts.” Sometimes Dad can be so (what’s that word, oh yeah)…cheeky.

“Listen, Dad, MJ, there’s something I want to tell you both.”

“This sound serious, Gus.”

“It’s serious, but nothing bad, MJ.”

“So spill, Sonny Boy.”

I had their undivided attention at the table so I just blurted out my grades. “And I really appreciate that you both were patient enough to wait for me to fill you in.” I handed them the report that was folded in my pocket.

MJ came over and gave me a huge hug and Dad sat back and had this fucking immense smile on his face. It wasn’t a smirk, but a real smile. I love seeing Dad smile like that. He doesn’t do it often. I remember him smiling like that when he made a toast at my News Editor’s dinner at Papagano’s. Most of the time that smile is reserved for MJ, but it’s nice to get a bit of it thrown my way once in a while.

“Would you like another dinner out, Sonny Boy?”

“No, Dad. I just wanted to share this with you guys. I know you two were nervous about being full-time dads. I hope you’ll have more confidence now.”

“Well, Brian, I guess now that he’s succeeded while living with us we’re stuck with him.” MJ was smiling broadly.

“It certainly looks that way, Sunshine. Too bad we won’t have any privacy ever again in this twenty room, what did you call it, ah yes, palace.”

“Okay, okay, I get it. You guys want me here and I don’t bug you.”

“Is your report card a secret or do we get to brag about it?” I had a feeling MJ was asking because of his situation with Mom at the gallery.

“I’d like to tell Uncle Michael myself when I go to work. And Jeff already knows. I called him when I got the online version of my grades and I’d like to tell Grandmas Jen and Debbie. I bet Grandma Debbie will give me a free ice cream sundae at the diner, and Grandma Jen will have one of her special family dinners.”

“Sounds like you have this all figured out.” Dad was looking at me waiting to hear if I wanted to say any more.

After a brief pause I knew I had to tell them the decision I’d wrestled with all afternoon. I looked at both my dads and they were cool enough to give me time to arrange my thoughts. “Dad, MJ,” I took another deep breath, “I want to tell my mothers myself.”

“Are you sure, Gus? We don’t want to push you into anything.” MJ really is so fucking loving.

“I’m sure, but I’m not sure if you guys are okay with this.” I really meant my Dad but I didn’t want to single him out, although I looked straight at him.

“Do you want us to be with you, Sonny Boy?” Dad sat up a bit straighter in his chair.

“I think I’ll call Mem and ask her to meet me at the gallery tomorrow when I have my lunch break. Is that okay with you, MJ?”

“You’re always welcome at the gallery, no matter what the reason.”

“Thank you, I’ll go call Mem and Mom now and make sure they’re there tomorrow at 12:30 sharp.”

I walked out of the room and heard MJ say, “I think it’s sweet how he’s planning to do this at a time when you’re at work so you’ll be spared from seeing Lindsay.”

“That may be so, Justin, but I have a feeling our little offspring is up to something.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s just say that you’d better make sure all your precious paintings are hung firmly in place.”

“You don’t think Gus is planning anything underhanded.”

“Sunshine, that’s Gus Taylor Kinney you’re talking about, think again.”

If MJ only knew. His paintings were safe, but this time I planned to have the upper hand where my mothers were concerned.

[TBC]

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