For those who are asking - I imagine that this story will be 10 chapters (I have ideas for 3 more chapters). I want to finish it before I go away for 3 weeks next Wednesday, so it's up to the reviewers to keep me motivated! I only got 3 review for chapter 6, which wasn't the most juicy chapter but definitely important! So please, if you're reading, send a quick review.
Here's chapter 7. Enjoy!
The Space Between – Chapter 7 – Extraordinary Ordinary
As Marco and Dylan sat on the Michalchuk's porch, chopping vegetables for the salad and Dylan's dad started the barbecue, Dylan's mom yelled from inside, "Kids, why don't you invite some friends over for dessert after supper. Dad and I are going to the Smiths for a few hours and it's your day, you should celebrate."
By this time, Alex had joined them and she and Paige were attempting to bake a cake with Mrs. Michalchuk. "Great, Mrs. Michalchuk – so Paige and I can show off our first attempt at burning a cake" Alex responded with her characteristic sarcasm.
"Alex, it's going to be great," Paige insisted, "my mom's helping us."
"Sounds great, mom," Dylan started for the phone, "I'll call Steve, and what about Ellie and Jimmy, Marco?"
"Yeah – and don't forget Tim if you're inviting Steve," Marco chuckled.
Marco looked up at the scene in front of him – barbecuing dad, baking mom, their kids with their significant others (was he Dylan's boyfriend again? He hadn't decided yet), all hanging out together laughing. Mrs. Michalchuk came and sat down beside Marco.
"Can I help with those tomatoes," she asked.
"Well, I seem to have lost my assistant, so sure….Thanks so much for having me, Mrs. Michalchuk. This is great, and actually, well…"
"Yes hunny"
"You guys, you Michalchuk parents, you're really great…"
Mrs. Michalchuk beamed warmly at Marco, "well, thank you dear…though I can't say that having a barbecue is so unusual to get such notice," she laughed.
"No, really, Mrs. Michalchuk,…I mean, the way you accept Dylan being gay, and me, and our relationship, and now Paige and Alex, and it's all okay…no, not just okay, but like you're actually happy about it,…you're real role models, and I just wish my parents-"
"Marco hunny, we are happy because our kids are happy, but it wasn't always so easy for us…" she interrupted Marco, "we learned a lot from Dylan when he first came out. His unapologetic sense of self. We went through a process to ultimately figure out love is a beautiful thing, in all its forms, and if our kids find it, then who are we to challenge it. I know it's hard when people don't quite get that, but from what I saw and from what Dylan tells me, I think your parents are coming through their process too."
"Yeah, I guess so," Marco sighed.
"And Marco, you probably don't know this, but you taught us a lot too. You were Dylan's first love. You were the first one he brought home not just once, but again and again, until you became a regular at our dinner table, laughing, holding hands, talking. Well, we saw Dylan inlove and we just adored you and then suddenly it was like, what on earth have we been letting ourselves worry about all these years! We didn't just make being here normal for you, you made it normal for us," Mrs. Michalchuk smiled warmly.
"Mom, what are you guys talking about?" Dylan questioned suspiciously.
"Oh, just chatting," she winked at Marco.
Dylan pouted disbelievingly. "Aw, poor Dylan doesn't like being left out of the conversation," Marco teased.
"Okay kids, steaks are ready!" Mr. Michalchuk announced proudly.
Later that evening, friends were sitting around in the Michalchuk's backyard, drinking beer, and enjoying the relaxation of the warm summer night.
"So Marco and my mom were having a little heart to heart," Dylan smiled at the group, "but they wouldn't let me in on the secret."
"Oh, Dylan just hates not knowing what's going on," Marco laughed, "but really, it was no big deal. I told her that she and Dylan's dad were great role models. And you know, how they accepted Dylan, and me, and us," he smiled at Dylan, "and now Paige and Alex. What I didn't expect was when she said that Dylan and I had helped bring them to where they are, because we were always here, hanging out, participating in the family, and just well, being,.." Marco paused, "in love….I guess." Marco looked down blushing at the use of the word. So Did Dylan, "she said that?" he looked shyly sideways at Marco who was sitting beside him.
"Well if you guys aren't just a bit too cute," Steve smiled supportively, "but seriously, that is one impressive thing for a parent of gay kids to say.
Alex was quiet, "Yeah. It's pretty damn cool."
"Definitely." Tim agreed.
Later on, Marco was laughing in a conversation with Jimmy and Hazel, when he felt Dylan's arms wrap around him from behind, "hey babe," he said comfortably.
"Hey," Dylan said excitedly, "check out ten o'clock…"
Marco turned around and noticed Steve leaning over Tim who was against the tree. Marco looked up just as Steve bent down to kiss Tim gently on the lips.
"Wow…not bad at all…Tim's going to be walking on air," Marco turned to Dylan, "from what I can see, that kiss will quickly outdo the lame kiss I gave him that night…" Marco sighed still feeling badly about Tim's first kiss from someone who was focused on someone else.
"It's okay Marco. He's recovered well,…if that's any indication, " Dylan smiled, "um… so would you be interested in, um, following their lead, or actually, um,…following my lead, maybe upstairs to my room…" Dylan beckoned suggestively, pulling Marco after him.
With the slight tipsiness of beer and excitement of graduation, Marco had been waiting for Dylan to ask to be alone with him. He had forgotten that he hadn't been in Dylan's room since well, since last time, and the déjà vu feeling was overwhelming – the trophies, his green comforter, the signed Leafs Jersey pinned to the wall, the picture of him and Marco from the Bollywood Dance – 'he still has that up?' Marco was amazed at the familiarity of the smell of Dylan everywhere, and he was overcome with what was unmistakably and entirely, lust.
Marco pushed Dylan roughly down on the bed, and straddled him as he bit his neck, and then attacked his lips. "Ahhh..Marco," Dylan moaned, entirely surprised but definitely not complaining.
Marco was consumed with desire as he peeled off his own shirt, Dylan's shirt, his pants, Dylan's pants, all the while kissing his neck, his lips, his sexy torso. This wasn't loving sex. "I want to see you naked, Dylan," Marco whispered as he peeled off his boxers, then his own, "and I'm going to turn you on with my touch…" Marco let his desire and instinct guide him, as Dylan melted in his arms.
When they were finished and exhausted, Marco curled up beside Dylan under the blanket, as Dylan played with his hair. The two entangled bodies fell quickly to sleep.
