"Hello sir, ma'am" Dave said upon entering the Saranity household. "It's very nice to meet you."
Eileen and Matt Sr. escorted the boys into the dining room for dinner. It was almost funny to Dave how much taller he was than every single person in the room. The second tallest person was Matt's Mom, who couldn't have been taller than 5'8". Dave's 6'5" frame was slumped a little as he sat down across from Matt, with Matt's Mom to his right, his Dad seated at the head of the table.
Dave took quick review of his surroundings like he always did. It was a standard dining room, elongated oak dining table with nice chairs. His Mom was serving lasagna with a side salad. Dave didn't have a say in the menu, nor did he care. Who doesn't love lasagna?
As everyone got situated, Dave couldn't help a nervous glance towards Matt. Matt, in turn, smiled warmly, winking a little. Dave smiled and looked down at his empty plate.
"Dave," Eileen began, "I hope you enjoy lasagna." She grabbed a spatula and began to cut the platter into squares.
"Oh, I do, thanks." Dave earnestly said. "It's one of my favorites. I don't get to eat lasagna often."
"Oh?" Eileen asked, nearly finished with cutting the steaming food, "and why's that?"
Dave shot a quick glance around the table to see if he had everyone's attention. And, of course he did.
"Well," Dave replied, fiddling a little with the white sleeves of his shirt, "my Dad and I often eat pizza or other frozen foods. We just pop…whatever is handy in the oven and heat it up."
Dave looked up at her sheepishly.
"Oh, that's not very healthy." Eileen replied, "But I understand it's just you and your Dad?"
Dave hesitated before nodding. He didn't really want to talk about the whereabouts of his mother. Matt shot Dave a curious expression. It occurred to Dave that even Matt didn't know where his mother was.
"Matt tells us you're on the football team." Matt Sr. stated, shifting conversation away from the possibly sensitive topic of Dave's mother. And this was something Dave was grateful for. Dave situated himself so he was facing Matt's father.
Dear God, let this evening go smoothly.
"Yes, sir. I've been playing football since middle school. I really enjoy it." Dave said. Matt smiled.
"Yeah," Matt said, "Dave is one of the best players on the team."
Dave shot a look at Matt, but Matt had his tongue in his cheek, with a little smirk on his face. Dave narrowed his eyes at Matt as if to say, I'll get you for that.
"Have you ever been injured?" Matt Sr. asked. Matt suddenly looked at his Dad with a quiet fury. Dave got a handle on the situation pretty quickly.
"Once, when I was a freshman, I had a minor ankle sprain. I was pulled off the team, treated for it, and returned when my Dad said I was ready. My Dad is the head coach."
However, Matt Sr. was not impressed with his Dad being the head coach.
"I'm glad our Matt didn't get into sports. Too risky for injuries." Matt Sr. coolly said.
Dave gave a quick glance to Matt Jr., just as an enormous piece of lasagna was placed on his plate.
"Oh, ma'am, that's awfully huge." Dave said about the lasagna, his head turning left and then right, to review the food.
"Oh, I would think this is a normal size for you, Dave!" Eileen said with a smile.
Matt closed his eyes.
.
Near the end of the dinner, Dave politely ate the entire lasagna placed on his place, a large portion of salad, and politely refused both seconds and dessert. Matt couldn't stop glaring at his parents and Dave hid a smirk. Eileen had a pecan pie for dessert and Dave was grateful to decline an offer since he didn't like pecan pie. He politely sat and engaged in some conversation while Matt's parents are dessert.
"I'm actually not that bad in football." Dave proudly said, "In fact I have a football scholarship to play at-"
"Dave! You have lots of offers, don't you?" Matt loudly interrupted. He was staring wide-eyed at Dave, hoping he'd get the message. Dave stared at him for a second before answering the question.
"Yes, I do…." Dave replied, a little subdued.
"I'm very proud of Dave." Matt said, "He's basically a straight-A student, great at football, and he even helps me with my math homework."
Dave smiled. He knew something was up with Matt, but played along anyway. Eileen and Matt Sr. smiled at Dave.
"Why, thank you Dave!" Matt Sr. said, "I wondered why Matt's math grade went up all of a sudden."
"Oh, it's no trouble." Dave replied, a little shyly.
Dave reached for his sleeve again, nervously fiddling with it in hopes of distracting conversation to Matt instead of the polite inquisition he was facing. He knew it was coming, of course, but still didn't' like it. Meeting the boyfriend's parents is nerve-wracking!
Everybody had finished their pecan pie and Matt's parents began cleaning up. Dave stood to offer to help, but banged his head on the dangling lamp over the table. Horrified, he sat right back down, his right hand automatically going to the area of impact – his head.
Dave was embarrassed. Matt's parents made sure Dave was OK, which he was. Matt smirked.
Dave caught Matt's little smile and gave him a half –hearted evil eye.
"Mom? Can Dave and I go to my room now?" Matt said sweetly.
Now, it was Dave's time to smirk.
Eileen and Matt Sr. were at the sink, washing dishes and placing dishes in the dishwasher.
"Of course." Eileen replied. "Door stays open, you two."
Both boys turned away from them, faces varying shades of red.
"Mom!" Matt whined.
Eileen just smiled.
"Go on, you two." Eileen said with a little laugh.
This time, Dave scooted back and stood up. Immediately, he slouched a little. He couldn't stand being at least eight inches taller and significantly bigger than everyone in the room. This didn't happen very often. This was Dave's first time meeting anyone's parents in this capacity and he didn't feel like being an oaf.
Matt's parent's backs were to the two boys. Matt quickly walked about the table, grabbed Dave by the sleeve, and practically ran out of the room. Matt pulled Dave all the way down the linoleum floored hallway until they reached a door on the left. Matt opened it, pulled Dave in, and halfway closed the door.
Matt's room was pretty small. A queen-sized bed with a tan bedspread, a small computer desk, and a portable closet. That was it. Dave felt like he was entering a closet compared to his room.
But Matt's walls were adorned with some of the most beautiful pieces of art Dave had never seen. There were posters of a variety of art designs and period Dave couldn't name, but he did recognize them, thanks for unwanted tutoring by Matt. Additionally, there were some works that Matt had been proud of and displayed on the back of the room's door. Dave was looking at the watercolor on canvas as Matt sat down on the bed.
"That's supposed to be a self-portrait" Matt quietly said.
Dave cocked his head first to the left, studied the abstract painting, and then to the right. Dave furrowed his brow a little and then, with a little smile, looked back at Matt.
"Self-portrait?" Dave said with a smile.
"Um, yeah."
Dave realized Matt was a little embarrassed by it and remedied it right away.
"I like it. I just don't understand it. It has nice colors."
Matt realized Dave was not into art, but was trying his best to appreciate it.
"It's supposed to be a male representation of a Georgia O'Keefe painting called "Oriental Poppies." Matt patiently explained. "It's the only artwork of mine that I display. It won best in class last year."
"I didn't know that." Dave quietly said. Dave looked at Matt, impressed. Matt was wearing a brown collared shirt with khaki shorts. Dave knew Matt was wearing that shirt to help cover the hickeys Dave placed on Matt's neck. Dave felt pride – both the hickeys and the artwork just made him love Matt even more.
Slowly, Dave turned and walked towards Matt. When he was standing right beside him, Dave softly grabbed the opposite side of Matt's head and pulled it to rest on Dave's hip. He realized Matt was a little sad or embarrassed or something.
"I'm sorry about my parents, Dave."
"Don't be. I knew the interrogation was coming." Dave replied softly.
"But still…."
Dave stroked the side of Matt's head affectionately. Dave loved feeling Matt next to him. Dave's big hand slowly went up and down along the side of Matt's head. Matt curled his arm around Dave's thigh.
The two boys were like this for some time. This amount of affection, with the parents just down the hall, was appropriate and passionate. Dave smiled. Matt did not.
"Matt?"
"Yeah?"
"Why didn't you want me to tell your parents that I'm going to the University of Missouri?
Matt was silent. Dave looked down at the top of Matt's head. He was tempted to reach down and kiss it, but held back. He just loved feeling Matt like this and hoped Matt felt the same.
But Matt suddenly started to shake a little. Immediately, Dave sat down right beside him. The shift in weight on the bed caused Matt to fall a little towards Dave. Neither boy argued as Dave's hand quickly shifted from Matt's head to his shoulder.
"Matt?" Dave asked, worried. Matt was simply looking down, his arm having unhooked around his thigh and simply resting on it. Even that hand was shaking a little.
"I…." Matt struggled to answer. Dave knew something was wrong and patiently waited. He tightened his grip around his boyfriend.
"My parents don't know all of the reasons why I want to go out of state for college."
Dave froze. He knew where Matt was going with this.
"You mean….us?" Dave gently asked.
Matt hesitated and then nodded. Dave sighed.
"Why not tell them?" Dave asked.
"I'll have to, won't I?" Matt replied, a little frustrated. Matt squeezed Dave's thigh momentarily and then closed his eyes, exhaled, and relaxed his hand.
"They don't understand why I'm going to Missouri. When they find out I'm going there with you, I think all hell will break loose."
"Why?" Dave asked alarmed.
Matt looked away, possibly out of shame.
"Because….."
Dave stroked Matt's firm bicep in support. He watched Matt struggle for words until he was ready to talk again. Dave hated what he was seeing. Watching a boyfriend cry and being powerless to do anything about it is one of the most frustrating things in the world.
"They weren't open at dinner tonight, but….."
Now, Matt was crying, still looking away. Dave shifted, facing Matt directly. He stopped stroking Matt's shoulder and firmly grabbed it, supporting Matt.
But Matt was becoming inconsolable at this point. Dave was so worried that he gently grabbed Matt's chin to turn it back to Dave. Matt initially resisted, but Dave wouldn't be denied. When Matt finally was facing him, Dave was horrified at the sadness bellowing out of Matt's eyes.
Finally, Matt spoke.
"They think we should break up."
.
The following day, Monday, Matt was walking into glee rehearsal. His heavy conversation with Dave the night before left him troubled and sluggish. He moved to his seat in the front row, a few concerned faces looking his way.
Matt was in no mood for rehearsal that Monday afternoon. The late afternoon sun was shining through the narrow windows, casting thin rays of perfect sunlight in patterns on the floor. But Matt could've cared less.
"Hey, dancing queen!"
Matt jumped at the voice. He turned to see Sebastian sitting right beside him, looking at him. Sebastian had his trademark, weird smirk on his face.
"You and I need to talk." Sebastian said cheerfully.
Matt deliberately rolled his eyes and looked away.
"Not now, Sebastian." Matt replied, annoyed.
"Why?" Sebastian said playfully. And then, he leaned in closer. "Boyfriend trouble?"
Matt's head snapped at Sebastian. Sebastian smirked even more.
.