and Dad. Still, I peer out through the glass to make sure. I was right, it’s Luke in his car. Dad is sitting beside him.
I go outside. It’s cloudy today, and the sky is gray.
Dad makes his way up to me. He’s walking on his own, but every step is clearly labored. Sweat has broken out on his brow, and his teeth are clenched.
“Hey,” I say.
“Grab my bags,” he says. “They’re in the trunk.”
I don’t think he’s being mean, I think every word hurts, so he doesn’t want to waste the energy on manners.
“Sure.”
I jog down and grab his suitcase. I heave it out and bring it inside. It’s really heavy, but I’m not about to complain. No way, no sir. I wheel the suitcase to Dad’s room. His room is the biggest in the house and is really nice. The walls are cream colored, and the furniture is all designer.
Dad lowers himself down onto the bed, wincing in pain. Through his shirt, I can see a white pad over his stomach. Luke moves the covers aside and then puts them over his legs. They look really thin. I’m surprised Dad is letting Luke take care of him like this. I’m sure if I tried it, he’d lose his shit at me.
“Did you make dinner?” he asks.
“I did,” I say. “It should be ready soon, if you want some.”
“I’m not up for it tonight, but we’ll eat as a family tomorrow. I need to rest. Thank you, though.”
“No problem,” I say, trying to ignore how my chest is aching. I can’t help but feel like it’s just because I made it. “Take all the time you need.”
* * *
Whoever recommended this place to Cassidy was right. The dumplings are amazing.
The restaurant is getting hyped up online, so it’s crowded. We even needed to wait for ten minutes, which Cassidy assured me is the sign that a place is worth our time. She said she tries to not eat anywhere she can just walk into.
I lift one of the pork-and-chives dumplings, dip it in soy sauce, and take a bite. It’s so damn good. I could live off these.
“It’s official: I love this place,” says Cassidy.
“Me too,” I say, my mouth full. I swallow, and wish I’d taken the two seconds to do that before I spoke. That would’ve been way cooler.
She takes another. “So what are you doing after? I have no plans. Pathetic, I know.”
“Story of my life.”
She laughs, which makes me smile. I’m glad she thinks that I was joking.
“Um,” I say. “I’m going to my friend Lev’s place. We’re just going to be huge nerds and play games all night.”
She scoffs. “And here I was, thinking you were cool.”
“I’m surprised you thought that for even a second.”
She laughs. “I’m just messing with you. I like games, too.” She sighs. “But okay, I guess I’ll let you two have your nerdy guys’ night.” Her eyes light up. “Wait, are you and Lev, like…” She makes a pretty obscene gesture with her fingers.
I laugh.
“God no,” I say. “We’re just friends. He’s straight.”
“You’re friends with a straight guy? In this economy?”
“I know, right?” I guess I’m out to her. I actually love this.
“Do you have pictures of him?” she asks.
“Yeah, I do,” I say. I take out my phone, and show her Lev’s Facebook. At least we actually are Facebook friends. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d said I was hanging out with someone else.
She swipes through his photos.
“Oh wow, he’s cute. Nerds with muscles are such a weak spot of mine.” She narrows her eyes. “Are you sure this is a just-friends thing for you? Straight guys are off-limits, in case nobody has told you that. I’ve seen too many of my gay friends get crushed by them. I don’t want to see that happen to you, too.”
“Yeah, I know. He’s not my type, anyway.”
That’s not true. He totally is, at least physically, but I want to change the subject.
“And what is?” she asks.
I’ve never talked about this. With anyone.
I glance across at a waiter. He’s got black hair, cut neatly, and has scruff on his cheeks. I noticed him, like, the second I walked in here. There’s also a tattoo poking out from under his shirt, running down his beefy forearm. I tilt my head toward him.
She grins. “Oh, honey. You, me, and the rest of the male-loving world like that. Trust me, they’re a bad idea. Fun, for sure, but definitely a bad idea.”
“Noted.”
We