had to have misunderstood you. Plus, there’s gotta be more to this story.”
We’re talking about Christmas memories, and Ro made me go first. “I’m never lucky at door prizes. I always get them, and they seem to be secondhand items. So we’re at a university Christmas party for Ro, the first year we were dating. My number was called, and I leaned in and told Ro to brace himself.”
“And let me tell you, I didn’t brace myself well enough,” Ro adds.
“So I collect my prize, shaking my head, and attempt to hide what had just been given to me. I told Ro I’d show him when we got in the car, and he wouldn’t let it go, plus we were sitting at the table with some of the jokesters Ro works with, and they were continuing to push.”
Her elbows are on the table, and her chin rests on her hands, her large grin taking in every word of this embarrassing story. “So,” I continue, “I finally gave in, knowing I wouldn’t be able to hold them off. I showed them the handgrip and the hand towel they gave me. The entire table erupted in laughter.”
She cuts me off, a devilish gleam in her eyes. “Hell, the only thing missing was a tube of lube.”
Ro can’t hold in his laughter anymore. “And it’s exactly what we all said at the table, too. We ended up calling it his jack-off supplies. However, at the time, he didn’t need to jack off by himself.” I’m floored by how open Ro is because he’s been teasing and flirting with Ave as we’ve spent more time with one another.
The radiance shines in her eyes, turning her attention to Ro. “So you tell me, Rowan, did he get use out of the tools? Or did you use them for Knox’s pleasure?”
Ro is quick in his response. “Maybe one day you’ll find out.”
This quiets her, and I won’t let this turn into awkwardness between the three of us. “Anyway, moving on, Ro, tell Avery your funny Christmas story.”
He gives me a quick head jut, beginning with how at the early age of six, he shared with his class the scientific realities of how Santa isn’t real.
“You didn’t,” she says, slapping Ro’s arm. “Hell, I would have loved to see everyone’s face.”
Ro has just confessed one of the most awkward times in his life, and he shares these incidents with very few. But as he finishes the story of the time he recounted the likelihood of Santa for his first grade class with scientific and mathematical equations, he has laughter lines near his eyes and lips. He has not laughed like this, except for around me, in years, and certainly not with others while telling this story.
“I actually quoted math facts to them, and how there’s not enough time in the night, even with time zone differences, to get to every child.”
He’s laughing at himself as we do the same. I, of course, have heard this story before, but it hasn’t been in humor. Usually it was just how he knew he was different from a young age. It hurts my heart, but tonight, he’s not fixating on it.
“Wow, Rowan, what happened?”
I expect him to withdraw into himself, but he proudly smiles. “I was sent to the principal’s office, and most of the kids were crying, learning their parents lied to them. My mom flew up to the school as the principal was chastising me. My mom, always my anchor in life, pushed through the door because she could hear the principal. She told the jackass he was not my father and just because they had decided to be honest with me gave him no right to berate me.”
And as always, speaking of his mother, his eyes light up like the stars in the sky. “Your mom sounds amazing.”
“Yeah, she was the best.” When he uses past tense, her eyes begin to water, and the tears fall so fast, it’s instinctual to move one seat over to pull her into my space.
“Hell, Rowan, I had no idea.” She’s not surprised when my fingers connect with her cheeks, and I attempt to stop every one of her tears.
He doesn’t realize the emotions affecting Avery at first, but with my own attention on her, without thinking, his hand grasps her hand.
“No, Ave. I’m sorry. It’s a memory I love to relive, and sharing it with you…I never talk about her with anyone except for Knox. It’s how I know you’re