Family Matters

Steve stepped nervously from one foot to the other, waiting for the door to open. He heard his father's heavy steps approach and glanced at his boyfriend next to him, looking to the older man for reassurance.

Hank put his fingers on Steve's neck and squeezed gently, his warm brown eyes calming him.

What would his parents think about Hank, he wondered. They knew he was gay, of course. But his previous boyfriends had been guys his own age, the relationships never lasting long, if they even reached any further than fuck buddies at all. It hadn't come as a surprise to Steve that he immediately took a liking to his newest crush, Hank. The guy was in his late 30s, calm, confident and a real problem solver. Plus he had a killer body, honed by years of being in the construction business, running his own contracting company two towns over.

Sure, Steve hated how people spotting them used to think they were father and son due to the age difference and the similar build and complexion, but other than their thick brown hair and dark eyes, they had little in common. Where Hank was a muscled tank of a man almost a head taller, Steve was more of a twink with a swimmer's body and sinewy muscles while Hank sported bulging pecs covered by soft layers of hair all over his body. In other words, Steve wanted to jump him every minute of each day. He was just that hot.

Feeling calloused fingers caress his nape wakened a stirring in his groin that even his anxiety of introducing Hank to his parents couldn't override.

When the door finally opened, Steve could see a sliver of surprise cross over his dad's face when he took in Hank in his tight khaki pants and sweat shirt. The man clearly hadn't expected a stud like him when Steve told his folks he would bring his newest flame over for dinner. Number 3 in this year alone. Maybe they took Steve for a slut anyway, but who cared? At least with Hank he felt a deeper connection than with any of the other guys before.

"Dad? It's good to see you", he said, hugging his father. "This is Hank Devereux, I told you about him on the phone. He's my..." Steve hesitated.

"Partner", Hank chimed in, taking the offered hand in his large paw and shaking it.

Interesting choice of words. Steve had something like 'boyfriend' on his tongue, but Hank had clearly put more thought into it, confirming their relationship in a way that Steve was still wary of.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr Devereux", Steve's dad said.

"Call me Hank, please. And the pleasure's all mine", he said, finally releasing the hand after an awkwardly long handshake.

"Only if you call me 'dad', Hank. But Scott will do too. Come in guys"

Ever the joker, his dad. Scott stepped aside, letting Steve and his boyfriend enter the house. Steve had many fond memories of growing up in this home. He hoped Hank wouldn't spot any of the childhood photos hanging on the walls around the house. Giving his boyfriend an update on his acne situation in seventh grade was so not part of the deal.

Steve took Hank's hand and followed his dad into the dining room where his mom had clearly put an effort into setting up the plates and cutlery in a way that would probably do the staff at Downton Abbey proud.

A delicious smell of roasted chicken wafted in from the kitchen and Steve glanced from his dad to Hank, admiring how both guys seemed to be fighting with themselves to be the first to start off into the kitchen to help his mom with her chores. True gentlemen, it seemed. Scott didn't seem too eager to let Hank win that particular race.

"I'll gladly give Ms Hart a hand, if that's fine with you, Scott?", he said with that typical smirk that Steve came to like so much about him. Dad was clearly uncomfortable letting Hank storm into the kitchen like Prince Charming, but Steve knew that his father hardly ever lent his mom a hand in there anyway. And judging by the few times Scott had cooked for the family, it was clearly better this way.

Hank didn't wait for an answer and headed into the kitchen, where his mom was happily cooking away, dishes clanking merrily.

Steve looked at his dad, a smile on his face. "What do you think about him, dad?"

Scott smiled uncomfortably. "I'm sure he's nice, son, but he's probably my age. Isn't that kinda awkward?"

Steve raised his eyebrows. Of course, coming out as gay had already been hard to stomach for his dad. Certainly having an older boyfriend was another thing he had never imagined for his son.

"Awkward? No. I like experienced men", he smiled in response, watching how Scott squirmed at his words.

A sudden crash from the kitchen had both guys raise their heads. The  silence that followed the noise was terrifying enough that Steve and his dad almost fell over their feet to get to the kitchen.

Steve took in the shattered soup bowl, its content pooling on the floor among shards of procelain. Hank and his mom were staring at each other, unaware of the mess at their feet. Hank finally broke eye contact and looked over at Steve, a pained expression of uncertainty on his face.

Wordlessly, he grabbed a towel and knelt on the floor, sweeping up as much liquid as the thin cloth would hold. Mom would still stare at him, eyes wide in shock, her frozen hands finally moving to cover her mouth, as if she had to swallow a scream of pain. Tears started flowing down her cheeks and she turned toward the window, hands still closed over her lips, while Hank silently mopped the floor, only getting up to wring out the cloth in the sink before returning to his knees and continuing his task.

A cold shiver ran down Steve's spine. Scott walked over to mom.

"What happened, Sarah? Darling, are you alright?"

Mom just shook her head and squeezed her eyes closed, suppressing a sob. Steve looked down at his boyfriend. Hank had managed to clear the floor as best as he could and returned the towel to the sink. The defeated expression on his face scared Steve more than his crying mother looking out of the window. When had the day gone to shit like that?

"I better be going", Hank said quietly, turning around and walking toward the entrance, leaving Steve behind, stunned and speechless.

"Going?" Mom turned around, puffy eyes red and shiny, her makeup smeared across her cheek. "You're going nowhere, Hank. Not before you explain what business you have with my son!"

She ended the sentence in a shrill yell, freezing everyone's movement in the room. Hank turned around, looking at mom with the same defeated look that Steve had never seen on him before. He hated that look.

"I didn't know...", was all he said.

"Damn right, you didn't know, you scum!", she screamed.

"Mom, what's..?" Hank's hand on his arm stilled Steve. An imperceptible shake of his head told Steve not to intervene.

Sarah stormed over, clutching at Hank's hand and tearing it away from Steve's arm.

"Don't you dare touch him! How dare you come back like this? I worked so hard when you were gone doing *your thing*, how dare you come here and expect me to wait on you", she cried. Scott tried to pull her away, but she wouldn't budge.

Steve was shocked when he saw tears on Hank's face.

"Sarah, I was nineteen. I know I was a jerk. I'm so sorry." Steve did a double take. Could it be? His boyfriend was his mother's ex-boyfriend from like decades ago? What were the odds?

"I didn't mean to leave you like this, but I wasn't made for marriage and all that shit that you dreamed of. I didn't want to disappoint you", he explained. "I realized I was gay and I spent most of my life after I left you with a great guy who passed away a few years ago. I swear I didn't mean to hurt you." Tears rolled down his cheek.

Steve wondered if other families also faced tragedies like this when their sons introduced their boyfriends. No, that was clearly his type of luck.

"I didn't know I would one day meet your son and fall in love again after all these years. Please don't judge me for being in love, Sarah", he pleaded, taking a step closer. Mom paled, looking at Steve and Hank in shock.

"In...? You gotta be kidding me, Hank. You stay away from him!", she screamed, out of her mind.
Hank looked at her blankly.
"Why? Come on, Sarah, you're bigger than this", he scowled, clearly annoyed. He stepped closer, putting an arm around Steve's waist.
"Get away from him!" Sarah grabbed Hank's arm and yanked him away from Steve. Hank looked to Scott for help, but dad just stood there, mouth gaping open wide. Hank carefully freed his arm from mom's death grip and put some distance between himself and her.
"Why?! I love him", he repeated agitatedly, slowly losing his nerve. Steve wanted to reach out for him, but was afraid of his mother's wrath if he took a step closer to his lover.

"Don't you see? He's your son, you pervert!" The wheels in her head must have been turning like hell now, because she dropped on a kitchen stool and rested her head on her crossed arms, burying her face, for once quiet and subdued.

Steve felt his face flush while he witnessed Hank's complexion reach a similar shade of white as his mother's as their eyes met, their hearts racing wildly, chests heaving.

Scott used the sudden silence to pour himself a Scotch, wisely taking three more glasses out of the cupboard and filling them with amber liquid.

"To the family", he said, shaking his head incredulously, and swallowed his drink in one go. "And the bodies in our basement"

Steve stepped closer to Hank, but the man backed away, raising his hands as if Steve carried a contagious disease.

"Hank..." Steve took in the brown eyes, unshed tears shimmering inside them, the thick brown hair, so much like his own. Dad was blond and pale where Hank was dark and olive skinned - like Steve. It couldn't be, right?

Steve thought back to earlier in the day when he woke up enveloped by Hank's strong arms and beefy legs, enjoying the taste of his sleepy kiss, the stubble on his chin caressing his skin in just the right places to get things going, as Hank slid lower underneath the blanket.

Steve grabbed the offered glass on the counter and swallowed the Scotch down. Shit.

He watched Hank straighten up, his face now serious and stony. He cleared his throat.

"Sarah, I swear I didn't know. This is not the time to ask why you never informed me about this, but let me assure you, I will stay away from Steve and I'm sorry about the trouble I caused. I didn't mean for this to happen" He willed Sarah to look at him, but she kept her face buried in the crook of her arms. A short glance in Steve's direction told him everything he needed to know. It was over.

"Steve, I'm sorry." He didn't come closer. Didn't give him a hug or offer a smile. He just turned around and left, closing the door softly behind him. Steve looked back at his parents, his mom still sobbing quietly on the table and Scott filling another glass with Scotch.

All he had wanted was for his folks to meet his boyfriend. But somehow he ended up with two dads and a mom who was his boyfriend's ex.

With a slight shake of his head, Steve knew he was in deep shit.