Assumed Master (13 page)

"Good morning," Julie said without
looking. Even though she was slowly learning the quirks that gave them away as
to who was who, she knew she wouldn’t be able to tell by looks alone,
especially this early. She needed to hear a voice. For some reason, genetics
had seen fit to give them to completely different inflections and their
greetings almost always gave them away. Gav called her love and Luc referred to
her as Aunt Jules most of the time, although she thought at times he’d let
mom
slip at any moment if given half a
chance.

"Good morning, love."

Gav.
She might have known. Luc liked his sleep far
too much to drag out before daylight forced him.

"What are you doing up so early, darling?"
she asked, going to the refrigerator.
"Late night snack
or breakfast?"

"Neither. Dad said you weren’t feeling
well last night. I’ll find something later." Gav reached her side and gave
her a peck on the cheek. "Are you better?"

"Yes, much."
And she could truly say aside from the guilt
gut she was sporting, she was. The thing that surprised her was she didn’t feel
as though she'd betrayed Mason, only Blake. "Are you sure about the snack?
I can make you some turkey hash and eggs. How about an omelet? I can make
potato pancakes. There seem to be plenty of mashed potatoes left."

"Nope.
Nothing."
Gav
reached for the coffee pot that now stood full and steaming and poured two cups
then set them on the counter.
"Vanilla honey creamer,
right?
With cinnamon sprinkled on top?"

When did the child pick up on her coffee
preferences?

"You’ve been very observant, haven’t you?"
Julie slid onto the corner stool as was her habit, leaving the end for Dante.
That was his spot.

"I know lots of things."

A flush flew up Julie’s chest and she was
grateful she’d put on a shirt that covered the coloring heat spreading. She
hoped it didn’t make it to her face before Gav’s attentive nature caught wind
of it. What did he know exactly?

"So if not for a snack, what on earth are
you doing up?" She stirred her coffee to distribute the creamer and
cinnamon then took a tentative sip after blowing over the edge of the mug.

"I know this is your day to go with Dad
and Aunt Shelby, girl’s day and all that, but I was wondering if maybe you had
room for me to tag
along?
"

"You want to go shopping?
Seriously?"

"Actually I want your help with
something. And that something involves shopping." Gav pulled a leftover
cranberry and apple pie from the refrigerator and set it between them before
grabbing two forks from a drawer and handing Julie one.
"Pie?"

"Does this shopping involve a certain red
haired girl?" Sticking a big bite of sweet between her lips, Julie watched
the look on Gav’s face for some sign of what this mystery shopping might
involve.

"Yep.
I want to get her something nice for
Christmas. I like her a lot. Do you like her?" He hopped off his stool and
went back to the refrigerator and while his head was buried inside, he
continued. "I was thinking jewelry. Luc and I would really like to call
you mom.
Something shiny maybe?
Aren’t diamonds a
girl’s best friend? I need condoms. Would you like anything else while I’m in
here?" he gushed as Julie tried not to spit out the mouthful of coffee destined
for her windpipe rather than her throat.

She coughed slightly and took another bite of
pie, waiting for the young man to calm down enough to face her. When he didn’t
really make a move to leave the refrigerator, she struck first. "Gavril,
come here, please."

He rose and
turned,
his face redder than she knew her chest had been a moment ago. "Yes,
ma’am," he said in a shaky voice.

"Please," she said, motioning for
him to take a seat.

She handed him his fork and took another bite,
pointing for him to do the same. Funny, Julie had never had a mother-daughter
moment in her life and really had no idea how to have a mother-son one, but one
thing she did know was food was a catalyst for conversation. She and Shelby or
Blake or all three of them had spent hours over plates of appetizers and drinks
hashing out their issues and fears plenty of times. Surely to God that approach
would work with a teenage boy. They had stomachs, too, after all.

"What would you like to discuss first?"
Julie took his free hand in hers and continued to eat pie with the other.

"I don’t know," he said, sounding
choked on his own words.

After a moment he seemed to find his bearings
and took an enormous breath only to blow it out and smile at her.
The crooked one that showed off his dimples.
No wonder he
needed condoms. The girls were probably circling like birds of prey. But why on
earth had he not discussed this issue with his fathers?

"Look, I know you and Papi aren’t
married, and you may never be, but Luc and I love you. We always have and you
feel like a mom to us. We’ve wanted to call you that for a while now, but we were
afraid it would bother you to ask. We know we have two dads and all that, but
having a
mom
around has been really
nice. It’s different than a dad, or something. Is that stupid?"

"No, it’s not stupid. I’d have given my
right for a mom when I was your age." Julie watched as Gavril’s shoulders
relaxed for the first time since he’d sat down and she squeezed his hand for
reassurance. "I think we should discuss it with your fathers, honey. It’s
kind of a big deal and I wouldn’t want to do anything without them knowing
first." Another wave of guilt stabbed her in the gut. "Sound fair?"

"Fair enough, but I think they’ll be okay
with it." The boy picked a few cranberries from the middle of the pie and
ate them one at a
time,
so much like Dante it was
scary.

"Okay, so what next?
Condoms or diamonds?"
She tried to say it as calmly as possible, but the mere thought of the boys
having sex so soon sent a wave of chilled heat over her. She remembered what
she was doing at their age and she wanted better for them.

"I really like her," Gavin confessed
with his eyes averted. Just like a man to be embarrassed by his feelings.

"Really like her? Or is there more?
Or less?"
Julie pried. He needed to know there was a
difference in liking, loving, and lusting. "What do you like about her?"

"She’s really pretty. I don’t think I’ve
ever seen eyes the color of hers. And she’s smart and funny. Did you know she
wants to be an immunologist? God, she smells so good." Gav stopped and
grinned. "And she’s a good kisser."

Julie had to admit she’d never seen eyes the
likes of Danielle’s either and she could see how any young man could get lost
in them and easily. What she was amazed with was the fact these kids actually
knew what an immunologist was at their age. "It sounds like you like her
more than a little and less than a lot. It also sounds like you like her for
more than her body. Brains are important. Will you answer a question for me?"

"I’ll try."

"Do you know condoms aren’t foolproof?"

"Well, yeah, but I’m
sure
screwed without them.
Right?"

She had to laugh. "Uh, yeah, even if
Danielle’s on the pill, you should still always use one. But my point
is,
what if it fails? Do you know how hard it would be for
her to attain her dreams with a baby in tow? What about your dreams, honey?
The lacrosse scholarship?
Duke?"
She paused to watch him absorb the possibility of giving up one’s life not
literally but figuratively for a bit of passion. "I’ll help you with the
condoms, but your dads need to know what we’re doing and I want you to promise
me you’ll think about it before you decide to have a reason to need one. Okay?"

"Okay. Will you help me tell them? I was
afraid they’d be disappointed."

"I think they’ll be proud of you for
being honest. I’m proud of you, too. You’re still a boy, Gavril, but you’re
starting to think like a man." Julie brushed his unruly bangs back and
leaned over to plant a kiss on his forehead. "Now, how much more than like
do you feel? Diamonds are usually for a long way past that."

"What do you buy for strong like?"

"Birthstones…" The doorbell chiming
interrupted their talk and Julie moved off her stool. "Shower and hurry.
The mall waits for no man on the day after Thanksgiving. Scoot."

****

"Please, God, tell me you have a fresh
pot of coffee on," Shelby grumbled, making her way through the living room
behind Julie.

Peering over her shoulder while still moving
forward, Julie found that Layne had taken up residence on the end of the couch
opposite Dante. When had he managed to get out of bed? From the look on his
face, she was fairly certain he’d been up a while and had quite possibly heard
at least part of her conversation with the young Gavril. Had she fucked up her
first time out as a mom?

"There’s a whole pot in there,"
Julie said, stopping and waving her on ahead.
"Layne?
Coffee?
Leftover pie?"
She jerked her head toward the kitchen and smiled a wide smile hoping he took
the hint. It took him a second then he scrubbed his face and stood.

"Right.
God damn sales," he grumbled. "I
thought everyone ordered off Amazon these days."

"That’s Monday’s activity," Julie
informed him, taking a seat on the coffee table in front of Dante. When she was
sure Shelby and Layne were busy and paying her and Dante no mind, she rubbed
her palms up his lounge pant covered thighs. "How much did you hear?"

"I’m not ready to be a grandfather,"
Dante hissed through clenched teeth.

"I’m not ready for that either,"
Julie answered, running her fingertips over the severe wrinkle running the
length of his forehead. "But this is something that has to be addressed. I
mean, really.
 
What did you expect when
you decided to raise them as openly as possible to your life choices? The boys
are exposed to a lot more than the average kid, and honestly
,
 
they’re
smart and they get it. They
know sex isn’t a game. At least he’s thinking ahead and thinking of protecting
himself and Danielle."

"Easy for you to say.
He’s not your responsibility," he shot
back, crossing his arms over his chest and puffing up like a toad.

Julie couldn’t have felt more wounded if Dante
had slapped her across the face. For a moment she sat speechless then stood and
moved away from him as quickly as she could. Was he hurt Gavril had come to
her? That he expressed his desire to have a mother?

"I guess that answers that question,"
she said flatly. "You’re going to be the one to tell them, though."

"Tell them what?"

"That they can’t call me mom."

Julie spun on her heel and left him sitting by
himself, wishing she could think of something to say to hurt him as badly as
he’d hurt her. Then they could all be hurt because she was afraid of Blake’s
reaction when she finally told him she’d fucked his husband with a house full
of people within earshot.

****

"Pumpkin, what’s wrong? Layne didn’t loan
us his SUV to come home with it empty," Blake said as Julie rifled through
a stack of towels. "You usually have to check your balances by this time
every year. Here it is nine a.m. and all you’ve managed is a few household
items. No handbags, no boots, no hats and scarves and gloves. No blingy
flip-flops. No Chambers eyewear. No new electronic gadgets. What’s wrong?"

"Nothing.
I’m just not finding what I’m looking for,"
Julie said, keeping her head down trying to decide what color towels she
thought the boys would like. She’d noticed when she did laundry they were
always running low. Little did she know before she moved in that teen boys
seemed to take a dozen showers a
day.
Of course after
this morning’s little conversation with Gavril, she had a better clue as to why
and felt like a complete idiot that she hadn't figured it out sooner. "Do
you think the boys would like this shade of blue?"

Blake crinkled up his nose at the cornflower
color and shook his head. "Don’t they have navy?"

"I agree with him," Shelby added. "I
don’t think I’ve ever seen Tom Brady in tight pants that color."

"I guess you’re right. That blue seems
more for girls. How about the dark green? Isn’t that the right shade? Which one
wears that?
Those Jaguars?"

"You know if you ever did anything
besides read, you’d know more about this," Shelby said, piling her cart high
with several shirts on hangars. "You’re thinking of Green Bay."

Julie didn’t know much about sports. Mason
wasn’t a big fan, preferring to watch the History Channel, but the boy’s
bathroom was done in professional memorabilia and she had a hard time keeping all
the teams and colors straight. Disgusted, she tossed the towel down, took hold
of the cart, and started to move on.