Stuck in the Middle

Chapter 42

Spending the holidays with Marc's family was actually pretty fun. I'd never had a big family celebration for anything before. They all included me like their own family.

None of them even had an issue with Marc being gay. He had been so freaked out before, fearing what they'd say, but anything they did say was positive. Even when John was brought up, too.

Unfortunately, John didn't come with us, having to go back to his own family. But he did constantly text Marc and me to ask what we were up to. I had a feeling he was rather bored at home.

As much as I missed John these last couple of days, I wasn't quite ready to leave the Price's home. I sat next to Marc on the living room couch, with his arm loosely wrapped over my shoulders as we talked with his little brother. Well, Marc and Gabe talked about basketball. I was trying to pay attention, even though I didn't understand anything. Mostly, the whole conversation was going over my head.

"Okay, boys," Marc's mom, Marcia, announced, walking into the living room. "All packed up? Ready to head back to school?"

For the entire holiday weekend, I never once saw that woman without a smile on her face. She was the one I watched as Marc announced to his family Wednesday night that I was one of his boyfriends. That smile never faltered. Instead, she rushed across the room to give us both a huge hug.

The entire hour-long drive back to school, Marcia kept asking me questions. I didn't mind. We'd barely had any time for her to get to know me over the last couple days. Plus, it made the trip go by a bit faster, too.

When we got back to campus, Marcia parked as close as she could get to our dorm building. I was just about to climb out of the backseat when I spotted John leaning against the building. He was staring at us, with a smile on his face. I don't think I really knew just how badly I missed him until this moment.

"You know that boy?" Marcia asked Marc. "He keeps staring at us."

Marc looked up, then sighed in what sounded like annoyance. "That's John."

"The other boyfriend? What kind of reaction is that for someone you love?"

"He's just an annoying idiot, that's all," Marc said. "I was just texting him and he said he wasn't getting back until tonight."

I looked at my own phone, confused. But then I saw the twenty messages between the two of them and it all made sense. I had put my phone on silent and then was so preoccupied talking that I hadn't realized they'd been texting in our group chat this whole time.

Before I could even think about reading them, Marc hopped out of the car. "Get over here, asshole," he called to John. "Come meet my mom."

Marcia swatted at her son's arm, but missed. Then she got out of the car with a smile for John as he walked over.

Since everyone was getting out, I did too. I was actually really glad John was here to meet Marcia - and that Marc wanted him to meet her. It was the best kind of progress I could have asked for with the two of them. Plus, Marcia was such a nice woman, I didn't want John to not meet her. Clearly, Marc felt the same way.

I didn't really pay attention to the introduction, although I probably should have. Instead, I stood back and watched the smile on Marc's face as his mother and John talked. It was a really gorgeous smile and, as much as he liked to pretend he couldn't stand John, I knew he really did care. He especially cared about what his family thought and I knew seeing his mom's approval was everything to him.

"Spencer!"

Everyone stopped the conversation and turned to watch the one person I never wanted to see again rushing over. She was wearing black dress pants and heels, with a bright pink blouse and her hair was curled like she'd just gotten it done this morning. It was the most causal I'd ever seen her dress before.

"Spencer, I thought I told you to stay away from that thug!"

Marcia pulled me behind her, glaring at my mother. "You did not just call my baby a thug, lady."

"That's his mom," Marc whispered. "We don't like her."

Instead of answering Marcia, my mother kept staring at me. "Is this who you spent the holiday with? You'd rather spend it with strangers than with your own mother?"

I stepped out from behind Marcia. I wished she wasn't here to see all this, but I'm glad she seemed to be on my side. "I've never spent a holiday with you or Dad before. Dad was constantly working and you'd be out with friends or sleeping until the afternoon. Esmeralda celebrated with me. Every holiday. Every year. So why would I go home this year when I was just going to be sitting in that big house, all alone?"

She let out a long sigh. "I want to be a better mother, Spencer. I don't think I know how to."

"For one," I said, stepping next to Marc and grabbing his hand, "Stop being racist. I'm dating Marc and I love him and his family."

She nodded her head quickly. "Yeah, okay. I'm sorry for what I said. All of it." She looked at Marcia. "I am so sorry. I'm sure your son is a wonderful young man."

I still didn't fully believe she could just turn off the racist thoughts like a light switch, but I was grateful she was trying. "Two," I continued. I then reached for John's hand and he moved closer to grab it. "I have two boyfriends. I love them both and if you can't accept that, then you are no longer my mother."

John gave my hand a squeeze, but I didn't dare look at him. I didn't look at anyone but my mother as I waited for her to react. It felt like time was standing still. Just my mother and me, alone in an empty parking lot. Except we weren't alone. John and Marc and Marcia were standing at my side. And there were others in the parking lot, parents dropping their kids off after the holiday vacation. Anyone could stop and watch what was happening, some of them probably even saw the outburst that happened last month, last time my mother was on campus. But I didn't want to think about anyone else.

Then suddenly, I was being wrapped in a hug. My mother had never hugged me in my life, but I felt a familiar warmth from it that I hadn't realized I'd been missing for all these years. I let go of my boyfriends' hands to hug my mother back, breathing in the scent of her fancy perfume.

"Of course I accept you, Spencer," she whispered near my ear. "I want to be a better mother to you. You're my everything and I'm so sorry I don't know how to be a mother."

She pulled back from the hug, just enough to motion Marc and John to join us. They did, hesitantly putting their arms mostly around me, but joining in the hug nonetheless. It was weird. Very weird. But I was so glad she wanted to actually be a mother for the first time. That she didn't care that I had two boyfriends or that one of them wasn't white.

It wasn't going to be a quick or easy transition to get used to, but I was willing to work on bonding with her if she continued to show that she wanted to know me the way a mother should know her son. I had a really good feeling that this moment was the beginning of the best part of my life and I couldn't be more excited to see where my future takes me - takes all of us.

A/N: I am so sorry it took me almost two weeks to post this chapter! It was giving me a lot of issues and I had to rewrite it a few times to get it to a place I actually liked.

But it does seem like this was the last actual chapter. The next chapter I post will be the epilogue. It shouldn't take me another two weeks to post, but I can't say for sure. It'll be up as soon as possible. 

Thank you all for reading and being understanding about my personal life having to come first before writing this story!