Enemies with Benefits 2

Chapter 7: That's awkward

"Alright, since we're all here." Trevor, Colby's dad, gestured to the four other people around the table. "Let's begin the planning. Who would like to speak first?"

No one spoke, there was only a crunch, then another crunch, then one more. When the crunching stopped, Colby reached forward to the centre of the table to take another potato chip to put in his mouth. The warm light of Ezra and Colby's apartment dining room shon down on both the snacks and the five people around the table.

"What do you even have at a wedding?" Asked Colby, crunching away on his potato chip.

"Colby, swallow before you talk." Ezra chastised him.

"I had a chocolate fountain at my wedding." Said Steven, gaining a nod of approval from Colby.

"I have, but one humble request." Jemma, Colby's mom, began to talk. "I know you'll think I'm being silly, but I feel I have to get this off my chest in case I don't make it to the wedding." She took a dramatic breath in. "I want my grandchildren to be there. My beloved little munchkins."

"Grandchildren!" Steven gasped. His face paled and he looked over at Ezra. "I though you didn't... am I... do you...?"

"I don't have kids, dad."

"And that is the issue!" Jemma slammed her hands down on the table. "I don't have long left."

"Why don't you have long left?" Asked Colby.

"She's got the flu." Said Trevor.

"It might be the flu." She stressed. "For all we know it could be a sign of a terminal illness and I'll die without seeing my grandkids."

"Jemma please." Ezra rubbed his temples. Why did she always have to bring this up? He felt Colby's hand touch his thigh and he tried to focus on that.

"So you want me to die without hearing the pitter patter of little feet."

"We haven't even decided if we're having kids yet!" Ezra regretted saying it as soon as it left his mouth. Colby's hand left his thigh.

"Yeah." Colby smiled at his mom. "We're still thinking about it and we might... we might not." He reached forward for another potato chip, shoving several into his mouth.

Fuck. Ezra grabbed his glass of wine and took a long sip. Children. It always came back to children. Ezra would do anything to make Colby happy, but he knew he couldn't do that if he took on the role of a father. The word turned bitter in his mouth. Father. It congealed on his tongue with an acidic taste, only made worse by looking across at his own father. Not that he was holding onto any resentment! That was years ago, he was over it. Totally over it. He just contacted his dad again after all these years so that he would have at least some family at the wedding and to prove to himself that he could be a good dad.

His dad did have some good qualities in him. Look at the way he sat at the table with that dignified poise he always had, very admirable. He had a good job as a lawyer and he'd aged very well which spoke of good genetics. He also kept glancing at his phone every two fucking seconds which didn't speak well of how much he cared about Ezra's wedding and he should really be grateful that he had been invited at all, but nope, he was just looking at his phone texting someone. Everyone had their bad traits, Ezra supposed. When he thought about it, all he had to do was not kick his child out of the house to fend for themselves. Not that Ezra was still bother by it.