The Ties That Bind

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

     Kasden paid the Uber driver for the ride home from his grandfather's birthday party, slowly climbed the stairs to the apartment - the elevator worked but it was flaky sometimes - and entered the apartment. Luke had fallen asleep on the couch watching something on the TV, probably waiting up. Kasden quietly walked over to his sleeping boyfriend, smiling down at the how cute he looked lying there asleep.

     "Luke," he gently whispered. "Luke, wake up love, we need to get you into bed."

     Luke opened his eyes slightly and looked up into his boyfriend's luscious green eyes. He smiled softly at how much love those eyes held for him. He slowly stretched, one arm rising over his head and the other to the side as he tried to wake up and ease the ache in his shoulders from sleeping in an awkward position. He stuck his hands out, a silent plea for Kasden to take them and pull him to his feet.

     "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep, didn't realize how tired I was. How was the party?"

     "It was okay, I guess." Kasden said pensively. "Mr. Barnes seemed nice enough, Mrs. Barnes was as forceful as ever, but she wasn't as overbearing tonight. There was a lot going on to occupy her attention and keep it off of me."

     "There were a lot of people there. Aletha's two older brothers, my uncles, were there with their wives and kids. The oldest brother, Charles Jr. didn't say much but the other one, Alexander, seemed nice and was really friendly. I met my cousins too, most of them are a little bit older than we are, but there was one who is about the same age as Samantha."

     "I spent most of my time with Len, Lars and some of the younger cousins. So yeah, I guess it wasn't so bad."

     "I'm glad then. I worried about you all night; wondering how they were going to treat you."

     "I'll admit that it was a little awkward at first. I'm still trying to get used to the idea that I have a family other than the kids at the St. Jerome's. I didn't know how to act around them - or even which fork to use. I know, that sounds so cliché when I say it, but it was really like that. They're more cultured than what I'm used to. I just ended up following Len's lead and using whichever piece of silverware he was using."

     "Everybody made me feel like a part of the family and some of the older cousins remembered me from when I was really little, which is weird because I don't remember any of them."

     "I keep thinking that I'm going to wake up and this is all going to be a dream. You know, this stuff only happens in stories; it's not anything I would have ever thought would happen to me. It's a bit overwhelming."

     "That makes sense." Luke said, running his hand down Kasden's back. "I wish there was something I could do to make this easier for you."

     "You don't need to do anything, Luke." Kasden replied, leaning into his boyfriend's embrace. "You just being here is such a relief, you have no idea. You give me someone I can talk to and lean on; that's what I need the most, I think."

     "I think you should make an appointment with one of the school's counsellors." Luke insisted, again. "They can set you up with a therapist. Someone who doesn't have any personal interest in the situation. Will you at least consider it, Kas? Please."

     "If it will make you hap..."

     "No!" Luke exclaimed. "Don't do it for me, Kas. You have to do it for yourself. There's nothing wrong with seeing a therapist, even if it's only for a short time. You have a lot of stuff hitting you all at once, and that's on top of work and school. And then, to make things worse, you have to deal with those stupid articles that devil woman keeps writing about you. I think that if you had someone to talk to, besides me, it would do you so much good."