Unarmed

Chapter 4

Lucas' POV

"I'm so glad you could make it baby boy!" My mom pulls me in the doorway and plants a kiss on my cheek.

"Of course mom. You know I never miss family dinners." I hand my mom a bouquet of white roses and she smiles.

"You are always so thoughtful." She sniffs the flowers. "You know, I'm still waiting for you to bring a date along."

I smile weakly and wait for my mom to move on.

"Everyone is in the backyard. Let me just put these in some water and I'll be right out."

I walk through my family home towards the backyard. Once a month, my mother reigns in me and my two siblings' families for a family dinner. And being that I'm the youngest, I'm always the center of conversation.

"Uncle Luke!" My nephew Jonathan comes running at me full force as soon as I open the sliding glass door.

"Hey little man!" I scoop him into my arms and swing him around in circles. He bursts out laughing.

"How's kindergarten treating you?" I ask as I put him down.

"Good!" He takes off in the opposite direction towards the play structure my parents built, just for their grandchildren.

I walk up to the outdoor dining table to see my older brother, Thomas, his wife Tracey, my older sister Jessica, her husband Joseph and my dad all chatting.

"Lukey!" My niece Trinity reaches for me from my sister-in-law's arms.

"Hey Trinity." I take her into my lap and her attention immediately goes to my watch. I plant a few kisses onto the 2-year-old's hair as everyone says hello.

"Still no date?" my dad asks.

I roll my eyes. "Mom said the exact same thing."

"Well," Thomas chimes in. "We're still trying to figure out whether you like men or women. Or both."

Jessica snorts and I just roll my eyes. My brother and sister-in-law just quietly observe. They're used to this dynamic.

"Just for the record," I say after a moment. "I do have a girlfriend."

Everyone perks up and Trinity claps in my arms.

"Oh really?" Thomas asks skeptically. "What's her name?"

I swallow. I know lying isn't the best policy but at this point, I just want to get my family off my back. They've been relentless these last few months.

"Her name is Chantelle. We've been together for awhile."

My mom comes out of the house with a large platter of chicken. I immediately jump up to help her. We carry out five more platters of food, plates and serving utensils before I'm back at my seat. My dad says grace and we begin eating.

"So tell us about Chantelle," Thomas insists.

My mom chokes on her water. "Chantelle? Oh, Lucas. Do you have a girlfriend?"

I nod slightly. "Yeah." I shove my mouth full of potatoes as my mom continues talking.

"You'll have to tell us more about her baby. How old is she? What does she do? How did you meet her? Tell us everything!"

"Well, she's 26." I think. "And she's a... a grad student at the University of Washington."

"What is she studying?" Thomas asks.

"Philosophy." I'm making all this stuff up. Jessica squints her eyes at me and I look down at my plate.

"Well," my mom says. "I cannot wait to meet her. Why don't you bring her by the next time we have dinner?"

"Yeah Luke," Jessica says. She's onto me.

I nod at my mom then look Jessica straight in the eye.

"I will."