Slugger

16: But Why

Life gets much more stress free after I get my college acceptance letter. For the next few days, I'm literally a bundle of joy and practically a saint to anyone who comes across me, which is actually quite detrimental to them because when I behave normally, I'm a demon.

But all is pretty much well.

"Kenny, when are we going to meet your boyfriend officially?" David asks at dinner one night while I'm cutting up potatoes for Jackie. I freeze in my position, thinking this over.

"Well,"

"YEAH!" Tyler clasps his palms together and then puts them on the table, peering at me with inquisition. "When are we going to meet the guy you've been blowing off so many family dinners to be with, huh?"

Not any time soon, I hope. "Tyler, you already know him."

He rolls his eyes. "I know him as my best friend. Not as my step sister's boyfriend. I need to know if I can give my blessing."

I'm about to mention the fact he gave his unsolicited blessing almost two weeks ago now but he glares at me in an attempt to silence me. "You gave me your blessing with that sappy story about how you-"

"That is not important right now, what's important is the fact your boyfriend has not met our shared family,"

David actually nods along. "I want to meet him. When's he available?"

I try to forget the fact he told me earlier that he was free tomorrow night. "I'm not really sure, they're in the middle of the baseball season so he's pretty busy all of the time,"

"Hey, it's mid-season for me too and I'm still here, eating dinner with my family," Tyler says. He's such an enemy of progress.

"You don't have a girlfriend or a job, do you?"

He looks back at his plate. "Touche,"

My mom clears her throat and I'm pleased. Surely this means that we can stop discussing my love life and go back to idly chatting about what was on the news this week, doesn't it?

"I'd like to meet him officially too," She says. I wince, knowing that my hope was misplaced. "When's he free?"

I squirm in my seat, thinking of a way to stall. "I mean, he's really busy so –"

"He can't be too busy for you." She interrupts firmly. "The way the two of you kiss goodbye –"

My eyes widen. "Mom!"

"- I mean, he's completely besotted with you. Just ask him."

David is grinning. "Why don't you call him now, you haven't started eating yet."

This is going to be the last time I ever cut food up for Jackie before I take a bite of my food. In fact, this is going to be my last family dinner ever. Not including Thanksgiving and Christmas of course. Oh, and Easter, can't give that shit up.

Everyone's staring at me with a wide and suggestive smile on their various faces. The pressure builds up and doesn't diminish, even when I pick up my phone and start dialling his phone. I pray he doesn't pick up.

He picks up on the second ring. Of course I'm not so lucky. "Slugger, what's up?"

"Hey Dante!" I say, quite aware of how fake I sound. Jackie's head snaps towards me and he pouts slightly.

"Why do you sound like – is your mom there?"

I laugh nervously. "Yeah, um... they're all here,"