Someone To Watch Over You

Chapter 10

I walk through the kitchen and into the living room where the entire family including Cat's father is seated. He smiles warmly at Cat and she smiles back. I'm amazed at how much has changed between them. His eyes meet mine. His smile disappears into a frown. I pull out a chair for Cat to sit down.

This is going to be a disaster.

Cat's mom sets a grilled cheese sandwich in front of Cat. "I remembered you can't have lunch meat. Honestly, Cat with all the rules they have for pregnancy today, I don't know how you keep it all straight."

I help myself to a turkey sandwich from the tray in the middle of the table.

"She does have Alex's help," Dillion offers. "So Tiger, when do we get to see the ring?"

The sandwich I took a bite of turned to sawdust in my throat and I cough.

"Ring? What ring? Did Liam finally come to his senses?" Her father asked, and I tried to ignore his hopeful tone.

I take a sip of water to dislodge the sandwich. Sparing a glance at Cat and I find her glaring at me. I'm in trouble. I glare at Dillion.

"What? Oh! Wait, was this a secret?"

That's when I realized I caused all this. I never told Dillion not to tell anyone that we are engaged.

"Cat?" Cat's mom sits down, I'm guessing because she knows she'll need to, in order to prepare for whatever may come next.

"Honey?" Her Dad looks at Cat, confusion, only one of the many emotions playing across his face. "What's going on?"

Cat took in a deep breath. "Mom, Dad... I'm guessing Dillion already knows, but I am... engaged."

"We figured that much out, Cat, from the mention of a ring. It's, to whom, we are interested in," her father says, and I swear you could almost feel the barometer change to that of an impending storm.

"To me, Sir," I pipe in, but my voice was so shaky I almost sounded like an adolescent teen.

"You?"

Her father laughs, a roiling laugh that just won't stop. Every time I think he's stopped, he looks at me and starts up all over again.

"Dad, he's not joking," Cat announces, annoyed. "It really is him."

"But he's gay!" Her dad says, pointing at me. "I understand you may not like the idea of being a single mom, but honey, the kid won't stay a kid forever. You'll be able to date again and when you do, you'll find the right guy. There's no need to settle for... for... this."

Jeez, thanks, I thought.

"Dad, Alex is not gay," Cat informs him and his smile disappears. He gives her a hard stare, then me. When he turns to his wife, she just shakes her head in denial and so does Dillion.

"So the entire family knows about you two except for me!"

It surprised me to see the hurt on his face. "It was a mistake," I say, and he cuts me off immediately.

"Oh yeah, this is a mistake all right!"

"Tom, please! Alex didn't mean to mislead anyone he didn't know Cat thought he was gay."

"YOU thought he was gay?!"

Cat looked embarrassed. "Well... I had a good reason."

"Are you Bi? Did she see you kissing some guy?"

"No, no. It was nothing like that," Cat jumped in.

"My Brother, my twin who died, was gay. Cat saw pictures of him in my apartment and not knowing I had an identical twin brother assumed he was me."