Reservations

“You remember your uncle Ed? He was my best childhood friend.” His father’s voice grew quieter, his eyes drifting down to the tablecloth like he was remembering something from the past. “As teenagers, we met your mom on the lake and I fell in love that day. She was my world. I loved her on a level I can’t possibly convey. I was so taken with her. We married shortly after—less than a year later—and we were very young but very happy. We had you within a couple of years and planned for a huge family.” His father stopped speaking as wonderment filled his thoughtful expression. He lifted his gaze, staring at the wall behind Thane. Seconds passed before Thane looked over his shoulder to see what had caught his father’s attention just as his father snapped out of it and his face turned hard as he started speaking again. “And I thought we’d be together forever. Less than three years later, I found your mother and Ed together.”

Oh hell no! Thane shook his head and said disgustedly, “I don’t want to know this. I don’t.”

“I couldn’t stay away,” Thane’s mother, Clara, said, surprising them both.

She shimmied into the booth without waiting for an invitation, sitting next to his father who scooted over to include her. What he’d missed on his father’s hand was now blinding under the dim light above their table. His mom was wearing a giant diamond wedding ring. Thane’s gaze slid to his father’s left hand. He also wore a shiny gold band. He’d never remembered seeing his father wearing a wedding band before. Not through any of his marriages.

Caught completely off guard, Thane lost some of his venom as confusion and uncertainty took its place. He stared between the two of them as the complete picture slowly emerged. His mother’s mouth was moving, but he hadn’t heard a single word she’d said. Those moments of being a little boy so worried and concerned for her care had Thane resting his back against the seat as his hands dropped to his lap in utter disbelief.

“You’re married again?”

His father took his mother’s hand, holding her close for the world to see. He saw her mashed to his side. They were sitting as close as two people could. “Clara, he’s not listening.”

“Of course, I’m not listening. You’re married? To each other?” Thane’s brow wrinkled. The words made no sense. Had they married other people and were here together to explain why they hadn’t told him? That seemed more feasible than the idea that these two bitter people had remarried one another.

“She’s the only woman I’ve ever loved. She hurt me deeply then I lashed out, hurting her in return. We were hardheaded, but we’ve worked all that out. We’ve been together again for the last couple or so years,” his father confirmed.

Years? Seriously? The shock and confusion had to be written across his face. “And you’re just now telling me?”

“You’ve declined every invitation…” His father started, sounding somewhat defensive, but whatever—fuck that excuse. Had they not heard of email? He had voicemail on every one of his phones.

His mom lifted her hand, interrupting his father. “Nathaniel, we know we hurt you. The one person who proved our love…”

“Okay, wait. Let’s stop the bullshit,” Thane said, the immediate spike of anger at her words faded as soon as he’d spoken. He moved forward, putting both elbows on the edge of the table and just stared at his parents. In the back of his mind, he registered his father saying not to speak to his mother that way. What was more important, he also focused on the way his father held on to his mother’s hand. Like she was his life preserver, which in his mind was the way two people who committed to a life together should behave.

They’d been together for a couple of years.

“Are you happy?” he asked, looking pointedly at his mother.

A calm reassurance sounded in her voice. “Very much so, Nathaniel.”

He nodded. This changed everything.

The years of self-imposed isolation and fear began to slowly strip away. Thane closed his eyes, digging his forefinger and thumb into his eyeballs, deliberating over what he’d been told. He hadn’t known his mother had cheated. That was a big betrayal. Just the thought that Levi might be sexing it up with other waiters made him physically ill, and he had quite a ways to go before Levi would ever owe him loyalty.

“We can’t make up for the past. Not really. We were young and dumb. You paid that price,” his father said quietly. He hadn’t gotten an apology from his old man, but still very close, and for the first time in Thane’s life, his father shouldered some of the responsibility of the problems in their lives.

“When Walt told me about your inquiries, I knew it was time to try and reach out again. I looked up that young man on the internet, I saw he was your type—”