Bent not Broken (313 page)

We were both dying to tell the boys and had decided that that’s where we’d start with our “coming out.” I was looking forward to bringing them in on things, and we’d decided tonight after the talent show would be the ideal time to tell them.

Looking over at Adrian chatting with Louis, the butterflies that are already flitting around in my stomach intensify before settling in for a nice humming routine. As soon as my eyes start roaming over him in an appreciative manner, he nods at Louis and looks up to fix me with his gaze. I can’t help the little smile that instantly forms, so I bite my lip a little to refrain from grinning like an idiot. He gives me a half-smile and shakes his head at me. I just shrug and continue staring at him before Louis notices Adrian’s distraction and follows his stare to me. Louis gives me a little wave before turning back to Adrian and continuing their discussion.

My nerves exist for a multitude of reasons. The boys are all performing tonight—Archer’s first. We, of course, are planning to talk to them about our relationship. And I’m not sure how well I’ll be able to fake
not
being in love with Adrian with some of my friends and family being around. I know for a fact that my brothers and sisters-in-law will be here. Bonnie and Garner will be here as well. We’ve been around them a bunch, but it’s been when the guys have been performing and that’s very different from us all sitting in an audience together and then maybe going out to dinner.

I’m pulled from my internal musings as Bonnie cuts into my line of vision. The annoyingly perceptive woman immediately follows my gaze before it dawns on me to avert it. She tsks at me and walks over to join me.

“Lord, woman. You’re never gonna learn,” she chastises me.

“I’m a glutton for punishment, I guess,” I say with a sigh.

“Oh my word...you’re pathetic!”

“I know.” I sigh again.

She grabs my arm, forcing my attention to her. “Geez, Cel, get a grip.”

“Maybe I don’t want to,” I say with a shake of my head.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asks with a furrowed brow.

I finally snap out of my Adrian-induced stupor. “Oh, nothing.” My hands flit around erratically. “Please ignore me. I’m just...”

“A glutton for punishment,” she finishes for me. I nod. “I’m thinking of pulling a scene from one of our romantic comedies and locking you and Adrian in a closet until y’all come to your damn senses. Would you hate me?” Before I can answer, she says, “Cause it would be for your own good, honey. This is getting exceedingly ridiculous.”

I want to tell her so badly, but I want the boys to know first. Fortunately, Garner interrupts my almost-confession. “Hey, baby. Wanna get a seat?” he practically purrs in her ear. Mmm...to have that kind of openness. She turns her face toward his and rubs it along his in a loving gesture. My jealousy licks a fiery path up and down me for a moment before I feel immediately ashamed. She deserves this, and I’ll have it soon enough. She went through hell with her ex-husband. I tamp all that down and give them a smile.

Adrian touches my elbow for a second before motioning me to join him in finding our seats. I wave to my family, and we all settle in to watch the children perform. Adrian casually throws his jacket between our two chairs, covering my arm. I glance up at him and smile before attempting to move it out of the way when I feel his hand work its way down my arm and grasp my hand in his. Again, he gives me that sly smile of his before turning his attention back to the stage. I practically melt in my seat before I’m able to swivel my head around for the first performance.

As the opening acts perform, Adrian shifts and threads his fingers through mine before using his thumb to run back and forth over my palm. It’s really not fair that he can turn me on like this. My senses are firing in every direction.

When Archer takes the stage, he settles down a bit, which leads me to believe that he knows exactly what his touch was doing to me. I turn and smirk a little at him, eliciting a little laugh before he turns back and whistles at Archer.

Archer perches himself on his stool before speaking into the microphone with the utmost confidence. “Hello, everybody. I’m Archer Hebert, and I’ll be performing ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ by Simon and Garfunkel. I’ve been working on this for a couple of months now with my cousin, Adrian. I hope you like it.”

Tears populate my eyes immediately, and my gaze flies to Adrian. I had no idea. “Really?” I whisper.

He leans over and whispers, “He wanted it to be a surprise.”

My sweet boy, playing my absolute all-time favorite song, I can’t believe it. He adjusts his guitar before strumming that first note, and my respect and pride bubble from me and I give a nervous, little giggle. I’m more nervous than he is.

Flawless—his performance is flawless. The crowd is so moved that they are stunned into silence a moment before erupting in a cacophony of cheers and clapping and whistling. I feel a single tear escape me just before I feel Adrian scoop it up. Turning to him, I watch, mesmerized, as he sucks it from his fingertip.

When we settle back down from Archer’s rousing performance, I steal back under the jacket to lace my fingers through Adrian’s while we await Paris’s performance.

So many emotions course through me, and so rapidly, that I can’t pinpoint them long enough to name them, and I can’t believe how fortunate I am to have these three beautiful children and this beautiful man in my life.

I see the piano being wheeled out from upstage and Paris entering left, so I give Adrian’s hand a brief squeeze before letting go in order to welcome him. He, like his brother, announces himself but only his name. His nerves are shimmering just below the surface.

When I hear the opening notes to Lennon’s “Imagine,” I look over at Adrian and mutter, “Are they trying to kill me?” He just grins real big at me.

Turning back, I tear up all over again as I listen to his beautiful instrumental rendition of this classic that speaks volumes about my sage little man. He is indeed a peacemaker and the song fits him so well. My heart surges with joy and a little heartbreak as I know one as sensitive as he will struggle in this world.

When Paris wraps up, he garners as much of a reaction as Archer did. If Finn comes out and does something of this nature, I don’t think I’ll survive it. I lean over and whisper that sentiment to Adrian. Then I realize something else. I tap Adrian to get his attention. “They weren’t supposed to do those songs. They had other songs all picked out and had been rehearsing them. Is this your doing?”

“Maybe,” he says with a cheesy grin.

“I have to say I’m thrilled with the changes. Those are fantastic songs,” I say.

“Well, I just played them for them and let them choose. I may have swayed Archer a little bit.”

“Mmm hmm,” I mumble as the next act comes out.

We enjoy a variety of other performances. My nieces even do a little ballet routine. In my completely unbiased opinion, none are as good as my little virtuosos. The principal pops out to tell everyone that Finn Hebert will be the last performer of the night, and we all clap loudly as my adorable seven-year-old traipses on stage.

“So, yeah, I’m Finn, but I think everybody knows that by now cause Mr. Fitzpatrick just said it.” He has the audience laughing in seconds and eating out of the palm of his hand. “I’m not singing or playing anything, but I think you’ll like what I’ve got for you. How many Michael Jackson fans do we have out there?” He cups his hand to his ear like he’s entertained hundreds on a regular basis. I’m dying, as is Adrian. I catch Louis’s eye and we both roll our eyes at our little ham.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” he says when the applause dies down. “Well, I hope you like this number ‘cause I worked real hard on it.”

The lights die down for a moment before a single, white spotlight finds Finn on stage. He has on a fedora and it’s tilted over one eye. As soon as the beat starts, he starts moving those hips and those arms. I’m flabbergasted. I’ve seen him dance around the house for fun, and he’s always really adorable. But this is choreographed and inspired. When he does that kick twist that MJ does, I can’t help but clap and cheer. This little move causes almost the entire crowd to hop up and start dancing with him including Louis and me. Adrian stands and claps along but refrains from moving his hips like Finn.

He’s wrapping it up, and the crowd is in awe of him. But when he does the Moonwalk, we all lose it—lots of catcalling and whistling and laughter break out. He only does it for a few seconds, but it’s so good. When the music cuts off, the spotlight does too. Then the stage lights cut back on, illuminating a bowing Finn. The crowd goes nuts, and I’ve never been prouder of my three boys for working so hard and doing what they love.

After the show, Adrian and I make our way backstage to gather the boys for dinner. I know a little shortcut from helping with props and stage design, so we cut through that area. I’m leading Adrian through all of the props and fabric and things that make a show go, when I feel him pull at my elbow, which causes me to stop and look back over my shoulder at him.

Running his hand over my breast and up my neck, he pins me to his chest. His strong fingertips push on my jaw so that my lips meet his. I melt into him while he kisses me tenderly and lovingly for a second. His kiss quickly turns scorching, but before I’m able to absorb all those sensations, he reins it in and places little kisses on my mouth. I smile against his mouth and murmur, “What was that for?”

“For being irresistible,” he murmurs back. I lean in further and give him a quick peck before starting us on our trek again.

Just before we pop out from our hidden location and our stolen moment, I’m stunned to hear a young voice say, “I knew you were gay, dude, but really? A piano solo?” The boy asks with disdain. “You should’ve played some Elton John or something that would be more your deal, right, guys?”

I hear some boys laugh, but I’m even more stunned to hear my Paris respond and deny the claim.

The knowledge that Paris is on the receiving end of the vitriolic comments shakes me from my frozen state to remedy the situation, but before I can emerge completely, Adrian halts me with his words. “Hold on, Mama,” he breathes in my ear.

I look back at him with a frown. He just nods at me to listen to what’s going on. Turning my head back, I hear Paris laugh before he says, “The only reason you’re trying to pick on me is because you have low self-esteem and don’t like yourself.”

I gasp, wondering what the boy will do. I peek out and see not one but three boys cornering him. Shooting a nervous look over my shoulder, Adrian just nods at me and joins me in peeking out.

“What are you even talking about, faggot?” The ringleader asks. My blood boils.

Paris keeps his cool and responds, “I’m talking about that the fact that you’re overweight and hate it, and instead of dealing, you try to make others feel bad. Like when you pick on Jamie for being so skinny or on Josh for being so small. None of us can help the way we are including you. By the way, people don’t really like you, but it’s not because of something you can’t help. It’s because you’re a jerk with a bad attitude.” I mentally clap my hands together.
Go Paris!

“Now here’s the thing,” Paris continues when his brief pause is met with silence, “I like who I am. I like who Jamie is and who Josh is too. I’m even willing to overlook our differences and be friends with you too. Only you have to stop being a jerk to everyone.”

I hear the bully sputter for a second before he threatens, “I can kick your ass.”

Paris just snickers before he says, “You can try, but that’s not gonna happen. I would never start a fight with you, but I will finish it with my black belt in tact.”

“You,” the bully sneers, “have a black belt?”

“Yep. MMA. Mixed Martial Art. You know, Jiu-Jitsu, Muy Thai, wrestling?” Paris had leaned forward with each one of his words so that the bully was the one who was leaning back now. You’ve heard of them, right? Basically, everything I need to know to defend myself and incapacitate you.”

My eyes widen and I glance at Adrian as I hear him rubbing his hands together as if spoiling for a fight. I raise my brows at him and he shrugs at me. “I’m kinda hoping they hit him. I want to see him wipe the floor with their asses.”

I gasp and smack his arm. “Adrian,” I admonish.

I lean back out to see Paris going off in the other direction with the two other boys and I get nervous all over again until I hear one of them say, “Dude, MMA? That’s cool. I’ve been trying to get my mom to sign me up.”

Leaning back against Adrian, I release a long breath and relax my shoulders. “Being a kid sucks sometimes.”

He kisses my cheek and runs his hand over my hair. “Yeah, but I’m proud of him. He handled that well.”

“Yes, he did. It sounded almost...rehearsed.” I turn and raise my brow at him.

He just laughs and nudges me from our hiding place to go and gather the boys.

****

DINNER IS A reasonable affair considering we have about fifteen of us and more than half is made up of children. The kids are still high from their performances and everyone cajoles Finn into showing the server some of his moves. It doesn’t take much to get him to do that.

The boys are still talking animatedly as we arrive back home. Once they’ve taken care of their chores and I’ve gathered up a little nerve, I call them to the living room. I sit on the couch and pull Finn onto my lap. Adrian sits on the loveseat with Paris, and Archer plops down across from me.

I make eye contact with all of them and tell them again how proud of them I am before I get to the fun part. “Boys, Adrian and I have something we want to share with you. I hope you’ll understand—”

Before I can say another word, Finn cuts me off. “Adrian’s your boyfriend.”

I gasp. Paris and Archer giggle while Finn does his obnoxious snorting laugh. Adrian starts laughing with the boys. “Finn Thomas Hebert.”

“What? We know he is.”

“Yeah, Mom,” Archer agrees.

“Really?” I ask Paris when I see his head nod. He nods again. “Yeah,” he agrees with his brothers.