A.T. Weaver's Blog, page 9

Angel, Sassy and Daddy

Our ‘assignment’ for Friday’s writers’ group is to write a flash story about death. It wasn’t easy to come up with one, but here it is:

ANGEL, SASSY AND DADDY

I don���t ever remember a time when we didn���t have pets. Dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, rabbits, horses and even once a couple of raccoons.

One of the dozer operators knocked down a tree and killed the mother raccoon. Daddy brought the kits home. We kept them until Daddy decided to write the conservation people to get a permit. They came and took them.

Anyway, I digress.

At the time he died, Daddy had two pets. There was Angel, a white, tea-cup poodle and Sassy a large, multi-colored, long-haired cat.

Now Angel was as tall as she was long and as wide as she was tall. This was because she didn���t know what dog food was. What Daddy ate, Angel ate. He���d go to the caf�� for breakfast and bring home biscuits and gravy for Angel and Sassy.

Sassy was such a big cat I think he must have had some Maine Coon in his ancestry.

The last time I saw my father alive was a few months after Hurricane Wilma in 2005. He sat in his recliner with Angel on one knee and Sassy on the other and told me that���s the way they rode out the storm as it went through LaBelle. That���s one picture I���ll always remember.

Daddy always said he wanted to have his ashes scattered over Lake Okeechobee. When he died in 2007, the lake was so low because of draught you could hardly take a boat out. My younger half-sister came up with an idea. Since Angel and Sassy were both close to eighteen years old, they weren���t going to last much longer. She would hold on to Daddy���s ashes until they died, then have them cremated and scatter all of the ashes together.

Now everyone has their idea of what Heaven should be like. When I think of my daddy in Heaven, I see him sitting in a boat out on Lake Okeechobee trolling for large-mouth bass with Angel on one knee and Sassy on the other.

Travelers

I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since I posted. I MUST start doing this more often. Anyway, here’s a look at the beginning of Travelers:

There���s an old saying, ���All roads lead to Rome.��� Well in this case, all roads lead to Hamish MacKinnion���s farm in Maine.

Prologue

Coast of Maine ��� May 28, 1919

Fierce, gale-force winds whipped the trees behind the house. The building shook with the vibrations of thunder. Lightening flashed non-stop across the sky and pounding waves struck the rocks halfway up the cliff below the house. Sara Carter struggled as she opened the door to the walkway around the third story and stepped out. The wind immediately attacked its new target. Her once-golden hair became a halo around her head as it came loose from the pins holding it in place. A flash of lightening illuminated the frail figure on the railing of the walkway around the third-story tower. The woman spread her arms wide and jumped.

September Sky by John Heldt

September Sky by John Heldt

When unemployed San Francisco reporter Chuck Townsend and his college-dropout son, Justin, take a cruise to Mexico in 2016, each hopes to rebuild a relationship after years of estrangement. But they find more than common ground aboard the ship. They meet a mysterious lecturer who touts the possibilities of time travel. Within days, Chuck and Justin find themselves in 1900, riding a train to Texas, intent on preventing a distant uncle from being hanged for a crime he did not commit. Their quick trip to Galveston, however, becomes long and complicated when they wrangle with business rivals and fall for two beautiful librarians on the eve of a hurricane that will destroy the city. Filled with humor, history, romance, and heartbreak, SEPTEMBER SKY follows two directionless souls on the adventure of a lifetime as they try to make peace with the past, find new purpose, and grapple with the knowledge of things to come.

* * *

If you like history, time-travel and murder all rolled into one, this book is for you.

Having read the author���s Northwest Passage series, I was honored and excited when asked to review September Sky, the first of his new series. However, I must admit I had a difficult time getting into the story. It started rather slow, but I���m glad I stuck with it. Chuck know a murder is going to be committed, but he not only doesn���t know who the killer is he also has no idea who the victim is.

Did I see any clues as to the killer? No. It was a total surprise.

Although it started slow, by the last few chapters, I was on the edge of my chair.

I have to admire the author���s research into history. His attention to detail in clothing, events, and atmosphere in every one of his books is astounding. As with the Northwest Passage series, it���s obvious he has spent hours on research.

John A. Heldt is the author of the critically acclaimed Northwest Passage series. The former reference librarian and award-winning sportswriter has loved getting subjects and verbs to agree since writing book reports on baseball heroes in grade school. A graduate of the University of Oregon and the University of Iowa, Heldt is an avid fisherman, sports fan, home brewer, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. When not sending contemporary characters to the not-so-distant past, he weighs in on literature and life at johnheldt.blogspot.com.

New group

I joined a new group and just posted a snippet from Catriona’s Curse on a blog called Exquistiequills for Wash Line Monday.

Come see my snippet on Exquisite Quills’ Wash Line Monday! http://exquisitequills.blogspot.com/��#AuthorRT��#Romance��#EQuills

Cover contest

Whoo-hoo!

Last year Shifter Born got silver. This year See You in the Morning got gold.

finalist

For the second year, one of my covers is a finalist:

http://authorsdb.com/

No chapters

I started posting a chapter a week from Cousins four. I didn’t do one last week nor this week. I’m not getting any feedback so why bother?

Lizzie – Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Sara came by Lizzie���s apartment about noon on Saturday. She was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt that said, ���Some girls like girls – Get over it���. She carried a small white dog and had a backpack over her shoulders.

When Lizzie opened the door, the little dog barked. Lizzie said, ���Well, hello. I���m pleased to meet you also. My name���s Lizzie. What���s yours?���

���Arf.���

���I���m sorry. I didn���t quite catch that.���

Sara laughed. ���This is Buster.���

���Hello, Buster. Are you joining us on the protest this morning?��� Lizzie reached out her hand and the dog licked it.

���Arf.���

���May I hold him? Will he let me?���

Sara held Buster toward Lizzie.

Lizzie held the dog close to her chest and it started licking her face. ���Oh, I love doggie kisses. I miss my dog so much.���

���Why don���t you have it here?���

���When Jerry and I got married, I had to leave her with my parents because Jerry wouldn���t have a dog in the house. She was about sixteen years old. She developed cancer and we had to have her put to sleep. I cried for a week. I���d had her most of my life.���

���What kind of dog was she?���

���She was a Yorkshire Terrier. She had one litter of pups before we had her spayed. I gave one of them to Uncle Dave. It���s a joke in the family. If you ever saw Dave, you���d never picture him with a Yorkie. Uncle Jesse has a calico cat named Marmalade. When Bitsy and Marmalade were introduced, Marmalade adopted Bitsy. It���s funny to see them together with Marmalade washing Bitsy like she would a kitten.���

���That would be funny to see. Why not get another dog?���

���This place has a ���no-pets��� policy.���

���Bummer. I don���t know what I���d do without Buster. Are you ready to go?���

Lizzie looked down at her plain green t-shirt and jeans. ���I hope I���m dressed okay.���

���You���re fine. It���s going to be a nice day. No rain and not cold enough we���ll need coats.���

���Do I need to bring anything?���

���Nah.��� Sara pointed to her backpack. ���I���ve got water bottles for us and there���ll be signs when we get there.���

���Okay. I���m not sure what I���m supposed to do.��� Lizzie shrugged her shoulders and spread her hands in a gesture of uncertainty.

���You���ll be great.��� Sara assured her. ���Just follow the rest of us.��� She patted Lizzie���s shoulder.

* * *

Sara led the way to the subway. They got off at their stop a couple of blocks from City Hall and headed up the stairs. At the top, they were met by about twenty people. A red-headed girl walked up to Sara and kissed her. Several of the others hugged her.

Sara said, ���This is Liz, she���s straight, but she has a gay uncle and a gay brother. Liz, I���m not going to try to tell you everyone���s name. You���ll pick them up as we go.���

One of the men handed Lizzie a sign. ���Here you go, Liz. Welcome. I���m Jeff. I���m a straight ally, too.���

���Hi, Jeff.��� Lizzie said. She looked at her sign and laughed. ���Elizabeth Taylor had eight husbands, my brother only wants one.��� ���Seems like an appropriate sign since my name is Elizabeth also. However, my brother wants two husbands. He���s been in a three-way relationship for a couple of years now.��� She laughed again. ���I���ll have to have a picture of this.���

The red-headed girl held up her cell phone. ���Smile.��� She snapped a picture and said, ���What���s your email? I���m Joan.���

Lizzie told her and Joan emailed the photo.

���You new people need to know the rules,��� Jeff said. ���We don���t engage with anyone who heckles us. If they ask questions like ���why you���re doing this?��� it���s okay to answer. If they start violence, stay calm and back off. We don���t want any trouble. Also, we don���t block the sidewalk or any doors. Understood?���

Lizzie nodded along with several others. ���Who are the other new people?��� She asked.

Two girls who were holding hands and a boy all answered. ���It���s our first time also.���

The group walked a couple of blocks to the front of City Hall.

Jeff repeated, ���Remember don���t block the sidewalk or entry to the building.���

They stood in a line close to one edge of the sidewalk. Lizzie stood between Sara and Joan. They spoke quietly among themselves.

A woman approached. ���You people should read the Bible! Homosexuality is a sin!��� She waved a book in front of Jeff���s face.

The group tried to ignore her. This seemed to make her angrier. ���It���s unnatural!��� She stamped her foot. ���You need to go home and leave decent people alone.���

A police officer approached. ���Is there a problem here?���

���These people are breaking the law.��� She pointed toward the group.

He looked at the group. They stood in a single line about twenty feet away from the entrance to the building.

���Ma���am, they have a right to assemble as long as they are peaceful and not obstructing the sidewalk or entrance to the building,��� The officer said in a calm voice.

���I don���t care how peaceful they are. They���re breaking God���s law,��� the woman insisted and waved her finger in the officer���s face. ���Arrest them.���

���Ma���am, I can only enforce the laws of the city or state. So far they have done nothing wrong. From what I see, you���re the one causing trouble. I���d suggest you move along and leave these people alone.���

The woman snorted. ���I want your name and badge number.���

���Certainly.��� The office complied with her request and she stomped way. He turned to the group. ���Who���s in charge here?���

���I am,��� Jeff answered. ���We have a permit to march.��� He took the paper out of his pocket and handed it to the officer.

���Looks like everything���s in order. I���ll be around if you have any more trouble.���

���Thanks, officer,��� Jeff said.

* * *

They stayed in front of City Hall for about four hours until Jeff said, ���I think it���s about time to break. Anyone hungry?���

There was a chorus of yeses.

���How about pizza?��� he asked.

���I���ll have to take Buster home first,��� Sara said. ���Liz, you go on with the gang and I���ll meet you there.���

Jeff draped his arm around Lizzie���s shoulders. ���Don���t worry, we���ll take care of her.���

���I���ll bet you will,��� Sara said with a laugh. ���Watch him, Liz. He thinks he���s a ladies��� man.���

Jeff stuck an overly masculine pose. ���Just because I get more girls than you do.���

���I wouldn���t bet on that,��� Sara retorted.

* * *

That night before she went to bed, Lizzie called Mike. ���Hi, Mikey. How are things?���

���Pretty good. How���s school?���

���Fine. Mike, I���m confused. Do you suppose it���s possible that I���m gay?���

Mike gasped. ���Why would you ask something like that?���

���Well, I met this woman the other day. She makes me feel strange,��� Lizzie admitted.

���Strange how?���

���It���s hard to explain. I know she���s a lesbian. I just feel weird when I���m around her. And I don���t have many friends here, even after four years.���

���Has she made any advances?���

���Not really. We met when we collided on the sidewalk during a rain storm. That night, we had dinner together. We talked for hours. I told her things I���ve never told anyone else.���

���And what were you drinking with that dinner?���

���A-h-h-h. We went through two bottles of Moscato,��� Lizzie admitted.

���And you know what happens when you drink wine.���

���Yeah. Diarrhea of the mouth. Anyway, I told her all about Jerry and Catherine. . . It felt good to talk about it with someone besides family.���

���I���m glad you���ve found someone you can talk to. I think you need a friend.���

���I think so too. Then today, I went with her to a protest rally…���

���What?��� Mike interrupted. ���My little sister at a protest rally? What were you protesting?���

���Believe it or not, we were protesting for marriage equality. I���ll email you the picture a woman took of me. But, back to the subject, how would I know if the attraction I feel is sexual or not?���

���Look, Sis, I can���t advise you. All I can say is let things work out as they will. If it���s meant to be, it will be.���

���Thanks, Mike. I guess I was just wondering how you���d react.���

���You���re my sister. I love you. Who you love and end up with, I���ll accept, just like you accept Brian and Eric and our relationship.���

���I love you too. Talk to you later. Goodnight.���

���Keep me posted. Goodnight.���

Lizzie – Chapter Four

CHAPTER 4

That night Lizzie took extra pains with her hair and makeup. She dressed in black denim jeans and a green sweater that gave her grey eyes a greenish tint. Why am I primping? It���s just dinner with a friend. But, like Mom always says, ���Don���t dress to please others, dress to please yourself.���

She walked into the restaurant and saw Sara at a table. She felt a fluttering like dozens of butterflies in her stomach. The reaction of her body surprised her. This is weird. Why am I reacting to this woman this way?

Sara motioned to the chair opposite her and said, ���I didn���t order any wine since I don���t know if you indulge.���

���I like wine with dinner, especially Italian food.���

���So, what looks good besides you?���

Lizzie cocked her head and looked at Sara. ���A-h-h.���

���Sorry, couldn���t help myself.��� Sara winked. ���You do look very nice. That color brings out highlights in your eyes.���

Lizzie blushed, ducked her head and picked up the menu.

���How about an appetizer tray while we decide?��� Sara asked and motioned the waiter over.

She ordered an appetizer sampler and a bottle of Moscato. ���Hope you like sweet wine. I prefer it to dry.���

���Moscato���s fine.���

���So, any other siblings besides this twin?���

���No. My father���s unable to have kids. Mike and I are the result of artificial insemination.��� Mom would say I���m talking too much. ���Lizzie, you don���t have to tell people your life history.��� I haven���t even had a glass of wine yet.

���Wow! So you don���t know who your father is?���

���Well, yes. Mike and I found out a few years ago when we were sixteen. Our biological father is our uncle Dave.���

���The gay uncle?���

���Yeah,��� Lizzie admitted.

The waiter brought the wine and appetizers. Sara ordered Fettuccini Alfredo and Lizzie asked for Chicken Parmesan.

Sara took a bite of calamari and tilted her head. ���Now about this ex-husband. What happened?���

���I met Jerry in college. I thought I was in love with him. He���s very politically inclined. I think he hopes to be Governor someday.��� Lizzie paused and took a drink of her wine. ���We���d been married a couple of years when he had an affair with my cousin.��� After four years, it feels good to be able to talk to someone about it.

���Wow! Your cousin? Is she anything like you?���

���Yes and no. She���s a couple of months older than I am and there has always been a rivalry between us. I never understood it. Her mother���s spoiled her since she was born.��� Lizzie recounted all the things that happened between her and Catherine when they were children. ���Like I said, I���ve never understood it. She had the best of everything. I think the only time I was jealous of her was when her mother bought her a brand new Mustang for her sixteenth birthday. Even her brother, Scott, didn���t get a new car when he turned sixteen.���

���How long did the affair go on before you found out?���

Lizzie gave a semi-laugh. ���According to Jerry it only happened one night. A couple of months later, Catherine told him she was pregnant. He told me, and I filed for divorce. Shortly after they got married, Catherine told him she���d never been pregnant. She���d just made it up so he���d leave me and marry her. Told him nothing had even happened that night. He was too drunk to remember.���

Their entrees arrived, and the waiter refilled their wine glasses. The bottle was nearly empty and Sara ordered another one.

���So where are you from?��� Lizzie asked. ���You don���t sound like a New Yorker.���

���No,��� Sara replied. ���I���m from a small town outside of Birmingham, Alabama.

���Any siblings?��� Lizzie asked.

���I have a younger sister and two younger brothers. I���m either the oldest of four or an only child depending on how you look at it.���

���Okay. I put up with Uncle Jesse saying his twin sister is a year older than he is, but that doesn���t make sense.���

���You���ll have to explain that one.��� Sara frowned.

���Jenny was born at 11:58 December 31 and Jesse was born at 12:03 January 1. She always teases him about being a year older. So give.���

Sara���s eyes darkened with sadness. ���It���s a long story.���

���Hey, no fair. I told you my sordid past.���

���At least you know your father. My mother was sixteen when she was raped several times by a married family friend.���

���Did they prosecute him?��� Lizzie asked.

���Of course not. He was a well-known pillar of the church and above reproach. Mom was blamed for ���enticing��� him. He never acknowledged me as his daughter,��� Sara said. Disgust dripped from her voice. ���Anyway, Granddad paid one of his employees to marry Mom. When I was growing up, I could never understand why my dad didn���t love me like he did my sister and brothers. If anything went wrong, it was my fault and I was the one punished.���

���Did he beat you?��� Lizzie sounded shocked.

���Oh, yes.���

Their meal came and for a few minutes they were engrossed in eating.

Then Lizzie asked, ���So when did you leave home?���

���Well, about a week after graduation, Dad caught me kissing my best friend. He decided to show me what a man was like and raped me. That���s when I found out he was not my ���real��� father.���

���Oh my God! That must have been horrible! Did your mother know?���

Sara drained her wine glass and refilled it and Lizzie���s. ���Oh, yes. Told me I had it coming. After all, I was born ���in sin���.��� She air-quoted. ���I ran away that night. I waited until everyone was asleep, and lifted my mother���s ATM card from her purse. I knew her PIN. There was a $300 limit per machine and I hit four of them. I hot-wired my brother���s car and took off. I drove to Birmingham, dumped the car and bought a ticket to California. The next day, I switched directions and headed to New York. I hoped by doing that, I���d throw anyone off my trail.��� Sara grimaced. ���I never looked back. Well, that isn���t exactly true. Before I got on the bus for New York, I called my brother and told him where to find his car. After I got a job and saved up enough money, I bought a money order for the $1,200 I stole from Mom and mailed it to her.���

Lizzie shook her head. Her eyes felt wet. ���I can���t imagine a mother standing by while her daughter is beaten or raped.���

���I don���t think she cared. She hated the way I was conceived. I think she tried to love me but couldn���t. She was afraid to show any affection for me because of her husband. I also think she hated my grandfather for making her marry that man.��� Sara���s eyes were dark with anger. ���I know he���s legally my step father, but I can���t think of him as Dad anymore.��� She again emptied and re-filled her wine glass. ���I must be getting drunk. I don���t usually tell people this.���

���Me too.��� Lizzie giggled. She took another drink of her wine. ���Have you always known you were gay?���

���I figured it out when I was about twelve. I liked looking at the girls in the gym locker room more than I liked looking at the boys on the football team.���

Lizzie laughed. ���That���s kind of what Uncle Dave says about how he realized his sexuality. He preferred the jocks to the cheerleaders. So how old are you, if you don���t mind saying?���

���I���m 23. How about you?���

���I���m 27, at least I will be in a couple of weeks,��� Lizzie replied. ���I���m an Aries. March 21.���

���February 2 here.��� Sara grinned. ���I���m a groundhog.���

���And an Aquarian.���

Sara wrinkled her nose as she asked, ���Do you follow that kind of stuff?���

���Not all of it, but I���ve found a lot of truth in some of it,��� Lizzie answered.

* * *

They talked and talked. Lizzie told Sara about how she and Mike found out Dave was their biological father and about Dave and Jesse���s twins. How Jesse���s sister was artificially inseminated with Dave���s sperm so the babies are related to both of them.

���Twins seem to run in both the Johnson and O���Connor families.��� Lizzie then asked Sara about her protesting activities. ���I���ve never been to a protest.���

���You should come with us next weekend. We���re marching for same-sex marriage in New York State.���

���I don���t know.��� Lizzie hesitated. ���I might not fit in since I���m not gay.���

Sara stared at her with a frown. ���There���ll be a lot of straight people there. It isn���t just gays who are marching and protesting. We have a lot of straight allies. Besides, what would your uncles want you to do? Are they married?���

���They got married before Prop 8 passed��� Lizzie answered. ���They could get married in Iowa. That���s where Jesse���s family lives and where they had a commitment ceremony about seven years ago. I think they are waiting until Prop 8 is overturned.���

���Well, see you have something to march for.���

���I don���t know. I���ll think about it.���

Sara looked around. They were the only people in the restaurant and their waiter stood patiently by the door to the kitchen. She put her hand up to her mouth and whispered. ���I think they want us to leave so they can close.���

Lizzie looked at her watch. ���Oh my God. We���ve been here over four hours.��� She giggled. ���Time flies when you���re having fun, doesn���t it?���

Sara laughed. ���It has been fun. Please say you���ll join us this weekend. I���ll come by your place and pick you up.���

���Okay. I���ll do it.���

Lizzie – chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

March, 2011

Lizzie got off the bus and hurried toward home through the heavy, driving rain. Why did I ever want to leave California and come to New York? She bowed her head under her umbrella and held her portfolio close to her chest to keep the sketches inside dry.

Wham! She ran into something solid and sat down in a puddle.

A very feminine voice said, “Oh. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

Lizzie looked at the thick-soled, men’s boots and black jeans in front of her. They contrasted greatly with the voice. She raised her head and recognized the black, spiked hair of the woman in front of her. I’ve seen her protesting around this area. She seems to be against almost everything.

“Here, let me help.” The woman held her hand down and helped Lizzie stand. She picked up Lizzie’s portfolio. “There, I think it’s okay. Are you alright? You’re not hurt?”

“I’m fine. Just a bit wet and shook up.”

“Hey, if you have to sit in a puddle, why not in front of Starbucks? Let me buy you a latte to make up for knocking you down.”

“I could use a hot drink.”

Inside the store, the woman asked, “What would you like?”

“How about a Café Mocha?”

“You got it. Find us a table and I’ll get our drinks.”

Lizzie sat at a table near the window and soon the woman came back with two lattes and two warm blueberry muffins.

She smiled and said, “Hope you like blueberries.”

Lizzie noticed white, even teeth behind the dark lipstick and twinkling blue eyes. Except for the lipstick, her face was clear of any makeup.

“Love blueberries,” she replied.

“I’m Sara Davis.” She held out her hand. “I’ve seen you around. You always seem to be in a hurry.”

“Lizzie Johnson.” Lizzie took the offered hand. She was surprised at its softness. Sara didn’t look like someone who took pains with herself.

“Like in Lizzie Borden?” Her eyes sparkled with laughter.

Lizzie screwed up her face. “Oh, come on. We aren’t in grade school. But no, it’s just that there are so many Elizabeths in my family. My grandmother’s Betty and my aunt’s Betsy and I got stuck with Lizzie. Sometimes I wish they’d decided on Beth.”

“I can call you Beth if you’d like.”

Lizzie laughed. “I probably wouldn’t answer. I wouldn’t know who you were talking to.”

“So. Where are this grandmother and aunt?”

“Southern California with the rest of the family.”

“You’re from California? Why on Earth did you come to this cursed city? I’d have stayed in the sunshine.”

Lizzie laughed. “I was just wondering that myself when I ran into you.”

“Ran into me is right.” Sara chuckled. “But, seriously, why New York?”

“I just wanted to get away from family. I’d never been alone since before I was born. I got tired of being ‘one of the twins’. And I wanted to get away from my ex-husband.”

“You’re a twin and you’ve been married?” Sara grinned and waggled her eyebrows. “Is your twin as gorgeous as you are?”

Lizzie blushed and brushed her long, blonde hair out of her face. “Well, most of my friends think Mike is pretty hot. I don’t see it, he’s just my brother.”

Sara laughed. “Okay. You got me on that one. Personally, I don’t think he’d do anything for me either.” She tilted her head. “I’m sorry to be so personal, but is that your natural hair color?”

“Yes.” Lizzie laughed. “I’m a rarity in California, a native-born Californian with naturally blonde hair.”

“It’s beautiful. Is your twin blond also?”

“No. He takes after our dad. I’m blonde like Mom.”

“What kind of work do you do?” Sara asked.

“I work in my Uncle Jesse’s family’s glass blowing business, O’Connor Glassworks in the Village.”

Sara’s eyes got wide. “Glass blowing? Like with the long pipes and melted glass?”

“Yeah.” Lizzie held out her hands. “See the burn marks? I have more on my arms. I even burned a leg once before I learned how to handle the blow pipes better.”

“Wow! I’d love to watch that sometime. It must be fascinating.”

“I could probably arrange it. We give tours and demonstrations all the time. What about you? What do you do?”

“I’m going to school for my Master’s in Political Science.” Sara glanced at her watch. “Hey, I’m going to be late for class. Can I take you to dinner tonight? I’d like to continue this conversation. I want to hear more about the glass blowing thing.”

Lizzie hesitated. “I don’t know.”

“Hey, look, I know you’re straight and you’ve probably picked up on the fact I’m not. It’s just dinner between new friends. No strings.”

“Sure, but only if we go Dutch.” Lizzie grinned. “I don’t have many friends except Jesse’s family. As to no strings, that’s what Uncle Dave promised Uncle Jesse when they met.”

“Your uncle’s gay?”

“Yeah. So’s my brother and a cousin.”

“Runs in the family, huh?” Sara winked.

They exchanged phone numbers and agreed to meet that evening at Sergio’s, an Italian restaurant close by.

* * *

As Lizzie walked home, she thought about what just happened. What am I doing? I know she’s gay. She admitted it. I got a strange, warm feeling talking to her. Uncle Dave, where are you when I need you? Is it possible? No. I can’t be. But then, I never really liked any of the boys I’ve dated. Jerry’s the only man I’ve had sex with and I didn’t like that. After all, Dave isn’t just my dad’s gay brother, he’s my biological father as well. And, Mike and Scott are both gay. Like Sara said, maybe it runs in our family.