Saving Grapes - Madeline Kirby Page 0,1

refrigerator and sat down at the kitchen table. Chuck pulled out one of the other chairs and sat. Thom opened a can and sat it in front of the other man who looked at it, blinked a couple of times, and finally picked it up and took a long drink.

“You gonna tell me what’s on your mind, Chuck?” Thom asked, taking a sip of his own drink. “Are the girls alright?” Chuck had six daughters, all lookers, or heart-breakers in the making, and all ornery enough to give their father palpitations at times. Mention of his girls seemed to bring him back to earth.

“The girls? They’re fine. No, really,” he added when Thom looked doubtful. “Sorry, I guess I’m not all here or something.” He sat his Coke can back on the table and stared at it, distracted again.

Thom stood and crossed back to the refrigerator, opening it and taking out cold cuts and lettuce. “I was gonna have some lunch, Chuck. Want a sandwich?” He sat the food on the counter next to the sink and started moving around the kitchen, taking out more sandwich makings and letting Chuck cogitate while he slathered mayonnaise on a couple of slices of bread. He didn’t mind the silence and figured Chuck would fill it soon enough.

“Thom…” Yep, there he went.

“Yeah?” Thom prompted.

“Um. I need… well… I’m not sure how… Geez.” Chuck leaned back in his chair, looking up at the high ceiling and rubbing his big, tanned hands down his face.

“Okay, you’re starting to worry me now. What do you need? You’re a good friend, Chuck. If I can help, I will. You just have to ask.” Thom really was worried. He’d known Chuck most of his life. Chuck was like a son to his granddad, and like a father to Thom. “As long as you don’t try to fix me up with any of your daughters again.” He grinned, trying to ease some of the tension he could feel building.

Chuck smiled – a thin, sad little smile – but he seemed to be relaxing a bit. “No. It’s my nephew.”

“Uh…” Thom’s grin froze – had Chuck figured out why he had no interest in his daughters? “You, uh, want to fix me up with your nephew?” He tried to make a joke out of it. Chuck stared at him blankly for a moment, then finally smiled, a genuine smile, and let out a small laugh.

“I guess that did come out funny, huh? No, that’s… No, not... But…” The tension was gone, but the frown was back.

“Okay, spill it, Chuck, or you’re not getting this sandwich. The tomatoes are homegrown, too.”

“I came over to ask… well, I need a favor, yeah, but you might not be comfortable with it. So, if you’re not just say so. I’ll understand.”

“If I can do it, Chuck, you know I will.” Thom put the sandwiches on plates and carried them to the table. He set the plates at their places as he sat down and tried to figure out how to draw Chuck out. He was getting tired of the hemming and hawing.

“Okay,” Chuck said, drawing in a deep breath. “I need to know, and this is really awkward. I need to know if you’re okay with… gay folks.” He mumbled the last word and for a few seconds Thom wasn’t sure he had heard him correctly. He tried to get his thoughts together and answer Chuck calmly. He didn’t think Chuck was getting at anything, but he couldn’t be sure.

“That’s… out of the blue. You’re not…” He let the question dangle. “I mean, it would come as a real shock to Lorraine, not to mention all your children…” He kept his tone light, trying to keep the attention off himself because he knew, knew, that he was blushing.

“Jesus, Thom. If you’re just going to make a joke out of everything…” Chuck was visibly upset and started to stand up. Thom reached out, grabbing his arm and pulling him back into his seat.

“No, Chuck. I’m sorry. You just seemed so upset. I was trying to lighten things up and get you to relax. I’m not trying to make fun of you or anything. Is this about your nephew? Really, Chuck, just sit down and tell me.”

Chuck sat, took another drink of his Coke, and finally started looking more like his normal self. He took a bite of his sandwich, grunted appreciatively and leaned back in his chair. “Yeah, sorry. It’s just that I’m kind of