Chapter Twenty Four

Zach's POV

I lay in bed until well into the afternoon.

Tyler had woken me up when he sneaked into the room. He didn't come to bed last night, and neither did Callum for that matter. I sat for well over an hour questioning why he didn't, hating on Callum because I know they slept together. Hating on myself because I've shied away from Tyler because I know I have to tell him the truth even if I don't want to. Him kissing me goodbye this morning had me wanting him. I should have pulled him down, instead, I just sighed as his lips pressed to mine. That familiar tingle woke up every nerve ending in my body. My cock hardening at just the feeling of him close. The room is quiet and dark as I lay thinking about everything. I can't forgive myself for allowing everything to go down as it did, knowing I could have stopped it but didn't. Letting Henry touch me without even telling him, no just to piss him off. I wanted to show Henry I didn't care yet, now after the fact I realise I wasn't even thinking about Tyler at that time. My husband. I didn't even care how knowing another man had fucked me would make him feel. Violet, I guess, already knows and it doesn't seem to bother her. But maybe that's because he did it to her too. At least I could still fuck her last night. She was all but begging for it as I played with her in the shower. And I had kind of used her, wanting to fuck her before I tried with Tyler. At least she would know how it felt, and I wouldn't have to pretend in front of her if things did go badly.

Wouldn't have to pretend with Tyler if you just told him.

Violet has long since gotten up and left me. Leaving a wet trail of kisses down my body as she begged for me to come down with her.

I couldn't, I didn't want to face everyone. But I can't really avoid going down all day. It's fucking Christmas Eve. I know my mother will have a feast being cooked and games set out to be played tonight. I hadn't thought much of it when she had asked for us to stay last month but now, I could really do with not being around everyone. The questions, the looks I know they will share with each other around me.

"Up" my mother storms into the room with a pile of laundry which certainly isn't mine. I lean up and follow her with my eyes as she puts the clothes away in the empty chest of drawers.

"Whose are those?".

"Callum's" I fall back on the bed with a sigh. Of course. Makes sense.

"You'll need a bigger closet to fit all of your clothes in there".

"Can't he use one of the other rooms?".

"Are you in a relationship?".

"Yes" I can't help gritting my teeth, she's already getting on my last nerve and I haven't even got up for the day yet.

"Well, you have Tyler's clothes in here so I guess you'll just have to learn to share the space".

"There is no space ma, have a look in the closet if you don't believe me".

"I'm sure I could make some".

"I'm sure you could" I mutter under my breath. And it gets me a fucking clout to my ear.

"You're hurting Tyler," she tells me as she goes through the closet picking out clothes. A shirt, a nice pair of jeans. Socks and boxers.

"Here get dressed" there's so much I want to say, like get the fuck out, leave me alone. Just leave me alone and never come back but I bite my tongue as I do what she says.

"He didn't come to bed last night" I shrug the grey shirt on, I've not worn this for a long while. Still fits nicely though, it used to be one of Tyler's favourites.

"And why do you think that is Zachary? You have barely talked to him. He was going stir crazy not knowing where or how you were and all he got in return was a damned cold shoulder and then you fucking Violet".

"Probably would have fucked him to if he came to bed instead of bailing".

She doesn't even react as I say the words. She's probably so used to walking in on us that it doesn't even phase her anymore.

"Be careful with pushing him away. Sometimes people don't stay around when they are neglected".

"I'm far from neglecting him ma".

"Zach, you are such a clever boy. So why are you so obtuse sometimes?" I sigh.

"What do you want me to do ma?".

"Sit down and talk to him. Tell him what happened. Lean on him and let him help you. Don't close yourself off otherwise you'll lose him. And none of us wants that son" no, no I don't either. But will he run at the truth anyway? Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

"You're being rather dramatic mother" she walks up to me as I zip up my jeans placing her hands on my shoulders. She does that thing I hate, looking right into my damn eyes as if she can see my soul. It's like she's rummaging through my brain looking for what she wants.

"I don't tell you this often Zach. But I want you to know that I love you very dearly. My heart almost shattered when you were away. Not knowing you were safe, where you were, who you were with. If you were being fed and watered and being kept warm. Being a parent does that to you, you'll find out soon enough darling and being a husband makes you feel the same way. He loves you, darling, deeply, meaningfully even. Yes, you might have suffered physically and mentally but so did he, he tortured himself feeling helpless. Anyway Zach I will not take your fucking shit. Tyler might mope around waiting for you to pull your head out of your arse but I won't darling. Now come on, I need your help. Your father has just gone to pick up Callum's parents from the airport".

"What? Ma really? He's not going to be happy with that at all they barely speak".

"I gathered as much darling. But you're all gonna be fathers soon. His parents should know" she has that pointed look, the one where she knows more than she should but is holding back her opinion.

"His parents are like dad, that's not going to go down well at all".

"Your father accepted you a long time ago".

"Did he?".

"Yes, he loves you. Both of you. And he's quite fond of Violet and Callum too. He doesn't pretend to understand it but he's accepted it at least. You should be thankful for that".

"If you say so ma" that gets me another clout around my ear as I finally leave the room with her, according to my phone at three in the afternoon, no wonder she's fucking pissed.

The downstairs is eerily quiet. Literally, no one is to be seen. Not my brother or Violet, not Callum and Tyler.

"Here put these in the oven for me" she passes tray upon tray of precooked food that I shove them in the four ovens.

"How did you contact Callum's parents?".

"He doesn't have a password on his phone".

What? Callum Mr fucking private doesn't have a password on his phone? That's just stupid. I'll have to tell him to make one. Otherwise, my mother might surface some exes or something whilst she's at it.

And I'm not sure if I would like that one at all.

"You realise he hasn't told his parents about us right ma?".

"I know" she does? How?.

"What happened between him and Tyler?" I'm not brave enough to ask Tyler or Callum yet so the only other person that knows everything in this house is stood in front of me and wouldn't lie.

"Not a clue, they stayed in the tree house though. Are you jealous Zach?".

"No, it's just Callum's been holding out a damned long time. Typical he waited for me to be gone to relent".

"Your father warned him off you".

"I thought you said he accepted us?".

"I have" oh great, talk about the devil and all that.

I turn to find my father and two people that I've never even seen photos of in the doorway. Callum's father if he even is his father is a tall skinny man with blonde hair and brown eyes. His mother is short with blonde hair and green eyes.

Callum sure does look the spit of his mom, even his eyes, he has her eyes. So green like the fucking grass. I'm kind of glad about that. After what he told Violet. Once she sees his mother she'll never see Henry looking back at her when Callum fucks her.

"Carla, Zach this is Lynn and Carl. Lynn, Carl this is my wife Carla and my eldest Zach".

My mother jumps into her perfect role as host shaking their hands and offering them drinks. Ushering them into one of the seats at the table. Hanging their coats over the back of one of the stalls sitting on the island.

I just stand on the other side of the kitchen right by the ovens I had recently filled. This isn't how we should have met but my mother doesn't know when not to meddle. So this is how we are meeting.

"It's so lovely to meet you both. Where's Callum?" Lynn asks my mother a little shyly. I mean she's probably been thrown right in the deep end here meeting us not knowing how we know her son. I wonder how Callum will react when he finds out his parents are here? I don't expect it to be good, not how he's spoken about them before.

"Callum's gone shopping with Tyler. I'm sure they'll be back soon. The shops close at five here" she pours them both a coffee handing them the cups as they look between each other silently.

"Is Tyler another of your sons?" my mother is about to answer and I know she'll just say yes, she'd say yes if they asked her if Callum's one of her sons too. So I make sure they know exactly who he is before she can even brush the question off.

"No, he's my husband," I say sitting up on the kitchen side. Pulling an apple from the fruit basket beside me. I shine it on my jeans as I watch them.

"Oh" and there it is. Exactly as Callum had stated. His parents don't agree with people like me, gay people. Bisexual people. They stare at each other with tight-lipped mouths. And I almost say something, comment on their obvious lack of control at their reaction.

My parents notice it too, my mom looking rather uncomfortable. And I find it kind of funny. My dad used to be exactly the same, looking at me with the disdain that sits on Lynn and Carl's faces that is, not that I remember the last time he looked at me that way. But for some reason I can't bring myself to chide them, I want them to like me. Because I don't want to lose Callum.

Yeah, remember the fact you wanted to tell him you loved him? Haven't done that yet.

"Carla do you know if Zach's up —." Violet doesn't finish her sentence as she walks into the kitchen with Daniel right behind her. She stops rather suddenly and my brother has no choice but to walk into her. Holding her by the waist as she nearly falls forward. I almost growl as I see his hands touch her. But I refrain only making a small sound of disgust. He looks messy as fuck and I can guess what he's been doing for my mother.

"Ah there you are sweetheart. This is Lynn and Carl. Callum's parents".

"Oh, it's very nice to meet you. I'm Violet" she says rushing on past them heading right for me. Well, this is gonna be great if they catch wind we're together also. Thankfully though she doesn't touch me or try to kiss me as I had thought, shame really. Would have been easier than watching Callum try to struggle to admit the truth. Though maybe he could just pretend he's in a relationship with Violet. That would probably be easier to explain away. My mother introduced Daniel to them but I don't really listen to what they said because I try to hear what Violet is saying.

"I didn't know Callum invited them" she whispers as she pours herself some water. From the tap using the sound of the running water to hide our secret words.

"He didn't" I whisper back just as slyly. Her eyes widen then as it hits her, yeah my mother and her damned meddling know no bounds baby. She smiles up at me as she goes over to the table to integrate herself into the conversation about god. I'd like to say the afternoon runs smoothly. And maybe it does for mine and Callum's parents but for me? Not so much. I find it hard to keep my bloody mouth shut when they piss me off. Talking about the church and how they hope for Callum to settle down. Have children. Buy a proper house, a family house rather than the bachelor pad he has. Changing his car to a suitable car, one to hold a family full of kids. Rather than an engine that drinks fuel and makes too much noise for their liking. Their eyes slide over Violet, dressed in a pair of tight grey jeans and a flowing white blouse one too many times. They are thinking exactly what I thought would be acceptable to them. She's the type of person, girl, they would want for their son and that fucks me off. I suppose I've lived a sheltered life having two mothers that accepted us and a father who was always put in his place when he publicly shunned us.

I'm all but wound tight like a fucking ball of fire when Tyler walks through the door with a grave expression on his face. Seems his afternoon has been just as trying. His eyes search the room finding mine briefly before flicking over the rest of the room. He gravitates towards me so I take the fucking opportunity by both my hands literally pulling him in between my legs before he's even had a chance to put the bags in his hands down. It's then I realise I can fucking piss them off how they've been pissing me off for the last few hours by just being me. Innocently kissing him as my hands pull him by his arse into my crotch and he doesn't miss a fucking beat as he drops the bags on either side of me on the worktops. His hands pulling at my lapels so that I can't move back. He pulls away first swallowing as he looks up into my eyes. The first time I'd looked him in the eyes properly since I woke in that hospital.

That was needed, a breaking of the ice kind of thing. Ripping the band-aid off my skin type of scenario. 

My thumb traces his jaw as we silently look at each other. Lost in one another whilst the chatter around us goes from dead fucking silent to mindless chatter.