Cut and Run

“So how is my favorite little niece doing?” Samuel asked, still standing in the doorway. His question was meant to be lighthearted, but I could see that there was a deep concern in his eyes.

Samuel was the one member of my family, excluding my brother, who wasn’t sick and twisted. I hadn’t seen him since a few months after Justin had left, my parents placing the blame on him for their son’s homosexuality. That was another way the two were alike, both having been removed from the family because of their sexual preference.

“Good, all things considering,” I said, nodding my head. It hit me that he was still standing in the hallway. “Oh, God, I’m sorry Samuel, come on in. I’m sure Justin will be thrilled to see you. It’s been so long.” I motioned for him to follow me as I walked into the kitchen. “Justin, look who stopped by for a visit.”

Looking up, Justin saw Samuel and got up from his seat. “Sam! It’s been years! How are you? What have you been doing these past few years?” The usual chatter that came from seeing someone for the first time in awhile ensued. Sam had been here and there over the past few years, seeing the country and its beauty while it still existed. When we finished with this part of the conversation, Justin asked Samuel something that had been crossing my mind since seeing him in the doorway.

“How do you know about everything?” Justin asked. It was clear with the way Sam had not been surprised to see Justin and I in our home without our parents that he knew; the only question was how he had discovered this.

“Well, Justin, I have a friend of mine take any messages while I’m traveling and he normally only calls me with ones he feels are important. About a week before I planned to head back home he called me and told me that a rather angry woman—turns out, it was my sister, your mother—had called, blaming me for her being in jail. Something about how if I hadn’t been such a fag, you would have turned out different. Straight. And how then he wouldn’t have started drinking or hurting Andi. When I found this out, I hoped on the first plane here. I thought you guys might need me around for a bit, sorting out your grandparents’ money and whatnot.”

“Money?” I asked my uncle, confused as to what he was referring. “Your grandparents left money for both of you to get on your eighteenth birthday. Since they disowned you, Justin, your money’s been gathering dust. And by dust, I mean interest. So for the rest of this week, I’ll be able to pop in while dealing with the bank to get it to you, Justin.”

Before the discussion could go on, there was a knock on the door. “That would be Freddy and Alex,” I said, smiling as I made my way to the door. I opened it, and there stood two of the most important people in my life. I flung my arms around them, one at a time, before dragging them into the kitchen. “Guys, this is my uncle, Sam, and Sam, this is my boyfriend, Alex, and best friend, Freddy.”

A silence fell over us as Alex wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and rested his chin on the top of my head. I leaned into him, enjoying the peaceful moments with the only people in the world to truly love me.

***

It was late, and Freddy, Alex, and I were the only ones up. Samuel planned on leaving early in the morning, having already made appointments with people at the banks and Justin planned to tag along. I could tell we wouldn’t be awake much longer, and I tugged on Alex’s arm. “I need to change into my pajamas. I’m tired,” I told him, my face finding its way to the crook of his neck.

“Go change then. I’ll do the same in the other bathroom, and then help Freddy make the couch up for herself,” he replied, pecking me on the lips. I walked into my room, sliding into my pajamas quickly before going into my bathroom to brush my teeth. As I placed my tooth brush back in its proper place, there was a knock on the door. Freddy soon entered, not bothering to wait for my okay. “Andi, dear, do you have a tampon I could use?”

A minute later Freddy was gone from my sight, and my focus turned to the box of tampons I had just opened despite the fact I’ve had it for over two months.

Oh God…two months?