An Unexpected Romance

“Dinner!” rang throughout the house and soon enough running footsteps could be heard.

“Hope your hungry, my mom cooks for an army,” I mentioned as Levy and I descended the stairs.

“I’m starved,” he said while putting his hand on my lower back. We got to the kitchen and I could feel Levy freeze up behind me. The kitchen in my house was small and we all sat around one makeshift table with miscellaneous chairs.

“Get some before it’s gone guys,” my mom said to Levy and I when we reached the smell of good-ole homemade food.

“Come on Lee,” I said with a genuine smile lighting up my face. I grabbed his hand and pulled him along until we reached the kitchen.

“Hey you two,” my mom said as we entered the kitchen, which happened to be overflowing with people. Everyone stopped, as they heard my mom’s greeting and stared at Levy and I. “Just grab a plate and take what you want.”

“Hello there Levy,” my dad said as Lee and I grabbed plates. “How about you sit next to me and Will while we eat?”

“Dad…” I cautioned, very afraid of where this was going

“Sure, Rudy,” Levy answered with an uneasy smile on his face.

So, after piling up food, we all gathered around the alter aka the television. The a-typical football game was turned on, while chatter began to take place.

“So, Levy, you’re a baker you said?” my dad questioned as he put more food into his mouth.

“Um, yes sir. I am,” Levy answered, looking like he was mimicking my dad in his eating habits.

Well this must really different for him…after all it was only like a week ago that I was asking him which fork to use…

“Mhm,” my dad hummed contemplatively. This caused Will to chime in all too helpfully. Note the sarcasm…

“Where’d you go to school Levy?” Will asked with an ‘innocent’ smile.

“The Culinary Institute in New York,” Levy answered easily before taking a bite out of his cheeseburger.

“That’s pretty pricey isn’t it?” Riley said around his mouthful of…I think its corn…but I don’t know for sure.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Levy said nervously throwing me a side glance.

“Hey Max, do you two have a date set?” I said completely steering the conversation in the other direction.

“Nope, not yet,” he said taking my hint and throwing a wink in. “We were thinking about August though and having it in the backyard.”

“In our backyard?” my mom asked pushing her plate onto the coffee table. With Max’s nod, she leapt up from her seat and grabbed him in a tight hug. “Oh, that’s wonderful Maxie. You know I’ve always wanted one of my kids to have a wedding right in our backyard! So many memories.”

My mom was practically chocking on her tears as she gave Christine a death grip type hug, nearly suffocating the poor girl. Then that was the last uproar for the evening and everyone was focused on the wedding, Mom’s always dreamed of, leaving Levy and I out of the fire.

“That was intense,” Levy breathed after we got back up to my room.

“You think that was intense?” I asked and Levy’s eyes turned into saucers. “Wait until you have to play Thanksgiving football tomorrow. You’re gonna love that, pretty boy.”