Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“One last question before you go. How do you view your family?” The dumb question threw me off. I didn’t like it one bit and planned to say that very thing when the three girls understood the inquiry in a different way and answered.
“We know that families are all different,” Ava started. Mia nodded her support. “I think lots of our friends have a mom and dad, and that was weird to learn.”
Mia nodded again. “It’s weird.”
“But we have a really great family. We love each other very much. Daddy and Paw are really good parents. They make our family whole,” Livie said in a clearly thought-out explanation. “Paw’s our schedule keeper and makes us follow the rules. He’s worried about nutrition and the food we eat. He talks to us about the health of our bodies and sometimes makes us exercise with him in fun ways.”
I’d made it to the back of their chairs. My palm squeezed Livie’s shoulder. She glanced up and back, beaming at me.
“It’s true, Paw.” Livie’s gaze landed on Dash. “Daddy’s the one that laughs and plays with us and buys us things. He has to follow Paw’s schedule too, but he’s like our brothers. They break the rules as much as they follow them.”
“I like when Daddy picks us up from school,” Mia interjected. “He takes us for a treat. The other day he took me to the store to get new art supplies for my class, and I didn’t even ask him.”
“He also sneaks us candy,” Ava said, telling on her dad. Dash’s eyes darted to mine, and he lifted his thumb and forefinger to signal only a small bit of candy.
“Even though me and my sisters look the same, we’re all different people,” Livie said thoughtfully. “Paw and Daddy make sure we all get to be who we are. Ava likes the color black. She takes up for everyone who’s hurting. Mia likes to go fishing with Paw. They like being outside together. I don’t like dirt on anything. I’m really smart and like to read. I take ballet lessons. Paw and Daddy make sure we’re able to do all the things we want. They do the same thing with my brothers. My parents are really good parents. Does that answer the question?”
Dash grinned and nodded.
“Wonderful perspective,” Zoe said, taking notes as the film crew continued to film.
“Are we done?” Ava asked, taking a long slurping drink from her squirt bottle.
“We have to go to Gigi’s before the boys eat all the cookies,” Mia explained.
I was the one who decided the girls were finished. They had done Dash proud. We shouldn’t jinx it. “Thank you, girls. Take your drinks and close the gate behind you.”
I didn’t have to tell them twice.
17: The Every Good Deed
Dash/Beau
Dash
“You’ve been together since you were teenagers. You met here in Sea Springs during summer vacation,” she said, reading from her jotted notes. “Back in 2000. What was it like when you first met?”
“It was his fifteenth birthday,” I said. “I was about a month shy of my sixteenth birthday. I was out but living in a bubble. He wasn’t out yet. For me, I’d say awestruck might be the best way to describe the first time I saw him. How would you describe it?” I squeezed Beau’s hand as I handed over the reins for an answer.
Beau smiled. “Head over heels, literally. The first time I saw him, I was ridin’ a bike and crashed because I couldn’t turn away from starin’ at him. I went flyin’ over the handlebars.”
“Beau, you’re from Alabama, a lifelong elite athlete until you left the university when your father died. Dash, you’re from Dallas, skipping grades, attending private schools.” She’d done her research; I’d give her that. “How were you able to stay in contact in a world of landlines and dial-up internet?”
I took the question again. Beau was only willing to discuss the here and now, or the lighter moments. “For a few years, all we were able to do was text. I didn’t see him again until he’d had enough of the long-distance restrictions and came for me. The romance of it all was ridiculously sweet,” I answered, lifting his hand to press a kiss on his knuckles. No question, if not on the outside, Beau was rolling his eyes at me on the inside.
“How did your families take the news of you being gay?”
When her gaze trained on Beau, wanting his answer first, he obliged. “My father wasn’t happy, and it stayed a secret until his death,” Beau said. I was proud of his response. She was pushing buttons on triggers she couldn’t even know existed as if that trauma was ever going to be fully realized.
“I feel like we practically grew up together. We’ve been fully committed to each other since the night we met,” I said, glancing over at Beau for confirmation. “You agree?”