Family

“Where are your keys?”

“In my pocket.”

“Where?”

“In my pocket! You're blocking the TV.”

Jackson swatted at his boyfriend Ethan, who really was blocking the TV as he dug in Jackson's pants pocket (of the pants he was wearing) for his keys.

“I can't get them while you're sitting,” Ethan complained. “Come on, we need to move the car.”

Jackson retrieved the keys from his pocket and tossed them to Ethan, asking, “Why?”

“The only spot I could find was on this side of the street. All day parking is on the other side tomorrow, and I can see an open spot from the window.”

“OK.”

Jackson wasn't really listening. He'd just arrived home from a grueling ten hour shift at the restaurant (there had been a private event and he'd had to help set up), then nearly an hour commute on a packed train. He didn't even remove his vest and tie before collapsing onto the couch to catch up on episodes of Empire on Hulu. He wasn't moving his butt until it was time to go to bed. Or he had to pee. One of the two.

Ethan returned from moving the car. “Are you going to change?”

“I was thinking of ordering take-out. I'll pay, and you carry it to me from the door.”

“We can't.”

Jackson's face puckered as if wounded. “Why not? I'll let you pick the place.”

“We can't!” Ethan repeated. “Sharon and Tina's kid's birthday party is tonight, remember? We're supposed to go over for a backyard potluck. We're bringing brownies.”

Jackson groaned, rubbing his face with both hands. “Lesbians and their fucking potlucks!”

Ethan pat Jackson's shoulder in sympathy. “We don't have to stay the whole time. I already told Sharon it was a long day for you. But Cam will be here any minute to pick us up, so if you're going to change, you better do so now.”

Jackson sighed dramatically and turned off the TV. “Fine. But if Cam's driving, how are we going to leave whenever we want?”

Ethan rolled his eyes. “You know Cam never stays late. We'll be fine.”

When Jackson emerged from the bedroom in fresh clothes, Ethan was packing the home-baked brownies into an insulated bag so they'd stay warmer.

“Why is this party so late? Why isn't it, like, tomorrow afternoon?” Jackson asked.

Ethan shrugged. “Family party is tonight. Kids party is tomorrow.”

“So we're family?”

Ethan smiled. “We're not kids anymore.”

Jackson made a face, and Ethan chuckled, wrapping his arms around his love and kissing him on the cheek.

“Come on,” he said. “Let's go be family. And we can do more not-kids-anymore stuff when we get home.”

Jackson grinned. “Deal,” he agreed, and they kissed.