The Most Important Gift
By: Tim Heare
Tags: LGBTQ, Flash Fiction, Christmas, Family, Fiction

Photo by Lynda Hinton on Unsplash

Ruth hummed along with Mariah Carey while she stirred a pot of gravy on the stove. The spoon moved to the beat of the Christmas song, keeping time with her bobbing shoulders.

“Is that you, Jordan?” Ruth asked as the front door opened.

“Nope! Just me and Scott, Mom,” Jean said with a smile as she walked around the corner into the kitchen. She nodded toward the TV room as Scott came up behind her, sending him further down the hall.

“I didn’t think you’d get here until after dinner,” Ruth said as she hugged her daughter. “You must have made good time.”

“I should have called, but I wanted to surprise you. We can order pizza if you didn’t make enough.” Jean said.

“You know I always make too much. Besides, it’s Christmas and I don’t want you to make those poor people work.” Ruth said.

“You know they have to work today even if we don’t order anything, right?” Jean asked.

“Well, maybe they wouldn’t have to next year if more people didn’t order today,” Ruth said.

“You win.” Jean looked around the chaotic kitchen. “Anything I can help with?”

“That would be great. Can you help with the salad?” Ruth nodded to the fridge.

Jean opened french doors and pulled out a head of leaf lettuce and several other fresh vegetables.

“How are things with Scott?” Ruth asked as she stirred the gravy.

“That obvious?”

“You never could hide anything from me.”

“I don’t know. We don’t talk like we used to and there’s this silence whenever we’re alone.” Jean held back a tear. “I think he’s going to break-up with me.”

“Have you talked to him about it? You’ve been together a while and I know things haven’t always been perfect, but you can’t keep things bottled up.”

“It’s not that easy, Mom. What if he’s just waiting for me to bring it up so he can blame me.” Jean began chopping carrots with the force of a jackhammer.

“Honey, I’ve been in a relationship for thirty years now, so let me give you some advice. Being with someone isn’t perfect. You need to need to be able to talk about the good and the bad when they come. Things will never get better if you don’t.”

“But Mom,” Jean stammered.

“No buts. Honey, this is part of being in an adult relationship. You need to communicate. Especially when you don’t want to. You’ll always have the ‘what ifs’ if you don’t. Besides, maybe Scott’s going through something he’s afraid to tell you about? Those are the times you need two more than one to get through it. You owe it to each other to always be open and honest.”

Jean stopped chopping and looked at her mom. “And if he says it’s over?”

Ruth gave her daughter a hug then checked on her boiling potatoes. “I don’t think that will happen. But if so, it’s not the end of the world. Just the end of a moment.”

The front door opened once again. “We’re here like reindeer!”

“We?” Jean asked as a smile returned to her lips. “Did he bring Micah?”

Jordan poked his head around the corner grinning like a cat. “Hey Jean, I didn’t think you were coming until later.”

“We made good time. Who’s we?” Jean asked.

Jordan took a short breath. “Mom, Jean, I’d like you to meet Micah.” With a short tug he pulled the tall, dark haired man into the kitchen.

Ruth wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and moved in for a hug. First her son, then the one her son loved more than her. “It’s good to meet you Micah. I’ve heard so much about you.”

Jean gave a polite wave when Micah came up for air. “I’m glad Jordan finally decided to share you with us. I was beginning to think he had another imaginary friend.”

“George is watching a movie with Scott in the TV room if you want to join them,” Ruth said, motioning down the hall.

Jordan squeezed Micah’s hand and pushed him down the hall. “Don’t worry. Dad’s cool. I think you’ll like him. I’m going to help mom finish up.”

Ruth pulled Jordan into the kitchen and put him on potato duty.

“He’s cute.” Jean said, glancing back at her brother.

“Cute’s for five-year-olds. He’s gorgeous.” Jordan said with a wink as he began peeling.

“I’m really glad you decided to bring him this year. I mean, well, it’s really nice to see you not hiding it.” Jean slammed her mouth shut regretting her insensitivity.

“Jean!” Ruth snapped.

Jordan let out a laugh. “Me too. I wasted a lot of time in the closet. It’s so nice to just be me for once. But Mom, I need you to go easy on Micah. He didn’t have it so easy. His parents kicked him to the curb on Christmas when he was sixteen. When I told him I wanted to bring him home, he got really tense. The thought of a supportive family is just as real to him as Santa Claus.”

Ruth put her hand on Jordan’s shoulder. “Some people are terrified of things that challenge a way of life. But I hope you know by now that nothing is more important to your father and me than the gift of family. Nothing.”

A timer began to wail causing the three of them to jump from their introspection into action.

“Hurry and help me get the ham out before it burns.” Ruth said to Jordan.

“Need help with the table?” George asked as he walked into the kitchen, drawn by the timer’s siren call.

“Please,” Ruth said. “I got distracted by these great kids of ours.”

George began pulling plates, silverware and glasses from the cupboards. “Speaking of good kids. You both sure have some good looking men in there.”

“Dad!” the siblings yelled in unison.