I've decided to have them meet Andrew -- slowly. He won't be my lover, at first. At first, he'll just be my roommate.
Then - once they've met him, once they fall for him, once they love him as much as I do -- then, they'll understand. They'll have to.
Andrew will stay here. In his home.
Now, if only I can get Andrew to agree to this compromise. I mean, step by step, right? I'll have Drew cook. That'll get to Mama. I'll take Pop golfing; Drew and Mama can shop and cook all day. We'll come home to the most magnificent dinner on earth because it was prepared by the two most important people in my life. Old and new, young and traditional. Mama and Andrew.
Step by step.
"Andrew, who's BMW is parked in the driveway? I couldn't get into the garage."
Mark Fitzgerald.
"Hello, Mark. What...a...surprise."
Mark and Andrew leap to their feet like they have just seen the grim reaper. I gotta admit, my stomach does a rollover too, the last time I saw Mark Fitzgerald - his tongue was down my throat and we were covered in confetti.
Then Andrew hits me with a piece of news.
"Eric, Mark is going to represent me in a sexual harassment suit."
I couldn't help myself and blurted out, "Who'd you harass, Drew?"
I don't know whether or not I was kidding, but Andrew looked so hurt. He walked into our bedroom and closed the door. Quietly. Very quietly, very sadly closed the door.
I stood there, stunned. Looking at Mark Fitzgerald.
"Is your bedside manner always so engaging?" he asked me.
I shrugged, at a loss for words. Andrew could be quite a drama queen; it was the little bit of Scarlett O'Hara in all those southern boys.
"I had no idea it was that bad."
"It is. This guy's gone beyond bad taste. From what Drew's told me, he's pretty psychotic, and he's reached the limit. He called me, I offered to take his case. It's a good case, we'll win, I'm sure."
"...oh", I said. Just that. Stunned. Shocked. Just that, just:
"Oh."
