Eric had called me and asked me to come over for dinner. It was a strangely quiet, tense meal. It felt like I was stuck in a no man's land. Both sides ready to fight and I'd end up the only casualty.
I was leaving when Eric dropped the bomb.
He wanted me to pretend to be his girlfriend when his parents arrived for their visit. I couldn't believe it.
"What part of no don't you understand?" I said.
Eric stood there, like the wind got knocked out of him. Behind him, Andrew grinned and gave me a thumbs up.
"You did it before," said Eric.
"That was for one party," I replied. "Hours, not infinity."
"Come on, Fran. You'll see them, what? Two, three times tops."
Andrew walked over and put his arm around my shoulder me. "She doesn't have to do it. You should just tell them. Then you wouldn't put me, or our friends, in these awkward situations."
Eric was about to say something. I held up my hand to stop him. "Drew's right. Just come out of the closet to them. What have you got to lose?"
Eric didn't speak. He got a cold look in his eyes.
"I'll tell you what you'll lose if you don't tell them, Dr. Lewis," Drew said, pointing at Eric. "You'll lose me."
Drew left the room. Eric and I stared at each other.
Eric reached into pocket and pulled out his wallet.
"How much?"
Now it was my turn to look like I'd been punched in the stomach.
"This is some sort of joke, right?"
He pulled out three fifty dollar bills. "The two of you are right. I promise you I'll tell them. It's just I need time to break it to them, gently. I can't say as they're getting off the plane, 'Mom, Dad, guess what? You raised a homo-sexual.' They'd have heart attacks! I need...THEY need a few days to rest before I break it to them."
"I still don't know why you need me."
"I need you to make things easier. To smooth the waters. Will you help me out?"
"I don't know."
He grabbed one of my hands and put the money in it. "Please?"
I looked at the money. I looked at him.
"You promise you'll tell them?"
He grinned at me. "I promise."
