Left Alone Ch. 07

"We gotta stop meeting like this" Liam said as he stepped closer.

Frankie smiled too. "This time it's you cornering me." He paused for a second, shifting the bag into his left arm. His smile faded a bit, until that youthful face aged with a serious tone, "Look man I just wanted to apologize for the other week. I was off base."

Liam looked over at him. There were two things about Frankie that he knew: the first was that he wasn't one for apologies and the second was that family meant everything to him. The Mexican boy stood there with his hands in his pockets, almost as if he'd emptied them out to show Liam there weren't any more tricks.

"You were just looking out for me." He said, noticing a surprised look on the other boy's face. He went on, "After my dad left, you and your folks always checked up on mom and me, and I for one have been such a dick to you."

Frankie kept that cool demeaner as he took a step closer towards Liam, "I know that we weren't really that close to begin with, but we come from the same background and that counts for something."

Liam extended his hand between the two of them, "I'm sorry for being a dick all this time."

Frankie accepted, closing his palm on the boy's and giving it a firm shake. It was like the two of them had just come to some understanding and sealed it by shaking hands. "You were protecting yourself" he said, to which Liam simply nodded in agreement.

"I saw you the other night- with your boyfriend I mean." He said, still getting used to Liam being gay. "I was dropping my cousins off at the restaurant just as you guys were leaving. That's when I realized that I was wrong."

Liam stood there, remembering how happy he was that first weekend Caleb stayed over. He'd been so consumed by him that he couldn't imagine what they looked like from the outside. He turned his face back to the other boy.

"You're a good guy, Frankie. One of these days, we should all get together."

Frankie turned his lips into a smile. Up until this point, their friendship was artificial- one created out of circumstance. But Liam knew that he couldn't get by with just Caleb alone- and he hoped he wasn't the only person his boy could rely on either. Slowly, each of their own worlds just got a little bit bigger.

***

"He what?!?!" Liam asked, feeling a sense of fear creep up his six foot frame.

"He said he wants to meet you." Caleb put a hand on the boy's tensed up shoulder, "They both do actually. They wanna have you over for dinner this week."

The cool guy act was one and done with as Liam felt the sweat form at his back. He stammered, completely caught off guard, "But what if they don't like me? Caleb, you just got back to talking with your dad. I don't want to give them any reason for us to not be together."

Caleb put both hands on Liam's shoulders, softly holding him down from all the hot air that pumped into his brain. He leaned forward and kissed Liam's cheek, immediately feeling the boy relax as his lips pulled away.

"There's no reason for them to not like you." He saw those troubled green eyes make contact with his, "Trust me, it's going to be fine. Just be yourself."

"Okay" Liam said with a sigh. For a while, he thought he could sneak by with a few brief encounters with Caleb's mom as he rushed home. But he knew that for this to work, everyone needed to be on board.

"You're off tomorrow right?" He asked as the older boy nodded. "Okay then I'll set it up for tomorrow night. Just come by around 6."

The two of them slumped back into the bench with Liam slowly regaining composure. Alicia walked over, raising an eyebrow. "Why does it look like you two just defused a bomb?". She had a hand on her hip and asked with that signature sass.

Caleb looked up, "Liam's having dinner with me and my parents tomorrow."

The petite girl made a shocked face, "Jesus, I don't even let a boy close to my house until at least three months into it." She turned to Liam, saying, "Thoughts and prayers."

Liam rolled his eyes, faking a laugh, "Thanks Alicia."

"You're gonna need it, Lonely Boy"

The brunette twisted his eyebrows in confusion. "You know I've heard some girls call me that nickname before. Does everyone think I'm depressed or something?" He asked with a confused look on his face.

Caleb and Alicia stifled their laughs as the younger boy circled an arm around him. Alicia put her hand on her mouth, shaking her head, "No hon, it's a TV reference. You know, cause you're so brooding and mysterious."

"I am not brooding." Liam replied with a pouted face.

Caleb pursed his lips and patted the boy's shoulder, "I hate to break it to you kid, but you are." He said with Alicia laughing in the background.

The oldest of the three rolled his eyes and snuck away from Caleb's embrace, trying hard to contour his face into anything but a frown. He eventually cracked, seeing his boy laughing with his entire body. He couldn't even pretend to be mad around Caleb- that's how happy he made him.

***

The next day, Liam found himself inside Mrs. C's bakery, practically taking inventory of every item she had in her display cases. The older woman stood aside, just watching that nervous boy as he weighed his options- trying to decide what he should bring over to Caleb's. The Torres' were rich, and even though his boyfriend didn't have a pretentious bone in his body, he still worried that whatever he'd bring wouldn't be good enough. His eyes finally landed on the oversized jar that was filled with fresh chocolate chip cookies that Mrs. C had just pulled off the cooling racks. The scents of brown sugar and rich chocolate filled the entire shop, and Liam's nostrils so much so that his mouth started to water. He knew for sure that these were his favorite- something he'd pick up for him and his mom after particularly rough days.

"Looks like you finally made up your mind." The older woman said with a soft sigh.

He shrugged, pulling out his wallet as she filled a small box with a dozen of those morsels. "You can't go wrong with a classic." He handed over the cash in exchange for the bright pink box. Just before he was about to turn away, Mrs. C slipped a small paper bag with a single cookie on top.

"A baker's dozen." She said, with a knowing smile.

Liam nodded to her in thanks, slipping the cookie out of the bag and into his mouth.

A few minutes later, the boy's Charger was easing onto that familiar street- careful not to drive a single mile over the speed limit. The car was silent, apart from the sounds of the tires as they drove along the perfectly paved road. Liam had been too nervous to even put on some music.

He parked along the curb with even more precision than the day he took his driver's test. It was like night and day, he thought- the way the Torres house looked from the outside after being fully occupied for a week. He got down with the pink box in hand, taking notice of the cars parked along the driveway that actually looked like they'd seen some use. Liam made his way to the front door, thinking back to the first time he'd done this. So much had happened since then- all of which he was more than grateful for. Caleb was the best thing that ever happened to him. And that's why he'd been so nervous- because making good with his parents meant there really wasn't anything else standing between them.

Before he could even knock, the door swung open, only to show Caleb standing at the door. God he looked good, wearing one of those sweaters with a few top buttons undone and a pair of jeans that hugged his hips so well.

"Hey." Caleb said with a shy grin, looking over at the cute boy at his front door.

"Hey, you." Liam replied, unable to hide his blushing face as the two of them exchanged stupid glances.

They chuckled at each other as Caleb welcomed the boy in and took the box from his hands. "You clean up good, Holt." The boy said as he assaulted Liam with his eyes. The older boy had pulled out one of the nicer shirts in his closet and opted for a pair of chinos that were less faded than his usual fare. He even left behind the signature dirty white converse in favor of a simple pair of casual sneakers he usually saved for special occasions.

"Every little bit counts." The boy said, slipping off his shoes and placing them by the rest.

Caleb put his hand on Liam's shoulder, "You're ten minutes early and you brought something after I specifically said you didn't have to. You're already making a good impression."

The older boy simply nodded, wanting nothing more than to lean forward and kiss those perfectly soft lips. He resisted though, hoping he could be rewarded later for all of his efforts.

"Come on" Caleb said, pulling the boy by his wrist. "Time to face the wolves."

Before he could even respond, Caleb shoved the boy into view. He cleared his throat, with his parents turning around from the simmering pots and pans.

"Mom, Dad, this is Liam."

Jaslene Torres rushed over, nearly spilling the wok of noodles in the process. Even knee deep in vegetables and cooked meats, she looked like she stepped out of a beauty salon with freshly manicured nails and a proper hairstyle to match. She pulled Liam into a hug, leaving the older boy taken aback.

"My goodness, it's nice to properly meet you." She said, squeezing the boy while Caleb laughed on the side.

"It's nice to meet you too Mrs. Torres. Thank you for having me over." He said in a soft, courteous tone- ditching the sarcastic whips he usually threw at Caleb.

She nodded, releasing the boy from her tight grasp. "It was about time we had you over for dinner." She stepped aside, turning her attention back to the serving dish that she left half full.

Before Liam could even catch a breath, he saw Caleb's father, standing over by the double door refrigerator. Every aspect of his appearance was like pages of a story to be told- from the streaks of grey that peppered through his jet black hair to the lines all through his face like commas to a never ending sentence. Liam stepped forward, getting a nod from Caleb as he went up to his father.

"Ah Liam. So glad that you could make it!" He said in a warm smile that almost made the boy forget everything that he'd heard.

Liam met his hand, feeling that strong grip that commanded every nerve ending of his body. Adrian Torres' face wore expressions of warmth and welcome- leaving the boy silently sighing to himself in relief.

"Glad I could be here, Mr. Torres. And welcome home sir." He said, matching that smile with his. In Caleb's eyes, his boy's won out a million to one.

"It's great to be home. Please, let's sit." He motioned over to the large wooden table set for four and topped off with a beautiful bouquet of tulips. The was a liveliness to the house that he hadn't seen before.

Liam followed them into the space as Mrs. Torres pulled him aside, "I hope you're okay with Filipino tonight. Caleb said you enjoyed the lunch I packed the other week, and I know my husband is in need of a taste of home."

"It's perfect" Liam said with a wide smile as he was ushered into the space.

Caleb brushed the boy's knee as he sat beside him. It was comfortable, Liam thought. After being used to quick standing dinners while his mom dressed for her shifts, or the occasional one on one's they had- it was nice to sit down with a group of people, all of whom wanted him to be there. Mrs. Torres served him a big pile of pancit- still piping hot from the wok it was transferred from and dotted with various colors of every meat and vegetable there was. It was a food scene out of a Miyazaki movie that always made him even hungrier. Mr. Torres had just undone the lid to a container, letting out the scents of sweet smoke and soy sauce that wafted from the pork skewers he grilled earlier. The last platter held a dozen or so lumpia which Caleb explained was pretty much a Filipino spring roll. He grabbed two, nearly tumbling over the neat stack his mother made and placed one on his and Liam's plates.

Liam waited until everyone had a fork in hand before he took his first bite. He slurped up the noodles, almost forgetting where he was. His mind honed-in on the succulent flavors that coated his tongue, topped off with bits of pork belly, shrimp, carrots and green onion. He looked over at Caleb to find the same satisfied expression. He went on to taste the juiciest barbecued pork he'd ever had, accentuated by the vinegar dipping sauce Mr. Torres swore by.

Mr. Torres asked out, just as Liam put down his now empty skewer, "So Liam, how's the food?"

"Delicious, sir" he said, wiping his mouth in between bites. "Can't say that I've had much Filipino food before I met Caleb, but it sure has been a favorite since."

"Glad to hear it. What kinda things do you and your mom make?" He said, serving himself another helping of noodles.

Liam shrugged, "Pretty much anything that can be put together real quick. My mom's a nurse at the local hospital so we tend to have rushed dinners before her shifts- usually some kind of pasta or salad." He said, looking over to see Caleb's dad listening intently.

"Well I'm guilty of that myself." The older man replied while his wife and son nodded in agreement. He reached over and patted Caleb's back, "But I promise I'll make more time."

Caleb's mom beamed at the two men in her life. The room fell to a comfortable silence with only the crunchy shattering of lumpia wrappers making all the noise. "So, Caleb tells us that you're an artist?"

Liam blushed a deep red- similar to the sweet chili sauce he'd been using to dip his food. "Yeah I guess you could say that. There's this little hardware store by my house where I pick up these gnarled pieces of wood for cheap and try to sculpt them down to something pretty. It was mostly just something to do while mom was at work. This year the art teacher at our school has been trying to get me into some other mediums too- and that's been a lot of fun to try." He cut himself off, forgetting how easily he could ramble when talking about the things he loved to do.

"Mom here is a bit of an artist herself." Caleb added.

Mrs. Torres moved her hand like she was shooing the idea away. "That was a long time ago." She said with a smile. "These days, when I'm not volunteering, I work as an Art Consultant and help clients find the pieces that they want." It was something Jaslene had gotten into just a few years ago- after her husband had gone on to make enough money for her to pursue it and when Caleb was old enough to take care of himself.

Liam nodded, "Wow that's great. I didn't even know a job like that existed."

"I didn't either until I got started." She looked over at the older boy, "Maybe you could come by my office and we can look over some of the pieces we were able to match up. You can get a feel of what's on the market and the different trends there are."

"I'd love that!" Liam said with an enthusiasm that made Caleb fall for the boy all over again.

Mr. Torres asked out, "So is a career in art something you'd be interested in?" Caleb grew tense, wondering if Liam was about to enter the same conversation he had the other day.

"Yes and no." Liam admitted, truthfully. "I applied to a couple schools with great art programs, but we don't hear back from them for a few weeks." He shrugged, "I really hope it pans out."

Mr. Torres found Liam's wandering gaze, "You're a smart kid, Liam. I'll bet even if it doesn't turn out the way you expected, you'll find a way to make it happen." Caleb let out a sigh. He knew his father had only felt that way because he himself made him see that point of view.

He looked over at his own son, "Caleb here told us what his plans were and I'll admit, I wasn't so supportive at first. But at the end of the day, every parent wants a better life for their children."

He wrapped an arm around his wife and pulled her close. Jaslene blushed at the affection, kissing her husband on the cheek. "I think you're both on the right track."

Liam and Caleb both nodded with fresh smiles on their faces. Caleb seemed to sit there in disbelief, unable to comprehend the night so far. This wasn't the father he was used to- the one that rarely called and was almost never home. It seemed like the promises he'd made last week were being kept up. And as he reached over to find Liam's open hand, he grasped it, finally getting everything he wanted.

Before he could get caught up in that sweet moment, his mother got up and pulled out the bright pink box and set it on the table in front of them.

"Liam, honey, these smell incredible." She said as she reached for one and bit down, nearly covering her lipstick in melted chocolate. Her eyes grew wide as she finished the rest of it. "You need to tell me where you got these! The board I'm on is always looking for food places we can order from."

He chuckled, pulling two for him and Caleb. "Yeah I'll give Caleb the details." Mrs. C would flip out, knowing her creations could be enjoyed past the confines of Clover.

For a moment, he leaned into the shorter boy, nearly resting his head on his shoulder. He rubbed up Caleb's arm, feeling him for the first time that night. He almost forgot where he was or why he was so nervous to begin with. Caleb smiled at him with a nod as if to say that he passed.

Mrs. Torres insisted on clearing up, leaving the three men to chat in the dining room. Mr. Torres told Liam about his company and some of their new projects. He waited until Caleb got up to use the restroom to thank the older boy for looking out for him while they were away. Liam simply said, "You're welcome" remembering how that weekend changed everything for him.

The rest of the night was nice. Liam leaned back into his chair, hearing these family stories of their little adventures often involving an energetic Caleb. He meanwhile sat there, rolling his eyes as the embarrassing stories continued to come, leaving Liam laughing harder than he had for a while. Liam too told them about his mom- never once probed about his father or why there was nothing to be told about him. He was relieved at that, almost like they had a feeling not to bring anything up out of respect for him.

Liam eventually said his goodbyes to the two parents and was met with a request that he be back for dinner sometime soon- with another box of cookies at Mrs. Torres' request. Caleb walked him out, standing in the foyer as the older boy put on his shoes. They held hands- probably the most physical contact they could have without being disrespectful. Mr. Torres walked over and Caleb quickly released his grip as the two tried to make like everything was normal.

"I was just gonna walk him out, dad."

Caleb's father simply smiled, "You know it's still pretty early." He said, looking at his watch. "Why don't you two go hang out for a bit?"

"Uh- are you sure?"

Mr. Torres shrugged, "Why not? I mean you stuck around with us old folks for so long-" he leaned into the two boys, "don't tell your mother I called her old."

They chuckled together as Caleb grabbed his jacket, "Okay yeah, that sounds like a good idea."

"Go have some fun- just don't stay out too late" he said, patting both of the boys on their shoulders.

Liam shook Mr. Torres' hand, "Thanks again for having me over, sir."

"You're welcome here anytime, Liam."