Longing For You Ch. 06

Theo shrugged again. "Not yet."

They both went quiet as Roberto Santiago came up to the small group. Despite Theo's hair and eyes, it seemed like most of him had come from the genes from his father as they looked a lot alike. Even some of their expressions and the way they held themselves was the same, though Theo had always seemed like a sweeter and brighter version of his dad to Hop when they were in middle and high school.

"Theodore," Roberto said after clearing his throat.

Theo gave him a nod of the head, trying to decide how to reply to him. There were quite a few ways he could go, some hurtful and some kinder. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about being in the same space with this man right then, so eventually he went with, "Father."

Hop gently squeezed Theo's hand and kept his peace, just letting him know he was there for him. His opinion of Roberto Santiago was generally negative, but Hop was open to revising it, though he feared that personal growth was not something Theo's father was capable of.

"Why don't we all sit down?" Theo's mom said and motioned for the couches in the living room.

They moved over to the couches and sat down, with Mauricio and one of Theo's sisters sitting not far away, as well as Hop's dad. Both Theo and his dad looked uncomfortable and like they didn't really know where to start. They started with some small talk about school and work, but that didn't take them very far.

"Seriously?" Mauricio asked them eventually, though his eyes were on their dad.

Theo gave a wry smile. "I didn't think we'd ever talk again, so I'll admit I'm at a loss."

"Ever, huh?" Roberto asked.

"Well, cutting off funding and support to your son is a pretty relationship ending decision, yes," Theo replied, his tone a little heated now.

Roberto looked at Theo in surprise and then looked down at the ground, mulling that over. Hop's expression was carefully schooled to neutrality. He had made Theo very aware of his feelings on reconciliation with Roberto and what he felt should happen before Theo allowed the man any kind of access to his life. He didn't get that passionate often, so when he took a walk to cool down, he came back with an apology for his outburst and quietly asked Theo for his thoughts on the subject. It was as if Hop had needed to blow up about it before he could accept that it wasn't his relationship to manage.

Theo generally agreed with Hop's thoughts on it, but he wanted to give his father a chance to speak. The silence stretched for a moment before Roberto said, "It's not really about you being gay. That's just another thing the family can joke about, you know? Having your entire family make you the butt of their jokes for two decades...How you're not man enough to make sure your wife doesn't cheat on you, then you're not man enough to pass on your genes correctly to your oldest son, not man enough to raise him to be a strong man, and more."

Theo stared at his father in shock for a moment. "How am I not a strong man? I got gay bashed and beat them with a hockey stick to keep them away from my friends, and you call that not strong? I got into the third best vet school, and even found the funding for it knowing you would take it away, and that's not strong? I graduated top of my class, and came out on my own terms despite someone threatening me. Maybe I'm not what your family wanted, but I am strong when I never should have had to be! Do you still believe I'm not your son?"

Roberto shook his head at that. "No, I know you are. Three different tests say you are, and as you got older, you looked exactly like I did minus the hair and eyes."

"The hair and eyes are just a genetic abnormality," Theo huffed in annoyance, but now he had his dad's attention. Theo looked at him like he was surprised this was new information. "I've talked to doctors about it throughout college. They said it's just a lack of pigment. It happens sometimes. Usually, it's just bits and pieces, but for some reason, I just lack it entirely. It could have come from mom, it could have come from you. It's just a genetic fluke."

"I know I was distant as a father, but it wasn't because I didn't love you," Roberto told Theo. "I just...was so sick of my family's shit."

"You were sick of it?" Theo demanded, laughing bitterly. "Try being five and knowing that your whole family hates you. Try hating going over to Abuelo and Abuelita's home for Christmas because you knew there would be a ton of presents for your siblings and maybe three from the dollar store for you! Try watching your Tios and Tias making cookies, doing crafts, and taking your siblings out on adventures and knowing they will never take you! Or seeing your dad give absolutely everything to your younger brother that had been promised to the first born son, even your fucking name!"

Hop was barely restraining himself from jumping into the fray. He had bitten back so many retorts to Roberto's comments that he swore there were indentations in his tongue from biting it. Theo was doing well on his own, honestly, and it would just be dismissed coming from Hop, so he simply sat next to Theo and kept his peace.

"They really did make it blatant, didn't they?" Roberto asked.

"Big time," Mauricio said before Theo could respond. "Even we saw it. Sometimes we'd give Theo some of the money we'd get so he could get something he wanted, but he always tried to refuse it."

"You know, when I saw Trevor in the hospital and his aunt came to see him, I wondered if I had been hurt that badly, or killed, if you would have even cared," Theo admitted. "Trev's aunt was going to destroy things if the university didn't take it seriously, but you two were nowhere to be seen in any of it."

"We cared," Jenna jumped in. "We spoke to Naomi Oxlar about what happened, even offered to get involved if we needed to with lawyers, but we didn't think you'd want to hear from us after..."

"After I lost my temper and reacted poorly," Roberto added.

"It would have gone a long way in showing you even cared," Theo replied.

"We've screwed up a lot, and I'm sorry," Jenna told her son. "How can we fix this?"

Theo looked at his boyfriend then with an expression that showed he wasn't sure how to answer that particular question. Hop looked surprised and hesitant but hopeful. He nodded encouragingly to Theo, trying to signal a reminder that Hop would support whatever decision he made.

Theo let out a breath as he considered the question. "I don't know, to be honest. It would take time. I don't want you to take over paying for vet school, because I don't want to be in a position for you to take it away because I do something you don't like, which I feel is inevitable.'

Roberto looked down and Jenna looked like she wanted to cry, but neither said anything while Theo sat in thought.

"Well first and foremost, you need to fix some of what you've allowed," Mauricio jumped in when Theo was silent for a while. "The favoritism needs to stop. Dani, Maria, Isa, and I all agree that we're done accepting extra presents and extra attention from the Santiago side. It's not fair if we're not all treated the same, and you and Mama should be willing to put your feet down with them too."

"And you should openly accept your gay son, and make it clear to our familia that you accept that part of him," Dani added.

"Like accepting my boyfriend," Theo agreed. "You always treated Hop well when we were best friends, and that shouldn't change with us dating. In fact, if anything, you should treat him like family now because he is. Whether I was dating him or not, and I am, he has always been my family."

Hop looked alarmedly askance at Theo when he said that, thinking that perhaps being treated like family in this family wasn't the best treatment. Mauricio immediately understood Hop's incredulous expression and snorted out a laugh before he could stop himself. Dani smirked as well while Theo was trying hard to keep a straight face on because he had been being serious. Roberto, though, had the good sense to look ashamed because of that. It said a lot about how people on the outside viewed it.

Theo eventually said to Hop, "By family, I meant the rest of the family. I'm obviously the exception."

Hop smiled, glad that others had laughed at his humorous attempt. "You really are quite exceptional, Theopolis!"

This time Theo broke out into a laugh. He put his arm around Hop lovingly and kissed him on the cheek. Then he turned back to his parents, his expression turning serious again. "It will take time, and we'll have a ton of missteps, I'm sure. What matters is that you prove to me you actually want things to be different. So we can start tonight, on neutral ground, and try to get there."

They stood up and Jenna hugged her oldest tightly, which Theo allowed by hugging her back. She had tried over the years to put a stop to the favoritism, but it was hard when the other parent encouraged it. After she released him, Theo and Roberto stood in front of each other, both looking a little awkward, like they weren't entirely sure what to do. Theo finally held out his hand for a handshake, which Roberto accepted.

Hop's mom was standing right next to the kitchen smiling at them. "Alright, dinner is ready!"

Hop and Theo went into the kitchen to help her bring out the various serving dishes. She had really gone all out with Theo's mom's help. They had a ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, savory sweet potatoes, and more, plus all of the amazing desserts. Everyone took a seat at the table and Patricia gave a prayer to family and new beginnings before telling everyone to dig in.

After dinner, they went around and exchanged presents. When it came time for Theo to open one of them, he opened up the jewelry box to find an old gold pocket watch in it. Theo looked over at his dad in surprise, because it was an heirloom in their family that had been handed down since his great grandpa. It was supposed to go to the oldest son either when he graduated college or when he was getting married. Theo figured it would go to Mauricio when he got his bachelors, which he was currently working on, so he was surprised to see it in his own possession.

Roberto cleared his throat. "It's six months late, but...I was hoping it would be something that was better late than never."

"I..." Theo stopped, tears stinging his eyes. "Thank you, dad. It...it means a lot to me."

Hop, meanwhile, had been continually assessing whether it was a good time to propose to Theo. He was beginning to feel a bit upstaged by Roberto, which was impossible since Theo's family had not been informed of his intentions, for obvious reasons. He decided that maybe today was not the day for too many surprises for his love and had resigned himself to planning another family get together when Patricia poked her head in the room to suggest dessert with a wink at Hop.

She had made tiramisu, cheesecake, and banana pudding, all Theo's favorites, as well as prepared small gift stockings for everyone as a sort of thank you for spending Christmas with their family. Theo's had a suspicious shape to it, but Hop hoped that it was just that he was nervous. So much had happened that night that Theo wasn't considering the shape of his stocking; his eyes were on the desserts first and foremost.

Theo was talking and laughing with his siblings as he opened up the stocking and pulled out the ring box. He stopped when he saw it, his brain trying to catch up to his body's reaction to it before he looked over at Hop, noticing for the first time that Hop was down on one knee, his hands folded on the upright knee as he waited nervously for Theo to open the ring box.

"I know you've waited a long time to hear this," Hop began, "but I've known I love you for a while, I've just been worried about it sounding reactionary instead of heartfelt. You've been so patient and wonderful with me for so long and I would be honored if you would consider marrying me."

"Yes," Theo replied without needing even a moment to consider the answer. "Absolutely yes! So much for being nowhere ready?"

Hop smiled broadly as he took the ring and slipped it onto Theo's finger. "I've got to keep the mystery alive somehow!"

Theo pulled Hop into a kiss, not even caring what his family, or Hop's, thought about that. The reaction was better than he had been hoping for, though, with almost everyone jumping up to congratulate them and hug them. Roberto Santiago had never been a very affectionate man but he waited until last to come up and shake Hop's hand to welcome him into the family and then hug his son, which might have been the first time Theo had ever been hugged by him.

Patricia, of course, wanted to take about a hundred photos, but it did at least give them a great photo to send to friends and family, and to post. As soon as Trevor got the photo sent to him he sent back at least twenty exclamation points, while River said, "Tell that ex-straight boy he'd better take good care of you."

As for the "ex-straight boy", his phone started vibrating with congratulations from a couple of friends and surprised emojis from a couple of exes he still talked to occasionally. He left it in his pocket.

Theo got Hop a ring to wear as well while they were engaged, because they were planning to wait until Hop graduated for the wedding. That also gave them time to save up, though the Jameson family helped fund that, as well as Hop's parents. Roberto offered to pay for something, but he made it clear he wouldn't force Theo to accept any monetary help, knowing how Theo felt about it. In the end, he let Roberto pay for the desserts, because he wanted a wedding cake and a tres leche.

Mewtiny and Clawdia were their ring bearers, with the help of Theo's sisters Dani and Isa, who carried them down the aisle.

After they were married and had finished school, Theo and Hop moved back up to the Ann Arbor area, not far from their families, where Theo joined a vet practice and Hop found a job in a startup IT business that was destined for great things while he went to school for his masters.

River and Trevor settled not far from them, though Trevor's schedule was busy as his social media started going viral for some of his covers of songs and original songs. Both were dating around, and when Trevor landed a job on a TV musical series, something similar to Glee but set in college life and Theo thought it would be even better, he started dating one of his co-stars.

Hop and Theo had ditched condoms around the time they became engaged after getting tested to be safe.

There were some times, late at night as they laid in bed snuggled up to each other, that Theo marveled at the fact that this was his life. Sometimes it felt like a dream. He was with the man he had loved since middle school, his family was better than ever, and now bigger, his extended family had been put in their place, and he was working the job he had always wanted to, plus they had two cats and now a dog.

Anytime he worried he would wake up from this dream back to when he was still hiding in the closet, he just had to look at Hop and see that look of total love and devotion and it made him remember it was real. He knew he was one of the few lucky ones. Most gay men didn't end up with their straight loves falling for them too, but he wouldn't trade this for anything.