Sand-Man's Family by CJane Elliott

Author:CJane Elliott [Elliott, CJane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781634772259
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

“Hand me that tablecloth. Not that one, the lace one!”

His mother’s voice, shriller than usual, pierced Sandy’s eardrums as he rooted around in the linen cabinet. She seemed to be working herself into a frenzy, but it was nothing compared to the shit storm that had been brewing inside of Sandy since Mom had announced that Father Gilhooly was coming over for tea.

So that’s what the “talk” she’d wanted to have at the oddly specific time of 3:00 p.m. boiled down to: prayer intervention by the good parish priest to get Sandy to change his sinful ways. Mom had somehow prevailed on Dad to take the girls out, although she couldn’t get Connor to go with them. He’d shot Mom an angry glance and secluded himself in their bedroom, but not before murmuring to Sandy as he passed, “Got your back, bro.”

Then Sandy had overheard Mom talking to Dad on the phone. “Be back by six. We’re going over to the Livingstons’ for dinner. Yes. I told you! Brittany’s parents wanted us all to get together.”

He’d shot off a group text to Uncle Phinney, Cody, and Jade to warn them of trouble on the horizon, and they’d texted back not to worry. As if.

He’d replied Help! The heteros are after me! Jade’s response We’re coming to the rescue, cowboy! had at least made him smile.

Then he’d snuck outside and called Brittany.

“Hey, babe. Can’t wait to finally see your face.”

“Did you know that my parents are planning to come to your house for dinner tonight?”

“What?”

Her confused tone lessened Sandy’s rage. At least she hadn’t been in on it. “Uh-huh. It’s a full-frontal parental invasion. Guess who’s coming to tea at my house?”

“Frickin’ Father Gilhooly?”

He laughed at the “frickin’.” “How did you know?”

“Because he just left our house. Seems he’s making the rounds. What do you suppose the parents have in mind for us? Forced marriage by shotgun?”

Sandy kicked a stone off the porch. “Jesus, I don’t know. What should we do?”

“Well, babe, I think we both need to be far away from my house at dinnertime tonight. And much as I hate to say it, I don’t think we should get together this trip. Don’t want to give my frickin’ mother any false hopes.”

“Yeah. What a load of crap. I should have known Mom didn’t really want to talk.”

“Yep. Well, now we know. I think I’m gonna hit the road back to school early. Thanks for the warning.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You got somewhere you can go?”

“Oh yeah. My uncle and his boyfriend have a hotel room, and they’re coming over to get me. Along with Jade.”

“Jade Byrne?”

“That’s the one. He was on the same train as us, and we’ve—we’re hanging out.” Sandy squirmed at Brittany’s knowing laugh.

“Nice. Sounds perfect. Good luck with Father G.”

“God. Oops, here’s Mom, gotta go. Thanks, Britt.”

“Sure thing. Text me!”

He hung up as Mom swung open the door. “There you are! Go change clothes. Those jeans are dirty.”

The doorbell rang. Sandy, clean and presentable in khakis and a

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