Allegro con fuoco

XXXII

The alarm clock was shrill, blaring through the bubble, letting the outside world back in. Eddy woke up with a start. 
Oh God. 
Reality was flooding in, fast. Brett eyed him soberly. 
"You good?"
Eddy shrugged. What was he going to say? 
Brett moved slightly and wrinkled his nose. 
"We made a bit of a mess."
Eddy smiled, because he knew that Brett was only saying it to lighten the mood. 
"Yeah. Worthwile, though."
"Very, very worthwile. I'm open to making messes like that any day."
Eddy blinked and tried not to start crying again. Oh, why couldn't he have stayed where he was, safe, in Brett's arms. Why was reality never far away? And now he would have to go to lunch with Brett's parents. How was he even going to make it through that? And how were they going to look at him? Was he now going to be the guy who turned their son, took him away? 
He took a deep breath and tried to grab a hold of himself. 
"I should probably take a shower." he said feebly. Brett grinned. 
"Yeah. You do that and I'll put the sheets in the washer, then shower as well. Cool?"
"Yeah."
How could he say that he would rather not be alone? I mean, come on. He couldn't be dependent on Brett like that, could he? 
That wouldn't be fair on anyone. 
So he dragged himself out of bed and into the shower. They only had like an hour anyway, before they'd have to set off. He eyed himself in the mirror above the sink miserably. Now that Brett wasn't beside him he was helpless against the worries. 
Would he ever see his mum again? 
He turned on the tap and stood under the water, turning it scalding hot as if that could erase it all. But the tears were back, treacherous, insistant. He sobbed quietly as he turned his face into the hot stream. After a moment he kicked himself into shape, washed himself mechanically, turned off the shower and dried himself briskly with a rough towel. 
Rough was good. 
He was dressed in seconds, and he almost ran back into their bedroom, to wait for Brett. 

----

The familiar glass door with the iron fencing had never looked this ominous. Brett was nervous too, he could feel it in everything. He could feel it in how shallow his breaths were, in how he hesitated to knock. 
"We got this." he said then, though it sounded like he was saying it to himself as much as to Eddy. So Eddy took his hand and squeezed it.
"Yeah."
"Come in, come in." Brett's mum said as she swung the door open. He had known her for forever, it seemed, and she looked the same she always did. Chinese clothes, hair in a tight bun, apron on. "I have made rice. Hello, Eddy."
She looked him up and down, but there didn't seem to be anger, in her eyes. Eddy breathed a little easier as he followed Brett into the house and kicked his sneakers off. The living room around him, so very, very Asian, seemed to grow to monstrous proportions. Was this going to be the scene of acceptance, or anger? Brett's mum was giving nothing away as she led the way over to the kitchen, and the dining room table he knew so well. It was set for four, so Eddy guessed Brett's brother wasn't there. 
Thank God. He wasn't sure if he would be able to take being rejected by the whole family at once. He sat down after a nod to Brett's mum, and waited to see what would happen next.