Recovery: Roomies Book Three (BxB)

The Dream is Real

Chapter 28: The Dream is Real

Jacob went home when Nate texted. He wanted his boyfriends to go with him, but decided it might not be the best way to ambush his heartsore mom who just lost her husband to a surprise gay relationship, by disclosing his new threesome. One woman could only take so much.

He'd tell her in the morning.

Because he wasn't about to live another day or night without Manny and Lewis. Knowing that the plan was for Manny to leave in a handful of days. He'd already skipped out on three lacrosse practices. Nothing seemed as important as being with his boys.

His mom looked like shit. She really did.

Normally an upbeat, positive person, she'd always exuded a happy glow, a sensible no feathers ruffled kind of persona, always able to take on new challenges calmly. Like when one of their staycation visitors almost OD'd on drugs, she'd followed the emergency officials directions over the phone, performing CPR as if it was just another one of the evening chores. Feed the goats, tuck the chickens away from woodland predators, and chest compressions for over twenty minutes until the ambulance arrived.

She sat at their kitchen table, her face paler than cheese, her eyes bloodshot, her shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry I left Jacob. That was wrong. I'm sorry."

He shrugged, and moved over to sit next to her. He put his head on her shoulder, and she absently reached up to pat his face gently.

"What are we going to do?" he asked, realizing as he said it, that he wasn't a child any longer and that instead of following behind his mom in this moment, he should ground himself and be an active participant in how they would move forward. "I think we need to sell the farm." He tried to be decisive, looking her point blank in the eyes.

She smiled wearily. "I agree. We have no money. And neither of us truly want to be farmers. It was always your father's pride and joy, his family legacy, going back generations. I gave up my ambitions for him, to help him, when we married. But... he's not here." The last words spoken bluntly. "And we are. We need to do what is best for us."

"Will it.. But... Can we sell it? It's in his name?"

She slumped again. "I don't know. Of course it is. I don't know what to do."

"Let's ask Sten Hansen. He'll help us." Jacob was convinced these days that Sten could do anything.

"We shouldn't be always relying on those men, Nate and Sten, and the others." She rubbed her face wearily. "But I don't see what else we can do."

She shook herself, and changed the subject, as she stood to check the refrigerator. "How is our new visitor?"

Jacob twitched. "I've barely met him. He seems okay."

As if conjured, Sebastian appeared in the kitchen, somewhat taken aback to see Jacob and Kajsa instead of Nate and Diego. "Hello?' He stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Hello, I'm Kajsa Lind. I apologize for not being here to greet you when you first arrived. Sebastian? I'm making dinner. I hope you'll join us." This was a return to normal, having guests in her kitchen.

Sebastian took note of her body language. "I can help. That's part of my stay. Helping with chores."

Kajsa smiled with some trace of appreciation. "Of course. I have some mushrooms and onions and potatoes. Would you get them ready to make soup? With some bread that it looks like Nate made, and maybe some salad greens, we can have a simple dinner."