wine stains

I'll negotiate a life with you

Zach rings the bell of his parents' house. Jack looks two seconds away from throwing up. "Hey, before we go in." He swallows in dry. "I just wanted you to know that... I contacted your father."

The brunet smiles softly. "I know, honey. I mean, how else would he have my number? I'm a journalist, remember? No one digs like us." Somehow, that statement deeply troubled Jack.

Josh opens the door and greets them warmly. The two enter, and Zach looks around. It was cosy, and it definitely felt like a long-lost home to him. Like something straight out of a dream. "C'mon, dinner's almost ready." He guides them into the dining room.

Two teens sat by the table. Josh clears his throat, and they look up from their phones. Jack smiles softly. Their resemblance is uncanny. The boy was so similar to Zach, and the girl retained some of his sweet features. The three siblings looked between each other, in shock.

A grown woman enters the room with a casserole. She sets it on the table. The woman finally looks up and drops the clothes on the table. "Z-Zach." She mumbles.

Zach opened his arms as tears openly fell from his eyes. His mother runs towards him and holds onto him tightly. Her little boy was a man. She pulls back from the hug and grabs his face. It was like she was actually seeing if he was real or not. "It's actually you." She finally starts crying a river of tears.

The brunet comforts her with a big smile on her face. "I missed you" He whispers. that only prompted the woman to cry harder into his chest.

The rest watch the scene with teary eyes as well. Once his mother recomposes herself, she pulls away. "Well, dinner isn't getting any warmer if we keep crying." Jack smiles softly. He adored her accent.

They all sit down, and Zach holds Jack's hand. Myta makes it a point to serve them all with the same attention and love. Josh starts the conversation. "So, Zach... mind introducing your guest?"

"This Jack... my boyfriend." He smiles widely.

The curly head stands up to shake his mother's hand. "Jack Avery. Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier, I didn't want to interrupt your moment." He confesses with a smile.

Myta nods. "So, Jack, what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a lawyer, ma'am."

She nods, surprised. "What do you specialise in?"

"Criminal defence." He smiles. "But I can get around other specialities."

Zach nudges him. "Jack here got a PhD. Criminal justice: He's just trying to be humble." He teases him.

Myta chuckles. She lets curiosity get the best out of her. "What about you?"

"I'm a news anchor at channel six." He smiles.

Jack nudges him back and looks at Myta. "Don't listen to a word he says. He just bought the channel and recently got his PhD in Media communications."

Myta truly is taken back. "Really?"

Zach nods. "Grandma and Grandpa got me in college, and I managed to get a scholarship for my Master's and the doctorate."

"He's killing it, I promise." Jack winks.

"And how long have you two...?"

"Around five months... but I had to go away for a year."

"I promise you my heart has belonged to him ever since I laid eyes on him." Jack professes.

Myta nods. "As much as I don't approve of his... ways, all a mother wants for her children is for them to be happy."

Zach sighs and excuses himself to go to the bathroom. He walks around the maze-like house in search of the dammed bathroom. He stops in front of a family picture. It had his parents and his siblings and, by it, a picture of him as a child.