inkspresso

let me finish

Josh serves Jack a generous slice of meatloaf and roasted potatoes. He then serves Zach a small slice without saying a word. Jack doesn't miss this. He sits down and signs them to eat.

Myta clears her throat. "So, Jack, was it? What do you do for a living?"

"I work at my family's café." He smiles softly. "I mostly help my mom manage it, I make our budgets and such." He explains.

She nods. "Did you go to college? Maybe community college, I guess that's acceptable."

"Jack just got accepted into Edinboro." Zach intervenes.

Myta nods slowly, seemingly liking what she's hearing. "For what? Business?"

"Yes, ma'am." Jack takes a bite out of the meatloaf and hums. He turns to Zach. "This is amazing, thank you for making it."

He smiles softly, eyes looking in between him and Myta. "Ah, babe, you're so funny." He chuckles. "My mom made it, I barely know how to cook."

Jack furrows his eyebrows and feels Zach hit his leg. He quickly catches on. "Oh, right. I-I just didn't want to seem too upfront." He turns to Myta. "This is amazing, Mrs. Herron."

"Thank you, sweetheart. It's a family recipe. My Josh's mother taught me this when I married into the family. It's a total secret." She explains.

"Oh, how sweet." He smiles."What a warm welcome into the family."

"What about your family?"

"I live with my mom and three sisters. They all adore Zach." He moves to hold his hand. "If you go up to them, they only have good things to say about him."

"So, just women, huh?" Myta questions. "Must be peaceful."

Jack chuckles. Gosh, it's anything but peaceful sometimes.

"Where's your father?" Josh finally speaks.

Zach cringes.

"No longer between us, sir."He replies quietly.

An awkward tension fills the dinner table. As they eat in silence.

Zach clears his throat. "So, how was your trip to Nicarágua?"

"It was okay." Josh shrugs. "Nothing much happened."

"So, Jack, you were saying your sisters like Zach a lot. What about your mother?"

"My mom adores him. He helps her out a lot. " He looks at his lover. "Sometimes I think he loves my mom more than he loves me." He chuckles.

Myta laughs along as well. "And how long have you two been dating?"

"Nearly four months." Zach admits as he eats the last bite of meatloaf on his plate.

"Oh... and you've said your I love yous already?" She has a look of disapproval on her face.

We've done much more than that."We're we supposed to wait for longer?" Jack smiles nervously.

"It's just that my Joshie and I only had our first kiss two months into our relationship. We like to take things very slowly."

Zach goes to serve himself, but Josh speaks. "That's enough for you." The brunet sits back down and sets his cutlery down.

Jack furrows his eyebrows. "You served him the smallest slice. What's wrong with wanting to repeat?"

Zach looks at him panicked and gives his foot a little kick. He signs him to stop.

"He's been eating too much. Haven't you looked at him?" Myta questions. "Those rolls on his stomach... how do you even find him attractive when he looks like that?"