By Zephyria [How about Mr. Tennessee comes along too? Though I understand if it’s too much since it’s all the way to Michigan.]
Amber watched Tennessee cleaning his firearm—a man who seemed like he would live a perfectly fine life even without Amber—before turning his attention back to his phone.
[Your father might cry if you don’t come.]
“….”
After some deliberation, Amber typed out a message.
[Elizabeth. …I have a partner.]
Bzzzzzt—
The phone rang instantly after the message was sent. Amber hurried into the bathroom. He was unaware that Tennessee’s gaze was following his quick movements with thick intensity.
Amber’s adoptive parents. To Tennessee, the weight of Elizabeth or David was exactly that. He felt no particular emotion toward them. On the surface, or at a glance, they were good parents and virtuous citizens, but Tennessee fundamentally did not trust people. He believed anyone would feel that way if they knew about the child pornography collections of respected clergymen or the sexual fetishes of self-made businessmen who donated billions.
To him, “good people” were actually more uncomfortable. He preferred those who were openly assholes. However, because Amber’s adoptive parents were the epitome of virtuous citizens, Tennessee felt a sense of repulsion toward their holiness and righteousness every time he was near them.
Regardless of that discomfort, if they hadn’t been law-abiding citizens, they would have likely met their end by Tennessee’s hand by now.
“Welcome.”
Elizabeth greeted them as she opened the door. Woof, woof! Dogs spotted Tennessee and rushed toward him. Amber, coming out to restrain the dogs, gave a nod of greeting. Tennessee also nodded to the family gathered at the door.
He was willing to take a bullet or two, but as far as Tennessee could see, there were no pistols in the hands of Elizabeth and David.
Tennessee wondered if the reason he hadn’t been sued immediately was that they knew this relationship had started with Amber’s pursuit, and that guess was roughly correct. They had long recognized that Amber was the absolute underdog in this relationship.
From the moment he revealed his sexual identity to his family, Amber had hinted at his feelings for Tennessee. Elizabeth knew how much Amber relied on Tennessee and how fond he was of him. However, when she received the text message a while ago:
[Elizabeth. …I have a partner.]
[I’m glad you’re happy. Who is it?]
[Tennessee.]
Joy that the long-standing unrequited love had finally been realized was accompanied by concern.
An exclamation mark appeared over the heads of Elizabeth and David, who had thought of Tennessee as ‘the benefactor who connected Amber and the Dexley family and some guy who does dangerous work.’
Thus, they wanted to subtly gauge whether their young son had been groomed, brainwashed, or was being mistreated. Even though Tennessee saw right through them, he decided to play along.
“That’s a lovely photo.”
Tennessee spoke in a friendly manner, looking at a photo displayed on a digital frame.
“Was this during Christmas?”
He had no obligation to do so, but Tennessee decided to use his charm to the fullest. He didn’t want to ruin a relationship that could be managed with a bit of coaxing just because of a little annoyance. Moreover, he felt he owed them this much for raising Amber the way they did.
“That’s right, one of our family traditions is—”
“—gathering together to put up shatterproof ornaments. I heard about it from Amber.”
The photo in the digital frame transitioned to a tree. Tennessee smiled as he looked at the tree adorned with colorful glass and plastic, ranging from expensive commemorative ornaments to Cody’s crooked drawings. Though it was highly conscious, the sight of the handsome young man’s lips curving into a soft smile looked perfectly natural.
“I think it was a meaningful tradition for Amber. He mentions it sometimes.”
32 – Chapter
“Is that so?” David’s eyes widened. He knew Amber to be indifferent and insensitive to everyone except Tennessee.
“I’ve heard a lot about him. I heard you went on a family trip to Florida,”
Once the conversation had been opened this way, David’s guard dropped, and he began pouring whiskey.
Though he didn’t express it often, the main pillars of Amber’s life were his parents—not some mere lover. When Tennessee spoke in a way that suggested this, David waved his hand in denial, yet he looked pleased.
“Did you say you drink often?”
“No, I have a beer occasionally, but I don’t particularly like it.”
The conversation branched out into various topics: from golf to the current administration’s governance, oil prices, anti-discrimination measures, and even recipes for salmon steak. Tennessee couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being treated like a son-in-law who had married the youngest daughter, despite the fact that Amber was well over six feet tall and a proud, independent son in their eyes.
“What is David saying?”
When Tennessee stepped out of the bathroom, Amber was standing there. He had come running out while making meatball spaghetti with Elizabeth.
“Nothing.”
“And Elizabeth?”
“Not yet.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know they were waiting for a chance like this.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Tennessee had visited Amber’s house occasionally, but this was the first time he had been formally invited and allowed to look around the home.
Beneath the sunroom, where bright sunlight streamed in, sat a cozy, well-worn sofa. On the doorframe connecting the sunroom and the den, there were horizontal marks alongside clear scratches from a dog’s claws. They were the marks of Annie and Cody’s growth.
Tennessee’s fingertips traced the rough, hollowed-out grooves. Amidst the children’s erratic handwriting, one small, neat script caught his eye.
—R.A. Dexley. Came to this house.—
Suddenly, Tennessee thought that this was the kind of happiness he and Amber had hoped for.
Despite not being fully recovered, Tennessee went out frequently under the pretext that his legs were fine. If he were just going for a walk or grocery shopping, Amber wouldn’t have been so agitated.
However, Tennessee had styled his hair sophisticatedly for the first time in a while and was wearing a suit. While it was nice to see his partner looking handsome, Amber couldn’t be happy when Tennessee didn’t show that side to him and kept heading out.
“Where are you going?”
The words implicitly carried the message: ‘The weather is so nice, why don’t you spend time with me? Why are you leaving me behind and going somewhere again without saying a word?’
“A defense company.”
“Why?”
“For work.”
“Work?”
Amber’s expression distorted. Is this man possessed by a money demon? He has plenty of money and doesn’t spend much of it, so why does he keep working so much? If he just waited a few years, Amber would support and provide for him. Just stay home.
No, was it even right for him to go to work in the first place?
Amber’s expression shifted through a variety of emotions.
“What’s that in your hand?”
Tennessee had a briefcase in his left hand. He answered the persistent questions concisely.
“Documents.”
“When will you be back?”
“3 o’clock.”
It was 11 AM. At 3, they wouldn’t even be able to have lunch together.
“And then? Will you be home after that?”
“Yes.”
Unconsciously, Amber strained to find any sign of a lie in Tennessee. Tennessee looked wonderful today, gazing at Amber with a cool expression, as if asking if there were more questions.
Knowing it was an irrational fear, Amber felt a sudden panic that Tennessee might just leave like this and never return.
Tennessee didn’t need much luggage to leave. At most, perhaps a single gun, car keys, and a bit of cash? He could easily leave behind a house filled with stories and a person like him.
He remembered the empty house when he had returned to Chicago one day.
“Don’t go.”
Or come with me.
He thought he might look like a fool, but Amber didn’t care. It was better for Tennessee to see him as an idiot than for Tennessee to leave.
A brief silence fell right in front of the entrance. Checking the time, Tennessee looked at the visibly tense Amber and picked up his phone. He made a call. To Amber’s listening ears, one sentence rang out particularly loud.
“Something came up today, so I won’t be able to make it.”
Amber’s expression brightened.
Ending the call concisely, Tennessee set down the briefcase and began peeling off the layers of his suit. He’s not going! A flower bloomed on Amber’s face.
“Get dressed. Let’s go out.”
Having already revealed his bare upper body, Tennessee changed into a sweatshirt. Though he didn’t know the reason, as long as he was with Tennessee, it was fine. The massive anxiety that had gripped him moments ago subsided. The beast inside Amber flustered and scrambled for a moment before finally sitting down. However, its fangs remained sharp.
After confirming Tennessee was in the driver’s seat, Amber buckled his seatbelt.
“Where are we going?”
“An animal shelter.”
“……?”
Dozens of questions suddenly sprang up, but Amber suppressed them for now.
“Let’s buy a drink on the way.”
Amber thought of a drive-thru, but Tennessee stopped at a drive-in. While there was an indoor space, it was a structure where one could park the car and eat inside if they wished. When he lived in Michigan, Amber used to visit drive-in chains often. He had visited a few times with Tennessee as well.
Back then, Tennessee had been abroad most of the time and only took short vacations, so he must have had a lot to do in the US, yet he never once rushed Amber. When Amber offered him a bite of the food he ordered, Tennessee would try it.
Looking back now, it was a memory. The recollection slowly pushed its way to the surface.