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TK is true to his word.
He doesn’t bring up anything about Carlos’s parents again unless Carlos brings them up first, even making sure to let his parents know not to mention the subject during any get-togethers, which Carlos appreciates.
The Reyes’s don’t really come up again for a while, and TK is content in his role as the supportive boyfriend, letting Carlos take the reins on the subject and following his lead. Whatever Carlos needs, TK is fully prepared to be the support system, even if he’s standing in the back. At the end of the day, he knows he’s still standing with Carlos united and that’s all that matters.
It’s seventeen months after the Farmer’s Market incident, the two lovers content in each other’s early morning embrace, when Carlos brings the topic up again.
“I have to tell my parents,” he announces, causing TK to stiffen slightly, if for no other reason that sheer surprise.
“Are you sure?” he questions carefully. “Because I totally get it if you don’t want to. There’s zero expectations here, babe.”
Carlos nods. “I know. But I want to. I mean,” he sighs, “I’m not exactly looking forward to the conversation, but I want to tell them.” Glancing down at the two brand new glimmering bands on their linked fingers, he smiles softly. “I want to tell them I’m going to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.”
TK lets out a small whine at the sentiment, pushing himself forward enough to softly connect their lips.
“Do you want me to go with you?” he asks after a moment.
Carlos sighs. “Yes. But I think it’s better I do this alone.” He bites his lip, nervous TK might take offense to this but is relieved when the other man just nods without a second thought.
“Whatever you need.” He promises. “If it gets to be too much just shoot me a text and I’ll come get you. I’ll even steal the firetruck again to get there in record time.” TK says, which would really be a lot funnier if Carlos actually thought he was kidding.
“You realize this has nothing to do with you, right?” Carlos questions softly. “I’m so freaking excited that you said yes. I’d shout it from the rooftop if I could.”
TK shakes his head. “Hey, no, don’t worry about it. This is something you need to do on your own. I get that. All that matters is that you’re coming home to me at the end of the day.” He smiles and holds up their tangled hands, pressing a kiss to Carlos’s ring. “No take backs, remember?”
“No take backs.” Carlos promises. “For the rest of our lives.”
--
He doesn’t tell his mother why he wants to have dinner. But he knows she knows something is up, because this sort of thing never happens. He sees his parents on a semi-regular basis, but hardly ever has there been a time when Carlos is the one arranging the plans.
He offers to cook dinner for them, figuring it would be a nice change, but his mother is never the type to turn down an opportunity to cook for anyone, which is why a week later he’s sitting in the kitchen at the Reyes family ranch trying not to get sick over his mami’s famous enchiladas.
They manage to make it about five minutes into the meal before his mother’s lack of patience finally rears its head.
“So, you said you had good news,” Andrea breaks the awkward silence and gives him a tentative smile. “Did you get a promotion at work?”
Carlos wipes the corner of his mouth with his napkin. Apparently the time has come.
“Uh, no. Nothing at work. Although everything is going well. Actually, uh, this is something much better than work.” Carlos bites his lip. “I’ve been seeing someone, for a while now actually, and it’s going really well. So well that, uh,” He clears his throat before finally spitting it out, “I’m getting married.”
If there was an award for the world’s longest and more tense moment of silence, Carlos is sure the Reyes clan would steal it without a second thought. He does his best not to break eye contact, watching as his parents exchange a long look with each other and glance down at their plates.
“Married,” his mother finally speaks, her tone clearly conveying her surprise. “That’s- that’s a big step.”
“It is.” Carlos agrees.
“You’re sure?” she questions, and to be perfectly honest Carlos is unable to tell if she’s questioning his dedication to a specific person or gender.
“Yes.” He answers anyway, the details seeming insignificant.
Andrea nods. “He treats you well?”
“Far better than I deserve.” Carlos finds it impossible to keep the smile of his face at the thought of TK. “He makes me want to be a better person.”
“I need some air.” His father’s words are abrupt, his sudden participation in the conversation making Carlos feel as if the wind has been knocked out of him. His dad stands and exits the room, the sound of the front door being heard moments later.
“He just needs a minute.” His mami says after a long pause. “Probably going to check on the horses. There’s a new foal that was just born this morning.”
Carlos nods, doing his best not to focus on the bile in his throat. Instead he concentrates on his mother, whose kind eyes have never wavered despite the tension in the room.
“You said you’ve been seeing this person for a while?” she asks after a moment.
“Yes!” he jumps on the opportunity to keep the conversation going. “You met him once, actually. A few years ago at the Farmer’s Market. TK.”
Andrea nods, vaguely recollecting the memory. “Right. He seemed nice.”
“He is.” Carlos assures her. “He’s very kind and compassionate. All he wants to do is help others. And he comes from a good family.”
“A hard worker?” both Carlos and his mother turn to where his father stands in the doorway.
“Yes sir.” Carlos answers. “He’s been a firefighter his whole life, and his dad is a firefighter as well. He was raised on hard work.”
Gabriel nods. For a moment silence falls, until finally his dad quietly mutters his final question.
“He loves you?”
Carlos does his best to choke back his tears.
“Yeah, papi. And I love him back.” He takes a careful breath. “We haven’t made any plans yet, but when we do… it would mean the world to us if both of you were there.”
There’s another pause, this one possibly the longest of all, but after a final look to his wife, Gabriel gives a single nod.
“Okay.”
--
He returns home that night to find TK waiting with a hot bath and his favorite essential oils, soft music playing in the background and a pint of Double Fudge Brownie Ben & Jerry’s already slightly melted, just the way Carlos likes it.
“How are you feeling?” TK asks, running his hands up and down Carlos’s arms as the police offer relaxes in his embrace beneath the hot water.
Carlos shrugs. “A little stunned, to be perfectly honest. And emotionally drained.” He pauses. “But good, I think. I feel good about it.”
“I’m so freaking proud of you, baby.” TK praises. “I know how hard this was for you.”
“Yeah, but it was important. Everything involving you is important.” Carlos says simply. “You’re my priority.”
TK leans down and drops a kiss on his head, while Carlos continues.
“They want to have us over for dinner at some point.” He says, causing his fiancé to freeze.
“Seriously?”
Carlos nods. “They said they don’t want their first time meeting you properly to be at the wedding.”
“And how do you feel about that? Because I can totally be working whenever they want to get together. No shame.”
He shrugs. “I mean, it’ll probably be a little awkward but I think it’s good. They’re trying, you know?”
TK smiles gently. “Yeah, I know.”
Carlos pulls forward slightly and turns to look his fiancé straight on.
“Thanks for being the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m glad I did.”
“You love me.” TK says simply. “That’s all I need.”
Carlos grins, linking their left hands where they once again admire their engagement rings.
“No take backs?”
“For the rest of our lives.”
end.