Please be advised ADULT LANGUAGE!

Alex

“It amazes me the things parents tell children to get them to not do the things they think they shouldn’t do. But kissing makes babies.” Esther raised an eyebrow. Oscar smiled. He kissed the top of her hand again before moving the jeep. “You know, I feel sorry for Doris.”

“Why?” Oscar slid the jeep to a stop again.

“Think about it. Your whole family has got her convinced that she’s gonna marry you and have a family. That was cruel not only to her but for you as well.”

“I know Doris. She already has three children by three different men. It says a lot about a woman, a mother, when the court gives her children to their fathers.”

Esther raised an eyebrow, “indeed.”

“Do you know why she has four teeth?”

“Drugs?”

“Yes, that’s why she lost her children.”

“And I’m the Whore of Babylon.” She huffed. “How does Alex fit in to this?”

“Alex is the first child. He’ll be in my class next year.”

“Why the wait between children? Alex is what, 16?”

“That is a mess and a half to explain.”

“I’m not being judgmental; if you hadn’t said he, I wouldn’t have known.”

“Alex has chosen to be non-binary. Alex is a gender neutral name. His name is Joseph. He hates it. Hates being a boy. I’m pretty sure he hates the world.”

“Joe can be a gender neutral name.”

“Until you spell it.” Oscar clarified. “I often thought he might someday come to live with me.”

“How does that sit with your family?”

“Oat and Pricilla could care less. It sent mom over the edge. She was calling me 20 times a day; ‘do something about your nephew. Make him not be this way’. Like I have the power to make him do anything.”

Esther wasn’t sure what to say next. “Your mom seemed more upset over the use of language than she did Oat calling Alex a miserable shit.”

“You hit the nail on the head. Once again in our amazing family dynamic, the child gets to bear the sins of the parents.”

She wrinkled her nose, “Christianity doesn’t work that way. Jesus did away with all that. Just like he did away with animal sacrifices.”

“The Old Testament is full of examples. Society makes us pay for the sins of the parents. I went to a doctor once, everything was going great until she learned who my mother was. Her whole attitude toward me changed and I chose to find a new g.p.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ve often thought what it would be like to move.” He sighed, talking more to himself than her. “Start life over.”

“Scary as hell.”

He smiled an embarrassed smile when he looked at her. He really had forgotten who he was talking to. But she was smiling.

Esther changed the subject. “Did they get you a present?”

“No, I’m expected to give not receive.”

They continued home in silence.

Grandma got ran over by a reindeer

‘Ave Maria’ by Placido Domingo and Michael Bolton came on the radio. Esther smiled, “I love this song. And I’m so impressed that Michael Bolton can sing with Placido Domingo.” It was playing low. Oscar walked over to the radio and turned it up drowning out the noise of ringing fire trucks, robots, and a Speak-n-Spell. As the music filled the kitchen, he kissed her.

She whispered in his ear, “your mother will get you over that.”

He kissed her again, “ask me if I care.”

“How’s your stomach?”

“Doing flip flops again.”

When the song stopped, he turned the radio back down. “That has to be the prettiest Christmas song ever.” Esther commented.

“I like Maw run’d over by uh ren-deer.” Larry, the oldest child was standing on the kitchen table.

Esther and Oscar smiled at each other then at him. Pam was standing in the doorway behind him, glaring at them.

“Uncle Oh-scar, you kissed lady. Granny say thad wher babies come frum. You gonna be a paw?”

Oscar raised an eyebrow at Esther, then shot his mother a ‘you really told the child that’ look. He smiled at Larry, “not today.” And returned to the dishes.

“Paw say howse work fur girls.”

He locked eyes with Esther again. “Larry, when a man lives alone he learns to do a lot of things that your paw considers work for girls.”

“You coo…” Larry stopped, thinking about – maybe what to say next. Then he finally blurted out. “k?”

“Again.” Pam encouraged with a smile.

Esther shot Oscar a glance. The look on his face was something she didn’t have a word for.

Larry screamed, “COOK!”

“Yes.” Oscar sighed.

“You ah girl?”

“Do I look like a girl?”

Larry looked at Esther, turned to look at Pam, then looked into the living room. “No.”

“I’m not a girl.”

The Speak-n-Spell started talking. Larry spun around shouting, “MINE!” He lunged off the table and raced from the kitchen.

Oscar said his good byes and they left. Esther thought it was strange that no one was standing on the porch watching him drive out of sight.

At some point along the drive he pulled over.

“What’s wrong?” She asked.

“Thank you.”

“You’re most welcome.” She smiled.

“No, honestly.” He took her hand in his.“Thank you. I don’t know if I could have made it without you. Each year this gets harder and harder.” He kissed the top of her hand, then placed her hand over his heart.

“I think your mom had a seizure when you kissed me.”

“You know that Otis has been talking about my feminine ways with the questions Larry asked.”