“All the time,” he answered. “They should be pulling up any minute, actually.”
It didn’t take long before Solomon challenged them to a rematch at Munchkin. It was already set up and everything. He’d been such a nervous wreck all day waiting for them—pacing around the house and watching the clock—that he started planning out everything they’d do that afternoon. Games were first, of course, but then he thought maybe they’d watch a movie or something. Sure, that was something he could do alone, but ever since Lisa showed up, he’d come to appreciate seeing how she reacted to things—what made her laugh or cringe or get sad. After a movie, he was hoping they’d stay late enough to watch Saturday Night Live with him. His parents had given up on the show years before, but it was a weekly tradition that Solomon refused to let go of and he was determined to share it with someone.
After their game, they all went to the kitchen to eat some leftover pizza from the night before. Solomon hoisted himself up onto the counter and Clark followed. Lisa sat on a swiveling bar stool and spun around slowly as they all talked and ate. And, for whatever reason, Clark decided to bring up dating—a topic Solomon wasn’t too sure he was ready for.
“Okay . . . okay . . . but, like, don’t you want to go on dates and stuff?” Clark asked.
Lisa suddenly stopped spinning and looked Solomon right in the eyes.
“I don’t know,” he answered, caught a little off guard.
“You don’t know?” Clark asked. “Look, there are lots of dudes out there, Sol. Lots of dudes.”
“Yeah, but, I’m here. They’re there. It’s just how it is.”
“Clark, leave it alone,” Lisa said.
“All right. Sorry. Just, you’re a catch, man. Handsome. Funny. You’ve got all seven seasons of STTNG on DVD.”
That made Solomon laugh and the red went out of his cheeks soon enough. This guy didn’t care if he was gay or straight or agoraphobic or anything. He was perfect. And he was probably the closest Solomon was ever going to get to a boyfriend. Which, despite sounding heartbreaking, actually felt like a real win for a kid who’d only been slightly out of the closet for a month.
A few minutes later, Solomon’s parents got home and walked in on the three of them joking around and eating in the kitchen.
“Troublemakers,” Solomon’s dad said.
“Mom, Dad, this is Clark.”
Clark hopped down from the counter and walked over to shake their hands.
“Jason Reed. Nice to meet you,” Solomon’s dad said. “This is Valerie.”
“Hi. So nice to meet you,” Clark said.
“You have beautiful teeth,” Valerie said. “Do you floss?”
“Every day,” he answered. “And I’ve never had a cavity.”
“Good to hear,” she said. “Lisa, he’s a keeper.”
“I see you guys are getting a pool,” Clark said. “What’s that, a standard eight footer?”
“You looking to buy one yourself, Clark?” Jason asked with a grin.
“I wish,” he answered. “I’ve been begging my mom for one since I was five.”
“Come use ours anytime,” Valerie said.
“Awesome.”
“Yeah, even if you don’t like Solomon,” Jason joked.
“Wow. Nice, Dad. You guys want to go watch a movie or something?”
“Sure,” Lisa said.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Clark said. “I brought Community so you could see the Dreamatorium.”
“Awesome,” Solomon said.
“Okay, you guys have fun with whatever all that means,” Valerie said. “I’ve got a Pat Conroy book that isn’t going to read itself.”
“And I’ve got a lawn to mow,” Jason said, walking away in the opposite direction of his wife.
“Dude, they’re awesome.”
“Yeah, I like ’em okay,” Solomon said.
“No, really. My mom’s a basket case, man. You’ve got it good.”
“He’s right,” Lisa said. “You may suck at cards, but you definitely win the parent game.”
“It’s too bad I’ve driven them so crazy,” he said. “They used to have fun. Used to go on trips and stuff. Last night was the longest they’ve been out in a while, aside from work.”
“They afraid to leave you alone?” Clark asked. “You seem pretty self-sufficient to me.”
“It’s not that,” he said. “It makes them feel guilty or something. I don’t know. It’s like they’re holding out until I’m better.”
“They don’t make you see a shrink?”
“Used to,” Solomon said. “Came here once a week.”
“When did that stop?” Lisa asked.
“A little after the first year. She kept putting me on medicine that made me sick. I begged and begged and they finally told her to stop coming.”
“I saw a therapist when I was younger,” Clark said. “I was scared to sleep in my room alone.”
“That’s normal, though,” Lisa said.
“Not when you’re twelve,” he added.
“I asked my dad if I could try marijuana once,” Solomon blurted out.
“Seriously? Dude, we go to high school in California. We can get you weed.”