It was just going to be a simple Spanish fabada bean and chorizo soup from his grandmother’s favorite recipe. Jake hoped for a nice meal and a better time with his widower father. His dad didn’t seem homophobic, but he just didn’t get that Jake was gay. A quiet dinner might clear the air.<br><br>But the trip to the supermarket was a disaster involving a bear and some sausage. Then his dad showed up accompanied by a health aide who isn’t quite what she seems. And the bear shows up, too.<br><br> Stress and rum piles up. Will Jake’s father get a new grandson? Does Jake have a bear in the kitchen and in the bedroom, too? Is this meal one big happy family gathering, or an even bigger disaster?

For Better or For Worse

This time, it had new meaning; meeting Larry and sharing that joyous, idiotic moment at the store the other day, finding a twin soul with my own sense of values and more importantly, humor. It was just my luck it wasn’t something exotic, but then I’m nothing special in the universe either. Normal/average/I am what I am is a good thing.


Eve said, “There, that’s that for now. Larry is going to swing by his house and get some clean clothes, and he can finish preparing this when he gets back. Are you hungry? I made porridge. Old people tummy sludge we call it at the home I worked in last year. It won’t hurt you, and you can add milk or water. I see you have some honey, so that will be good, too.”


So I ate nice hot porridge like the three bears left on their table and had my own little bear, Felicia, lick the bowl when I was done. “That was good,” I said as Eve sat across from me, holding a cup of coffee between two meaty hands.


Chapter 11