When his snobbish future in-laws travel all the way from Boston to visit, wise-cracking Southerner Wiley Cantrell learns gay marriage is not without its disadvantages. He’s preoccupied by concerns over the health of his special needs son Noah, a meth baby who was not expected to live yet is now on the cusp of puberty, and the antics of Wiley's outrageous would-be mother-in-law and severely conservative father-in-law strain his relationship with Jackson Ledbetter, a pediatric nurse who poses problems of his own. As their respective families meet and greet, each just as meddlesome and inflexible as the other, North meets South and the fireworks and cultural misunderstandings are plenty.<br><br>Then a tornado blows through the small Mississippi town where Wiley's mother lives, wrecking his mother's house and leaving their lives in disarray. And Jackson's secret drug addiction comes to light, devastating Wiley and Noah. With so many stones in the road, Wiley and Jackson find their dream of becoming a real family falling apart. Though Wiley relies on humor to cope, he'll need something more to keep his happily ever after from slipping away.

Stones in the Road

“This is ridiculous,” Jackson muttered.


“I’ll be happy to take your test,” I said.


“I don’t care,” I said, wondering what Jackson’s problem was. “I don’t do drugs. I don’t even drink beer. I don’t care about your stupid test.”


“Your cooperation is appreciated, but we really need for both of you to take the tests.”


Her eyes drifted over the tops of her glasses to Jackson, as if issuing a challenge.


“While we’re doing that,” she went on, “perhaps Miss Cynthia could interview Noah? She will need some privacy. Is there a bedroom we could use? We will also need to conduct a physical examination of Noah to make sure he is okay. It would be very helpful if you cooperated fully in this regard. He seems very healthy, and I’m sure there will be no problems to report, but you understand we must check for ourselves.”


Chapter 33