20
Janice hands her coat to Claire and accepts a kiss on the cheek. Looks her daughter-in-law up and down with distaste. A short, purple dress and red heels for Thanksgiving Lunch? Really? So inappropriate. She looks around; of course, the house is spotless as usual. That’s one thing she can’t fault the woman on, her housekeeping skills, but of course given the line of work she’s in, Janice supposes she has to be tidy.
“Who does that car belong to?” Robert asks as they step into the living room.
Matthew is pouring a drink at the drinks cabinet, no doubt scotch for his father; Alexander is standing by the window talking to someone Janice doesn’t know. She frowns; she didn’t know they were inviting anybody else today. But that’s Claire all over, inviting waifs and strays to family gatherings. Even more unbelievable is Alexander’s face. He clearly hasn’t shaved for several days. Has he lost his job she wonders; it wouldn’t surprise her. Who is that man?
“Alexander, really, you could at least have shaved before coming out,” she says, pleased when he raises a hand to the mess on his chin. He’s wearing a wrist watch in the place of his leather cuff. Where did that come from? Claire hands her a glass of wine. If it’s chardonnay she’s not drinking it.
“Who does the car belong to?” Robert asks again, accepting a glass from Matthew.
“The BMW? That’s mine,” the stranger says, smiling.
Really, is nobody going to tell her who he is? Infuriated, she approaches, hand out. In the kitchen, Matthew begins carving the turkey
“My name is Janice Davis, I’m Matthew and Alexander’s mother. You are?”
He takes her hand in a firm grip and she notices his shirt is silk. He looks directly at her and she flinches.
“I’ve heard a lot about you Mrs. Davis. My name is Ben Larsen.”
What does he mean, he’s heard about her? How has he heard about her? Who would be telling him about her? She looks at Alexander, but he avoids her eye and a dreadful thought tries to form. She tries to push it away but to her horror, her son is stepping forward and putting his hand on the small of the man’s back. Touching him. Intimately. Like a – she snatches her hand away from the man.
“Mom, Dad,” Alexander’s voice is low and shaky, and she turns to look at him as shocked understanding washes over her like iced water, “I’d like you to meet my boyfriend, Ben.”
Robert makes a choking sound as Janice wipes her hand on the front of her black skirt, mouth turned down in disgust. How dare he bring that man in here? How dare he parade his depravity in his brother’s house and in front of her? And what did that mean, he has heard about her? What has Alexander been telling him?
“I should have known you couldn’t live a decent life,” she snarls, taking a step toward him. “How dare you -”
“Mom, this is my house and Alex and Ben are welcome here. I suggest you sit down and be quiet,” Matthew says, putting down the carving knife and stepping between her and his brother.
“Robert, get your coat, we’re leaving.”
“We haven’t had lunch,” Robert says.
“Get your coat,” she repeats, seething.
Claire steps forward and folds her arms.
“Janice, Matt did not cook a full Thanksgiving meal just for you to behave like a spoiled child. Now sit down.”
Janice covers her mouth with her hand, too astounded to speak. She turns to look at Robert and to her dismay sees he is sitting at the table. And that man is holding Alexander’s hand and leading him to the table as if they’re all going to sit down to lunch. He cannot possibly imagine that she will eat with … with … them.
“I told you Alexander, I will not tolerate this behavior,” she says but Matthew cuts her off.
“Well, congratulations Mom, you’re doing a good job of demonstrating how good you are at intolerance. You’re also being extremely rude. Now either sit down or leave, I don’t care which, but please stop talking.”
“Robert, do something,” she demands.
“I am doing something, I’m having lunch. I’m hungry and I’m not letting a couple of limp wristed faggots have my turkey,” Robert says reaching for a bread roll.
To Janice’s fury, Ben throws back his head and laughs.