It was 8 pm, right after dinner...

CVII

"Oi, Brett!"
"Yeah?"
Brett looked up from his phone and sat up a bit.
"Gonna order take out! You down?"
"Course!"
"What would you like? Your call! You haven't been able to have take out for forever."
Eddy's text from when Brett had been at the hospital popped up in Brett's mind, the one where he'd told Brett they'd order all the food Brett wanted and couldn't eat back then.
"Sushi!" he almost yelled instantly.
Eddy laughed. "Alright! Sushi!" He started scrolling through his phone to choose one of those Japanese delivery services.

They were waiting for about ten minutes, Eddy working on something on his laptop, Brett reading Demon Slayer on his phone, when his device suddenly showed an incoming phone call.

A call from home.

Brett looked at Eddy with a panicked expression. Eddy rushed over and made out the caller.
"Take it!", he whispered, although there was no reason why he'd have to lower the volume. A hand laid itself on Brett's shoulder, emitting warmth and security.

"Hello?", Brett managed, his throat dry like a desert.
"Hello, Brett."
His mother. His mum's voice was sounding through the speaker!
"Mum", he breathed.
"Hi. Listen, your father came home from work and I told him about... well, you and Eddy."
Brett and Eddy exchanged a puzzled look.
"Okay? Is he... uhm, is he around?"
"I am, son. Your mum has something to tell you. I'll talk to you later."
His mum had something to tell him? What? That he'd be disowned for good now? A bigger part of his brain freaked out and made a firm resolution to call his brother before he wasn't allowed to contact him anymore.

However, a smaller part of his mind recognized his mum's and dad's inflection, the tone their speech was carrying. He'd only heard it like thrice or four times in his life... once when they'd discussed if he was allowed to go to music uni...

"Uhm... I'm listening?"
There was a deep sigh audible before she said something Brett wouldn't have expected for the life of his.
"I am sorry, Brett. For how I reacted before. Of course, you are allowed to be with whomever you want, and we as your parents will always love and accept you for who you are."

If his eyes could actually pop out from his head, they'd be rolling on the floor by now! And Eddy's would have joined the party.
"Wha... Really?"
"Of course. I'm so sorry I hung up on you, Brett. It... I was a bit in shock, I must admit."
His mother apologized? What was going on? And then it hit him, because it was actually exactly like those few times he heard his parents speak like this.
"Did... does dad have something to do with this?"
"He talked some sense into me, yes."
"Wow...", was all he managed, some new tears threatening to spill over yet again. How was it even possible that he had any liquid left in his eyes?
"And we love Eddy. He's always been there for you!"
Same words, different mum.
"Especially now, when we can't. We know he's good for you! And we also know he looks after you like no one else does. So we will always welcome him as a part of our family."
"Wow..." Now those droplets made their way down Brett's face again. Eddy breathed in shakily and pulled Brett close to him, holding him tight.
"啊堯, 沒事了. 別哭. (Brett, don't cry. It's alright now.)", Brett's mum soothed and it was just like when he used to be a little kid and had fallen over and hurt himself.
"Brett", the low voice of his father rang through the speakers.
"Yes?", he sniffled. Eddy started stroking his back like he had done before during his first meltdown.
"We are happy for you. And we thank you for telling us. For trusting us to tell us about you guys."

We are happy for you! That did it. Brett couldn't utter a word. Never would he have imagined that his parents would be okay or even happy with his sexuality.
And maybe it wasn't really about that. Maybe it was because they knew him. And they knew Eddy. And they knew that it would work out well for them if they were together.
Didn't parents want the best for their kids in the end? Eddy was certainly the best thing there ever was and will be in Brett's life, the best person, best friend. Brett's parents must have come to this conclusion too, right?

"We are very sorry we made you worry in the first place", Brett's father said.
"No", he sobbed, which he probably hadn't done for two decades in front of his parents, "I'm just... really... glad it kinda worked out."
"I'm sorry for what I said before, Brett", he heard his mother say, her voice clearly moved.

"Thank you, Mrs. Yang. For apologizing and accepting us. It means the world to us", Eddy spoke up.
"Eddy! Thank you, for taking such good care of our son!", Brett's mum answered, "Make sure to stop by for some dinner when you guys are back."
"We will."

After they ended the phone call, Brett could do nothing but look at Eddy incredulously with teary eyes.
"That was not what I expected!"
"Yeah, me neither."
"I mean... my dad can be persuasive and he's less emotional, but that he'd convince mum..."
"Yeah... amazing! I'm so glad she came to her senses."
"Me too... I still can't believe it! I thought they were going to throw me out of the family, banish me or something."
Eddy snorted, his hands still holding Brett's arm and shoulder reassuringly. "As if they would do that!"
"They could have!"
"As if anyone would wanna break off relations with you!"
Brett's smile was tortured when he stated: "You're biased."
"Am not!"

The doorbell interrupted their conversation. Eddy smiled at Brett sweetly, the kind of smile which made Brett's head dizzy.
"I do love you, but even without any feelings involved, you're still the greatest guy to be around."
Brett blushed hard as Eddy got up and went to fetch their lunch.

And with a good, delicious japanese meal in front of their tv, they celebrated the fact that they not only managed to tell their parents, but also that they weren't kicked out of their respective families.

What a crazy start into the new year.