Cabin Fever (BXB)

My Boyfriend's Parents are Confused (April, 2020)

"That's the thing I'm confused by. I didn't send you an email."

"You said that Dad was sick, and that I needed to come home."

"Simon, your father is fine." She gestures up the stairs to her husband.

"I'm fine," Mr. Hopkins says.

"He's off work right now because of his back."

"I'm fine, Amy," Mr. Hopkins says. "It's a strain, not a partial dislocation."

She rolls her eyes at him. "And you." She slaps the air around his head, frowning and trying to be playful. "You show up out of the blue without so much as a phone call?"

Simon says nothing. He clenches his jaw.

Something is missing in all this, and this heavy feeling in my stomach is too much for me to handle, so I step forward and try to wedge myself between her and Simon. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Hopkins," I say, smiling. "I'm Micah. I haven't heard a lot about you or Simon's dad, but I hope I get the opportunity to get to know you." I keep smiling even though the look on her face says she still doesn't know who I am, and I'm realizing how stupid or freaking deranged I sound saying things like that.

I'm right, too, because Mrs. Hopkins asks, "I-I'm sorry, Micah, but who – ?" She turns back to Mr. Hopkins. "Honey, did you email Simon?"

"No," he says, and its so definitive that something crumples in me. "Why would I?"

"'Why would you'?" I ask. I look up at him, and my head starts spinning. How big is this house? "We got an email from Mrs. Hopkins saying you were sick! Why wouldn't we come back and – "

"Who are you?" asks Mr. Hopkins.

I take in a breath and smile. "Oh, uh, I...guess that was lost in translation or something. Right?" I turn to Simon to give me some idea of what's going on, but he has that vacant look in his eyes, like he's trying to dissociate or something. And when I see it, the awful pit in my stomach grows. "I-I'm Micah Cohen. I'm your son's boyfriend, and it's a pleasure to meet you – "

"Boyfriend?" asks Mrs. Hopkins.

I don't know what else to say. I silently beg someone to stop me. It's a pleasure to meet you. It's a pleasure to meet you. My smiling's starting to hurt.

"Oh...o-oh, Simon!" Her eyes light up with the realization, and she smiles. She hugs her son, rocking him back and forth before pushing off him, and shakes my hand ferociously. "Oh my gosh! Forgive me, Micah, I-I didn't realize you were Simon's boyfriend. Welcome to our home! What brings you this far out? We all thought Simon was in Alabaster-by-Sea."

My eyes are on Mr. Hopkins. He looks pained. Uncomfortable. Sad, even.

I look at Simon, who has never seemed more exhausted to me than right this second. My heart aches for him, and he feels too far away to reach.

"Well, regardless, you're here now. Are you hungry? Thirsty? It's been so long since Simon's been home – " Mrs. Hopkins shakes her hands in front of her face, frazzled or trying to regain her train of thought. "Are you staying? For how long? Oh, I haven't cleaned your room in a while. The cleaner's been off for the past couple weeks, so things might be a little dusty."

"O-oh, we're not...fussy. I...don't know how you'll feel with me rooming with Simon, especially since you just met me, so I'd be more than happy to take the couch if need be – I've done it before." Although I feel like this house has 70 bedrooms. All with en-suites. "Not a particularly fussy sleeper. One time, I fell asleep on a bike while waiting for one of my friends to show up. Still have a scar on my leg from when it tipped over." I laugh.