My Only Exception (gxg)

Part 7

I met Poppy a few times while she and Emily were dating. This was back when Emily was still in college, so the times I met Poppy were when we both were visiting Emily at her University, which was only a half hour away.

I remember a few things I learned about Poppy. She was a year older than us, making her 23 now. At the time she worked at Starbucks, and I remembered her saying that her parents were divorced and she had three siblings. Otherwise, nothing.

I didn't like Poppy all that much when I met her. It seemed like she was constantly trying to take Emily's attention away from me. It kind of worked, considering Emily liked her so much. Poppy was also very touchy with Emily in front of me, as if claiming her stake.

Who was still in Emily's life now though?

Me. Not Poppy.

I worked with Poppy a couple of more times, until we were closed for Thanksgiving.

Every year for Thanksgiving, I go to my grandmother's house. It is just me and my mom, as I have no siblings, but I do have a lot of cousins since my mom has 4 sisters.

It's always just been my mom and I. My dad is simply just a sperm donor. He's someone my mom had a one night stand with, she told him she was pregnant and keeping the baby, and he didn't want to be in my life.

She told me his name when I was 16, Joey Capelli. I looked him up on Facebook. He had a wife and three kids. It stung, and it still stings. I never reached out to him. I figured I would just be rejected.

I always enjoy going to my grandmothers for Thanksgiving. I like seeing all of my cousins, as some of them are close in age to me.

I always get the question, do I have a girlfriend? Thankfully my mom and my family accept my sexuality, but I still hate getting the question. It makes me feel like I should have a girlfriend.

Corrine and I liked a couple of posts of each other on Instagram, but she hadn't messaged me, and I was nervous to message her. While I am not afraid of confrontation and being honest, making the first move makes me nervous.

My Uncle Tom was the first one to ask me if I had a girlfriend.

"I don't, Uncle Tom," I said back, "Maybe next year."

"You said that last year!" he said back to me with a laugh.

My mom had a few glasses of wine at Thanksgiving. We all know she's an alcoholic, and my grandmother has said things to her in the past about getting help, but my mom refuses and doesn't think she has a problem.

Thankfully, my mom was fine with me driving us home from Thanksgiving.

"Are you going Black Friday shopping with Emily tomorrow?" my mom asked me as I drove us home.

"No, I work tomorrow."

"On Black Friday? That'll be a mess."

"I know. I'm not looking forward to it."

"I'm going out to brunch and shopping with a couple friends. I'll get you something nice."

"Thanks, mom," I said back, "I appreciate it."

When I got home, I curled up in bed next to Penelope. I thankfully was working the afternoon shift, so it didn't matter as much that I would inevitably have trouble sleeping.

I checked Instagram, and saw I had a message.

It was from Corrine.

It said: Hey, sorry this is random! I've been wanting to message you, and I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.