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Chapter 30- Grief at a Gathering (Part I)

It was over the festive Christmas break that the boys thought they would have to leave their new apartment and return to their parent's house for a short while, visiting whoever else decided that they were going to spend some time there.
Usually, for Connor, he was greeted by his grandparents, soon after followed by his childless aunt, Tina, who he barely ever saw, and her long-term boyfriend, Carl, that spoke more like a 'posh gentleman' than the characters of Downton Abbey. His mother often spoke to Tina the most over the family dinner, despite her being Simon's older sister, all the while her boyfriend spoke too much to Connor about school, which wouldn't bother him in the slightest if Carl didn't have a strange habit of asking his age six times every single year, without fail. Connor was nine years old when he first met Carl over Christmas, and he spent the majority of the time he spent in the house talking to him about his interest in books, giving him words to spell, which became part of their family traditions for the next few years. And from the age of ten, whenever Carl questioned him on his age, he told him he was 'almost a man'. When he finally answered with the knowledge that he was seventeen, Carl reared back in surprise and uttered "not long now." Connor was both curious and terrified to hear his reaction to finding out that he was now eighteen.
His grandparents were sweet to him, listening to his stories of his life in and out of school, eager to hear what state the shop was in, and if he and his parents were planning anything special for the new year. The Christmas previously, while his parents, Tina, and Carl were in the kitchen, cleaning after the meal, Connor sat down in the living room with both his mother's and his father's parents. Due to the rough past between their children, the couples used to dislike the thought of spending the holidays together, and it was thig particular Christmas that they told the young man this very fact.

"Of course, they're still our children. We can't start any arguments over Christmas, we all thought," his grandmother on his mother's side, Pat, explained to him, "and the first year that we came to see them both, back when they had just moved in together, they were already talking over the table to each other about marriage. Oh, but they looked so happy that we just couldn't say a word. They were finally over all of their differences, and so we all did the same."

His mother's father, Greg interjected eventually, "Of course, and we know for sure that it's because of us that you won't have to face the same problem, Connor," he assured. Greg always had a tone of certainty to his voice, a manner of speech that made him sound sure of absolutely everything; a trait that was obviously passed down to Nina.

His comment gave his other grandmother, Janette, a perfect opportunity to raise another subject. "Oh, that reminds me!" she suddenly exclaimed, "do you remember last year, Connor? What Paul said about how old you were?"
Connor shot a glance at Janette's husband, his grandfather Paul. He knew what it was that she was talking about, as the previous year, following Carl's reaction to him being sixteen, Paul had briefly mentioned the possibility of dating, at which point Connor had gone quiet, having already been with Jonah for a few weeks already.
He nodded at Janette, knowing exactly where she was going with this discussion.
"You're definitely old enough to have found yourself somebody now, aren't you? Do you have a girlfriend, Connor?"

The teen boy shook his head, earning a pitiful 'oh' from Pat.
"But I have someone," he had mumbled, hoping almost that nobody had heard what he had said. Although, it seemed Greg didn't struggle too much with hearing the words he'd said to himself, and with a serious look that was almost intimidating, he leaned forward towards the boy and simply said, "who is it, son?" His voice was calm, contrasting to his expression greatly.
It was only when Connor saw his father appear in the doorway out of the corner of his eye that he took a breath and spoke, the presence of his father giving him some sort of confidence.
"His name's Jonah," he said, quietly, "and we've been together for over a year."
He was surprised to notice the expression on Simon's face morphing from blank to one of relief. Clearly, he wasn't worried about what his parents and in-laws were going to say to such news. He was right not to concern himself, as Pat now produced another 'Oh', one of pleasant surprise, a smile now on her face.