“What gives?” James asked, slowing down yet again. He had left plenty of time for them to get there. After all, it would take Daniel some time to get into makeup once they arrived.
“I suggested that your mom get a new table and chairs in a lighter shade, change the wall color to brighten up the place, and maybe replace the floors with a lighter wood laminate and have the cabinets professionally cleaned to refresh the finish. Apparently, she’s started the process.”
“Did she get rid of the commandments?” James asked.
“Not exactly,” Daniel snickered as James pulled to a complete stop. They were only a few miles from their exit, and James wished they’d been in a cruiser and he could simply put on his lights and bypass this mess. Not that he would, but a policeman could dream, after all. “Your mother added to them.”
“Oh god,” James groaned, and Gran patted his shoulder.
Daniel cleared his throat. “Number eleven: thou shall marry and love the person who makes you happy.”
“You’re making that up,” James charged, and Daniel pulled the phone away as traffic started up again.
“Watch the road, and I am not. That’s what it says. Number twelve: thou shall love thy brothers-in-law, no matter what they wear or how they dress. I think that’s a reference to Howard’s lime-green shoes from Halloween,” Daniel quipped, probably to cover the hitch in his voice that James caught anyway. James patted his leg, damned proud of his mom. “Number thirteen: thou shall love thy entire family…one and all…without reservation.” Daniel put down the phone, turning toward the window. “Dang it.”
James understood exactly how Daniel was feeling. “Did she tell you she and Dad joined PFLAG? Apparently Margot took them to her Gay-Straight Alliance meeting at school, and they got them in touch.”
“Yeah. She said she and your father are planning to come to Chicago this June for Pride. I thought she was putting me on. I guess not.” Daniel put his hand on top of James’s. “If you would have told me when I first met them that your family would welcome me, I would have thought you were crazy.”
James had to agree with him. “I would have thought I’d taken the train to Looneyville myself.”
“Folks surprise you,” Gran said, and James nodded. His family certainly fit into that category.
The traffic ahead of them started to move just enough that James was able to slide over into the right lane and take the exit, weaving through city streets and down the alley to the theater door. “Is there anything you need?”
“Are you going to come in?”
James shook his head and reached behind his seat, handing Daniel a cooler bag. “She and I are going to have a quick dinner and then we’ll be back. I made you something light to eat. I know they always have things there, but I tried to get some of your favorites.” Daniel took the bag, leaning in to share a kiss, which James wished could go on for hours. Then Daniel got out, closed the door, and after waving, James pulled away.
“Have you got everything?” Gran asked.
“You better believe it. We’ll eat and change clothes. Then come back closer to showtime so he doesn’t see us.” Now all he had to do was put his plan into action.
* * *
“How did you know what color tie to wear?” Gran asked as she stepped out of the restaurant’s ladies’ room, dressed in a vintage cream dress that went nearly to the floor. James was in a black tuxedo, white shirt, and royal blue bow tie. “I know you wanted to coordinate.”
“Daniel said that tonight is the Ice-travaganza, which means Daniel will be the Ice Queen in blue trimmed with white.” He had managed to extract all the information he needed without making Daniel suspicious. “Here’s your coat.” He held it for her and then put on his own, gathering their old clothes in the hanger bag he’d brought. “Let’s go.” James took Gran’s arm and was sure to tip the hostess, who had allowed them to change in the restrooms, as they headed out into the evening.
James placed their clothes in the trunk, got Gran in the car for the return to the theater, and parked in the performers’ lot, where a space had been saved for them. Candy met them at the theater door, beautiful in white and blue. “Get in here right away. Lala’s still in her dressing room.”
“Thanks for helping,” James whispered.
Candy fanned her face. “Are you kidding? This is beautiful.” She motioned them through the side of the stage.