I’ve joined the Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook. From their description: “Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week to share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).” Pretty cool, eh? Don’t forget to “Like” my Facebook page and/or my Facebook profile while you’re over there checking out this fantastic group!
Today I’m giving a snippet from my recently completed short story, titled From This Day Forward, which is direct sequel to ’Til Death Do Us Part (now available at JMS Books). I’m planning to submit it for JMS’s Summer Lovin’ submissions call.
A little background leading into this week’s snippet: This picks up immediately after the snippet I gave you a couple weeks ago, in which Aiden had been playing with a group of children, and had just run up to Henry and his husband, Sam, so he could ask Sam two questions: “What’s a doofus,” followed by “What’s a doody-head.”
This is told from Henry’s 1st-person POV:
Was it wrong that I was relieved Aiden was directing these questions at Sam, and not me? How do children somehow know which parent to go to for different issues? Sam handled it without losing any of his composure, as if it was the kind of question he was used to handling every day—although considering some of the students that went through the intro classes at the university, that might not be too far-fetched of a supposition.
“It’s essentially the same thing as doofus. Silly words kids say when they want to insult someone.”
“So it’s not nice, right?”
#RainbowSnippets
From This Day Forward is a short story (approx. 10k words) targeted for JMS Books’ Summer Lovin’ submissions call. It is a direct sequel to ’Til Death Do Us Part, but it will also stand on its own.
What are Sam and Henry up to during the summer after Henry’s rescue? They’d thought adopting Buddy/Aiden was going to be smooth sailing, but will it be?
Click here for the blurb, excerpt, and all the buy & review links
Heh, the trials of parenting. Now my daughter’s a teenager, it’s more likely to be me asking her what certain words mean… 😉
Ha! I did that to my kids (all adults now) during a game of “Cards Against Humanity.” If you’re familiar with the game, you know how awful some of the words are. I actually knew the answer… just wanted to see them squirm and refuse to answer. 🙂
Hahaha! Yes, kids know. Mine know I’m usually the go-to for defining various terms. Although I’ll admit that I’ve asked my middle schooler what some things mean as well—I’m not always up on teenage slang. True story: when I had “the talk” with my older child, his first question to me was to ask how two men do that. (Yes, I answered him.)
Oh, to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation. 😀
We were in the car. I nearly swerved. Obviously I wasn’t expecting that! But then I realized he’s been around a lot of LGBTQ+ folks his whole life, and it occurred to me he might be as well so I’d better not misstep. I kept everything calm and casual. For reasons, I’m now very glad I did. But at the time…yeah, it was surprising!
I wonder why kids think hitting us with potential shockers while we’re driving is a good thing? I guess maybe they figure we’re predisposed to stay relatively calm since our lives depend on it? I was driving my daughter when she announced she was bi- and had a girlfriend (they are now married).
For the record, although I wasn’t expecting that, I wasn’t at all upset. Nor did she expect me to be since I’d been following and “liking” positive LGBT articles on my RL FB for a while by then, because I’d suspected my son might be gay and wanted to make sure he knew I’d be supportive. Turns out I was wrong there, but it ended up being a good thing I was making that obvious anyway! 🙂
I know! My son has told me all his Very Important Things in the car. I wonder if they do it because they feel safer—like it’s not as threatening as asking us to sit down in the living room. My younger one prefers to talk when I’m tucking her in at night (or at the dinner table…LOL). But he’s always talked more in the car.
I’m glad your kids knew they could come to you, regardless of what they did or didn’t need. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of the good feeling when they trust me with their hearts. <3
I still think “doody head” is a great term. LOL Love the line about the students in the intro classes. LOL
Thanks! 🙂
Oh, man. I live in a college town, and over the past couple years I’ve gone back and taken a few classes. Either the general student population is sillier than they used to be, or my perspective has changed considerably since I graduated “way back when.” Probably the latter…
Ha, ha, ha… should probably be grateful it was only doofus and dodo-head *g*
No doubt! 🙂
Ah the joys of parenting. It can be the same being an aunty and a teacher.
Very true! 🙂
I can’t see that adopting a kid will ever be smooth sailing…
Probably not! 🙂