Long Way Out, page 32
“You got a D.U.I.?” queried Mia. “When did that happen?”
“Way to go, Dad,” Rory groused.
“Hey!” Russell responded. “I wasn’t the one who got shit-faced and crashed his car.”
“Okay, you guys!” said Tess, slipping back into her accustomed role of family referee. “It’s Thanksgiving. Let’s not...”
“You’re so right, Tess,” admitted Russell. “I’m sorry.”
“Whoa!” chortled Tess. “I’m assuming everybody heard that. Right?”
“When you’re right, you’re right, Woman,” Russell acknowledged. “And I’m not too proud to say right it out loud.”
“Well,” Tess said, “that makes my Thanksgiving even better.”
Smiling warmly at his ex, Russell rose to his feet. “We all have a lot to be thankful for,” he announced, raising his glass. “Let’s toast...” Glasses lifted around the table. “... to family, friendship, and love.”
Jamal sidled up, encircling Russell’s shoulder with his beefy arm and kissing him sweetly on his temple. “To family, friendship, and love,” Jamal repeated, accompanied by the high-pitched tinkle of glass clinking glass.
Some version of a smile spread across each face as they all sampled a sip of sweet, caramel-colored liqueur. Even Hank, typically sullen and withdrawn, showed a momentary glimmer of contentment. One voice after another spoke: “Happy Thanksgiving.”
Russell and Jamal stood at the head of the table, nose-to-nose, lost in each other’s eyes. “Happy Thanksgiving, Jimbo,” Russell whispered.
“Happy Thanksgiving, Rustypuss,” purred Jamal.
THE END
About the Author
Rand Bishop enjoyed a 45-year music-business career as a major-label recording artist, touring musician, hit songwriter, platinum record producer, talent development executive, and music publisher. He garnered a Grammy nomination, several BMI Awards and more than 300 songwriting credits with artists as diverse as the Beach Boys, Heart, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Indigo Girls, Cheap Trick, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
Bishop has authored six books, award-winning and optioned screenplays, a stage play, numerous essays and, for six years, contributed a bi-monthly column to American Songwriter Magazine. Medium lists Bishop as a Top LGBTQ writer on its platform.
Long Way Out is Bishop's second novel. He resides in Newport, Oregon, where he acts as music director for the Oregon Coast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
About the Publisher
Rand Bishop, Long Way Out
