Variation on a Theme, Book 7
Copyright© 2026 by Grey Wolf
Chapter 42: Relationships Explained
Saturday, October 11, 1986
We left Camille and Francis’s at eleven, picked up Angie and Paige, and headed to a Chinese buffet fairly near the Astrodome. The parents, and Candice and Sherry, would meet us at the game. This lunch was for us.
‘Us,’ in this case, included me, Jas, Angie, Paige, Cammie, Mel, Megan, and Calvin. There were plenty of hugs all around when we met each other, and lively conversation around the meal. Calvin and Megan both looked great and were clearly in top shape. Not that we weren’t, but there’s a difference between a healthy regular student and an athlete on a relatively controlled diet and a strict exercise program.
Athletically, their futures were up in the air. Calvin was at least drawing a bit of attention from NBA scouts, but not a lot. There was no WNBA, so Megan would have to make herself a candidate for the Olympics to have a future. She was, according to herself, ‘marginal.’ Not out, but a long shot.
Non-academically, there was no official news. They seemed to be going strong, though. Lots of hand-holding, a few quick kisses, and the like. They wanted to hear all about our upcoming weddings. Megan mentioned wanting to talk to the girls at length about ideas. Clearly, she was at least pre-planning a wedding, even in advance of an engagement.
Talk of weddings brought an announcement from Mel.
“Speaking of weddings, Emily, Mark, and Morty have set a date. June 20th of next year. They’re using our venue. Mom and Dad aren’t completely happy, but there’s no way their minister would marry three people. It’s edgy even for the Unitarians. Since it can’t be a legal marriage, Dr. Schulman will have to emphasize that, since he can make legal marriages.”
“I never would’ve predicted them making it,” Calvin said, chuckling. “Not that I knew them well, but...”
Mel laughed.
“Oh, they were ridiculous for a while. Most people probably thought they were all the way through high school, but it was ... not exactly an act, but their public face.”
“Like my NBA gangster look,” Calvin said, grinning.
“Yeah, right!” Megan said. “You’d better be glad you didn’t try that! Not just me, but your daddy would’ve had words with you!”
“Yes, dear,” Calvin said, making us all laugh.
Fortunately, that included Megan, who hugged him and kissed his cheek.
“Anyway, yeah,” Mel said. “It started as ... I dunno. It wasn’t a joke, ever, really. Emily jokes plenty, but not that way. And they were together right from the start. But I don’t think any of them expected it to stick even for that first year.”
She paused, then added, “It’s funny. All three of them knew I was gay, of course, since we joined study group. So, pretty much, we spent years knowing the parents weren’t getting the weddings they expected. But Mom and Dad get the right number of daughters-in-law, so there’s that.”
That got another round of laughter.
Megan looked around the table and said, “None of us are in really traditional couples. That’s kinda cool, in a way. You pretty much have to get to Gene and Sue to get there. Amit and Sheila aren’t. Connie and Jimmy aren’t.”
“We’re the future,” Angie said. “And ... seriously, this is new. Thirty years ago, some of our couples would have been illegal. One year ago, some of us couldn’t legally have sex. Emily and the Wonder Twins still have to dodge legal issues, but only if they file for marriage. It’s our lifetime. Our generation. Fights fought by generations before us, certainly, though we’re still fighting, but it’s really no surprise parents need some time to adjust.”
“The big thing is that most of them can adjust,” Megan said. “I mean, my parents have been great.”
“Mine, too,” Calvin said.
“But,” Megan added, “I get it. It worried me, but only a little. I knew my parents. But I knew about yours, too, Cammie, and that sucked so much.”
“I’m not holding my breath,” Cammie said. “Maybe, one day, we’ll be able to talk about it, at least. Maybe not. Mel’s parents are great, though.”
“Now!” Mel said. “They needed a bit of tough love. Thank God for Emily! She’s an awesome sister-in-law, even if that’s not official yet.”
“Meanwhile, I had no worries about what my parents would think about Jas,” I said. “Thankfully!”
“My family has plenty of white guys scattered around,” Jas said, giggling.
“For me, it was ‘been there, done that,’” Paige said.
“I was worried!” Angie said. “It was a big deal, but they’ve been amazingly good.”
“And, for all of us — except Cammie, sadly — we’ve done the work,” Megan said. “Our kids won’t have this with their parents or grandparents. Maybe their in-laws, maybe not, but that’s how you make progress — one family at a time.”
We talked for a while longer, then headed over to the Astrodome. Megan and Calvin were sitting with us instead of their usual groups for this one game. That let the parents say hello. None of our parents knew them well, certainly, but enough to talk a bit.
The game itself was a bit of a slog. A&M shot itself in the foot over and over and had to settle for four field goals and one touchdown. The defense, though, played extremely well, giving up only one touchdown — and that on a short field after a partly blocked punt.
It ended 19-7. Not nearly as big of a margin as it should have been, but we were undefeated heading into next week’s showdown with Baylor. Arkansas loomed, but Baylor was better, at least on paper. None of the other conference teams looked as tough, although t.u. would probably be tough simply because they were always tough against A&M.
After the game, we said farewell to Calvin and Megan, promising to see them in the spring at one basketball game or another. We said farewell to the Nguyens and Seilers, too. Our next time seeing them would likely be at ‘A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum’. If not then, it would be on Friday, November 28th, when we would actually celebrate Thanksgiving. The t.u. game was in Austin on Thanksgiving Day. We could host Thanksgiving at lunchtime on Thanksgiving Day, then drive to Austin, though. Everyone agreed to consider it and see what was best.
When we got home, we settled in the living room, talking about classes, our winter plans, and other things. That lasted for a while, after which Dad went to his desk to perform his usual Saturday ritual of paying bills and checking the accounts. The game had delayed that.
After a bit, I said, “We had something to talk about, Mom.”
“Just you, though,” Jas added.
“I can do that,” Mom said, smiling and looking curious.
We moved the conversation to my room, making Mom even more curious.
“What is it this time?” she said. “I’m guessing not money!”
“Nope,” I said, chuckling. “If it was, it would have to be something where we’re even more worried about Dad’s heart.”
She chuckled, too, and said, “That’s fine! Fortunately! I think you might have taken care of that last time, though. If large numbers appear now, we at least have an idea they’re coming.”
“That’s true,” Jas said.
“So ... this is ... um,” I said, likely blushing. “Awkward, is what this is! We — Angie and I, I mean, but also Jas and I — make a point of not underestimating what you know, and some of this is ... we know how it might have come up.”
Mom blinked and said, “This must be about relationships, then.”
“It is,” I said.
She nodded. “I feel certain I don’t need to worry, at least!”
“You don’t,” Jas said. “Goodness, no! Nothing has changed! We’re in great shape.”
“Good!” Mom said.
“The thing is ... well...” Jas said, then giggled. “Nothing has changed. Meaning ... some of this — a lot of it — is about things that have always been there.”
Mom nodded.
I took over, and said, “I’ll just start with maybe the biggest thing. Like I said, I might just be saying something you know. And ... I know you, Mom. You’ll know why this conversation is happening in 1986 and not in 1982. Though it continues a conversation we had back then. The one after Cindy Baird tried to mess with Megan and me.”
Mom smiled, but said nothing. I was pretty sure we were right, and she had at least a guess.
“So ... the thing is...” I started.
Jas stepped in and said, “The thing is, we ... things looked... ‘promising’ is a really good word ... anyway, things looked promising much earlier than I’d expected. It surprised me quite a bit!”
Mom nodded and said, “It surprised us less, I think. Things with Candice and Nancy both looked promising for a while.”
“I knew that,” Jas said, nodding. “It was me. I hadn’t had a lot of luck sustaining dating relationships. Suddenly, I was.”
Mom nodded.
“Anyway ... Steve has said, many times — probably more than I know! — that he wants a relationship like you and Sam have, in terms of being perfect for each other, even more deeply in love than when you started — all of that. Which, of course, I want just as much, and which describes my parents, too.”
“That always makes me a bit emotional,” Mom said, smiling. “It’s special. Not something I expected, but ... it makes total sense. I just didn’t know that you would see it that way until you did. A lot of kids don’t ... I mean...”
She sighed, shook her head a little, and said, “We’re old and boring, right? Parents! Ancient! Who wants that? I know that’s not what you mean, but it’s ... you mean it how you say it.”
“We do,” Jas said. “But ... there’s more. Once it started looking as if we might have a future, we needed to discuss it. And ... I also wanted a relationship like my parents have, in a different way. I made sure it was okay to say this. Their relationship has never been... ‘forsaking all others.’ That’s what I wanted, and I said that to Steve. We agreed, and ... we haven’t looked back.”
Mom blushed a bit, but only slightly. It was minor enough that I was pretty certain she must have known, or at least suspected.
She confirmed it immediately. “Camille and I have talked a lot. I ... I knew that. Oh, not ... um.”
She hesitated, then continued, saying, “Not for the two of you, except ... guessing? Not that I want to guess. But ... you’ve certainly given me hints. Yes, including that conversation, Steve.”
She smirked at me, then said, “There was a lot of time spent with Jessica, and ... it was obviously okay with you, Jasmine.”
Jasmine blushed and said, “At one point, it wasn’t. But that was when I wasn’t in my right mind. After that, it was ... I trust Steve to the bottom of my heart.”
“And I trust Jas completely,” I said.
Jas said, “The way we see it, we’re fully committed to each other. No one else threatens that, and everyone knows we’re committed. And ... it’s added a lot to our relationship.”
“It really has,” I said.
Mom nodded, looking thoughtful. After a pause, she finally said, “I ... I knew some of that. Not the details. Not that I know details now! But ... both the commitment — that’s obvious! — and that you ... um. Wouldn’t...”
She hesitated, looking for a word.
“Cheat?” Jas said.
“That’ll do,” Mom said, nodding.
“We’re vehemently anti-cheating,” Jas said. “No worries there.”
Mom said, “Good! I am, too!”
“We have rules. I don’t mind sharing those,” I said. “Happy to.”
“If I need to know, I’ll ask,” Mom said. “For me ... it’s ... this is another place where I have trouble with it on religious grounds, but that’s enormously tempered by knowing both of you and how you see things. And, also, by ... you made your decision first. If you make promises and then follow them, isn’t that how a marriage should be?”
“We think so,” I said, nodding firmly. “The core of it is promises. For us, it’s really like the wedding vows. Put each other first. Love, honor, and cherish, until death do us part.”
“For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health,” Jas added.
“The same as for us, of course,” Mom said. “Except for your leaving out the ‘forsaking all others’ part out. Even without it, there must be solid lines there.”
“Very solid,” Jas said, nodding.
“I could have guessed. Which ... means I have guessed,” Mom said, smiling a bit. “Too many girls! Except ... obviously ... I mean...”
She turned red, but continued, saying, “Some of them ... clearly no. Some? I don’t know. And I don’t want to know! We did this years ago, Steve. You were right not to answer then, and I don’t want to know now.”
After a brief pause, she added, “On a related note ... though it wasn’t related until ... well. Anyway!” Mom said. “Just in case I needed to say it, Camille let me know you and Paige dated, back in the day, Jasmine.”
Jas blushed, but only a little.
“We did,” she said.
“It was less of a surprise than it might have been,” Mom said.
Jas giggled and blushed.
“I’m glad I didn’t actually have to explain that,” she said.
“I can imagine!” Mom said. “Honestly, it’s ... it’s pretty interesting. Angie dated a few boys, then Paige. You and Paige both dated boys. I could go back to saying it’s a choice, but I’m leaning toward what Steve said. Some people choose, and some people are one way or the other.”
“For me, it’s ... I love who I love,” Jas said. “I think that’s also who Paige is. It’s so much more about the person than whether they’re a guy or a girl.”
“Whereas I’m pretty firmly over on the ‘only girls’ side,” I said, chuckling.
Mom chuckled, too, nodding. Then she shook her head. “Like everything — there’s a reason you’re mentioning it, I think.”
I smiled and said, “There are a couple of reasons. I don’t think maybe the biggest is imminent. But I was Jessica’s date to the ‘Back to the Future’ premiere, and I’m slated to be her date for her next movie. Maybe that’ll be the time. We joke about some paparazzi taking a picture of us — even an innocent one — and spinning a narrative of my cheating on Jasmine. Even with Jasmine at the premiere, it could happen. For us, it would be a joke. It might not be for other people, though.”