“Are you all right, dear man?” Maeve asks.
Instead of answering, Rodge rushes over to the door and dramatically pushes it open.
Melvin comes rushing in, brushing snow off his coat. “It’s about time, you stubborn old goat. I just about froze to death out there all because you’re so adverse to me moving on. Well, I came over here to tell you I got rid of that stupid Silver Singles app. If being single for the rest of my life is what it takes to make things right with you, then fine. Our friendship is that important to me.”
Rodge looks at Melvin for two intense heartbeats. Then he grabs the smaller man by the shoulders and kisses him hard on the mouth.
My heart thrills. I kind of figured this was where things were going, but apparently, Maeve and Siobhan didn’t. They audibly gasp.
After laying on that kiss, Rodge pulls back from Melvin, his eyes bright and intense. “That’s why I didn’t want you to move on. Not Kathy.”
Melvin looks thunderstruck. And so does Maeve.
“Do you mean to tell me you’ve been a poof all this time?” she asks Rodge, her voice filled to the brim with shock.
“Ayuh, all this time,” Rodge confirms, his eyes still on Melvin.
“And that’s why you never settled down?” Siobhan asks.
“That’s why,” he confirms.
Maeve’s face crumples. But then she says, “Oh, I’m so happy for you!” through her tears. “Finally living your truth as the young poofs on my unscripteds like to say.”
“Thanks, Maeve.” Rodge tears his gaze away from Melvin and regards her with an uncharacteristic soft look. “You truly are the best friend a grumpy old coot like me could ask for.”
Maeve flaps both hands over her teary face. “I’m just so glad you finally told Melvin what was really in your heart. I was afraid you were going to go off and die alone after Declan and Siobhan took over the inn. But now you have the chance to settle down with someone you love.”
“I don’t know about settling down…I think he’s still recovering from the kiss.” Rodge turns back to Melvin, who’s still standing there, his entire face beet red. “I know this must come as a surprise—”
“I can’t believe this! You idiot!” Melvin shouts.
We all recoil at his words, and Rodge takes a full step back.
Declan, who’s been doing a sort of silent “Whaaaa?” ping-pong head movement throughout all of this, finally recovers his ability to speak.
“Now Melvin, I know you’re surprised,” he says, coming over to get between them. “But that’s no reason to call Rodge names.”
“Yeah,” Siobhan comes over to stand beside her soon-to-be-husband. “My uncle’s not an idiot. He’s brave.”
She turns to smile up at Rodge. “And I couldn’t be prouder of him.”
“No, he’s an idiot,” Melvin shoots back, his voice surer than sure. “An IDIOT. All in caps.”
That light that had been spilling out of Rodge when he kissed Melvin. It’s gone now. And he no longer seems to be able to look the smaller man in the eye.
“Sorry,” he mumbles. “I shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”
With that apology, he starts to walk away.
But Melvin grabs his arm. “Yes, you should be sorry. Sorrier than anything. That night I told you I was moving on. If you hadn’t stopped me and cut off the friendship, I would have gotten around to the second part of the confession. I’m bi.”
This time I gasp right along with Maeve and Siobhan. I did not see that one coming.
“B-b-b-bi?” Rodge sputters.
“That means bisexual,” Maeve offers helpfully. “Like that Oberyn from Game of Thrones.”
“I know what it means!” Rodge says. He shakes his head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Melvin demands. “So many years…we wasted so much time.”
Rodge shakes his head. “It didn’t feel like a waste of time. If all I got were those dinners with you, I would have died happy. Not because I’m an idiot, but because I’m in love with you.”
Awwww, who knew Rodge was such a sentimental romantic underneath all that gruff? Well, I guess, Maeve did. Technically, she might have been right about him this whole time.
And Rodge’s words melt that angry look right off Melvin’s face.
“I love you too,” he says. “Kiss me again?”
Rodge steps back to him and slowly lowers his head. He then kisses Melvin so sweetly. By the time he’s done, my heart is a puddle of goo.
This time when Rodge steps back, he looks over at Hayato. “What did my mother think of that?” he asks.
“She was…very happy. Crying,” Hayato answers.
“Was?” Rodge asks.
Hayato gives him an apologetic head bow. “She faded halfway through the second kiss. You are happy now. And that meant she could pass on.”
“Oh…” A few emotions pass over Rodge’s face. “I just wish I could have thanked her.”
“I am sure she knew you were grateful,” Hayato answers.
I can’t help beaming as I watch the exchange. My heart is so full, and I couldn’t be prouder of Hayato.
But Melvin scrunches his face at Hayato. “Who are you again?”
“That’s Hayato. Get this, he’s a Japanese billionaire who talks to ghosts,” Rodge tells him. “He told me my mom was here and wanted me to let you in.”
Melvin inclines his head with a quizzical look. “You only let me in because a guest who claims to talk to ghosts told you to…”
“They prefer the term spirits,” I interject.
“So you all believe this man can see ghosts, too,” Melvin says, looking at us like we’re crazy. “I see…”
Melvin cuts his eyes away from Rodge like he’s now having second thoughts about their big romantic moment.
“Yes, they all believe me,” Hayato says, a proud smile almost making it to his face.
But then he turns back to Melvin and resets his voice to neutral. “And right now, one of them is telling me you always wipe your hands on your pants instead of using the hand dryers in the dining room toilet.”
Everyone looks to Melvin, who blushes. “I hate the sound hand dryers make. I mean, at least I wash them.”
“Actually, one of the spirits is saying…” Hayato begins.
“Okay, okay, I believe you!” Melvin yells out before Hayato can finish.
And we all burst out laughing.
32
Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)
“Hello?” The man who answers my calls sounds like he’s been waking and baking since the 70s.
I put the phone on speaker so that I can be hands-free. “Hi, is this Mr. Norman Rothwell?”
“You can drop the Mr. But yeah, this is Norm.”
“Hi, Norm,” I say cheerily. “I’m calling on behalf of Sara Jane McClintock.”
“Who? The only Sara Jane McClintock I know died in a sailing accident over fifty years ago!”
“Yes, that’s her. And she asked me to tell you…”