Page 39 of The Quirky Vet

I let out a long breath, casting my eyes to my best friend. He knows the intricacies of my parent's craziness better than anyone, so he knows I'm perfectly justified in worrying about my parents' reaction to our news.

"There's something I need to tell you."

Dad wraps his massive arm around Mum's tiny shoulder. "What is it, son?"

"Just promise me you won't get all…you…about it."

"I have no idea what that means," Dad says at the same time Mum squints her eyes. "I'm picking up on some unresolved energy."

"Like a Band-Aid," Muir whispers under his breath. "Get it done fast."

"Right, okay. Well, you see, the thing is… Erin rejecting my proposal wasn't the only notable thing that happened when we went away."

"Oh?" My dad's eyes shift between me and Muir. "What are we missing?"

With another deep inhale, I force myself to push the words out. "Muir and I got married."

Mum covers her mouth, her eyes wide, as Dad steps closer. "Are you serious, mate?"

I raise my hands. "Just stay calm. Okay? There's no need to make a scene."

"Are. You. Serious?" Dad repeats, his voice a deep grumble.

I sigh. "Yes, I'm serious. We're really married. But please?—"

"Woohoo!" Dad lifts his head to the sky, the deep holler echoing over the sounds of the bustling farmers' market, drawing everyone's attention. He launches Mum into the air like she weighs nothing. Mum lets out a scream as she manages to wrangle herself onto his massive shoulders.

"My son just married his boyfriend!" Dad starts chanting, hopping from foot to foot while holding tightly on to Mum.

Mum wastes no time in joining him. "My son just married his boyfriend! My son just married his boyfriend!"

"Iknewthis would happen," I mutter, slightly annoyed but mostly amused, to Muir as the crowd around us grows.

He bites back a laugh. "Your parents are incapable of having a subdued reaction."

Before long, we're getting hugged and congratulated from all sides. This is obviously a mess we'll need to clear up later since my parents really outdid themselves this time, but for now, we have no choice but to smile, accept everyone's congratulations, and go with it.

Once we're hugged and high-fived out, I shoot an unimpressed glare at my folks. "Did you really have to do that?"

Dad carefully lowers Mum onto the ground.

"What?" Dad replies, all wide-eyed and innocent. "One of ourkids is part of the LGBTQIA rainbow family. How did you expect us to react?"

"I'm so happy for you both!" Mum scoops Muir and me in for a hug, and I can feel her happiness radiating from her aura.

Now isn't the time to tell my parents the full story, so I let them bask in…whatever this is for them. Their hearts are in the right place.

"We really should get going," I tell them. "We need to pick up some groceries for the week."

"Of course. Don't let us keep you," Dad says with a gleam in his eye. "I remember the hours and hours of tantric lovemaking your mum and I shared when we first got married."

Muir manages to mask his shock better than me.

"On second thoughts, who needs food?" I grab him by the arm. "Let's go home."

"Deal."

We say goodbye to my parents, thank the few people still coming up to us, and then hightail it back to my ute, climbing in and shutting the doors at the same moment.