Thanksgiving is coming

"Thank God! You still have the same phone number." Eli sounded out of breath. It was only a whim that Dorian answered his Androis, anyway.

"Eli?" Dorian winced.

"So how's it going?" His question was a bit aloof.

"Fine. Having Thanksgiving at home." Dorian invited his parents over. He and Ruben were doing the cooking. Actually, his Mom was happy he wanted to do it. She was very tired of those kind of dinners.

"That's good to hear." Eli sighed with relief. It was quiet then.

"Are you there.." Dorian started as if maybe their connection got lost. He looked at Ruben who was peeling apples in the kitchen for an apple pie.

"Uh..I have a favor."

"A favor?" Dorian winced more.

"Any chance you could pick Deiter up at the airport?" Finally Eli got to the jest of why he was calling.

"Deiter?" Dorian didn't like the name to begin with. It was hard for him to digest. It seemed Deiter wanted an American holiday. Only, Eli wasn't ready yet to bring him home. Not just yet.

"Could he stay with you?"

"What?" He looked at Ruben, a little frantic. "You, want him to spend Thanksgiving with us?"

"Thank you so much!" It was as if Eli hadn't listened to a question. Deiter would be in the airport in fifteen minutes.

"I have to go?" Ruben looked up from the apples. It was so bewildering. He felt his stomach flip flop.

"This isn't any easier for me than it is for you?" Dorian stood there frantic.

"Why did you, say yes?" Sure, it wasn't the Thanksgiving kind of thing to say, but Ruben was worried enough to have Dorian's parents over. He hadn't exactly won them over. Actually, he hadn't exactly tried. He'd met them a couple of times. Just little visits. This was something major. And now Eli's boyfriend, Dorian's ex had a new boyfriend from Germany.

So he put the apples away. Turned off the oven, and grabbed a sweater to put over his black tank. He needed socks. As it was, they lived in a hot apartment. He hated braving the elements. It was frosty outside. Just one more thing to get used to in Omaha.

Dorian drove. He shoved Ruben a handmade sign "DEITER" for Ruben to hold.

"Great." Ruben rolled his eyes. "Just great."

Soon enough they were at the airport.

"I've seen a picture of him." Dorian stretched to look over the giddy girls on their way out, as travelers pored about them.

Ruben remained mute. What the hell had they got themselves into?

Finally, there stood Deiter who looked like a fish out of water. He was in his skinny jeans and black boots. He looked as if he were a rocker, waiting for someone to whisk him away to a hotel before a midnight show. He wore shades and his hair slicked back.

"You must be Dorian." He went to Ruben right away.

"No, he's Dorian." Ruben pointed.

"You're Dorian?" He glared at him as if he wasn't so sure he wanted to be here, after all.