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Bitty sits on the couch, gripping his phone in one hand and holding on to Jack for dear life with the other. Three voicemails, nine missed calls, thirty four unread texts, and too many on messenger to bear looking at.
"Bits, you can wait a bit," Jack says gently. "My parents are fine, our friends are fine, the Falcs' organization is fine, we can-"
"I need to know if I still have family in Georgia," Bitty interrupts, unlocking his phone for the third time and opening his voicemail.
One from Coach, one from Mama, and one from an unknown number with a Providence area code. Jack identifies that as Georgia Martin, who they've already spoken to since the message was left.
Coach first; he was the last to call and if it's the worst, then Bitty can just not listen to his mother's message and deal with the aftermath. He plays the message on speaker so Jack can hear as well.
"Dicky," Coach's voice is quiet, solemn. "First, please call your mother. She is in a state. Second," he pauses and sighs, "Dicky, I understand why you--well, kind of understand--why you didn't say anything to us about, about Jack." There is another pause and sigh. "And I am sorry that you felt there was anything you could do or be that would make us--make me--love you less. And I do love you, Eric. You are my son and I am so proud of you." Coach clears his throat. "You will always have a place in my home, son." He clears his throat again. "So, tell Jack and his team congrats and, please, call your mother. I love you."
Bitty sits, stunned, staring at the phone in his hand.
"That's good, right?" Jack asks, glancing between Bitty's face and the phone.
Bitty nods numbly.
Jack puts his arm around Bitty and pulls him closer on the couch. "Next message or do something else?"
"I should call my father," Bitty hears himself say.
Jack nods. "Okay, bud, if that's what you need to do." He starts to get up and catches himself. "Do you want me to let you have some privacy or stay?"
"Stay," Bitty says firmly, sorting through contacts to call Coach.
The phone rings, and rings again, before Coach picks up, sounding a little surprised. "Dicky?"
"Coach, I-" is as far as Bitty gets before he dissolves into tears again. His dad rumbles reassuring nonsense while Jack rubs his back, holds him, bears him up through the storm of emotions.
"Daddy, are you sure you're okay with this? With me?" Bitty finally manages to get out around the knot in his throat.
"Son, I have loved you since you were first put into my arms," Coach says quietly, the sounds behind him echoing weirdly; he must be walking through the house on the phone, as usual. "I guess I didn't show it well enough, or say it often enough, and Lord knows we didn't have much to talk about until you started playing hockey." His laugh sounds a little self-deprecating. "But I've had a suspicion that you might have switched teams a while back. So I've had some time to think about it, turn it over, and figure out how I feel about that."
"You what?" Bitty fees his mouth fall open in shock. Jack, still sitting close enough to hear some of the conversation, looks cautiously hopeful.
"Dicky, you were a great figure skater, and I know that's a stereotype, but I also know my kid just a little," Coach chuckles into the phone, the sound warming Bitty. "So, I figured you would say something when you were ready. Then you went off to college and didn't say anything, and you brought Jack to visit and didn't say anything, and you just kept not saying anything until you kissed your... boyfriend?" Coach waits for Bitty to assure him that Jack is in fact his boyfriend. "Yeah, kissing your boyfriend after he just won the Stanley Cup is one way to say something, son." And Bitty knows just what Coach's face looks like, trying to keep a straight face but his eyes are dancing, giving him away. "So, now you've made a declaration and we can talk about it. If you want to, I mean."
"How's Mama? Or you can hand her the phone, I guess." Jack slides his arm around Bitty's shoulders, and shuffles closer on the couch.
"Well, she's not here," Coach says, and Bitty knows that face too, slightly awkward and one hand rubbing the back of his neck. "She went out to her mother's this morning. Apparently I should have said something to her about my thinking you might be gay."
"She's mad?" Bitty asks very quietly. Jack pulls Bitty onto his lap.
"Hush that," Coach admonishes. "She's upset with herself for not seeing it, upset with me for not saying anything, and hurt that you didn't tell her personally. But she'll get over it. Your Moomaw'll set her to rights."
"Oh, Lord, Moomaw," Bitty laughs and covers his face with one hand. "How did she take it?"
Coach laughs. "Your Moomaw is just fine. She called us this morning and reminded us that she wasn't always a grandmother and she's got stories from her sorority days that would curl your hair." Coach laughs harder. "That woman settled down because she wanted to." Coach sobers a bit. "Don't you worry about your mama. She's got her feelings hurt, but she'll come around. We all know how much she likes Jack and that'll go a long way. He's good for you? Good to you?"
"Yes, Daddy," Bitty laughs. "To both. Jack is a very good man and the best boyfriend." Jack buffs his nails on his shirt, making Bitty laugh harder.
"Alright, then," Coach huffs. "If Jack's summer training allows, I would like you both to visit for The Fourth."
"And Mama?" Bitty asks, humor fading. Jack presses a kiss into his hair.
"She'll come around and I will have her call you," Coach says so firmly, Bitty can almost see the Stern Coach look. "You let me know when you've got your flights arranged, okay?"
"Yes, sir," BItty replies.
"Okay, then." Coach clears his throat. "Dicky... Eric... I love you. Please don't forget that."
"I love you, too," Bitty says, tearing up again. "I'll call about the flights."
Jack takes the phone from Bitty and slides it onto the coffee table before resettling himself and Bitty on the couch. He could hear most of Coach Bittle's side of the conversation; Jack made a mental note to book their flights later. It sounded like a good conversation to Jack, but he could tell Bits was still upset.
Bitty squirms around until his head is tucked against Jack's neck and shoulder. His Daddy knew and it was okay. His Mama was upset, but Moomaw and Daddy would talk her down from her mad. He's out to his family and it might just be okay.