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“So what now, Nick? Are we done for the day?” Maya reached across the taxi seats and dug her knuckles into Phoenix’s arm.
“Ow! What’d you punch me for?” Phoenix batted her hand away.
“C’mon, that was barely a nudge. Anyway, do we have anything else to do now that we’re done with the crime scene, or can we get something to eat?”
Phoenix kept rubbing his shoulder as he went through a mental checklist of things to do.
“We’ve already found everything we could at the crime scene, plus we talked to that creepy construction worker who said she saw everything. I know she’ll be important tomorrow.”
“How do you know that? Did your super-special source of inside information tell you that?” Maya leaned forward, smirking at him.
“My what?”
She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “You know… your top secret connections inside the Prosecutor’s Office?”
Phoenix made a face. “Don’t call him that, or people will think we’re doing something unethical.”
“Mm, yeah, I just bet you’re getting ‘unethical’--”
“Maya!” The tips of Phoenix’s ears were turning pink. He glanced at the taxi driver, embarrassed. The taxi driver ignored him. “Everyone knows that Miles and I are together, and no one has said anything at the Prosecutor’s Office, so it’s not a big deal.” He jabbed her in the arm in retaliation. “You know better than anyone that he’s not going to give me an unfair advantage on any case that I work, ever.”
“Yeah, yeah. So anyway, what else do we have to do today?”
“Um… I have to make sure that the check for the office heating bill didn’t bounce, but that will only take, like, five minutes. We also have to water the plants, and… um…” Phoenix frowned. “That’s all I can think of, but I feel like I’m forgetting something important...”
Maya cocked her head. “Like what?”
“I feel like I said I would do something for someone… but I already fed my neighbor’s cat today, and I can’t think of anything else I promised I’d d--”
He was interrupted by a piercing electronic version of the Steel Samurai theme song. Maya whistled along happily while he dug his phone out of his pocket. Looking at the screen, he sighed.
“What? Who is it?”
“I was supposed to call my mom today. I totally forgot.”
Maya gasped. “How dare you forget to talk to such a wonderful woman!”
Phoenix groaned and answered the phone. “Hi, Mom.”
“HI, MRS. WRIGHT!”
“Maya, sh!”
“Hi, mi vida! How are you?”
Phoenix looked over at the meter on the dashboard of the taxi and flinched.
“I’ve been better. How are you? How’s Dad?”
“Have you been really busy?” Phoenix’s mother’s deep, heavily accented alto was less commanding over the phone than it was in person, but the warmth in her voice was still clear.
“Yeah, actually. I’m sorry I forgot to call you. Maya and I got wrapped up with work stuff, and--”
“Is Maya Fey with you? Tell that sweet girl I said hello and that she needs to get down here and clean out some of the leftovers from this fridge of ours.”
Phoenix chuckled. “Ok, I’ll tell her.”
Maya sat up. “Tell me what?”
“She wants you to come over and eat.“
“Deal. HI, MRS WRIGHT!” Maya waved at the phone.
“Maya, quit shouting in my face! Maya says hi, Mom.”
“It’s so small, this fridge! We don’t have enough room for all this food. Bring her down here to get rid of it for us.”
“Well, Mama, if you just cooked smaller portions...”
“Speaking of bringing people down here, when are we going to meet a girlfriend of yours?”
Phoenix closed his eyes. “Mom, c’mon--”
“Or a boyfriend! You know your dad and I are progressive, we don’t care either way as long as we get grandkids out of it.”
“Whoa, okay, we’re definitely not at that point...”
“We? So there is someone?”
“Unbelievable,” Phoenix sighed.
Maya nudged him with her foot. “What? What is it?”
He cupped his hand over the phone. “She’s grilling me about dating and I let slip that I’m seeing someone.”
“Wow. It’s a good thing you’re never on the other side of the witness stand. You’d crack like that.” She snapped her fingers.
Phoenix stuck his tongue out at her and put the phone back to his ear.
“-- hardly ever post on Facebook so how am I supposed to know what’s going on in your life? Now tell me about this girl! Or is it a boy?”
“Well, actually, um… you kinda know him.”
“What? I do?”
“It’s, uh, it’s… it’s Miles Edgeworth. You remember him?”
Phoenix heard her gasp. “Yes! Of course I do! You’re dating that sweet little guerito? Oh, that’s so cute! You boys were inseparable as kids, I remember. Such a precious little puppy love you had… aw, and now you’re rekindling the flame years later! That is so sweet!”
Phoenix was cringing by this point. “Ugh. Mom. This is why I didn’t tell you.”
“Oh, and he’s a prosecuting attorney now! I remember, you told me!” She gasped again. “So you two are like rivals! Ah, that’s so romantic!”
“Mom, can we please change the subject?”
“You have to bring him down here for dinner!”
Phoenix made a face. “Do I?”
“Yes, mijo! We haven’t seen little Miles in years! Your dad and I would love to meet him… all grown up. It seems like just a little while ago he was sitting at our dinner table, telling us all about how he was going to be a big, important lawyer someday. Oh, he was such a sweet little thing.”
“Ok, can we try not to bring that up? It’s kind of a touchy subject.”
“Sure, sure, honey. How about this Friday? Unless you boys have other plans that night?”
“I don’t, but I’ll have to ask him.”
“Yes, and then let me know.”
“Alright.” Phoenix glanced across the taxi. “Oh, crap! I forgot, Maya is staying with me. We’ll have to do it some other time.”
Maya gave him a confused look.
“Por qué? Just bring her with you! She gets along with Miles just fine, doesn’t she?”
“Yeah...”
“So we’ll see all three of you at seven?”
“Um, I guess--”
“Ok, perfect! I love you, mi rollito.”
“Love you too, but--”
Phoenix held up his phone. “She hung up on me.”
“What was that about?” Maya asked.
“Apparently we’re going to dinner at my parents’ on Friday.”
“We?” She looked expectant.
“Yeah, you, me, and Miles.” Phoenix frowned.
“Yessssss,” she hissed, punching the air.
“I hate when she does this. She just assumes people will say yes to her, and it drives me nuts.”
“Uh, Nick? This is the greatest news I’ve heard all week. What’s your deal?”
“There’s no way he’ll want to come.”
“Oh. Damn, you’re right.”
“Ugh. I’ll just have to call her back and tell her we’re not coming.” He started to redial, but Maya slapped the phone out of his hand.
“NICK! Don’t you DARE.”
“Ah! What the hell, Maya?”
She grabbed his lapels and yanked him toward her. “Nick. We are not going to let your dumb, emotionally constipated boyfriend rob us of Ramona Wright’s cooking.”
“Ok, calm do--”
“We are going to show him the light, Nick. We are going to drag his sorry ass down there with us and he is going to like it.”
“We can ask him, if that’s what you--”
“We must show him the way, Nick!” She threw her hands up towards the roof of the taxi. “It’s up to us to guide his poor, lost soul toward the warm, molé-scented bosom of your dear, sweet mother!”
“Alright, now it’s getting weird. We can ask him when we see him tomorrow, ok?”
“YES! Thank you.”
In the front seat, the taxi driver rolled her eyes.
“Why do I always get the crazy ones?” she muttered under her breath.
Phoenix stood in the middle of Edgeworth's office, rubbing the back of his neck.
"So... yeah. Can you make it?"
Edgeworth crossed his arms, tapping one finger on his elbow. He stared Phoenix down.
"Why does it sound like your mother has already made the decision for me?"
"She does that. Please, Miles? It would make her and my dad really, really happy to meet you. Or, uh, see you again."
Maya looked up from the chessboard in the corner.
"C'mon, Edgeworth! Phoenix's mom is basically the greatest cook in the universe, plus his dad will tell you all sorts of great stories that are like, probably not completely true."
"I'm... I'm sure they're fine people, but--" Edgeworth broke off. He uncrossed his arms and tugged at his sleeve.
Phoenix stepped closer to him. "What, Miles?" he murmured, glancing over at Maya. She quickly took the hint and found herself engrossed in an open book over on Edgeworth's desk.
"I... don't want to, um..." He swallowed.
"Miles, look at me." Phoenix put both hands on Edgeworth's shoulders and ducked to catch his eye. Edgeworth looked back at him for a second before his eyes flicked away again. "They're gonna love you. I promise. Honestly," he squeezed his shoulders, "they already love you."
"They don't." He whispered the word around an enormous lump in his throat.
"Yes. They do."
"They love the child they knew years and years ago. Not... not me." Edgeworth grit his teeth, willing himself to keep composed.
Phoenix sighed softly. "Then why not let them meet you?"
Maya cleared her throat behind him. Phoenix looked up at her over Edgeworth's shoulder.
"If it helps, I'll be there, too. Nothing like a third wheel to take the pressure off."
Edgeworth turned around to face her. She was sitting in his office chair, spinning around with one foot.
"That's true. And they already adore Maya."
"They think I'm the greatest thing to happen to this earth since Nick was born, so don't even worry about it." She pointed finger guns at him as she spun. "I'll put in a good word for you."
Phoenix rubbed Edgeworth’s back with one hand. "Please, Miles?"
He took a deep, shuddering breath.
"Fine. We'll go for a couple of hours."
"Yay! Dinner at the Wrights'!" Maya spun the chair faster in celebration.
And thus Edgeworth found himself in the driver’s seat that Friday, on his way to a small suburb about three quarters of an hour outside of Los Angeles proper. The last time he had made this trip, his father had bought them ice cream to celebrate winning a case. He remembered dripping lemon sherbet on the seat of the shiny, well-kept Cadillac his father drove. He hadn’t seen that car in years… nor had he seen the town he grew up in. Nor Phoenix’s childhood home. Nor the Wrights themselves… He felt his throat begin to tighten.
“-- YOU FALL IN LOVE, ZIIIIIING BOOM, THE SKY UP ABOVE, ZIIIING BOOM, IS CAVING IN, OWWWW BAM!”
Maya threw her arms around Phoenix’s shoulders, pinning him to the back of his chair.
“Whoa! Maya!”
“YOU’VE NE-VER FELT SO NUTS ABOUT A GUY, YOU WANNA LAUGH, YOU WANNA CRY, YOU CROSS YOUR HEART AND HOPE TO DIE… ‘til it’s over, and theeeeen… shh, shh--”
She began petting Phoenix’s face gently in time to the music.
“I can’t believe you let her play DJ,” Phoenix said to Edgeworth.
Edgeworth glanced over at him. “To be quite honest, I find this song rather catchy, if a bit… piercing.”
“Traitor.”
“-- soon agaaaain, shhh, shhh--” Maya covered Phoenix’s mouth.
“Mmph!”
“Ms Fey, not that I don’t appreciate your excellent choreography, but could you perhaps incorporate the use of a seatbelt into your next routine?” Edgeworth gave her a stern look through the rearview mirror.
“Alright, alright.” She flopped back down, releasing Phoenix. “Apparently Nick won’t sing with me in front of you, which is dumb and also stupid.”
“No, I won’t sing with you when you play Bjork,” Phoenix scoffed.
“What’s wrong with Bjork? Edgeworth just said he likes Bjork!”
“That’s fine for him, but I don’t like her.”
“Fine. Edgeworth, got any suggestions for what Nick should sing with me?”
Edgeworth cleared his throat. “Ah… what would you like to sing, Phoenix?”
“Ooh, what about Queen?” Maya clapped her hands.
“Queen?”
“Yeah, Nick and I had an awesome jam session to the Best of Queen the other day!”
“I do like Queen...” Phoenix muttered.
“Uh, yeah. As a biracial, bisexual guy with a funny name and a great singing voice, Freddie Mercury should be your god.”
“I think I’ve heard of him,” Edgeworth said thoughtfully.
Maya clutched at her heart dramatically. “You think you’ve heard of him? You absolutely have to hear Queen. Nick, gimme your iPod.”
“A ‘please’ would be nice,” Phoenix grumbled as he handed it over.
“Have you heard Nick sing before?” Maya asked Edgeworth.
“I have,” he said, looking over at Phoenix. “He has an absolutely lovely voice.”
Phoenix grinned at him. “You haven’t actually heard me try to sing, like, properly. I’m not that good.”
“On the contrary, I find your singing quite appealing.”
Phoenix giggled, embarrassed and touched.
“Ugh, get a room. Are we gonna rock out to Queen, or no?”
The stoop of the Wright house was definitely not big enough to fit three grown adults, so Phoenix and Maya stood crowded together on the top step while Edgeworth took refuge behind them. Phoenix held his hand, squeezing it tightly. He smiled.
“They’re gonna love you, Miles.”
A loud scraping sound came from the deadbolt. The door swung open and a thousand delicious smells wafted over them. Ramona Wright came into view, wearing the messiest apron Edgeworth had ever seen. There was a sheen of sweat on her forehead, undoubtedly from working in a hot kitchen, and her thick, dark hair was plastered to her neck. Upon seeing Phoenix and Maya in front of her, she grinned broadly. Her smile was almost identical to her son’s, wide and bright and utterly charming.
“Hello, mi rollito.”
“Hi, Mama.”
She stood a few inches shorter than Phoenix, so he had to duck to kiss her. She threw her arms around his neck, covering his cheeks and forehead with smooches.
“Hi, Mrs Wright!” Maya chirped.
“Hello, mija,” Mrs Wright said, not letting go of her son. “You kids come right inside-- your dad is in the kitchen.”
“Awesome.” Maya skipped into the house. Clearly, she knew where she was going. “C’mon, Edgeworth!”
He started. “Um...”
Mrs Wright finally released Phoenix, who stood up and stretched his back. She looked at Edgeworth at last. “I haven’t forgotten about you, guerolito. Come on inside.”
She marched off after Maya, dragging Phoenix with her by the elbow. He held on tightly to Edgeworth’s hand, pulling him along after them. Phoenix turned back to him and smiled encouragingly.
The Wrights’ kitchen was painted a soft yellow, accented with dark cobalt. Edgeworth was suddenly hit with memories like a sledgehammer to the stomach. He remembered many an after-school snack at this very counter, right where Maya was sitting, munching on a salad.
“-- anyway, now their youngest daughter is pregnant with her first, which is so nice. Your father and I were invited to the baby shower, but we couldn’t make it… why couldn’t we make it? Cariño, what were we doing that day?”
Edgeworth’s attention shifted to the man at the stove. Phoenix’s father was stirring what appeared to be an enormous pot of boiling water. He tucked a strand of hair that had escaped from his tight salt-and-pepper ponytail behind his ear and frowned.
“I don’t know, dear.”
“Weren’t we in the city that day?”
“Were we? I don’t remember.” He smiled at his son and moved to hug him, pulling him out of his mother’s death grip. She immediately turned around and latched onto Edgeworth.
“Come sit down, mijo.” She indicated the seat next to Maya.
“Um, thank you.” He sat down slowly, still ill at ease. She stood over him, hands on her hips.
“It is so good to see you, sweetheart. Evan and I were so happy to hear that you and Phoenix were dating. Although,” she turned back to Phoenix and her husband, “we would have liked to hear about it sooner. He never tells us anything about his life, but maybe you could work on that with him. Get him to express himself better, you know?”
“God, Mom.” Phoenix scowled.
Maya snorted. “Is this when you pull out all the embarrassing home movies of, like, baby Nick in the bath?”
Evan Wright laughed. “No, but I have some stories I could tell.”
“Oh my god,” Phoenix groaned. “I don’t deserve this.”
Ramona had been bustling around the kitchen, putting together a plate of salad. She dropped it and a fork in front of Edgeworth.
“There you go, mijo.”
“Thank you, Mrs Wright.”
He took a bite, which seemed to satisfy her.
“How is it?”
“It’s lovely. Is this a citrus vinaigrette?”
She puffed up proudly. “Home-made.”
Phoenix laughed. “I brought you a foodie, Mama. You’re welcome.”
“How much do you eat, sweetheart?”
He blinked. “I… I’m sorry?”
“You’re so pale, sweetheart, and your face looks so thin, and with a stressful job like yours,” she shook a finger at him, “you need to be getting plenty of nutrition.”
“Mom thinks ‘nutrition’ means ‘carbs,’” Phoenix said.
“I see no problem with that,” Maya laughed.
“Damn right.” Evan Wright reached across the counter to hi-five her.
“I just want to make sure he’s feeding himself!”
“Mom, you’re gonna scare my boyfriend off before he’s even met you.”
“BOYfriend? Mentiroso! You said you were dating, you never said anything about being so official!”
Phoenix chuckled and rolled his eyes.
“And besides, we’re not meeting for the first time. We know little Milesy already.”
Edgeworth started. He hadn’t heard that nickname in so long.
“I like it! Can I call you Milesy?” Maya snickered around a mouthful of salad.
“No,” Evan answered. “Ramona came up with that one; it’s hers to keep-- if Miles doesn’t mind. Anyway, hi, kiddo. Good to see you.” He stuck a hand out for Edgeworth to shake. “Glad you finally made it back to our little podunk suburb, Mr Big-Shot Prosecutor.”
There was something a bit like pity in his eyes as he looked at Edgeworth. The deep crow’s feet that crinkled when he smiled had softened. He looked like he was going to say something else, but the moment passed and his expression lightened again. Perhaps Phoenix had spoken to him beforehand. He winked and clapped Edgeworth on the shoulder.
“The tamales are finished,” Ramona announced from the stove.
“Yesssss!” Maya punched the air. “What kind?”
“Chicken,” Ramona said. “Plus, there are milanesas de rez and rice. And more salad, of course. And key lime pie for dessert-- Evan’s specialty.”
“Jesus, Mom, are you trying to kill us?”
“Oh please. Says the boy who never has once refused seconds or dessert in his entire life.” She pinched Phoenix’s belly on her way past him to the dining room. “Mi rollito.”
He giggled. “Quit, Mom,” he said as glanced shyly over at Edgeworth.
“Hey, Nick, I have a question: are you chubby enough to technically be considered a bear?”
Evan burst out laughing.
“Wh-- Maya! Shut up!” Phoenix spluttered. “Dad, don’t encourage her.”
Evan doubled over, clutching at the counter for support. He wiped at his eyes.
“Oh my god.” He held his hand up for another hi-five, still gasping for air. He took Maya’s hand in between both of his. “Maya, I would just like to say: thank you for giving Nicky shit when I’m not there.”
She patted his hand. “You can count on me to be there to pick up the slack, Mr Wright.”
“You guys suck.” Phoenix grabbed a platter of rice from the counter and stalked off to the dining room.
“What are fathers for, if not embarrassing their kids in front of their boyfriends?” He winked at Edgeworth again, who found himself smiling. “Alright, let’s get to the table before Ramona piles our plates with enough food to feed a small, impoverished country.”
The rest of the night passed in a cozy blur. Evan and Maya were both talkative enough that Edgeworth didn’t feel any pressure to pick up the conversational slack, which was an enormous relief. Only once did the discussion veer into uncomfortable territory, when Ramona mentioned something about attending Gregory Edgeworth’s funeral. He felt himself start to retreat, throat and chest tightening up-- he hadn’t even been to his father’s funeral; he had been whisked off to Germany too quickly-- until Phoenix squeezed his knee under the table.
“Hey, Maya,” he said. “Weren’t you telling me a story about a client you had last month?”
“The one who was one-hundred-percent convinced that I was running a brothel on the DL, and the channeling thing was just a front?”
“Yeah. Mom and Dad would love to hear that one.”
As Maya launched into her tale, Edgeworth quietly reached under the table and took Phoenix’s hand off his knee and held it. Phoenix ran his thumb along Edgeworth’s knuckles for another minute after that. Edgeworth thought Ramona had noticed, but then again, perhaps her satisfied smile was in response to their clean plates.
Phoenix (who had, true to his mother’s word, taken second helpings of dinner and dessert) and Maya (who had taken thirds) both drifted off on the ride home.
“Food coma!” Maya had announced the moment the Wright house was in the rearview mirror. “Wake me up when we’re home.”
“Oh, thank god,” Phoenix had said sarcastically. “Finally, Miles and I have some alone time-- without you.”
“Yep. At last, you’re free to gay it up as much as you want.”
However, Phoenix had passed out just a few minutes after Maya had.
“So much for ‘alone time,’” Edgeworth muttered.
He looked over at the passenger seat. The right side of Phoenix’s face was smushed against the window, which was making him snore softly. Behind him, Maya had chosen a less conventional position, with her forehead resting on the back of Phoenix’s chair. Watching them sleep, Edgeworth was hit by a wave of affection that lasted most of the way home.
Edgeworth walked his two companions to Phoenix’s front door. Maya had shuffled inside immediately, muttering about “gonna sleep ‘til noon” and “let you two gay it up s’more.” Phoenix tsked at her before turning to Edgeworth with a sleepy smile.
“They like you,” he said.
Edgeworth took a short breath. “Yes.”
“I told you they would.”
“You did.”
Phoenix wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer.
“I like you, too,” he said, clearly enjoying Edgeworth’s discomposure.
“I— uh, good.”
Phoenix chuckled and nuzzled against Edgeworth’s neck. He murmured into his ear, close enough to send a tiny shiver down Edgeworth’s back.
“Sorry for my mom stuffing you with food. She tends to do that.”
“No, it’s… I rather enjoyed it,” he said.
“She loves having new people to feed.”
“She’s an exquisite cook.” He paused. “You’re very… very lucky.”
“Yeah. I know.”
They stood there for another minute or so, just being close to each other.
“I should go,” Edgeworth said at last. “It’s late.”
“Mm.”
Phoenix only let him go after a couple of long kisses. He still tasted like Evan Wright’s special key lime pie.