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“And I amso frustrated. You don’t know what you do to me, Gus. And don’t think I don’t know why you’ve been spending so much time in the shower. You…“ I pointed to his chest, “moan.”
“Open your eyes, Decca.” His tone was low. Commanding. It sent shivers up my spine, no matter how frustrated and worn-out I was.
I opened my eyes.
“Oh, shit.” I squeezed them shut again, shaking my head.
Warm hands cupped my cheeks so gently. A kiss pressed to my bangs. “Happy Halloween, Dec.” His chuckled reverberated low in his chest.
I peeked through my fingers. Familiar faces looked back at me with horrified expressions.
The dining room table was beautifully set with Granny’s finest mismatched formal dinnerware, a river of taper candles glowing in a path down its center.
And all our friends had just heard my embarrassing outburst.
Bethany’s hands were cupped over her daughter’s ears. Waylon was trying so hard not to laugh, his red cheeks looked like they were about to explode. Soula’s eyes were saucers.Her hand was paused in midair, holding a binkie in front of Athena. George was hiding a smirk behind his wineglass.
“Decca,” said a baby’s voice on a giggle.
There was a collective gasp.
“Did she... Was that her first word?” Waylon asked, bent over his baby daughter in his lap.
“Shh... Uncle Waylon,” Sofia said under her breath. “We’re supposed to be silent.”
“I don’t think it’s officially started yet,” Bethany answered, also in a whisper. “Considering if it hadn’t been for the baby interrupting the newlyweds, we’d still be listening to one pretty interesting marital squabble.”
“I’m not sure names count as first words,” Soula said. “If they do, she’s already said,Ma, so technically...“ she shrugged smugly. “I win. I’ll have to look up the research in the Journal of Childhood—”
“She did not sayMa. That was just vocalizing. Definitely not a word. Besides, she saidDaon at least eight different occasions.”
Finally, my brain caught up with what was happening in the room, although I still didn’t know why my entire friend-family was seated around my dining room table.
I looked back to Gus.Sorry, sorry. I’m so sorry, I mouthed as he smiled down at me like he was proud of me. Like he ached to touch me. Making a mockery of my stupid outburst. Making my words all the more unfair.
I squeezed Gus’s hand and circled the table to take my new favorite baby niece from her daddy. “You all heard it. My name was her first word. I’m making it official. You realize this means she’s mine now, right? I’m keeping her.”
“Uh, what?” Gus’s eyes grew wide.
“Theo Gus will change all your diapers.”
“You have to make her defecate in the toilet. There’s a special way to hold her.” Soula informed her shell-shocked brother. Waylon and I exchanged a glance over his partner’s affinity for hippie baby-rearing techniques. “We’re using diapers for the next one.”
“Cloth diapers,” said Soula.
Waylon let out a tolerant sigh.
With Athena planted on my hip, I walked back to my husband. “What’s going on, anyway?”
“It’s a dumb supper. Or it’s supposed to be. Your friends aren’t supposed to talk, but I guess it hasn’t officially started yet.”
I took in a breath as the room grew quiet again. I paid more attention to the details of the dinner party setting. Each place was marked with a name card, handwritten in Gus’s neat script, but besides the guest list, there was one extra chair and place setting.
“It seemed like a nice way to celebrate your favorite holiday.” He lowered his voice as his rich brown eyes met mine again. “And pay our respects to those who’ve passed on.”
“Granny.” I almost didn’t get her name out before my breath caught in my throat. Tears threatened under the weight of grief, gratitude for my friends, and the realization that Gus planned this elaborate dinner and ritual—from research to production—as a surprise for me.
I knew he cared for me, but as a priest, it was his job to care for everyone.
