Yep, definitely should have known.
“Yes. She’s finished with our living room. Apparently, we have an adult build-a-couch.” He looks at me, perplexed, and I shrug. “I don’t know. We’ll check the texts later.”
“When is your move-in date?” Julian asks.
“The ninth,” Keno answer. “There’s a very small window when our furniture and shit will arrive.”
“Eddy’s trying to convince us we need to stay in a hotel for a couple days while she sets up our house,” I say.
“That’s sweet of her,” Hilt says.
“It is. And I know she wants to make it special, so I think we might let her.” Honestly, I think she’s trying to make it a palace for us as a way of acknowledging she went off the deep end during Christmas and wants to make it up to us. Which is why we’re probably going to let her.
Besides, it means we don’t have to worry about decorating or getting settled and can focus on hockey and wedding planning.
“Can’t wait to see it,” Julian says. “Never thought you’d move away from the lake.”
“We’re still on the water,” Keno points out.
“So, what’s the first thing you’re going to do after you get married?” Horny asks.
“Party with you guys at the reception,” I answers, laughing.
“No, no,” Horny says. “I mean, when the wedding is all over.”
Keno turns to him and places a hand on his hip. “Fuck my husband all night. Is that what you want to know?”
Horny’s face gets red. “No! I mean… like… after this whole wedding and wedding night and honeymoon is over.” He bows his head and his tone quiets when he adds, “The first thing I always imagined I’d do after I get married is go redo the first date. Just for fun. All the same things. I recently saw a meme that suggested doing that but reverse the roles. Like she picks me up and gives me flowers and whatever.”
Keno turns back to what he was packing. “I don’t know. I never thought about a first thing.”
“What was the first thing you did, Hilt?” Horny asks.
Hilt shakes his head. “Dude, I have no idea. It’s been twenty years.”
“I feel like that’s something you should remember, dude.”
“I remember a lot. That’s not one of them.”
Horny nods. “Yeah. I guess.”
“How’s the honeymoon planning coming along?” Julian asks.
I shake my head. “We’re thinking about getting a travel agent. There are so many things we want to do and places we want to see that, again, we’re having a difficult time deciding.”
“Any advice?” Keno asks, tossing a pair of rolled socks at Hilt.
“Yes. Choose somewhere without kids. That was one thing we regretted not taking into account when we chose the cruise we did. The following year, we had a honeymoon redowithoutkids,” Hilt says. “Nothing against kids at all, but when you’re on your honeymoon, you don’t necessarily want them around. You know?”
“No, that’s a good point,” Keno says. “I hadn’t thought about that.”
“Where’s the one place you’ve always wanted to go?” Julian asks.
Keno laughs while I shake my head. “Believe it or not, we’ve played that game. We don’t know. My mind literally goes blank because there are so many places I want to go.”
“Would it help if I rephrased it to ask, when you close your eyes, where do you see yourself celebrating alone with Etna?”
Keno closes his eyes. I watch him. After a minute, he frowns. “Well, that started out as a beach and then it snowed. So… I have no idea.”
