“It’ll be fine,” Liam says as he starts ladling whatever he’s warmed up on the stove all over it. He soaks the turkey some… and then soaks it some more before he turns his attention to the next part.
“Tom’s parents are here,” I whisper into Liam’s ear.
“Would you like me to toss them out the door? I can do it with muscles or words. Your choice.”
I grin at him and kiss his cheek when they look our way. “Nah.”
“What else needs to be done?” Mom asks.
“I think everything is ready,” Liam says.
“You’re such a life saver,” Mom declares. And Liam gets a hug for that.
He grimaces and looks pleadingly at me.
I laugh and draw him over to me. “We kind of forgot to bring presents in. Liam, I know you grabbed the food you made and I just made a mad dash for the door.”
“I’ll go get them.”
“I’ll go with you.”
The two of us leisurely wander out to the car, knowing it’ll take a bit for people to get through the line.
“I really appreciate you coming with me,” I say.
“I shall be tortured as much as you’d like.”
I open the back of the car and pull the box of presents out. We didn’t have much time this morning—mostly because Liam decided to make extravagant dishes to bring—so we decided we’d open presents here. Although… now that I’m thinking about what Liam might give me, I’m not quite sure how good of an idea that is. I cringe a bit at the thought.
I see a present on top and look at it. “You got Buddy a present?”
“Sure did.”
“What’s this stuff?” I ask as I pick up something that I know I didn’t wrap for my mom, but oddly enough, it says my name on it and not his.
“Looks like a present you got for your mom.”
“Should I be scared? I’m pretty scared,” I say. “And this is clearly a fishing rod. I thought I said we weren’t getting my dad that fishing rod because it was super expensive?”
“Gabriel, I must make your family love me through monetary means because my personality sure isn’t going to,” he informs me.
I give him a look. “They already love you.”
“Do you think I could give them an ultimatum? The fishing rod or hugs? Have you ever seen those vests they make for small dogs with spikes on them so that a larger dog or predator can’t grab them? I’m thinking about wearing one of those to your mom’s.”
“Just tell her you don’t like hugs. You’re a big, strong man who isneverafraid to say what you think. I’m confident you can.”
“I must suffer to gain your love,” he says.
I laugh and hurry after him, laden down with far more presents than I remember packing in the vehicle. “You have all of my love, I promise.”
We set the presents down and join the line just as it’s coming to an end.
“Perfect timing,” I say, grabbing a plate and handing it to Liam. He still makes me go first to get some food before heading over to the table where I discover that there aren’t two seats together. Liam seems to realize this with absolute horror and begins looking for other places to sit, like our vehicle where he’ll eat as he drives home.
“I’ll move over so you guys can sit together,” Mom offers, and everyone shuffles a bit so we can sit next to each other. As we eat, Grandma seems to notice that Tom is missing.
“Where’s Tom?” Grandma asks. Everyone looks at my aunt and uncle, who seem to pretend that they didn’t hear the woman. Grandma’s expression eventually makes my uncle break.
