“Well, I’m thankful for finding people who accept me for who I am and who have welcomed me in with open arms,” I say, squeezing Declan’s thigh under the table.
“And I’m most thankful,” Declan begins, “that I’ve found a family among all of you guys. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to support me. Happy Thanksgiving, guys.”
We lift our glasses, clinking them across the table. The front door opens as we start getting food on our plates, and Tate runs in.
“Sorry, guys. You didn’t wait to start eating, did you?” she asks, dropping her bag by the end of the couch and finding her seat.
“You just got here at the perfect time,” I reply.
“Where’s Brooks? And Liv?” she wonders, and the guys shrug.
“Liv decided to have her Friendsgiving today and told Brooks it would be weird if he wasn’t there.” Brinley scoops mashed potatoes onto her plate. “That her friends would start asking questions.”
“He’s never missed this,” Tate replies. “We’ve been doing this Friendsgiving, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, every year since middle school.”
“Yeah, well,” Declan takes a swig of his beer, “Liv gets what Liv wants.”
“But who cares?” Zeke asks. “We got each other. We don’t need Liv here anyway. Telling us all about the kumbuchi she makes.”
“Kombucha,” we all respond at the same time.
“Whatever. On Halloween, she talked my ear off for almost an hour about the benefits and how making it yourself is so easy. I had to find a girl to sleep with just to get out of the conversation.”
“Yeah, that’s why you slept with a girl on Halloween.” Jaxon smirks. “To get out of that conversation.”
As conversation hums across the table, people passing bowls and platters around, piling food onto plates, Declan leans into me, pressing a kiss against my cheek.
“I’m happy you’re here. I like the thought of you being a part of this tradition now.”
“I’m happy to be here too.” I smile. “Especially if it gives me something to look forward to every Thanksgiving.”
“You don’t like Thanksgiving with your family?”
“It’s fine.”
“That doesn’t sound too convincing.”
I shrug. It’s the only thing I can do because I don’t know how to respond. All I know is I’m glad I have tonight to hold on to. It’ll help me get through the weekend with my mother.
Are you ready?” My eyes meet Cam’s as we sit in his car in front of our childhood home.
“I don’t think I’m ever ready.” I sigh, looking over at him. Every time we’re here, it’s the same thing from my parents. And after what they learned about freshman year, they tried to use it to drag me back home.
“We’ll get through it together, okay? If you need an out, say the word, and we’re out.”
“Because it’s so easy to interrupt our mother?” I laugh.
“I got you, Em. It’s you and me against the world. Since the womb.”
He holds his pinky up, and I lock my own around it.
“Since the womb.”
He gets out of the car first, grabbing our stuff from the trunk, and once he’s walking up the stairs to the door, I finally get out of the car. I meet him by the door, and before he even has time to knock, it swings open, like my mom was standing on the other side waiting for us to arrive.
“Campbell, my sweet boy.” She smiles, pulling him in for a hug. “You look thin. Are you eating enough?”
“I’m eating plenty, Mom,” he says. “It’s good to see you.”
