I blink. “It’s a game about mushrooms and soil science?”
“Exactly,” Marko says.
“How have I not heard of this one?” I turn to Elliot. “Fantastic choice.”
He nods, pleased. “Thanks! I knew you’d like it.”
The game has smooth play and fun rules, and I catch on quickly. Playing gives everyone an easy way to relate and get to know each other’s personalities. The laughter is quick, and I enjoy the way Elliot and I casually bump while we move our spores around.
When it’s my turn to make tea, we get a minute alone in the kitchen.
“How was the office today?” Elliot asks.
“It’s exhausting being under fluorescent lights again,” I answer. “But I’m so busy, there isn’t much time to worry about office politics. Your dad even complimented my efficiency. Not that you want to hear about him.”
Elliot shakes his head. “It’s your job, so I do want to hear. The weirdness will get less weird. Hopefully.”
I consider telling him about the direct threat from his father, the insistence that we stay apart, but quickly rationalize that away. Elliot and I are already committed to keeping our relationship secret. There’s no good reason to upset him with that information.
Instead, I quirk up a smile, step forward, and kiss him.
Elliot smiles broadly. “Anyway, fluorescent lights are designed to exhaust us. It’s an anti-gay conspiracy. Can I help you make your tea?”
I turn to the stove and get started. “I’m not sure if this is allowed, but would your friends appreciate it if I offered a splash of alcohol? I have an herbal liqueur that goes with the licorice tea and orange rind.”
Elliot tilts his head toward the game room. “We got a boozy one coming up!” he yells, and everyone cheers.
“The rules are pretty loose,” Elliot explains.
“I’m glad to be here. Angie and I have played games together and with our parents so much, it’s always fun to play with new people.”
“You could see it reflected in the mycelial network.”
The kettle steams, and I pull it from the stove. “How about your work?” I ask.
“I’m making progress. Although still very broke. Viral fame should be good for an artist. But in my situation, the attention is a distraction.”
“Under different circumstances, you could become famous for your art, right?”
“Not exactly,” he explains. “If you searched my legal name and horny kink illustrations came up, it would close a lot of doors to me. In a different world, though, I’d love to get to share my work with a broad audience.”
I frown, considering how complicated that must be for Elliot. “I see your point.”
When I finish pouring the tea, he helps me bring it back to the room, where I get a rave reception. With each cup, I pour the hot tea over the orange rinds, stir three times, and add a splash of the herbal alcohol, all wafting up in a deliciously aromatic steam.
Angie takes a delicate sip. “I’m realizing I might be the only one who picked up generic brand boxed tea bags from the grocery store.”
“Elliot won once with Smooth Move,” Marko offers.
“Everyone agreed that they’d needed it,” Elliot explains.
We quickly start up another game, this time competing with each other to build high-tech mega-cities. Elliot goes next with his tea, featuring chamomile with floating daisy flower petals that he picked from the yard, the edible flowers being a trick I taught him on the island.
He explains all the health benefits and gets me to tell everyone about the flower. After, we play another competitive game, forming schools of fish over large migratory currents, while Angie shares her personal favorite night-time tea with us.It’s decaffeinated black tea, which she mixes in a big mug with a cup of milk.
“If you don’t drink cow milk,” she says as she reaches into her bag, “I also took the oat milk from Hank’s fridge when I picked him up.”
“Oh, good,” I say as I take it.
