“I was fingerprinted, pushed to here and there. They made me take off my shoes.”
I nuzzled into the crook of Will's neck, his arm in a sling and I, pulling my torn sweater closed, taking a seat beside him. Luke, on the step below us, sat silently. Marc kept fussing, trying to keep the package of frozen peas on Grady big black eye. It started to rain and that, mixed with the bitter night air, just topped off a Thanksgiving to remember.
“It’s officially midnight. Black Friday and I got arrested and lost my boyfriend!”
“You didn't get arrested” Luke smirked. He leaned back patting my leg….
“Turkey in the oven. Table set!”
It was a whirl of activity in my tiny apartment. Pots and pans filled every burner on my stove, as the guys fluttered in and out. Holiday music blared and a few opened bottles of wine put a jolly spin on the afternoon.
“Is everything status quo?”
Grady was buzzing around the kitchen, avoiding Marc and annoying me. Will arrived with Daniel and nothing but fake smiles and small talk kept the lid on the future of everyone’s relationships.
“Yep,” he replied, too quickly.
“Look” I snarled, pointing a steak knife between the buttons of his wool cardigan. “If you go and spoil everything …”
“Let’s eat!” Finn called out, sticking his head in the doorway.
Giving Grady a shove, he nearly dropped the platter of turkey and stumbled to the table….
“How’s the eye?”
When Grady showed us, everyone voiced a disgusted gurgle. Even the waitress, aloof and disinterested as she was, returned with a wrapped towel of ice and plates of pie, grinning.
“Looks like you boys got into some heck of a brawl.”
The clang of utensils didn't unnerve just me. A look at the faces around me showed everyone unsettled, until Luke spoke. A buzz of chatter broke the tension, rising and falling like a great concerto of babble.
“The turkey is really wonderful” Will announced.
“Is that rosemary on the potatoes?” Finn asked.
“I kissed someone—on Halloween! I did! I kissed someone else!”
Grady threw both hands on the table, pounding it as he yelled.
“Don't look at me!” I shouted tossing my napkin on the table.
“You bastard!” Marc screamed, flying over his chair at Grady, as Daniel raised his voice.
“I'm sorry Joey. It should never have happened.”
“Stop looking at me!” I yelped, seeing Finn jump from his seat grabbing Daniel, and Will flinging his drink in his face. Luke tackled fists and bodies overhead, as I shimmied under the table, grabbing Jinx, my cat.
“It’s like gays gone wild!”
It was Mrs. Cotter, from apartment 3B, in my doorway with the police.
