Here With You | ✔

CHAPTER FIVE; part one

Calvin Sumner

     It hasn't been like this in almost a year now.

     And even when it was like this, it wasn't completely like this because Dres and I weren't together. We were something, but it wasn't concrete. Not like it is now. No, it was more like we were orbiting each other and playing Tetris with our moons, unsure we'd ever shift back into each other's atmospheres again.

     The last time we had everyone, my whole family, and Dres's, and Jacks's, all together was the Thanksgiving before the pandemic. The night that took a significant turn for the worst but was also pretty pivotal in getting Dres and I to this point.

     There was a moment where I thought — where I was really convinced that I would never be with Dres again. Not in the way that I wanted, anyway. It almost feels like a magic trick that that time of my life exists in the same universe as this time of my life. A life where I'm living with Dres and we're engaged.

     I just — I think I'll always be amazed that we made it here. That everything that happened between us worked in tandem to bring us together.

     Tonight we're celebrating, but our family doesn't know it. They think this is just a barbecue, one where we can catch up in the ways zoom calls failed to allow in the last six months.

     It's so nice having everyone together again that it actually slips my mind there's a reason they're here. The conversation is steady, bouncing from light topics like the Toilet Paper Crisis of March to heavier ones, like the social injustices surrounding the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and then the looming anticipation of the coming election and the constant unrest that is our country.

     But then we swing back to lighter topics because it's been a year of heaviness and we just need to have a laugh. Despite what Dres says, I provide the much needed comedic relief.

     I'm so distracted in my story telling that I don't notice how late it's gotten until Dres stands and goes, "Is everyone ready for dessert?"

     The question halts me and my body hums with anticipation.

     "That's a trick question," I say to the table. "Because if you guys don't eat whatever he's baked, I will. And quarantine twenty is cute thick, but anything more and I'm gonna' need new scrubs."

     Dres frowns. "You didn't even gain twenty pounds."

     "This dump truck I'm carrying around would beg to differ."

     Beside me, Amelia cackles. Jack grimaces and goes, "Everything about that sentence is wrong."

     Across the table my mom makes this face that asks me why are you like this?

     The simple answer is Tiktok. I'm currently in the process of making my super hot fiancé famous. I even coined the best freaking username: dessertswithd. I lied and told Dres the 'd' stands for his name but come on. I am nothing if not consistent and it's a well known fact how I feel about certain Dresden appendages.

     "I'd actually like you all to be my cake testers for the evening. I'm doing something different. I have some time, though, so no decisions need to be made on the flavor tonight."

     I say, "Normally this is a position only I hold, but I'm willing to share it just this once."

     Dres winks at me.

     Down the table Dolores is dubious. "Since when do you care about anyone's opinion of your cakes other than Cas's?"

     I can't help but grin. Six years and some things do, in fact, stay exactly the same. It's good to know we're all on the same page in that I am the mastermind behind the cupcake flavors.