Everlasting Bonds - COMPLETE

Chapter 62

POV: Greyson

A marshmallow hit my face as I was putting the finishing touches on the mashed potatoes and I didn't have to look up to know who had thrown it at me.

"Unless you want to help season the potatoes, Lark, I suggest you aim at someone else".

"Party pooper", she said before chucking another one at my face. This time I did look up to see her trying, and failing, to hide a smile.

The five of us were attempting to work in harmony to get this Thanksgiving dinner on the table but we kept getting distracted with Football, kissing Lark, and messing with each other's assigned dishes.

The only person who didn't seem fazed was Colt, who was currently staring at the turkey in the oven as if his gaze alone could force it to cook perfectly. "Dude go have a beer and relax", I said. "It's not going to cook any differently with you staring at it and there are only five minutes left".

He shot me a look before reaching over to Lark's pile of marshmallows. Then he chucked one at my face.

I rolled my eyes at the two of them and went back to my mashed potatoes. A little more pepper and onion powder and that should do it. I dipped a spoon in and brought it over to Luka. 

Mashed potatoes were his favorite Thanksgiving dish, so it seemed only fair that he would get the last say on if they were done. "Do they need anything else?", I asked as I held the spoon out for him.

He was working on chopping green onions and paused to take the spoon from me. "Nope. They are perfect", he said before turning back to his task.

I looked around the kitchen and saw that everything was coming together. Although we probably had way too much food for only five people. Aidan and Lark were carrying plates and silverware over to set the table and I couldn't help but smile at the sight of them together.

We didn't keep secrets from each other, and Lark wasn't shy about showing us affection. You could tell in the way they moved that they had finally slept together, and Aidan looked more relaxed than he had in years. Touch wasn't something he normally wanted, but when it came from someone he cared about and trusted, it was like he was finally able to let go of his demons for a little while.

The timer on the oven beeped and Colt was there to instantly take it out of the oven. God forbid he let it sit in there for more than five seconds after the timer went off.

"Okay", he breathed a sigh of relief. "I think it's ready. Are all the other dishes finished?"

"Yup. We just needed the turkey", Lark called from the dining room.

Luka, Colt, and I grabbed the remainder of the food and set it down on the table. Lark had lit some candles and the effect gave the table a warm and cozy glow. This was the first Thanksgiving that in a long time that I felt excited for and I could tell everyone else felt the same.

We sat down to eat, each of us digging into our favorite dishes first. We didn't talk much as we shoveled food into our faces and the clinking of silver against plates seemed to amplify the silence. It was a comfortable one though. We were all together again for a holiday and the weight of that sat on my shoulders like a blanket.

Dinner passed by quickly, and soon dessert was being passed around and wine glasses were being refilled.

Lark clinked her glass with a fork and the sound rang out loudly. "So", she said before clearing her throat. "This is the first Thanksgiving I've had in nine years and I for one would like to raise a toast". She stood up then and the four of us followed suit.

"I want to raise a glass to everything we've overcome, both together and on our own. I'm so proud of the men you guys became". Her eyes were glassy, and I knew she was trying not to cry. "I'm also proud of myself and who I became despite what happened".

"I would like to raise a glass", Luka began "to our determination and our dedication to each other".

"To overcoming our fears", Aidan added.

Colt lifted his glass. "Raise a glass to new beginnings and letting ourselves be happy". 

"To our family. Because the thing I'm most thankful for is all of you". I said last.

The five of us leaned forward and clinked our glasses together. "To family", we all said in unison.

Lark was crying in earnest now, but they weren't tears of sadness. I felt a similar emotion bubbling up in my chest.

It was happiness that felt so intense there were no words for it.