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.

     "You're right," I say. "He's only offering this as a courtesy. I'm ultimately going to be the deciding voice."

     "Well I'm dumb full," Amelia says flinging herself backwards in her chair so she can put her belly on display for the table, exposed in a tiny crop top and loose chiffon pants. "But I'm not going to turn down dessert."

     "What's this new flavor?" my mom asks glancing over at Dres.

     "Let me go get it," Dres says instead of answering, turning on his heel and walking back inside. Charlie waits point five seconds before getting up from his spot in the shade and following Dres into the house. Delta's at my feet, and while she lifts her head curiously for a second, she drops it down on my feet again, unmoving.

     "So Cas," my grandmother says. "How is homemaker life going?"

     "I'm sorry homemaker? I think the more accurate term is home wrecker. I broke the washer machine last week and flooded the hallway." A true and sad fact, especially when I was expressly forbidden from doing the laundry.

     Maddox manages to lift his head from his Nintendo switch long enough to laugh at me. Of course he finds that funny.

     "Oh no," Aunt Suki says. "How did that happen?"

     "Well," I respond with a flourish of my hands. "Washing machines capacity should be directly in line with how much it can physically fit. This isn't a Starbucks. Why am I leaving room at the top?"

     "Cas," my mom says, aghast. To be fair, she did the laundry the whole time we lived together so if anyone's to blame for my ineptitude. I'm not pointing fingers but if I were....

     "On the bright side," I say. "The lake house is fully furnished finally. Took all summer but I nailed it. So maybe we'll do Thanksgiving there this year."

     Grandma regards me fondly, her eyes getting a little watery. "It feels like just yesterday you were this little thing throwing temper tantrums every time anyone put you in floaties at the pool and now you're this doctor with a whole life and home and." She stops, getting choked up.

     "See now this is the reaction I expected from you when I moved out, mom."

     "I'm feeling grateful you moved out before you got your hands on my washer machine."

     "I told you guys this in confidence," I say but we're all laughing. See Dres, I think pointedly. Comedic relief.

     "Don't you know nothing is sacred in family," Amelia jeers. She says it like we're family, her and I. And I know we are, and will be on paper soon enough, too. But for her to say that without knowing means more. I always felt it was important to get along with Dres's family, but I never had to actually work to do that with Amelia. Dolores, either, but Amelia and I get along like we would've been friends even if she wasn't Dres's sister.

     "Dres, what's the hold up?" she calls out. "My food baby needs replenishing and it's getting cold out here."

     I glance over at the back door and can see Dres through the screen. He has a cake platter in one hand and uses the other to get the door. I shift my hands to my lap, slipping one into my front pocket to remove my ring and slide it down my pointer finger. It's discreet enough that Amelia doesn't notice, but then she's too busy blowing into her hands.

     Once the sun set, the temperature dropped the way it does in the fall and Amelia can't be getting any warmth from the thin shirt she's wearing. I want to grab her a jacket but I have to wait for Dres. He has a whole thing planned.

     Everyone's distracted at the table so they don't notice him at first when he walks up, the cake balanced on his hand. It's white and two-tiers, with clusters of flowers and ribbon designs and there's a cake topper of two men in black and white tuxes. There's no mistaking this for anything but a wedding cake.

     Amelia's the first to notice Dres. "Wait—what?" she says, her expression confused.

     The table goes silent as everyone turns to stare at Dres. I refrain from laughing, knowing how much he just loves the spotlight on him.

     Dres keeps a neutral expression as he returns to his seat across from me at the center of the table and places the cake in the middle.

     "Is that a wedding cake?" Jack asks, breaking the silence.

     "Obviously that's a wedding cake," Jasmine mutters.

     "Why are you baking a wedding cake?" Dolores goes.

     I meet my mom's gaze. She's right next to Dres, but she's not looking up at him like everyone else. She's staring at me. Her expression is a mix of confusion and shock. She says slowly, "Calvin, are you..."

     But Amelia goes loudly, "Okay, but why are we taste-testing a wedding ca—ah, oh my god! Is this your wedding cake?"

     She reaches for my hand, the way I suspected she would, pulling my arm above the table. "You're engaged?" she screams. She turns to Dres. "You're getting married?"

     Dres's eyes are on me as he nods. "We're getting married."

     I'm startled by Amelia who throws her arms around my shoulders, squeezing me into her chest. "Oh my god, oh my god," she says but her voice is drowned out by the rest of the table turning into a frenzy. Congratulations come from both ends, from everybody. In the corner of my eye I see my mom get up and hug Dres tightly. She says something over his shoulder but I don't hear her.

     I pat Amelia's back, trying to pull away. "We're going to be siblings," she says.

     "In-laws," Dres corrects. How he even heard her, I don't know.

     "Semantics," she responds.

     I manage to untangle myself from her embrace, getting up so I can make my way over to my mom. Suki and Dan intercept me before I can get to her. Suki pulls me into a hug as she plants a kiss on my cheek.

     "Does this mean Dres is my cousin, now too?" Maddox asks not glancing up from his game.

     "It does," Suki says pulling away. "We're all family now."

     "Nice," Maddox says. "Now I have a cool cousin."

     "Wow, shots fired. I'm going to remember that," I say as I pass Suki to get to my mom who's waiting.

     She opens her arms to me and I sink into her, breathing in the person I spent the first part of my life with. "I've been dying to tell you," I say my voice muffled in her shoulder.

     She laughs. "I'm amazed you managed not to," she says. "Congratulations."

     "Thank you."

     She squeezes my shoulders and then pushes me back so she can look up at me. "I am so proud of you." Her words come slowly as she fights back tears. If she cries, I'm going to cry and that's not going to be cute.

     I laugh, uneasily and ask, "Because I'm getting married?" She shakes her head, letting me go to brush away a stray tear.

     "Because you're fearless."

     The last thing I want to do is start crying but I say anyway, "If I'm fearless it's because I learned it from you."

     That about does it and a few more tears escape that she lets fall. I hug her again, tightly. "This next part of your life, Cas," she says quietly into my ear. "Is going to be the best years of your life. But they go so fast. So enjoy every second of it. You deserve it."

     Over her shoulder, I see Dolores with Dres. They aren't hugging, but I didn't expect them to. They've always had a strained relationship, better now than it's ever been according to Dres but still strained, nonetheless. Sometimes I wish Dres had what I have with my mom. Because what I have with my mom is special, is one of the best things about my life. I love her to death.

     But that's not Dres and Dolores. For their own reasons, their own faults, they can't get close like that. I don't discredit the ways in which they have tried, the strides they've made to meet each other.

     Dolores holds Dres's face now and looks at him with nothing but warmth in her expression. She whispers something before she walks away and he's left there, smiling.

     "Excuse me," I say pulling away so I can walk past her to get to him. I come up behind him, getting on the tips of my toes to lean over his shoulder.

    "What'd she say?" I whisper and he noticeably jumps, turning around to me.

     "That's personal," he says.

     I grin. "Nothing's personal when you're married."

     "Well we're not married yet."

     "Semantics."

     Dres steps closer, reaching up to tug on the collar of my shirt. "What'd your mom say?"

     "She said she's proud of me," I tell him. "Because I'm fearless."

     He purses his lips thoughtfully. "She's right."

     "Uh, yeah, you know I didn't really feel all that fearless when I woke you up to kill a spider in the bathroom the other night."

     "I actually have a confession," Dres says. "I never killed that spider."

     I whack him in the arm. "Are you kidding me?" I scream. "I've been showering with a spider the last few days? Divorce. This is grounds for divorce."

     Dres groans. "Oh god, is this what the next years going to be like? Are you going to divorce me when I tell you we're no longer getting oat milk, too?"

     I stare, shocked. "Uhm, yes? Because why would we not get oat milk, anymore? Is this your ploy? Get me engaged and then pull the rug out from under me. Not killing spiders, no longer buying oat milk. This is a conspiracy."

     "You literally never drink the oat milk."

     I sputter. "I — what, that's simply just untrue."

     Dres gives me a look. "I throw out the cartoon every other week. It's full. You have maybe a cup of it. And even that's generous."

     "Well maybe I'm just leaving some for you. Because I'm a thoughtful husband. A caring husband. A husband who would not lie about killing a spider."

      "But I drink almond milk."

     "As nice as it is to listen to you two argue," Jasmine says interrupting us. "I think what we all really want to hear is the proposal story."

     "Yes," Amelia exclaims. "We have to hear this story. Who proposed?"

     Dres and I say at nearly the same time, "I did."

     My grandfather looks over at us, confused. He's already helped himself to some cake and the spoon hovers near his mouth. "You both did?"

     "Technically, it was Cas's proposal," Dres says.

     "Yeah, that Dres hijacked." I give him a rather pointed look.

     "Maybe if you didn't take your time getting to the point," he mutters and my mother, betrayer that she is, laughs.

     I go, "I was trying to be romantic!"

     "Admittedly, it was very romantic," Dres says.

     "I'd probably agree," Amelia says. "If you'd tell us the dang story."

     Uncle Dan grimaces but nods. "It would help to have some context."

     Dres looks at me questioningly and I go, "You tell it," as I make my way back around the table to my seat.

     I don't have to look to know he's uncomfortable with everyone's attention on him again. But his voice doesn't portray it as he starts. "So about three weeks ago—"

     "You got engaged three weeks ago?" Dolores interrupts. Safe to say I know where Amelia gets it now.

     I say, "We wanted to tell everyone together and, no offense, but none of you are easy when it comes to scheduling."

     Dres trucks on. "It's a Friday night so Weston's closed early. I was at home when I got a call from the alarm company that the alarm had been triggered. They said they dispatched police but I started making my way over to check things out, anyway."

     "And so he calls me," I say.

     "Are you going to let me tell the story?" he questions.

     Grinning, I say, "I'm helping provide context. Your phone call let me know things were in motion."

     "Well, provide more context because I'm confused," Suki says.

     "So I called Cas," Dres explains. "To let him know I was heading to Weston's to check out the alarm. When I get there, though, everything seems fine. Except there's lights on that I didn't leave on when I left. And police aren't in sight."

     "Which," Dres adds quickly. "I know I should've waited for them but I didn't so please don't berate me."

     Both Dolores and my mom have disapproving mom faces on but they do refrain from berating Dres.

     "I go inside, into the back, and the light is coming from a stairwell that goes up to the second floor. That areas's not apart of my lease and as far as I knew no one had rented it out."

     Dres pauses and meets my gaze over the table. His silence etches on and everyone at the table turns to look at him, waiting. His stare is all smoke, a stoked fire between us. I clear my throat and go, "So naturally, even though all signs point to an intruder being in Westons, Dres goes upstairs anyway."

     "Which you banked on," he interrupts.

     "You are predictably reckless with your life."

     Amelia goes, "Which is a problem, might I add."

     "This is the most convoluted story telling I've heard and I have toddlers," Jack remarks making the whole table laugh.

     "So I go upstairs," Dres says with more conviction. "And the space is — it's like Weston's. It is Weston's, I realize. An extension of it, anyway. And Cas is standing under a sign that says 'Weston's After Hours' and he's got this huge, idiotic grin on his face."

     "Excuse me, my grin is not idiotic!"

     Dres clamps down on a laugh as he says, "The smug one you do is."

     "Smug for good reason," I exclaim. "I've pulled off the surprise of the century. I'll have you know trying to pull one over on Dres is a near impossible feat. And I kept this secret for months. Months."

     "Months?" my mom repeats. "That actually is a feat."

     Amelia turns in her seat to look at me. "So wait, let me get this straight. Cas. You bought Dres a restaurant?"

      "Well, I bought him the space for his restaurant."

     "Semantics," Amelia says. "Absolute semantics."

     Everyone is looking at me with weirdly soft expressions. I'm not one to really shy under the spotlight but this is a lot. I'm uncomfortable.

     "Go big or go home," I say trying to make light of the situation. "Which is exactly what I was trying to do when I began my three part proposal speech."

     "More like twelve page proposal dissertation."

     I glare at Dres. "More like wildly romantic, insanely poetic—"

     "Long-winded," he interrupts.

     "It only feels long winded because you restrict yourself to six-word sentences."

     "'So then marry me' is only four words."

     I look back at the table and make a sweeping gesture towards Dres. "Evidently I was saying all the right things because right in the middle of this grand speech Dres says so then marry me. Like talk about beating a guy to the punchline."

     "And so naturally Cas flips out on me."

     I make a sound of dismay. "You usurped my proposal. Why wouldn't I flip out?"

     "I like to think I expedited it," he says winking at me. "And anyway," he says to the table. "Once he was done yelling at me for stealing his moment he got down on his knee and said—"

     "I don't think you should repeat everything I said."

     "Knowing the things I know, I would have to agree," Jack says.

     Amelia wrinkles her nose. "Ew."

     Dres goes on anyway. "He says, Dresden Gibson, I am an exceptional specimen of man meat, you'd be insane not to lock this down."

     I very nearly fall out of my seat. And so does my mom. She gasps and goes, "Cas, what in the world."

     "That's not what I said," I practically scream, flushing. Except it sounds exactly like something I would say. Exceptional specimen of man meat? The line itches at my memory. How does Dres even remember that?

     Dres grins. "No, what he really said was—"

     I cut him off quickly, fearful of where he'll go this time. "What I really said was: Dresden Gibson," I look over at him, locking eyes with his in a stare that makes everything else around us disappear, "seeing as you got me pregnant—."

     "Cas!" I can't even distinguish who at the table yells my name because I'm pretty certain everyone at the table is yelling my name. Jack and Amelia are laughing and even Jasmine, though she's pretending not to, hiding her mouth with her hand.

     "Sorry guys," I say once everyone's calmed down. "But I think what I really said will stay between me and Dres. Just know that it was romantic enough to give Pablo Neruda a run for his money."

     "I wouldn't say that," Dres says.

     "Do you want me to tell them what happened after I proposed?" I retort and Dres flushes "Yeah, that's what I thought."

     "You two are something else," Dolores says rubbing at her head.

     "Something like a headache," my mom finishes.

     Dres picks up a serving knife. "Alright, well I really would like your opinions on the cake. Its double chocolate with a cherry cream cheese filling."

     And because we're siblings now, or nearly almost, I lean over and whisper to Amelia, "Dres is all about the cream filling."

     Amelia squeals, shoving me. "Ugh, Cas, TMI!"

     Dres shoots me a look. I raise my hands into the air. "I didn't say anything."

     "That's disgusting. But also not surprising," Amelia mutters shaking her head like she can wipe the comment from her brain like an etch-a-sketch. "I now need enough alcohol to choke a horse." She reaches for the pitcher of sangria on the table.

     Once she's filled her glass, she raises it and goes, "Alright, but in all seriousness. A toast to Cas and Dres. I'm so glad you both decided to stop being stubborn mules." It takes a moment for everyone to remove themselves from the slices of cake Dres has started doling out and raise their glasses. Amelia looks at me, her expression radiating warmth. "And I'll be honored to call you brother soon."

     "What is soon, exactly?" my grandmother interrupts. "Have you picked a date?"

     "Next year," I say and Dres nods. "Either end of May or beginning of June depending on the venue."

     "That isn't as far away as you may think," my mom remarks. "You've got your work cut out for you. Especially finding time around your actual work."

     "But that's why I have you," I jeer.

     Our arms are still in the air. Uncle Dan goes, "All the details can be hashed out another time. To Cas and Dres."

     We clink glasses before taking respective sips from them.

     After cake, the oldest of us tap out. Goodbyes and more congratulations go around and then it's just us, Jack, and Amelia. Jasmine's left to relieve the sitter. Her and Jack argued over him staying. He insisted on going home with her but she was all that's your best friend, stay and celebrate. It was cute.

     But then I think that Jasmine's our friend, too. Cause that's what it means, right, when you're a couple. Your partners friends are your friends. I consider Jack a friend. But maybe I should make actual friends myself. I'm not even sure who I'll have in my wedding party. Lucy and I are friendly, but not friends, I would say. Like close coworkers. And I haven't spoken to Halston or Grace since my graduation.

     "I have no friends," I realize, aloud.

     Dres and Amelia look over at me. "You have friends," Amelia says but Dres doesn't. His silence actually confirms it for me.

     "You have me," he says after a moment.

     Between sips from my glass I say, "Amelia, I'm officially requesting your friendship."

     "No," Dres says quickly. "No, you can't make that request."

     "Sure he can," she snaps and then says fondly to me, "I accept."

     "Great, be my best woman, then?"

     "What? You can't ask my sister to be your best woman."

     "But I just freaking did."

      Jack nudges Dres with his foot. "Hey, why haven't you asked me to be your best man, yet? I'm offended."

     "Jack, you can totally share the position with Amelia. I'll have the best of both genders."

     Dres goes, "How are you going to steal my sister and my best friend?"

     "I think it's only fair since you stole my proposal."

     "Will I ever live this down?"

     Jack goes, "I actually can't imagine you two married because you already act like you're married. Like is it going to be ten times worse for all of us watching or are you guys going to finally cool things down? Like are saunas going to be safe when they open back up?"

     "The sauna?" Amelia exclaims.

     I'm grinning and Dres looks over at me, noticing it, knowing what it means. "Don't say it," he warns but it's too late. I've thought it so now I've got to say it.

     "I mean probably give me like a year to get all the married sex out of my system and then I should mellow out."

     Dres groans, throwing his head into his hands.

     I grin. "I love that we're family now and I can just—"

     Dres cuts me off. "You can't."

     I hold up my hand. "Hey did you guys know Dres's dick sorta leans..."