Page 31 of Septembers

Theo tried to stop the very bad idea from tumbling out of his mouth, but it did anyway. “I could do yours.”

Dae stepped back, his lips pressed together in a thin line. “Jason’s probably waiting.”

“Yeah, good point. You, um… You look great.”

“Thanks.” He pushed his shoulders back in a very un-sixty-year-old-woman way. “Let’s do this.”

Jason was glaring at his phone when they got downstairs, his fingers furious. “I said nine o’clock. Nine. Surprise parties aren’t a time to be fashionably late.” His Sophia was amazing, down to the glasses chain hanging around his neck. He lifted his head long enough to laugh at them, then went back to typing.

“Holy hell.” Jacinda stood in the doorway with brown pants pulled up to her waist and a lumpy bald cap covering her hair. She slowly appraised Dae. “Are you my ex-wife?”

“I, um…” He glanced down at himself as if his outfit might answer the question. “I’ve never watched the show.”

“Then you don’t recognize how hard I nailed Stanley.” She struck an old man pose to accentuate her point and was met with uproarious applause from Theo and a smile from Dae.

Her roommates filed in after her, followed by a few other people from the block. Most had just put on cardigans and sprinkled baby powder in their hair, but some put in actual effort. There were even a few characters Theo didn’t recognize, meaning they were either made up, or seriously deep cuts.

Jacinda touched Dae’s arm. “Are you sure you can handle being Dorothy? Do you have the sarcasm to pull it off?”

Dae didn’t answer, so Theo jumped in. “His sass is in his eyes.”

“Theo, your Blanche…” She kissed her fingertips in salute and he curtsied.

“Okay, okay, it’s time!” Jason held up his phone to show them the text from Jordan, even though obviously no one could see it. He switched off the lights, and everyone crowded together in the hallway in front of the door. The expression on Caleb’s face when they yelled surprise would forever live in Theo's heart as one of the most wholesome moments of his life. The happy laughter that bubbled out of him when they handed him his Rose costume could’ve powered an entire city.

“You guys, this…” He pulled them into a hug and started to scream-sing the Golden Girls theme song. They joined in, and it wasn’t singing anymore, it was bellowing. It was a wild call, a spell cast to the heavens, a promise.

The night was, in Theo’s humble opinion, the greatest surprise party in the recorded history of humanity. An impressive number of people followed the BYOC (bring your own casserole) on the invitation, and some were even edible. Dae’s was the best, of course, a fact which he, in no uncertain terms, told Theo to stop screaming about. Jordan and Becks dressed as pillows off the flowered pink couch from the living room of the show. The design of the fabric was so close, and the concept so funny, Theo almost forgave Becks for being such a flake with Jordan the past year.

Almost.

“Whose idea was it?” He yell-whispered into Jordan’s ear when Becks went to get them drinks.

“Mine, but she was a really good sport about it.” Jordan twirled and some pillow-stuffing fell out of her. “Want to sumo-wrestle?”

“Always.” They bumped tummies, making a few party-goers giggle.

Theo was full right to the brim with satisfaction and contentment. It had been a weird few weeks with Dae and the stuff with his dad. He’d sent him the proposal about an hour before he needed it and didn’t hear from him again. He had no idea if he liked it, used it, or even read it. Theo had considered texting him but didn’t want to seem like he was asking for praise.

The living room flickered with the projection and costumed partygoers filled every seat. Caleb laughed way too enthusiastically with Avery from the music club, who was also dressed as Rose, as Dae nodded at whatever Jacinda was saying on the couch.

Theo perched on the arm rest. “Is this the episode where Blanche does something saucy?”

Jacinda gave him a polite laugh. “That’s every episode.”

“My kind of lady.” He couldn’t read Dae. His hands were clasped on his lap, and his shoulders were tight, but his expression was encouraging. A clump of Jacinda’s hair had fallen from under her bald wig, where she’d drawn bushy eyebrows with make-up. Her attention to detail made Theo like her even more.

“Did you have some of Dae’s casserole?”

She gasped and stood, reaching for his hand. “Show me which one. I need to try it.”

Dae hesitated and she dropped her hand, trying so hard to hide her disappointment, but her smile was a bit too bright, and her voice a bit too cheery. “What kind is it?”

“Broccoli.” The word was barely audible over the laugh track of the show.

Theo took her hand instead. “Come on. You will not regret this.” Dae shifted as if he might go with them but then sunk back into the couch and focused on the old ladies on the wall. Theo led Jacinda to the potluck table, but Dae’s casserole was gone. The only one left was some kind of nacho tuna disaster that remained untouched. “Sorry. I underestimated the hunger of drunk students.”

“How foolish.”