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I screamand all but evacuate my skin as Gavin laughs inches from my trembling frame. “Jerk!” I slap his cloaked form and he laughs harder.
“Your expression was priceless.”
“What? MyI almost pissed myselfface? How sweet of you.”
He lifts the terrifying mask from his face and juts out his lower lip. Not fair. Just because he is my brother’s best friend and my best friend’s husband, it doesn’t mean he gets a free pass. He needs to learn his lesson. And grovel a bit.
“I’m sorry, Shell.” His pout becomes more prominent, but I really want him to work for it. So I purse my lips and narrow my eyes, then firmly plant my hands on my hips. “Really, I’m sorry.” The corners of his eyes downturn, a telltale sign his apology is genuine.
Relaxing my stance, I nod. “Apology accepted.” I jab a finger in his chest. “But don’t do it again.”
Cora waddles toward us, one hand on her rotund belly and the other carrying a bottle of water. She surveys the situation, then gives Gavin a stern yet affectionate look. “What did you do?”
He holds his hands up in surrender. “Nothing. Just some Halloween fun. I swear.”
“Mm-hmm,” she mumbles. “And your version of fun versus mine and Shelly’s is totally different. Please, don’t give my friend a heart attack. Or I might have to hurt you.” Gavin gives Cora a look that saysoh, really. She arches a brow. “Don’t press your luck, mister. I may be ready to pop any day, but I’ll still go to bat.”
For a second time, and for Cora’s benefit, Gavin apologizes. “Sorry, Shell. Just trying to liven up this party. If Micah didn’t have to work, I’d have someone else to joke with.”
My dear, sweet, sometimes pain-in-the-ass brother. Over the last year and a half, he has become a new man. A better man. Mature and caring and respectful. But put him in the same room with Gavin—best buds more than half their lives—and all levelheadedness disappears. I love my brother. Love Gavin like a second brother. And like any sibling does, they both get under my skin from time to time. I always forgive them, but it’s fun to watch them squirm first.
“Yeah, yeah.” I narrow my eyes and give him my best death glare. “Next time, I may not be so forgiving.” Lies.
Panic fills Gavin’s eyes. Beside him and a step back, Cora clamps her lips impossibly tight to not laugh. Cora knows me better than anyone. Which is how she knows I am messing with him. Knows I am giving him shit, just like he did to me moments ago. She loves it as much as I do, if not more. My cheeks sting as I fight the urge to laugh. My faux seriousness on the verge of crumbling any second.
Thankfully, it doesn’t have to.
“Promise, Shell.” Surprising me, he hauls me in for a hug. Forces the air from my lungs. “Won’t do it again.” He releases me and holds me at arm’s length. I pat his shoulder in acceptance. “Let’s eat.”
“I vote yes to food,” Cora answers and I agree.
Gavin wraps his arm around Cora and kisses her temple as we wander toward the spooky-themed buffet.
Tonight is similar to our Sunday night get-togethers. Tons of food. Music in the background. Good conversation between friends. Not everyone is here, but most of the group has gathered. Tonight’s festivities will end with cobweb cleanup and candy inventory instead of leftover burgers and talks of seeing each other in a week. With Sunday around the corner, we will gather again in no time.
Halloween is different this year. Still fun, but more adult than previous years.
With Cora pregnant—very pregnant—her costume of choice is more about comfort than fun this year. Black maternity leggings and a top that saysThe goblin stole my candywith a cute, animated goblin baby on her belly.
Autumn is also pregnant. Although her belly is less round, her outfit is practical as well. She and Jonas will welcome their new bundle of joy a little more than two months after Cora and Gavin. They decided not to learn the gender ahead of time and, every once in a while, I hear their whispered exchanges of baby names. Some male, some female, and a handful of gender neutral. Watching both couples share openly affectionate moments and fawn over their upcoming additions warms and jump-starts my heart. Has me wistful as I think back to missed opportunities. Has me questioning when my life steered down this path. The lonely path.
I sound envious. To say I am not, would be a half-truth.
So much has changed in such a short period of time. For everyone. Everyone but me.
My friends and family seem to have their lives figured out. On track. Moving forward. Marriage, cohabitating, starting a family, buying a home. They have it all figured out.
Me… I feel stuck. Stuck in singledom. Stuck in place. The next phase of my life in my sights, but just out of reach. And I hate how immovable life feels. In a continuous loop with no forward motion.
As with our Sunday get-togethers, tonight’s shindig is at Jonas and Autumn’s place. Their new house. Their gorgeous,we are definitely adulting, new house.
The house isn’t grandiose, but it is a big step up from the small two-bedroom they lived in previously. Now, they have two stories and double the bedrooms, which they will need once their new addition arrives. Clementine, Autumn’s firstborn, has been the sweetest helper since learning she will be a big sister. Doing extra chores, talking to Autumn’s belly, getting drinks or snacks or blankets for her mom.
Her sass makes an occasional appearance, but she makes up for it with pampering later.
Tonight, Clementine plays hostess. Tidying up the buffet table, greeting everyone, offering drinks. Jonas and Autumn rave over Clementine helping with the decorations too. Hanging fake cobwebs with plastic spiders. Carving ghoulish faces into pumpkins and toasting the seeds. Stabbing fake tombstones in the front yard and stringing tattered sheets to large oak tree limbs. And instead of the usual rock music we listen to, haunted house music plays from the front porch.
“Aren’t you trick-or-treating?” I ask Clementine as we fill our plates with finger foods. Some actually look like fingers.
