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"Cheers," Calla said, clinking her glass against mine. Her eyes sparkled with humor, and I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to be here with her tonight.
"Damn, this is good," I remarked after taking a sip of my drink. "You should try it."
"Only if you try mine," she countered, offering me her glass.
"Deal," I agreed, switching drinks and tasting hers. "Not bad, not bad." That's when I knew I must like her because a Cosmopolitan was not really hitting the spot at the moment.
We made our way through the crowd, mingling with other guests and laughing at each other's witty remarks.
We arrived at our assigned table, where there were eight chairs. Hugo, Simone, Austin, Serena, Seth and Logan were already seated, chatting in their normal animated style. When they caught sight of us, a roar welcomed us.
"'Bout time you lovebirds showed up!" Hugo cried out. Simone smiled, looking glamorous in her lavender gown. We walked around, greeting our friends and their partners. Or non-partners, as in Seth and Logan's case. Serena was also looking beautiful all dolled-up, and I had to admit, all the boys were looking pretty dapper in their tuxedos. Even Austin combed his hair.
As we settled into our chairs, I looked around at the ballroom. I waved at a few colleagues and partners who contributed to the Foundation.
"Wow, what a crowd tonight, hey?" I said.
"Yep," Austin said with his normal sophistication. "Funny how this used to be held in a dingy meeting room so many years ago. Look at us now."
"Cheers to that!" Logan raised his glass, and we all stood up to toast to the success of the F2 Foundation.
Hugo cleared his throat. "I'm serious, guys. What we do with this foundation is really special. It is my most precious time of the year. We really change lives in the work we can do."
"Hear, hear," I replied. "And I couldn't live this dream without all of you being a part of it, so thank you. We are blessed."
The evening was fantastic. Our planning committee really outdid themselves. After the delicious five-course meal, topped off by bottomless wine of choice, the committee showed a video of our past year and the missions we had been on. It really brought back some great memories of the people I had met through the program. When it came time for my highlights, Calla put her hand on mine and gave it a squeeze. When I looked at her, I saw tears in her eyes as she was clearly touched by the work we did in the foundation. I put my arm around her and pulled her close. God, it felt good to have her there with me.
Once the lights were up, it came time for our presentations. Austin took to the podium as it was his year to do the main speech. He did it in true Austin-style. The right amount of self-deprecation, glory to our team, thanks to the committee, and endless thanks to our partners in the room and in the field. We couldn't do it without everyone contributing, whether it be time or finances.
At one point, I sat back to just appreciate the night. Although my mom didn't want to come, some of the boys' families were here. Aunt Charlotte was a constant in all of our lives. She continued her role as our mother hen, chatting and enjoying mingling with the guests she had grown to know so well over the years. She was one of our biggest sponsors and so we let her do whatever she wanted when it came to the foundation.
Austin called me up to do a quick rundown of the finances of the group, which was met with rousing applause. There was no doubt that this was a thriving foundation, and would continue to be for many years. Who didn't want to align themselves to a winning combination? I had to admit, if everything in our lives went pear-shaped, this would be an enduring legacy. Although it was hard to put into words, I know that each of the boys felt the same way I did about it.
The formalities being over, the lights went up, allowing the guests to visit together at their tables as well as start looking over the silent auction items on the tables at the back of the hall.
"You guys did it again. What an amazing program that was," Simone said. "I had forgotten how much you guys can accomplish in a year."
"It was great seeing the photos of my trip," Logan added. "I had almost forgotten the details because feels like it was so long ago. Speaking of which, what's lined up for this year, Dom?"
"Well, that's a good question. I'm open for suggestions. We can always go back to the places we've been. They're established and easy to set up. But if anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them."
The boys all nodded and murmured that they would be thinking about it. I decided to bring up my idea to start.
"Just to break the ice, I was thinking I would go to Somalia this year," I calmly stated.
"Somalia? Like East Africa?" Seth piped up. "Isn't that a dangerous place to go? Remember the movie, 'Black Hawk Down'? I thought Somalia was in crisis." Seth would know. He was on top of everything, it seemed.
"I guess I'll have to look into it. I just feel a pull there, for some reason," I responded. It was true. There was nothing saying I had to go, it was just as feeling I had.
"Well, let's make sure it's safe before you make plans." Seth nodded at me. He knew that when I had an idea about something, I would do the research. And I knew that his concerns were valid, so I would heed his warnings and make sure I did do the research.
Suddenly, all the boys looked at me but past me, their faces aimed slightly upward.
"Hey, hey!!" Austin called out as he stood up to greet someone. I suddenly felt arms around my neck and a quick peck on my cheek.
I turned to look at who was causing such a ruckus. What the f…
Vic?
