We crowd the doors, waiting for them to come back out with some news, and it’s not long before my cousin Kenra steps out with a smile. “It’s a boy!”
“Aww!” I fuss. “She was right.”
“Can we go in?” Cam darts forward.
“Yeah, but only two at a time.”
Me and Cam don’t bother looking to the others, but dash through the door and around the corner, jerking to a stop in front of her room.
Payton looks up.
“Hi.” We quietly enter, coming to her bedside, Mason and Parker standing just behind her.
The little cocoon in her arms is so tiny, and as I reach Payton’s side, his little face comes into view, a little beanie already on his head.
A little baby boy, so precious.
Payton is pale and tired, a mix of emotions written on her face, love being the most obvious.
“Does he have a name?” I whisper.
She nods, tears pooling in her eyes. “His name is Deaton.”
After his daddy, who he’ll never get the chance to meet.
“That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful boy.” I smile, running the tips of my fingers over his soft, little hand. He stirs, the sweetest little sounds slipping from him that melt my heart. “Happy Thanksgiving, Deaton.”
Exhausted, we pull ourselves out of Mason’s Tahoe and head up the deck to the front door.
“Guess it’s Door Dash for dinner?” Cam huffs.
“Are they even open on Turkey day?” Brady yawns.
“I don’t know. I’m fine with cereal at this point. I’m freaking starv—”
Stepping through the door, we’re hit with the most comforting of smells, a fresh fire burning and my grandma’s stuffing.
I rush into the kitchen, my stomach swirling as I hit the corner and come to a jerky stop.
The island is covered in Thanksgiving tradition, and my smile broadens.
Cameron comes around as fast I did, her chest bumping into my back, and she gasps. “Holy shit!”
The others file in around me, slipping forward and examining the dishes alongside me.
There’s mashed potatoes and gravy, yams, and green bean casserole. A glistening ham, covered in pineapple rings and a bowl of stuffing.
Noah pushes through the patio door then, and in his hands, there’s a turkey.
He freezes when he sees us, but a smile curves his lips a moment later, and he continues to the counter, setting the large platter down. “Hey.”
“Dude, Noah. Are you fucking serious?” Brady grins, sticking his finger in the side of the mashed potatoes, and getting swatted away by Cameron.
“Bro.” Mason steps toward him, clamping his hands. “Thank you, man. This looks fucking good.”
I curve around the island, the others still checking out the food, and step into Noah. “You made us Thanksgiving dinner?”
“Did you really think I’d leave you at the hospital just to come back here and rest?”
I pause. “Well, now that you mention it, that was a very unlike you thing to do.”
“You were excited for today, and I didn’t want you to miss it.” He turns me, hugging me to him from behind, and toward the food, the others already pulling plates and drinks out. “Some of this I’ve never made before. I hope it’s decent.”
“Google?”
Noah chuckles, pushing me forward. “Eat.”
We don’t argue.
We eat.
Noah had nothing to worry about, everything was amazing, and while I couldn’t possibly tell my mom, Noah’s mom’s yams’ recipe was to die for, the crusted marshmallows on top a dessert all their own.
Almost everyone goes back for seconds of something, and it’s not long after that, we’re stuffed and enjoying some mixed drinks by the fire.
I slip away for a moment alone, stepping down the patio and out into the sand.
Leaving my shoes behind, I smile at the sea, moving closer and closer until my feet are at the water’s edge. I dig my toes into the wet sand, tugging my sleeves over my hands as the wind picks up, whipping me in the face as if to welcome me back.
I walk a little farther down, until the dock comes into view, and standing right beside it, in the spot we once stood…
“Chase.”
I didn’t mean to speak his name aloud, but it slips from me anyway, and his attention snaps in my direction.
He doesn’t move, so I shift a little closer.
“Hey.”
He frowns at the ocean.
“Are you okay?” I wonder.
At first, he’s quiet, but then his head falls back on his shoulders a bit.