After, I watched Theo talk with Oscar, Dena, and some friends of his from UNLV. His cap was gone: after the toss, he’d made no effort to retrieve it. He tore the gown off too, and left it crumpled on his auditorium seat. Underneath he wore a vest instead of a jacket, with his sleeves rolled up. The contrast between his tattoos and the sleek cut of his dress shirt made my heart flutter.
That gorgeous man kissed me.
Twice.
Beverly’s grip on my arm tightened as she followed my eyes to Theo.
“He was never one for ceremony,” she said, smiling a little. “Jonah would’ve neatly folded it and tucked it under his arm. Funny how different my sons are.”
“Mm.”
“You and Theo have grown quite close, haven’t you?” Beverly said and continued before I could answer. “I believe it’s natural to bond when tragedy strikes. We lift each other up, don’t we? Theo’s lifted me up this last year. I don’t know what I would do without him.”
I nodded and forced a smile. I heard nothing harsh or rebuking in Beverly’s tone, but in her eyes, I saw the fear. A pleading look, echoing,Don’t take him away from me.
Theo finished up his conversations and joined us. “Ready to head out?”
Our group moved toward the door, and Theo fell in step beside me. While on my other side, Beverly clutched my arm, linking me firmly to her and to the past.
At the Fletchers’, we had a dinner of lasagna, warm bread, and salad. Beverly and Henry sat at the heads of the table. Oscar and Dena on one side, Theo and I on the other. Under the glow of Jonah's lights, we ate and talked, celebrating another major milestone he wasn't here for.
The mood started to stagger under the old weight of grief, and stumble over a current of nervous energy. Beverly was unsettled and the normally jovial Oscar seemed subdued, his lips pursing as his dark eyes volleyed between Theo and me.
Dena lifted her glass. “Shall we have a toast?”
“A toast, or an excuse to recite more Rumi?” Oscar said affectionately.
“The best poet’s words suit every occasion.” Dena raised her wine glass higher, as if insisting the mood do the same. “Rumi said,Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart. This is never more evident than in Theo, who’s been rendering life through his incredible drawing for years. Much success to you, my friend, in this next chapter of your life.”
The table murmured assents, and then the table fell silent. Beverly shot her husband a pointed look from her end.
“Yes, yes,” Henry said, proposing a toast from his chair. “To Theo, for taking initiative and seeing this venture through. Well done.”
Another round of murmurs, these deflated and limp. Theo nodded thanks to Henry, but I knew the little compliment was like a tiny bite of food to starving man. It was the shittiest toast in the history of shitty toasts. I stood up, Diet Coke glass raised.
“I’ll propose a toast,” I said loudly. “To Theodore Fletcher, an extraordinary artist who now holds a Master’s Degree in business administration. I’ve never seen anyone devote so much time and energy to their craft as you have. And with that kind of dedication and responsibility, your own business can’t help but be a huge success. Cheers.”
That’s better.
I sat back down, satisfied with the louder assents and clink of glasses. Theo leaned in and murmured, “Thank you.”
I smiled back, my head inclining toward his. “No thanks allowed, remember?”
It was a moment between us, small and private, until Oscar’s hard stare wormed its way in, and we both sat up straight again.
“Theo, have you been scouting for a location for your new business?” Dena asked.
“He’s looking for something close to the Strip,” Beverly said.
“I’m not looking at all actually,” Theo said. His glance slid to Henry. “Market’s not great right now.”
“Indeed,” Henry said.
“It’ll turn around,” Beverly said brightly. “They always do, back and forth. Wait a month or two and you’ll see.”
An itchy silence fell. Dena turned to me. She reminded me of one of those plate spinners at a carnival, trying to keep the momentum going but seeing plates wobble at every turn. “Speaking of exciting purchases, Kacey, Theo tells us you bought your New Orleans house.”
Beverly swung her head around. “Did you?”
