A Mid Summer's Eve Bonfire

The Bonfire

Avery squinted against the bright mid-day sun resting high in the cloudless blue sky. The longest day of the year, summer solstice, was here again. Swiping the beaded sweat from his brow, he exhaled "Whew, it's going to be a hot one". It wasn't even noon yet and the temperature was already threatening to breach the ninety-degree high for the day.

The cool quietness of the morning had melted away, into this sweltering heat, taking away the morning songs of the sparrows that nest high in the old willow. Thankfully the pleasant melody from wind chimes that were still dancing in the breeze offered some comfort against the summer sun. In a few hours, Avery's friends would start showing up for his annual Mid Summer's Eve bonfire.

Mid Summer's Eve is a Pagan fertility festival where folks gather to celebrate fertile fields and look forward to the nearing harvest. For Avery, the Pagan roots his grandmother passed on only ran deep enough for the celebration. In fact, any reason to throw a party was a good enough reason to throw a party in Avery's mind. The last time everyone gathered around his fire pit, they celebrated Monday.

By the time Jeffery arrived, the sun had sunk low in the west, barely above the treetops on the horizon. Avery had spent the last couple of hours sweating over the final preparations but most importantly for tonight, the firepit was stacked, big logs on the bottom and kindling on top with some easily combustible liquid in the middle to aid in the ceremonial fire starting process.

"Hi de ho!" Jeffery called out as he entered the backyard.

"Merry Meet Jeffery!" Avery waved his hand. "Where's Sam?" Sam, short for Samantha and Jeffery, were Avery's closest friends by far. They could always be counted on to make an appearance at anything Avery put on.

"She'll be along shortly. She's picking up a co-worker she said 'needed to get outta the house'." his fingers curled in air quotes around the end of his sentence.

"Awesome! The more the merrier!" Avery praised.

"Who's all coming tonight?" Jeffery asked as he sat on the swing under a grand old willow tree, it's branches dancing in the evening breeze.

Sitting down next to him, Avery listed out, "You and Sam, Tom and Laurie." he stopped and thought for a few seconds. "And I think Daniel and Michael. Oh and Sam's co-worker."

"Oh, a small soiree then?" Jeffery joked.

"Yeah, it's hard to get people out of the house on a Wednesday. Even for something as important as Mid Summer's Eve." Avery chided the non-attending invitees.

Daniel, Micheal, Tom and Laurie showed up together about thirty minutes after Jeffery, but Sam and her co-worker were still no-shows. Avery was trying to hold out for their arrival before lighting the ceremonial blaze but the group was growing impatient as time dragged out. "Jeffery, call Sam. Ask her when she's gonna be here?" he suggested.

He was just about to hit send after finding the last call they shared in his recent history when two car doors were heard closing. "Here they are." Jeffery pointed towards the front of Avery's house.

Avery's mouth dropped open when the two rounded the house. In tow with Sam was the most stunning man Avery had ever had the privilege to lay eyes on. Everything around him faded unreachable as he looked over the dark-skinned man.

His latte brown skin encapsulated his lean muscular frame perfectly. His wide shoulders and chest stretched the fitted white shirt almost beyond the fabric's ability to maintain its form. His high cheekbones resting just below his deer-like eyes made the brown saucers look ruggedly placed over the stubble that attempted to hide his strong jaw line.

"This is Antonio." Sam made the introduction to Avery first. "Antonio," she pointed with each name. "Avery, the host I've told you about. My husband Jeffery, Tom and his girlfriend Laurie, and those two on the swing are Daniel and Michael."