Allegro con fuoco

XLIII

"Todd... just tell me, exactly how many people have you invited to this barbecue?"
Brett was eyeing him seriously from the couch. Todd turned around from the kitchen work surface where he was cutting a huge baguette in chunks and grinned widely. 
"Just a couple. You know. Guys from the con. Eddy's sister. Nothing much."
Ian sniggered. 
"Yeah, that's why he bought out the meat section at Coles, just now."
Todd good-naturedly raised his middle finger at his love and went back to cutting. 
"Ian, can you chop the chives for the garlic butter?"
Eddy grinned softly. 
"Seriously. You're chopping chives for the garlic butter? Exactly how long have you been married now?"
Todd held out the chives to Ian and carried on cutting the bread.
"You make sure they change the laws, Eddy, and you can be my best man. How's that?"
Eddy was quiet for just a moment, because even though Todd's tone was upbeat he heard the undertone. 
Yeah. It wasn't like they could marry even if they wanted to, was it? 
"One day." he said then. "Or you can go to Holland or Belgium or something. Don't they have same-sex marriage there?"
Todd laughed. 
"Yeah. I'll wait out my time here I think. Anyway. Are you going to do anything to help here, or are you going to sit on your arse all day?"
Eddy shook his head as he got up from the couch. He could see very well that this was happening with or without him. 
"Alright then. What do you want me to do?"

Oh, God, Todd really had gone all out. By seven 'o-clock there were at least thirty people on their roof terrace and the barbecue was being manned by Todd and Ian. Eddy had been rushed of his feet, getting stuff together, getting drinks for people. He glanced over at Brett as he made his way back out with a new round of bottles. He was in his element, of course, chatting, bantering. It was lovely to watch. 
"Little bro!"
He swirled around as his heart jumped. 
"Sis!" 
He ran forward and threw his arms around her. He buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply. She smelled just like she always had, of her, of them, of home. Of belonging. He swallowed quickly so he wouldn't start crying yet again.
"You look well." she said as she let him go, looking him up and down. "Real well."
"Thank you. So do you. You're here! So... how was mum?"
She chuckled lightly. "I'm starving. Aren't you going to offer me some of that yummy smelling food?"
He knew she was just teasing her. So he shrugged. 
"Absolutely. After you fill me in on every detail. In fact, you can even have some garlic butter with freshly chopped chives in it. Courtesy of Todd."
Now she laughed out loud. 
"She's okay, Eddy." she said. "But how many miracles do you expect me to work? I talked to her a bit, though she's mad as hell at me for not telling her even though I knew. She's alright. Give it time, hey?"
Eddy nodded. It was true, of course, what was he expecting? He thought back on the day before, how he had hugged his mum and Brett on his balcony. 
Wasn't that already more than he'd ever hoped to have? 
"Come on then. I'll score you some satay." he said as he held out his hand to his sister. "I'm so happy you're here. I don't really know how, but Todd has turned this into a party, somehow."
She smiled. 
"Leave Todd to that. Anyway, I have lots to tell you about Sydney. We can sit down somewhere if you want?"
"I do. Someone else can run around fetching drinks for a while. Oh! I'll just pour you some rose." He snickered lightly. "I think the Coles juice is already spiking the drinks over there."