Love In Colour

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIPS & NEW EXPERIENCES

By noon, the house has transformed. Ben and Rhys arrive first, carrying two big grocery bags and an energy that could power a small city. We hug at the door, holding on a beat too long. Ben whispered, "You look happy." ‌

To which I whispered back. "I am happy."

He pulled away, searched my face, and nodded. "Good. That's really fucking good."

Rhys has brought a board game that looks suspiciously complicated. "Thought we could use something to do," he says, setting it on the coffee table. "Other than just sitting around."

I nudge his shoulder playfully. "You don't like sitting around?"

"I like having a purpose."

I nod. "I know, honey. But today, your purpose is to be here. And that's enough."

Siya and Jake arrive together with a very cute girl. Jake smiles as he walks in. "Everybody, this is Violet," he introduces her to us. She looks every bit like a Violet, even her hair is the colour.

"Nice hair," I compliment her.

She smiles warmly. "Thank you." Her cheeks have a faint blush from the compliment. I think she's a good fit for Jake. She balances out his personality. Jake is tall and a little bit of an introvert, with a laugh that sneaks up on you. Siya is the complete opposite; he's very loud, expressive, filling every room he enters with a presence that demands attention.

"Thandi!" Siya booms, crossing the room to pull me into a hug. "Gray's been hiding you. I missed your pretty face."

Now it is my turn to blush. "I'm glad to see you as well, Siya."

He mocks offence, placing a hand to his chest. "Glad? I thought it'd be delightful."

"Okay, fine. Delightful."

He smiles. "Thank you."

I shake my head and watch as he walks to the couch and settles next to Jake and Violet. They sit with the ease of people who belong here. And they do, they belong in Gray's life and now, in mine as well.

The afternoon begins to unfold, and the relaxation begins. We talk, eat some appetisers, and then play Rhys'complicated board game and argue about the rules. Grayson's hand finds mine under the table, his thumb tracing patterns on my palm. Bentley catches my eye from across the room and grins, and I don't even try to hide my smile.

These are my people. This is my life.

***

At some point, the game devolves into chaos. Rhys is arguing with Siya about a technicality, Violet quietly reads the rulebook to find the answer, and Bentley has given up entirely to scroll through his phone. Gray is watching the debate with an expression of amused detachment, his arm draped across the back of the couch behind me.

I lean into him, my head resting against his shoulder. "This is nice," I say quietly.

"It is," he agrees.

"Thank you for agreeing. I didn't realise how much I needed this."

He turns his head and presses a kiss to my hair while I look around the room. These people who love us, who show up, who make the ordinary feel extraordinary.

"I didn't either," I admit. "But I think I'm learning. That's what people do. They show up, and you let them."

He chuckles, "That's very philosophical for a Saturday afternoon."

I elbow him gently. "I contain multitudes."

He laughs, and the sound vibrates through me. "You do," he agrees. "You really do."

***

The game abandoned, we go outside to the backyard to have a barbecue. Golden light bathes the backyard, the kind that precedes sunset when the world appears to hold its breath. The fire pit is already crackling, sending tendrils of smoke into the air, and the outside furniture, which consists of some comfy couches, is in a loose circle that is comfortable and inviting. The kind of set-up that begs for late-night conversations and secrets whispered under the stars.

Gray is at the grill, spatula in hand, looking obscenely attractive in an apron that says "Kiss the Cook." I've already kissed him three times. I'm planning on a fourth.

Ben is sprawled on one of the couches, his feet propped up on Rhys' lap, a beer in his hand. Rhys scrolls through his phone, occasionally looking up to comment on something. Siya and Jake are arguing about the best way to arrange the chairs; Siya wants them closer to the fire, and Jake thinks they're fine where they are. Violet silently watches with an amused smile.

"You're both wrong," Ben calls out. "They should be facing the grill so we can watch Grayson work."

"I'm not a spectacle," Gray chimes in while flipping a burger.

I grin. "You're absolutely a spectacle," I counter. "A beautiful spectacle."

He shoots me a look, but he's smiling.

And then Jake reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small tin. The shift in the air is immediate.

"Is that what I think it is?" Rhys asks, sitting up straight, his eyes light up with an almost childlike excitement.

Jake opens the tin, revealing a neat row of gummies in various colours. "Edibles," he confirms. "Though it might be a nice addition to the evening."

Siya leans over, peering at the tin. "Wait, are neurosurgeons allowed to take edibles?" he asks Rhys.

Rhys snatches the tin from Jake's hands with a grin. " I can and I will. Being a neurosurgeon pays the bills. It will not ruin my good time."

"Famous last words," Ben chimes in, but he's smiling too.

Gray looks up from the grill, his gaze scanning the group before landing on me. There's a question in his eyes. A flicker of concern. I have never drunk alcohol. I have never taken any narcotics. I have always been so careful, so controlled. For so long.

But something about tonight feels different.

"May I try one?" I ask, and the words come out before I can second-guess them.

The group goes quiet. Rhys' hand pauses mid-reach. Ben's eyebrows lift while Siya and Jake exchange a glance.

Gray sets down the spatula and walks over to me, his expression soft but serious. "Are you sure?"

I nod even though my heart is racing. "I'm curious. And I trust you. I trust all of you. If I don't like it, or if it's too much, I'll just...ride it out. Right?"

He searches my face for a long moment, then nods slowly. "Okay. But start small. Half of one, and I'm staying right here."

"Deal."

Rhys hands me half of a gummy. A small purple square that looks innocuous enough. I pop it into my mouth and chew. It tastes like artificial berries, sweet and slightly chemical.

"There," I state, my voice comes out steadier than I feel. "Done."

Ben raises his beer in a salute. "To new experiences."

"To new experiences," everyone echoes.