Page 81 of The Monster I Loved
Then why don’t I hear it?
19
PUMPKIN EVERYTHING
Summer
Today was Eden’s birthday.October 30th. We called this the pre-Halloween celebration. Daisy and I had just planned to take her out for dinner, but Eden had other plans.
For my birthday, can everyone put their differences aside and come over?
In a side chat, I messaged Daisy:
When she says everyone, does she mean Felix, Henry, Ashley, and Thad?
Daisy
Yep. But I doubt that shit will happen.
It was a relief to hear it. I didn’t need any more drama. Tomorrow was the anniversary of my dad’s death, and I was nearly certain putting us all in the same room would result inanother murder. I’d be in therapy for the rest of my life at this rate.
Miraculously, everyone agreed. More than likely, no one wanted to admit it would affect them too severely, so we met in Eden’s driveway, awkwardly looking at each other. There was one face there I didn’t recognize.
Henry soon rectified that. “Summer, this is Cora, my girlfriend.”
Thaddeus smiled. Ashley rolled her eyes, and Felix nodded. I suspected Cora was the reason this little friend group was the way it currently was, but I’d get the information later. “Are you guys coming into the backyard?” Eden stuck her head out to ask.
“The backyard?” Felix repeated.
After walking through the gate, we found the birthday girl had gone to a lot of trouble. Eden’s backyard was all set up for a pumpkin smash. A tarp covered the grass, most of it already brown and dry but still worth protecting if she wished for it to come back next season. Along the side of the tarp were pumpkins, some already smashed with seeds and guts clinging to the edges. A man and woman I didn’t recognize, wearing matching polo T-shirts, walked around the corner with bats, mallets, and safety goggles. This was going to be messy, and just what this group needed right now. As long as we didn’t ignore the pumpkin and use those bats on each other.
After nearly an hour of bashing pumpkins with our tools and feet, everyone was huffing and puffing with matching smiles.
“Eden, this was a great idea!” Ashley exclaimed while Felix tightened his hold around her waist.
At the grill, Thad laid the meat across the rack. One thing had never changed about our group; we liked a good BBQ, no matter the weather.
“Looks like our friend group can be amicable for an hour,” I said.
Thad winked. “If we can put our differences aside, anything is possible.”
I stood beside Thad while he worked the grill.
“Summer, ten years have passed and you still can’t even grill a hamburger,” he teased.
“Hey, baking’s my thing,” I shot back, giving him a playful shove.
He laughed. “I remember. I thought I’d come back and find you running a bakery.”
After what happened to Dad, the only thing I wanted to do was fight injustice. Now, maybe a bakery didn’t sound like such a bad idea after all. “Maybe I’ll do something part-time. I’ve grown to love helping people.”
Noticeably, Ashley and Felix took one side of the yard while Henry and Cora stayed on the other. When Felix started walking over to us, my heart began to beat faster.
“Guess I won’t receive an invitation to the wedding, but congratulations,” he said to both of us.
Thad glared at him, but I squeezed his hand. Felix and Henry were both in the wrong. I understood he wouldn’t take a step away from Henry’s corner, but I’d like to keep them both as friends. “Thank you,” I said gently.
Seconds passed without another word. Thad returned his attention to the grill, so Felix walked away.
