My Real Family

When the first group of people arrived I was still happily tucked away in the kitchen, flour coating my clothes and hair wet with sweat. But I heard them come in and ducked away into the bedroom to pull myself together, by the time I was ready I was officially the last person to arrive at the dinner I was co hosting. 

Byran, looking like the greek god that I was sure that he was, had happily taken over hosting duties while I, his dutiful husband, was fussing with my hair and makeup. I slipped my arm over his shoulder the second I was in the living area, always wanting to be close to him.

“Hey Sandy, can I grab you another drink?”

“Mikey you’re late. The hubby has already taken care of me, your offer is redundant.” They slurred out. 

“Byran, my love, they’re cut off. It’s been forty minutes and they’re wasted, I told you Sandy was a lightweight.” I muttered into his ear, kissing him on the cheek as a cover. Together we guided Sandy to the couch and gave them some rolls to snack on early to sober them up a bit. 

Moving myself around the party I couldn’t help but stand and smile at all the people that I loved together. Having always been somewhat of a wallflower I had been deemed a loner by others and between that and the homophobia going on in my house I had spent the first eighteen years of my life horribly lonely, but now I couldn’t sit out for a second without someone pulling me in for a dance. 

“Alright everyone a few of the more intoxicated members of the family have requested that we, and I quote ‘Hurry the hell up with dinner, I think I’m about to starve’ so if you could all be kind enough to join me.” Byran ushers people into our cramped dining room.

I took a seat at the head of the table, Byran to my right and my friend Sam, on my left. Byran was holding talking softly to the very drunk Sandy on his other side while Beth cut up food for the twins she had just had from a sperm donor next to Sandy. 

Becca and Emily, Sam’s partners, held hands on the other side of Sam and chatted with him. And holding down the other head of the table across from me was Thomas in his new wheelchair.

“Why don’t we say what we’re thankful for”, my usually quiet voice caught the group's attention.

“Great idea love, I’ll start.” Byran shifted in his seat to face the group while still holding Sandy’s shoulder to make sure they didn’t face plant into the mashed potatoes. “I’m thankful for my incredible husband who didn’t let me cook a single thing in fear that’d I’d burn down our house, oh and I’m thankful for our house of course.” We shared a meaningful look that pulled awes out of even the most cynical of our friends.

“I’m thankful for wine and Byran for giving it to me”, Sandy mumbled, causing everyone to laugh.

“I’m thankful for my two miracle babies who while being little nightmares are also the sweetest bundles of joy I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. And I’m thankful for all of you for being reliable babysitters.” Beth laughed out, a baby under each arm.

“God where to start,'' Thomas sucked a breath in through his teeth, it’d been a hard year for him. “I guess it’s good to be alive. To be here and even with this chair I’m so glad that the accident didn’t win.” He brushed tears away from his eyes with his napkin. Beth and Emily both leaned over and rubbed his shoulders, they’re signal letting him know he was safe here.

“I am ever so grateful for my beautiful girlfriend and handsome as hell boyfriend.” Emily smiled, changing the subject and averting the attention away from Thomas so he could pull himself together.

“And I’m ever so grateful for how good you both are in bed” Becca giggled. Beth did her best to cover both sets of the twins’ ears at the same time, and Thomas let out a loud shaking laugh. Byran, being as sweet as he is blushed and averted his eyes and attention back to Sandy, but I didn’t miss him bumping his knee against mine. 

“To continue the gratefulness from this trio, I’m grateful for my lovely ladies and as always sobriety and way better life choices.” Sam said taking a long sip from his glass of water. He’d fought alcoholism from ages sixteen to twenty-six and had just celebrated a full year sober a few weeks ago.

“I am thankful for my family,” immediately I knew that I was going to cry. “I am so thankful for my incredible husband and my beautiful collection of brothers and sisters and nonbinary siblings. And I have never in my life been so damn thankful to be out of the hell of a situation that I grew up in.

Karma’s a bitch and with that childhood I must have only good things to look forward to from here on out, got the bad stuff out of the way early.

So not to completely one up you all but, I’m thankful for all of you and you will never truly understand what you guys have, and continue to, save me from.”

The table was quiet, Beth and Sam both dabbed at their eyes, and Thomas who had just stopped crying had streams of silent tears running down his cheeks. 

These were my people and it might have taken me awhile to find them but they were worth the wait.

“Alright someone pass the turkey because some of us are still starving,” Sandy said already scooping potatoes onto their plate.

I let out a quiet laugh and set to the task of making sure everyone got enough food. When that was over I returned Byran’s knee bump, because the two of us together was what I was most grateful for and I had a sneaking suspicion that it was a two way street.