Who: Caspian, Caitlyn, Dorian, and Laura What: Father’s Day Celebrations and a family meal When: Sunday, June 16, 2019 Where: Finn Residence Rating: Low Status: Complete
All of the quiet planning was about to come to fruition. Laura, Caitlyn, and Dorian had been at it for a few days, working together to make Father’s Day a special day for Caspian, regardless of where they were. Caitlyn spent most of the day bouncing about the house excitedly, doing her best to keep the secret as long as possible, running back and forth the rooms to make sure there was no peeking into the dining room. Laura worked diligently in the kitchen, baking and cooking with Dorian’s help.
Dorian had helped Caitlyn with decorations and the homemade card - getting colored pencils and markers. He checked in on Laura, helping her with the food. But Dorian had also worked to keep Caspian distracted so the surprise could form without hindrance.
Something was brewing.
Suspicion was a natural trait of his but respect tended to overrule his affinity for sneaking into someone’s mind I welcomed, unbidden. He let them make noise downstairs reserving the upper part accessible of the second floor for himself. He could hear the patter of Caitlyn’s feet as she moved from room to room.
Aroma from downstairs met him. It smelled delightful, enticing. Soft bits of murmuring.
Finally he became fed up with all of the secrecy. “Alright, what’s going on down there? If you’d please.” A sigh and he stood up, determined to go down and see what all of the fuss was about.
When Caspian emerged, Caitlyn tackled him with a hug, unable to hold in her excitement much longer. “Happy Father’s Day!” Laura smiled, overhearing, but let the two of them have a bit of time together. She moved to make sure everything was set for the table before beginning to bring out the dishes for whenever everyone was ready to eat.
Dorian was moving about the table, adjusting some of the paper decorations Caitlyn and he had created and placed about the table. There was a folded homemade card to the left of Caspian’s plate. The young man move towards the kitchen to fill the glasses as he listened to Caspian and Caitlyn.
His arms went around his daughter and he held her close. “Thank you, my love. That means a lot to me.” Their fathers days before had been mostly going to her favorite place to eat together, but the island didn’t have Chick-Fil-A. This was somehow better though.
Caitlyn has taken his hand and he followed her with interest.
The formal dining area was set and he looked at it with wonder. Each place waiting to be occupied. He didn’t miss the card near the plate at the head of the table.
“Wot is this?”
“It’s Father’s Day, Da,” Caitlyn replied, acting as if he were the silliest thing.
In honor of their prior Father’s Days together, Caitlyn had suggested fried chicken, and that was something Laura was able to manage, along with Dorian’s help on the sides of corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, and fresh baked cornbread.
Laura looked to them with a smile, glad to see that they were able to pull off the surprise to the end. Caitlyn had made lots of paper decorations, colorful ones thanks to Dorian being able to find things to embellish it with.
“Happy Father’s Day.”
Carrying the glasses over to the table, Dorian placed them in the proper spots and smiled. He didn’t seem himself as a cook or artist, but he was glad of how everything had turned out so far.
The tall man stopped beside the table and sighed, glad to see how happy Caitlyn and Caspian were.
“Happy Father’s Day, Caspian.”
He knew the ramifications of others when trying to put meaningful things together for someone who could read minds. Impressed that they’d managed to pull it off without Caitlyn spoiling the surprise he looked at the spread and the people there, proud. He was touched by the gesture.
“Thank you,” he breathed, nodding at Dorian and then offering a smile to his wife. Arms went around their daughter and he picked her up, hugging her tight.
“Da, are you crying?”
Caspian made himself laugh, “No. You’re just very heavy, love, and my back is broken.” Caitlyn laughed, hugging tight on her father as he stood there.
Laura watched Caspian and Caitlyn with a smile, glad that they’d been able to pull it off and Cas seemed pleased. She gave Dorian a smile as well, grateful for his help. She knew she wouldn’t have been able to do it all on her own.
Nodding, Dorian stayed where he stood and watched the sweetness of Caspian and Caitlyn. He had always helped where he could, thankful for this family and their kindness. The young man was glad to have been a part of putting this evening together.
Caspian set Caitlyn down, took a moment to wipe at an eye, and then beheld the rest of what had been done. Father’s Day had always been very minimal in celebration considering he’d participated because of his daughter’s insistence. Their family had grown, though, and things had changed.
“Fortune has favored the bold in that all of you managed to pull of a surprise,” he grinned, nodding at them. “Well done. I’m impressed. And shocked. This is delightful.” He was touched by the gesture, the thoughtfulness.
A hand would be swept at the table, “Please don’t let me keep you any longer from eating, I don’t really know where to start.”
Caitlyn pulled out a chair for Caspian to sit at the head of the table. Laura smiled, moving to Cas to kiss his cheek softly. “Well, if this is the reaction, we’ll have to try to surprise you more often. But you sit and start us off, it’s in celebration of you.”
Laura waited until everyone was seated and then started to help serving up the food.
Dorian followed suit in sitting down in one of the chairs and settling. He smiled as he watched Caspian, Caitlyn, and Laura - wanting them to have their moments with his interruption.
Seated, Caspian beheld those placed around him. A moment was taken to admire the family that he had built, once a scatter of dangerous people now a loving group of individuals that he knew he could not live without. Warmth radiated in his expression when Laura kissed his cheek. His hand moved to take hers and hold onto it. “If you say so, love, though next time I might not be so courteous as to let you pull one over on me.” It was a tease, of course. He didn’t need a celebration for himself but there was no breath in him to protest. They worked hard to put this together and he appreciated every second of it.
Things were passed around - food, stories, memories. He ate heartily though he knew that this was probably a good portion of their rations. Whatever was left they would save and eat again.
“Well, this is much better than Chic-Fil-A. Being with the people that I love dearly is always a cause for celebration. Thank you, for all of this. It means a lot to me. I can tell that you all put effort into this, nobody has ever gone to such lengths for me before.” Not in a way such as this, anyway.