Page 88 of Fate in Motion
At exactly noon, one by one, they all start filing in. By 12:15, at least twenty to thirty people are standing in the seating area, taking in the surroundings and absorbing everything. I scan the room and see so many lovable, familiar faces, both new and old. The amount of excitement I feel is unreal.
I spot Carter, talking to his family, all of them beaming and looking around with genuine excitement. I catch Mel, who’s absolutely using this opportunity to flirt with Jack Sawyer, and I swear Jack actually seems interested.
I see Charlie Dodds, stuck listening to Paul with an expression that can only be described as “get me out of this conversation, now.” And, of course, my siblings are boppingaround like caffeinated nutcases, introducing themselves with reckless enthusiasm.
Then Evan creeps up beside me and says, “Bro, you did this. It’s legit amazing. And that espresso machine is amazing, I need to use it now. What did that even cost you, a million dollars?”
I smile, nudge him away, and say, “Don’t worry about it.”
Just then, Debi, Carter’s mom, wanders over, squeezing Evan’s shoulder as he wanders away.
She looks at me with a proud smile. “Nate, this place looks fantastic. I can’t believe you fit this many tables in here. You’re going to bring in so much business. And the best part is that sign. I’m so glad you got it hung up in time.”
I grin and say, “Right? The sign is so bright, and the glow it emits is amazing. It's going to pull people in, I can feel it.”
She waves Carter over. He kisses her cheek and says, “Sup, Ma?”
She looks at the two of us and adds, “Wait, I should probably congratulate you both for officially moving in together!”
Carter chuckles. “LOL. Officially.”
Rachel rushes over. “What are we laughing about?”
Carter’s mom beams. “They moved in together a few days ago!”
Rachel bursts out laughing. “What a waste of money. Nate, the fact that you moved out for three months just to realize it was pointless. Then moved right back in, like a lost puppy.”
I shrug, smiling. “Well, I thought I might be too much for Carter. We hadn’t been together that long at the time.”
Carter says, “Babe, I would’ve moved in with you almost instantly.”
I look at him, completely happy, and just smile.
About an hour in, everyone has a glass in hand, filled with wine and beer that I had delivered before the event started. The place is glowing with joy. My siblings already look a little sloppy.Carter’s still mingling, drink in hand, but he’s clearly pacing himself. He seems completely relaxed, like he’s just enjoying every moment of this afternoon. I love him so damn much.
After another hour of catching up, mingling, and making sure everyone’s met each other, I grab a fork and tap it gently but loudly against my wine glass. I’m trying to get the room’s attention and failing miserably.
Carter notices and saves me: “Hey, listen up! Nate’s got something to say.”
I smile at him and mouth, “Thank you.”
Then I step up to my new little stage and look around at everyone I love. “Thank you all for being here today. For making my dream come true.” I pause, then add, “I want to specifically thank Carter and Mel for believing in me from day one. And I even want to thank Dilbert, who so graciously came today and helped with the finances these past few months.” I glance at them, and they all smile back at me.
“You’re welcome,” Mel says, already tipsy. Carter just nods, proud and quiet.
I continue: “Fated Grounds is a colorful, welcoming place, and I want to thank all of you. I would like to thank all of you for joining us today and making this day so special. This is just the beginning. Tomorrow’s grand opening is going to be fantastic, but today’s about all of us. This group of amazing people.”
I pause one last time, then say, “Before I let you get back to chatting and getting wasted, I want to sing a quick song. A song I made for the love of my life.”
A few people whistle, and the rest look at Carter with curiosity. “It’s called Fate in Motion,” I say. “I came up with it weeks ago, but I knew I wanted to sing it today, right here, during this soft launch.”
I reach for the microphone that Mel hands to me. My heart is racing. It’s a simple song, but it means everything. I take a deep breath, and I begin to sing.
Carter
His voice is beautiful, but the surprise is even better. I don’t usually cry, but something about this moment has me choked up. I feel the emotion bottling up inside me, but I can’t properly let it out. There’s just so much joy, so much love, as I watch my person stand on stage and sing this gentle, powerful song.
The pace is slow, almost meditative, and the lyrics walk through how we met and how fate brought us together. The lyrics are simple yet meaningful. We’ve been through so much. And as I stand here listening, all I can think about is how excited I am for where life will take us next. I can’t wait to travel with him, try new foods with him, and just be with him.
