“Roe?” I smiled at him from my spot on the couch and he yawned, cuddling closer to Stephen, “Jesus you’re so touchy.”

“Shut up,” Roe grumbled, giggling when Stephen softly kissed his forehead.

A massive shock had come to me three months ago when Roe asked to take me to lunch to tell me something. The first was that he was proud of me for forgiving Ocean. The second was the fact that he wanted to take Stephen on a date. Stephen and Roe realized just how much they got along and had in common. But they didn’t want to start dating behind my back and effectively had asked me for permission. I hadn’t minded in the slightest, grateful to see how happy they made each other and I still got to keep my best friends which had been my priority.

Ocean’s letter had been absolutely beautiful, 30 pages long and full of genuine remorse. He covered every bad thing he had done to Roe, to me, to his family. It was honest and open, spilling out his heart and I regularly read it, wanting to feel that connection again. However, I hadn’t talked to him yet regarding how I was feeling as I was still struggling with my own emotions.

“What’s going on with you?” Roe kicked my leg and I groaned.

“Roe.”

“What?”

“I have to socialize tomorrow,” I grumbled, playing with my pillow.

“You’re the idiot who agreed to go to a wedding,” Stephen laughed and I kicked his leg.

Last year, an invitation to a wedding I was expecting arrived at the bookshop. It was for my friend Oliver Hope and his fiance, Sebastian Aubert. Oliver was the former owner of my publishing company, Parallel, and we had met at a few galas and things for Parallel that I had been invited to in Manhattan. He was a wonderful man, ten years my senior, and shockingly tall but smaller than Stephen, something that made me laugh when I remembered it. He had called me yesterday to confirm I would be at the wedding, an interaction that had left me smiling as I could hear his son Augustine babbling in the background, playing with Sebastian who I had only met once. We talked regularly, Sebastian was a wonderfully funny man with strawberry blonde curls and shocking eyes, one the color of ice and the other as deep as chocolate. Oliver had paid not only for my flight but also a rental home for me in Livingston, Montana as I refused to stay with him and Sebastian so as to not get in the way of the wedding.

“They’re my best friends,” I grumbled.

“We’re your best friends. Rude,” Roe rolled his eyes at me and I stuck my tongue out, “have you talked to the idiot recently?”

“Ocean texted me earlier but outside of that not really. We are friendly but it’s still strained. I did forgive him. I told him as much. But other than that. I’m good.”

“Have you found a date for the wedding?”

“What? No. of course not. I’d rather go alone. Stevie, you’re still taking me to the airport right?”

“Of course,” Stephen nodded, “then Roe and I are taking Max to the zoo since we’ll already be in Boise. Do you need me to pick you up in a few days?”

“Nah. Pa is going to. Thanks though. I’ll be back in four days. Can you take care of my place?”

“Phoenix literally lives here,” Stephen laughed loudly.

“Can you make sure he doesn’t burn the apartment down while I’m gone? Although… Did I tell you guys?”

“What?”

“I sold my apartment in Manhattan. I have no need for it. I rarely go there. It’s… best for me to just stay here.”

“You’ll never get married if you stay here, Cinn. Unless you start dating college kids in Boise.”

“Gross,” I gagged, “no I’m going to beg Oliver to see if he has any single friends.”

“Ah wanna bag a rich partner?” Roe elbowed me and I shoved him back.

“I am the rich partner, thank you oh so very much. I have to pack. Stay as long as you want, you both practically live here,” smiling, I got to my feet and stretched before ruffling Maddox’s hair who giggled.

“Well we technically live together…” Roe whispered and I froze, looking over at him, “I moved in with Stevie and Max now that Dorothy is in Boise. It… I couldn’t stay with my friends anymore and he had a spare room.”

“That Roe never uses because he takes over my bed,” Stephen added and Roe softly smacked his chest.

“Because you whine if I don’t sleep next to you.”

“Fair,” Stephen shrugged.

“Well I am so freaking happy for you both,” I giggled, “be good to each other. I know how happy you are together. It’s a weird road that brought us here but hey,” I shrugged, “whatever it takes.”

“I bet you’ll meet someone at the wedding,” Roe shouted as I headed to my room.

“I bet I won’t!” I shouted back, grabbing my suitcase as I started to pack.

After eating dinner with Stephen, Roe, and Maddox, they headed home and I finally got to sleep, knowing that Stephen planned to pick me up in the afternoon for my flight to Billings, Montana. I was a good flier, used to doing it at this point because I would visit Manhattan regularly, but there was one part of flying I never enjoyed. Sitting next to strangers. I knew this was bound to happen as I boarded my flight in the first group, always grateful to do so as I counted as part of the disabled due to my eye, and once I was comfortable in my seat, I took out my phone and started checking my emails. There was movement from my left and I ignored it, waiting for the ever annoying pull to my stomach when the plane took off.

“Hi,” the man next to me started, his voice accented and gentle, and I nodded, never looking away from my phone, “my name is Thélio.”

“Cool.”

“Where are you flying to?”

“Same place as you. We’re sitting on the plane now.”

“Ah. Of course. I apologize. I just flew in from San Francisco after doing interviews in Japan.”

“Sounds tiring,” I set my phone in my lap and finally looked over, doing my best not to gasp.

The man sitting next to me had beautiful jet black hair except for a piece that was as white as mine. He had braided it down his back and inlaid it with ribbon, the end reaching his waist. His eyes were as deep as chocolate, wise and welcoming, and his skin was beautiful, clearly tanned by the sun and the same shade as golden brown honey. However, he was missing all pigment around his right eye, a form of vitiligo. He seemed shorter than me, possibly based on the way he was sitting and when he smiled it was clear that he had a small gap in his front teeth.

“I know,” Thélio laughed softly, “it’s surprising for most when they see me for the first time. It’s the hair.”

“Just… never seen someone with such long hair that’s healthy like yours. That’s all.”

“What’s your name?”

“Hyacinth.”

“Oh!” he reached into his bag and held up a small book I recognized outside of the fact it was written in Portuguese, “is this you?” he opened the cover to show the photo of me I had done for the inserts.

“Y… yes. That’s me.”

“I love your poetry. It’s beautiful!”

“Thank you,” I smiled, “that’s nice of you to say. Why are you in America? It’s rare for people to read Portuguese here.”

“You know it? Anyway, I live in New York now. I’m from Albufeira, Portugal. But I’m attending a wedding for a friend. My full name is Thélio Solorio,” he held his hand out and I shook it.

“Hyacinth Williams. But you know that. What should I call you? Most people call me Cinn.”

“Lio is fine.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Lio. Funny, I’m also going to a wedding.”

“In Montana?”

“Yes?”

“Is their name Oliver Hope?”

“Wait…”

“Ah! You know Oliver and Sebastian?”

“Yes. Parallel publishes all my books. I met Oliver at a gala a few years ago.”

“I make their clothes when Oliver calls. I’m a tailor and… seamstress? I do not know what you would call a male seamstress. Anyway, I own a shop in New York now and I am also a fashion blogger. I travel a lot.”

“Impressive. I work at my parents bookstore. I live here in Idaho. Or back in Idaho I just realized we’ve been flying for a bit.”

“Do you not travel?”

“Not if I don’t want to,” I laughed softly, making Thélio smile, “I don’t like going places alone. I have traveled all over though. I have to for interviews and things.”

“Ah of course. That makes sense. Are you attending alone?”

“The wedding? Yeah I only know Oliver, Sebastian, and Serenity.”

“Me as well.”

“Would you like to sit with me? I know we’re strangers but it’s better than attending a wedding alone. I don’t know how many people are coming.”

“I would love that,” Thélio once again smiled, “how old are you?”

“Twenty four. You?”

“Ah. I win. Twenty six.”

“Boo on you,” I stuck my tongue out and Thélio snorted, “any family?”

“No,” his tone went harsh and I swallowed slowly, “I apologize that seemed cruel. My family is… traditional. That is all. My parents do not accept me.”

“I can’t relate unfortunately but I have seen close friends struggle with that. I’m very sorry.”

“You have loving parents?”

“Very much so, yes. My fathers are lovely. As are my many grandfathers.”

“Fathers,” he whispered softly before smiling gently, “oh how nice.”

“They were very accepting of me as well. If you read my biography on the inside of the book then you would know I am nonbinary.”

“I did. It was very strong of you to do that. I know how it feels to get hate.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes. I am gay. My family was against this. I was expected to follow in my fathers footsteps. Become a fisherman. Marry a nice, traditional woman. Have many children. But I could not do this. So. I went to fashion school in New York and started my business. That is how I met Oliver. He came in looking for a robe and I made him one. We became friends. Have you met their son?”

“Augustine? No, I haven't had the chance. He’s what… two now?”

“Yes. Adorable little boy,” Thélio pulled out his phone and showed me a photo of Augustine, “I took their family photos recently. I had to learn proper photography to sell my clothing after all.”

“Oh he’s gorgeous! Looks identical to his fathers. He even got Sebastian’s eyes. It’s strange how often I meet people with heterochromia.”

“I have never met someone so young with white hair. Why?”

“It’s a genetic… quirk in my father Sparrows side of the family. I have many uncles who have white hair. My twin brother looks just like my parents. The same bright red hair and green eyes as Thomas,” I picked my phone up and showed him a photo of all of us, “Sparrow carried us. My parents are very young. Only 44. They met in college, had Phoenix and I, got married and have been running a bookstore and connected cafe for as long as I’ve been alive. My grandparents Shiloh and Kai owned it first. My great great grandparents before them.”

“Is Kai…”

“He's half Japanese. Born in Boston, Massachusetts. My uncle Callum and aunt Violet are also half Japanese. Oh and my great aunt Juniper.”

“Do you know where from?”

“Unfortunately no. I have no idea where his father was from, they never talked about his parents.”

“Ah, I was just curious. Thank you by the way.”

“For?”

“Talking to me. I was lonely. It happens when you have no reason to go home. I own the shops but I am rarely there. Two days after the wedding, I leave for London.”

“Ah that’s so far.”

“Have you ever been?”

“Once. I loved it.”

“Me too,” he leaned back a bit in his seat, “well. We are almost to Billings.”

“Yeah. Yeah we are.”

“Wedding buddies?”

“Wedding buddies,” I giggled, relaxing as well and turning to look at him.

It’s rare that I'm comfortable around strangers.

He’s very pretty.

Unique.

Just… like me.