Page 26 of Tasty Tentacles

“Orion, I don’t think any of us are even close to disgusted. Charmed, definitely. Intrigued, probably. I’m sure everyone wants to get to know you, you and your tentacula. They’re part of you, but not the only part of you. You’re so much more.”

“I wish I could believe that.”

That’s my wish too, I realize, to help him see it and believe it. To help him find a way to stop hiding all that kindness behind a mask. Unfortunately, it won’t happen overnight, but there’s a roomful of boisterous men in this house who can help him make the first steps.

“Let’s just take it one day at a time,” I suggest. “Are you ready to sample some dessert, or do you need a few more minutes?”

“No, I’m fine, and I think Jake is missing the attention. I’m ready to head back in.”

When we get back to the celebration, Carl booms out, patting the couch next to him, “Orion! Get over here, handsome. We have an idea we want to try.”

I leave him in their attentive hands and join Bertie in the kitchen.

“He just needed a few minutes with Jake. Can I help?”

“Sure—could you set up the coffee? It should be just about ready. I totally understand what Orion’s feeling. We can be a bit much.”

“Well, there is that, but I think it’s more. I don’t think he has many friends.”

Bertie stops and turns around, resting back against the counter. “That’s been my impression too, human friends at least. He always comes to the bakery on his own.”

“You know, he told me you’re his best friend.”

“Really?” my cute husband says, melting. He didn’t know, but I see it in his face, he feels it too. “He is so sweet. Every time I see him, I want to give him a kiss.”

This sends a very particular tingle through my body. One I’ve never felt before, but one I want to feel again. I can picture it perfectly, Bertie tipping his handsome face up, eyes smiling, Orion reaching down, tentative but wanting to make a connection just as much as Bertie does.

“You know, I think you should,” I say, wanting this for my handsome hubby. “If the opportunity arises.”

I watch my BertieBear as the thoughts cross his face. A sweet smile, imagining a quick peck on the lips in that nest of furry tentacles. Then, it grows into a smile that’s more…intentional. I suspect he just had that same tingle.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” he asks.

“There’s something special about Orion, even without his special gift,” I answer, realizing I also wouldn’t turn down a kiss…and maybe more.

“I feel it too,” Bertie says. “But we’ve never, um…”

I finish his thought, “I know we’ve never, but we’ve never met someone like him. Like I said, he’s something special, and I think he could be something special to us.”

“We’d have to be careful. I don’t want to hurt him.”

“My thoughts exactly,” I say, excited by the prospect of building a deeper connection with Orion, whatever it might end up being. “Let’s just keep our options open.”

I stride into the room with a tray of coffees, announcing, “It’s the time you’ve been waiting for. Desserts are…”

I’m stopped dead in my tracks by the scene in front of me.

Carl has unbraided his beard, and he’s walking Orion through the process of braiding it all back together. “Right. Riiiight. Now left. Now right again. No sorry, that’s your center one, but now it’s on the right. Center next, to the center. I’m sorry, this is hard to describe. Just watch me.”

Bob is laughing uncontrollably, big booming bear laughs. He just can’t stop.

Pops has his phone out, taking pictures.

And Orion is at the center of everything, face squinched up, deep in concentration, trying to braid his chin tentacula. With no hands.

“Honey,” I call to the kitchen. “You have to see this.”

Bertie dashes out and wraps his hands around my waist.