Barely Civil — Draped Long-Sleeve Tee

You have known them long enough that certain things should have stopped being distracting. The way they greet you across a room, for example. You have seen it before. You have reliable evidence that they are pleased to see you. There should be no need for your thoughts to abandon their previous work every time it happens.

And yet.

Tonight you are meant to be helping with a perfectly ordinary celebration. You have brought what you said you would bring. The draped top you chose has made you feel quietly excellent all evening. You are capable of carrying plates, answering questions and remembering the name of the person standing beside you.

Then your partner arrives late, finds you immediately, and says something familiar very close to your ear. You hand them the plates.

This is not a crisis. It is a division of labor.

Later, when the room has settled into several conversations, they ask whether you are all right. You tell them exactly what you are thinking. They glance around, apparently checking how much of the evening remains, then look back at you. You recognize the expression. It is one of the reasons you have remained so susceptible to this person.

You finish the celebration properly. You help clear things away. At the door, someone thanks you both for being so useful. Your partner says it was a pleasure. You wait until you are outside before asking whether they would like to be more precise.

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