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Before dawn, Sully sensed that 'Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day' vibe permeating the coffee shop he shared with Cu, his husband.
Their marriage was failing, yet Sully felt a mounting relief that it would soon be over. The party room was bedecked with "Our condolences" themed decor. It didn't feel correct, but Cu wasn't known for correct sentiments.
"Want some beignets?" Kelly Kline from the bakery next door entered, with goodies like always.
"Miss Kline! How's Jack? Sure we'll take-"seeing the scandalized expression on Sully's face, Cue quickly reconsidered, "I'll take one."
She let Cu select from her pastry box. "Jack's been sad since losing his pet snake. He'll pull through though, see you guys later. Can't I bring something?"
"Nope, Donatello from 'Hogan's Hero's' across the street's bringing a platter Cu ordered last week." Sully turned, finding Cu having suspiciously departed into the back room, upon mention of Donnie.
Sully caved. "We'll gladly take whatever you've got left over."
"K, Bye Cu!" She called, but his husband wouldn't return until another customer came in.
By mid morning their semi calm took a sharp turn. "We're out of cup sleeves, didn't you order them when I said we were low?" Sully asked, exasperated.
"Well, come to think of it…" Cue pondered a moment, "I was headed for customer service when seeing the cutest high schoolers. The stock boy spotted his school's star quarterback through the energy drink fridge, I just had to!"
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Sully breathed deeply. "You don't work for Him anymore, Cue! Remember He got pissed when you shot his ass right after Becky-you didn't order the sleeves, did you?" Sully demanded.
"Gosh, Watching those guys gush over each other, I completely forgot. Oh! Look, it's Jesse Turner and Emma, I-"
"NO Cu! Can we focus on our business here, for the millionth time?"
"Welcome to Lazarus Brew, how may I revive you?" Sully flashed them a perfectly faux smile.
"Two soy pumpkin spice mochas please," Jesse placed their order.
Minutes later Emma barfed all over the floor. "What is this, soy botulism?"
Sully hopped the counter, while Cue pushed the mop in front of the counter. Upon examination, Sully declared, "That's curdled. Let me make you another-"
"Sorry, don't have the stomach for it yet," Emma apologized.
Sully completely understood. "How about a gift card, for later?"
Emma and Jesse left with the gift cards, then Sully marched to the mini fridge where all the various kinds of creamers were kept, and had to dig the rectangular carton from the trash; with a single whif, his stomach turned.
Glancing at the date, there was no reason for it to have curdled. Checking the back fridge, there were a dozen boxes more than there'd been that morning. With a touch, it all made sense.
"Cu!!!! The cartons have to be refrigerated!" Sully bemoaned.
Eyes glued to his phone Cu announced, "They're bringing back the Love Connection! Yay!! Oof, though DJ Khalid's a poor host choice, on social media he's confessed he's a taker not a giver."
At eleven am, Sully was so done. Their friend Muriel was covering during their brunch. Sully helped Bobby and Missouri escape the flurries outside.
High fiving Jack, he welcomed Kelly, taking the boxes of guaranteed diabetic comas from her.
Donatello arrived. Cu screeched, "I'm sorry! I forgot the hero's..got distracted."
"Always are Cu," Sully huffed.
Cu seemed preoccupied with Donatello, following and sitting beside him. Sully narrowed his eyes when watching them. Whatever, he needed to put this day behind him.
"Hey Sully," Garth and Bess greeted, "how ya been, Buddy?"
"Alright. Grab a treat from Kelly, have a seat," Sully gestured, taking drink orders.
Later Cu joined him in addressing their friends, who suspected something was afoot. "We appreciate everyone coming today. You're good friends, we enjoy spending time with you. But Cupid and I wanted to say in person-"
Sully was interrupted right on time by a courier directed to their room by Muriel.
"Thank you," Sully opened the manilla folder, confirming the paperwork inside.
"You all signed our marriage certificate, now we'll need signature's for this divorce we've arranged. Seems we're longer compatible," Cu tearfully admitted.
The faces staring at them held awareness, relief, and..peace? Sully had expected shock, even awkwardness. But it was he who was shocked.
"Is there something I'm missing? Do I have sprinkles in my teeth? Cu, are there sprinkles stuck in my teeth?"
Cu stumbled for a recovery, "Ah things haven't been schmoopy for a while now, not sure if they really ever were. Sully always had preference for children anyways-"
"God Cu! You're making it worse! No, I don't have that kind of preference for children! I mean, I often enjoy their company, they are so honest and creative …"
"Sorry, didn't mean it like that! You just don't love me like ...most husband's…" Cu stammered.
"If you'd spent a fraction of the time on our marriage than you do playing matchmaker maybe this wouldn't have happened!" Sully word vomited before he could reel himself in.
"Guys?" Garth stood, removing his ball cap, placing it over his heart, "Sorry things didn't work out, but this wasn't a surprise."
Sully's heart sunk in disappointment. "You knew? And never said anything?"
Everyone's eyes dropped to their laps in awkward silence.
"You couldn't have mentioned your concerns?! Or maybe you just didn't care enough...I...I.."
He needed to be surrounded by frozen air. Darting outside the front of the shop, he drank in the flurries whirling around him. The iciness expanding in his lungs was a subtle relief. Suddenly a warm hand wrapped his own.
"Hey Jack. How are ya?"
The kid was a Godsend. "Sully, wanna build a snowman? Better than the weird grown up stuff inside."
"That sounds great. I'd love to, and maybe a few snow kids too. Want Muriel to make us hot chocolate?"
And that's exactly what they did.