“Ooh, how about these?” Sarah asked as she picked up a box of expensive-looking chocolate covered shortbread biscuits. “You did say that one of the new Angels is Scottish, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but she’s not moved to London yet,” Nikki replied, before giggling, taking the box from her wife and placing it in the already-bulging trolley. “Both Alice AND Charlotte love these though, hehe!”

“And being models, they’ll probably only be allowed to eat a maximum of two each,” Sarah teased.

“You’d think,” Nikki retorted. “But they’ve both been exercising frequently and can afford the occasional ‘cheat’ now and again.”

“Heh, sometimes I forget I’m married to the sexy AND smart PA of the Angels,” Sarah giggled as she and her wife nuzzled each other through their facemasks. “Obviously I don’t forget that I’m married. Or that you’re sexy and smart, hehe!”

“But I haven't been doing much ‘personal assisting’ over the last sixteen months?” Nikki asked, before sharing a simultaneous sigh with her wife. “Yeah, I know. But hey, now that most Covid restrictions are lifted, maybe things will finally get back to normal. And nothing could be more normal than the first Angel party in a year and a half, heh!” Nikki and Sarah shared a giggle as they continued shopping, though on the inside, they were counting down the seconds until the party.

Eighteen months earlier, the news had been filled with reports of a new strain of coronavirus that had spread throughout China. The following month, it was reported that the virus had spread to Europe. The following month, it had reached the UK, and shortly thereafter, the country had shut down. All social gatherings had been banned, even those held outdoors, which meant curtains for the regular Saturday night parties that had been held at the home of ‘Angel’ Charlotte Hartley. Organising and buying supplies for the parties on a Saturday morning had been one of the highlights of Nikki’s week, and there were times when she thought she’d never get to do it again. However, the previous Monday, the 19th of July, most Covid restrictions concerning social distancing had been lifted. The virus had not been eradicated and still posed a threat to both young and old, which Nikki knew meant that restrictions could come back at any time — but that was all the incentive she needed to make the absolute most she could of the upcoming party.

“What about these?” Sarah asked as she held up a packet of six pink cupcakes with fondant hearts on the top.

“They’re cute,” Nikki giggled. “But kinda a bit off-theme for the party, heh.”

“I wasn’t thinking of the party, I was thinking of your sister,” Sarah giggled. “Aka my sister-in-law, my goddaughter, and the cutest six-year-old in the whole of London? She’d love these. Besides which, I’ve touched them now, can’t really put them back on the shelf, can I?”

“Even though we sanitised our hands before coming in?” Nikki asked, before giggling. “Jenny will LOVE those. Mum and dad maybe less so, depending on how much sugar’s in them! And Heavenly Talent will probably be unhappy at this going on the company credit card, so-”

“I’ll pay for them, don’t worry,” Sarah interrupted with an excited giggle.

“Even if you did also give her that new pink dress for her half-birthday two weeks ago?” Nikki teased.

“Well, if she spills pink crumbs on it, they won’t show up as much, will they?” Sarah giggled. “And it’s ‘made,’ not ‘gave.’ ”

“I stand corrected,” Nikki said with a giggle of her own. “Just as long as I don’t get any crumbs on MY dress tonight, I’ve been dying to wear it for ages….”

“You’ve worn it six times in the last two months, not counting all the times I was fitting it for you,” Sarah retorted.

“You know what I mean,” Nikki said with a playful sigh.

“Yeah, I know,” Sarah sighed. “I can’t wait for tonight either, heh. It is going to be IMMENSE. And speaking of, should I get some more cakes?”

“…Best not,” Nikki giggled. “Our resident baker might get a bit jealous. Even if she is supposed to be on honeymoon, hehe!”

As she was being unknowingly teased by one of her best friends, the ‘resident baker’ in question was still curled up in bed, her sheets wrapped around her just as her arms were wrapped around the man who became her husband a mere seven days earlier, but who was busy gently trying to wake up his new bride.

“Jacinta…” Tom whispered, gently blowing on the trans woman’s earlobe to no avail. “Jacinta… time to get up….”

“No, cuddle…” Jacinta sleepily moaned as she tightened her grip on the young man.

“Come on, babe,” Tom whispered softly. “We’ve both got a lot to do today, you said that yourself last night.”

“We’re both MEANT to be on honeymoon…” Jacinta purred as she began gently stroking her husband's bare chest.

“And we will be soon, I promise,” Tom said, giving his wife a gentle kiss. “But you said you needed my help in the kitchen today, plus Ophelia will be dropping round in a-” Tom and his wife both grimaced as a gentle knock came from the front door of their flat. “…bit.”

“Yeah,” Jacinta said, grimacing and giggling at the same time.

“It’s fine, I’ll go,” Tom said, hastily pulling on underwear, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt as his wife drank in the sight. “D’you need to, umm, dilate?”

“After what we did last night?” Jacinta replied with a devilish grin. “Medically speaking, I’m good for the next week. Though in actuality, I’ll probably be good for the next month, hehe!”

“And yet you were literally just trying to lay me again?” Tom asked, smirking as his wife’s grin widened.

“I said MEDICALLY I’ll be okay for the next month,” Jacinta replied. “Speaking as a newlywed with the hottest husband in the world, if you DON’T make love to me in the next 24 hours, I WILL be climbing the wall.”

“I think that can probably be arranged,” Tom giggled as he leaned down to share a long, deep kiss with his wife. “In the meantime, your ‘heterosexual soul mate’ is outside and probably wants to be let in, heh.”

“Thanks,” Jacinta whispered. “And you know I’m only joking when I say things like ‘heterosexual soul mate,’ you know me and Ophelia-”

“Are closer than sisters and can’t live without each other,” Tom interrupted his wife, who blushed and giggled but couldn’t argue his point. “It’s okay, I get it. I knew when I married you I was marrying the whole family, heh. And I do genuinely love Ophelia… as a sister-in-law.”

“Thanks,” Jacinta said softly, smiling as her husband let her BFF into the flat before getting out of bed herself and pulling a clean black bra and panty set from her underwear drawer. Before she dressed, though, she paused to look at herself in the mirror.

It had been over two years since her SRS, but it still sometimes amazed Jacinta that the young woman in the mirror — vagina and all — was actually her. It sometimes amazed her that a kind, handsome young man agreed with her declaration of femininity enough to make her his wife. And it had never stopped amazing her that there were other women out there, such as the 24-year-old woman whom Jacinta considered her sister, who were happy to call Jacinta one of their own, no matter how she had been born. Smiling, Jacinta finished dressing in a pink t-shirt and a short denim skirt and headed out into her kitchen, where her best friend eagerly greeted her with a long, tight hug.

“Hey O!” Jacinta squeaked, blinking back tears at the sight of her ‘sister.’ “God, it seems like forever since I last saw you in the flesh….”

“When in fact it was seven days ago, when I stood beside you as your maid of honour,” Ophelia reminded her ‘sister,’ who giggled at the reminder. “While admittedly, seven days would normally seem like an eternity to us when thinking about how close we were before Covid, recently it feels like the blink of an eye.”

“Not to me, it doesn’t,” Jacinta sighed. “And as far as I’m concerned, we’re still as close as we were before Covid, we just have to be a little less ‘hands-on’ than we were before.” The two young women shared a smirk as they released each other from their hug, before sitting down at their kitchen island as Tom supplied them each with a warm mug of coffee. “How are things, anyway? How’s Telemachus? Both virus-free, I hope?”

“We both tested negative this morning,” Ophelia replied. “If I was having difficulty breathing, you can believe that I would not have laced myself down to 22 inches this morning!” Jacinta giggled as her best friend gestured to the tightly laced corset around her waist- though Jacinta also smiled at the sight of the long, swishy lilac skirt and mesh bolero jacket that Ophelia wore.

“I was about to say that normally, you get dressed up for the party in the evening, but then I remembered who I was talking to,” Jacinta said, sharing a giggle with her best friend before continuing. “I hope you are coming tonight, though?”

“I would not miss it for anything,” Ophelia replied with a warm grin. “And yes, I shall be dressing up more than this for the party!”

“One of your masterpieces?” Jacinta teased.

“As long as you are bringing along one of your own masterpieces?” Ophelia asked, making her best friend blush as she gestured to the baking ingredients on her countertop.

“…Obviously,” Jacinta replied, sharing yet another giggle with her best friend as they enjoyed their coffee — but more importantly, the chance to simply be together once again.

As the two young women enjoyed their morning, in another part of London, five other women — including the occupant of the house where the evening’s party would be held — were sat together watching intently as their children played together, both generations reunited for the first time in months.

“If you’d told me ten years ago that I would give anything to spend a Saturday morning like this, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Charlotte said, smiling as her best friend gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

“I feel the same way,” Jamie whispered behind her mask. “Maybe for different reasons though, heh!”

“Hard to imagine yourself being a mother when there were times you could never imagine yourself being a woman?” Charlotte asked quietly, bringing a tear to her best friend’s eye.

“I couldn’t have put it better myself,” Jamie replied, musing on how as boy, ‘James’ had had no friends, no family and no future, while ‘Jamie-Lee’ had all that and more — and how cruelly the virus had taken all of it from her and her family a year earlier, even if it was only temporarily. However, as she looked at her daughter playing with her best friend’s twin girls — girls that both Jamie and her daughter considered the latter’s cousins — she, for the first time in a long while, felt a sense of optimism about the future.

“It’s also hard to believe that a few hours from now, my party room will be full of people again,” Charlotte sighed happily.

“Keiths senior and junior have cleared out the fort they built, I hope?” Jamie teased, giggling as her best friend rolled her eyes.

“Only as far as our old dance studio,” Charlotte said with a happy sigh. “Weird to think our kids are now playing in the room where we ‘played’ not that long ago.”

“Hey, some of us have made a career out of that ‘playing,’ if you don’t mind,” Krystie interjected, sharing a giggle with her friends. “And I think we had enough nostalgia last time the five of us were in this park. Well, six of us, if you count Miss Hannah ‘too busy for words’ Dexter, anyway.”

“Some of us have to hold the — heh, ‘fort’ down now that SOME people are focussing on other careers,” Jamie tease, smirking as Krystie, Mary and Viks all playfully jeered her.

“We literally just hired two new ‘Angels’ for that very reason,” Viks reminded her friend. “And they’re both doing great. Will they both be there tonight?”

“Martha, yes, Dina, no,” Charlotte replied. “She’s still getting everything ready for the big move down from Scotland. We’ll see her next time. Tonight won’t be the only party we have in 2021.”

“I was about to say, I don’t really want to have to wait another year before having all the Angels, old and new, under one roof,” Mary mused. “I know Malaika’s promised to fly back once travel’s fully reopened between Britain and Kenya.”

“Heh, and speaking of ‘under one roof,’ ” Charlotte mused, “tonight will be the first night in over a year my children WON’T all be under my roof.”

“Ah- shit, sorry Charlie, I didn’t th-” Mary said with a grimace.

“It — it’s okay,” Charlotte interrupted with a chuckle. “The kids are looking forward to staying with their grandparents almost as much as their grandparents are looking forward to having the kids stay over!”

“We can always clear out early, if it’d make it easier?” Krystie asked.

“The hell we can, it’s your birthday we’re celebrating!” Jamie said, smirking as the tall blonde woman rolled her eyes.

“That’s just a coincidence,” Krystie retorted. “It’s not my birthday until tomorrow, and it's not like I can drink in any event.” the assembled 'Angels' all giggled excitedly as Krystie rubbed her slowly expanding belly. “What we should REALLY be celebrating is everyone being back together again.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Charlotte said confidently as she exchanged a knowing look with her best friend. “We will….”

As the Angels and former Angels relaxed and watched their children play, across the vast city people gradually went about their day, some despite the virus and some in defiance of it, wanting to make the most of the newly-loosened guidelines — including those who had been deeply impacted by the virus themselves.

“What do you think?” Stephanie asked as she held up two short, expensive dresses for her girlfriend’s approval. “Short, tight and black, or short, flared and red? Bear in mind I will obviously be wearing boots with both.”

“Well — yeah,” Kayla replied with a giggle. “Given that I’ve known you for six years you didn’t really need to tell me that you were going booted, but I — I was kinda planning on going in black myself. But I can always-”

“Meh, red it is,” Stephanie interrupted, smirking as her girlfriend shook her head and giggled. “I realise that 11am may technically be a little too early to start getting ready, but it IS a big night, heh.”

“Oh — totally,” Kayla concurred. “Be nice to have a party that isn’t just in Animal Crossing, heh.”

“Our Switch is going to wonder where everyone’s gone,” Stephanie said with a giggle, before sighing as she sensed the awkwardness her girlfriend was trying her hardest to disguise. “…I know what you’re thinking.”

“Dunno what you mean,” Kayla shrugged as she continued scrolling on her phone.

“You’re wondering if I’ll be up for tonight,” Stephanie stated bluntly. “Physically. You’re wondering even if it’ll be safe for me to attend.”

“…Aren’t you?” Kayla asked softly, biting her lip as her girlfriend failed to respond. “Steph, you know they don’t give a diagnosis — a written, formal diagnosis — of anything, even long Covid, if they didn’t have to. The fact that they did tells you that there — there’s stuff you used to be able to do that you simply can’t anymore.”

“Yeah, thanks, I had noticed,” Stephanie snorted in reply. “I mean, it IS my body....”

“And it’s not just that,” Kayla said. “That many people there means there’s every chance — more chance than ever before, in fact — that you might get the virus again, immunity or no immunity. Hell, I’m even wondering if it’s safe for ME to go tonight….”

“You?” Stephanie asked. “Really?”

“What am I without my voice?” Kayla asked with a shrug. “I’ve taken SO much care to avoid this virus, especially after I saw what it did to you, I — ugh.”

“Well — okay, yeah, I DO get that,” Stephanie sighed. “We — we don’t have to go if you don’t want to, I mean, it’s not like it’ll be hard to think of an excuse, or-”

“No, don’t — don’t do that just ‘cause of me,” Kayla interrupted, before letting out another sigh. “We’ve both been looking forward to this, and under any other circumstances, I’d be there already. But as you know, despite what we’re supposed to think-”

“These aren’t ordinary circumstances,” Stephanie interrupted. “Believe me, I know. And believe me, I’ve wondered whether or not I should go too. But this fucking virus has dominated my life for the last year and I’m completely sick of letting it win.”

“It’s not like you or anyone just ‘let’ it win,” Kayla retorted.

“Well — yeah, I know,” Stephanie sighed. “And I know it hasn’t gone anywhere, I know there’s still a risk, but I — I can’t live my life in fear forever, can I? Not that I’m suggesting you are living in fear, but — well, yeah….”

“Yeah,” Kayla whispered. “And for what it’s worth, I AM afraid. Deathly afraid. Not just for my voice, but for — for everything. For you, for all our friends, for — for your parents….” Kayla trailed off as tears formed in both her and her girlfriend’s eyes at the thought of Stephanie’s 61 year old father and 59 year old mother, both of whom had cancelled their retirements to return to work as an ambulance driver and nurse respectively, and who put themselves in harm’s way every time they set foot in their workplace.

“…They’ve been fine so far, God knows how,” Stephanie sighed. “And I suppose I can always, like, find a matching facemask for this dress, heh! I hardly think anyone will say anything about us showing up the party masked, will they?”

“Well — no, knowing the Angels they’d never sneer at anyone for that,” Kayla replied, before smirking. “And yes, I do have a black facemask that’d match my dress really well.”

“And I’m sure I can find a red one somewhere,” Stephanie giggled. “If not in the flat, then there’s bound to be a shop somewhere in this city that sells one, right?”

“…Shopping trip?” Kayla asked, not waiting for her girlfriend’s answer before putting down her phone and heading to her bedroom to fix her hair and make-up.

“Which will also probably be as risky as the party, heh,” Stephanie mused. “At least there, we’ll know everyone, and we’ll know that everyone invited will have the sense to test beforehand and stay away if they’re positive.”

“True,” Kayla sighed. “But like you said, as long as we make sure we’re safe, we shouldn’t let the virus ruin our fun, right?”

“I don’t think I put it exactly like that,” Stephanie replied, returning to her own room to get ready for the impromptu trip out. “But you’re definitely right. And I know for a fact that if I don’t go to the party tonight, I’m going to be regretting it for weeks.”

“You only regret the things that you don’t do?” Kayla asked, reminding her girlfriend of a saying that had almost come to define her life over the previous six years.

“You said it…” Stephanie said as she continued to apply her make-up, her thoughts dominated by anticipation of the evening’s events.

However, while the majority of London were looking forward to celebrating the easing of lockdown, there were those who were still affected individually by the virus and its consequences. While the evening's partygoers felt sympathetic toward their young friends, they also knew that there was nothing they do to help those still trapped indoors by lockdown — though they were comforted by the fact that they would at least not be alone.

“Ugh, this SUCKS,” Laura moaned between loud coughs, her usually thick and glossy blonde hair hanging in lank strands around her face. “On a Saturday in summer, too….”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I sympathise,” Laura’s friend Ian sighed into his screen. “Were you — did you get an invitation to the Angel party tonight? ‘Cause you and Suri are now represented by Heavenly Talent, I mean?”

“We’ve been represented by them since before Covid!” Laura replied, before smiling and sighing — and coughing again. “And no, not this one, but Jamie’s promised we can come to one before we go back to uni. Assuming neither of us are sick by then, heh. Or even if the parties are still running by then.”

“That’s a bit pessimistic, isn’t it?” Ian asked.

“You literally had the virus yourself not long ago,” Laura said, giggling before that triggered another coughing fit. “Tell me that YOU were optimistic while you were laid up in bed?”

“…Not THAT optimistic, granted,” Ian sighed. “I was confident it would — will end soon, though.”

“Tell that to my lungs,” Laura sighed. “And I — I’m sorry if I’m interrupting anything, I just — just really needed to vent about this whole shitty situation. Unless… please don’t tell me YOU have an invite to tonight’s party?”

“No, and I’ve been told I won’t unless I specifically ask for one, which I won’t,” Ian replied. “Stu knows better than to try to pressure me like that, heh.”

“Stu is cool,” Laura said with a smile. “For a BOY, heh.”

“He has said, though, that if it gets too packed in the party room, he and the other guys have agreed to retreat to the TV room to play videogames instead,” Ian said. “I’ve been invited to that — remotely, of course- and you’ve still got your PS4, haven’t you?”

“Well, as much as I’d appreciate the invitation, the answer is kinda ‘yes and no,’ ” Laura replied, smirking as she held her phone closer to her bedroom wall, through which Ian could hear the faint sounds of a videogame being played- and the angry voice of a younger teenaged girl.

“Ugh, this SUCKS,” Laura’s 14-year-old sister Lily moaned, prompting chuckles from Ian and Laura.

“Has she got it too, or is she quarantined because of you?” Ian asked.

“She’s got it too, but only mildly,” Laura replied. “Mild enough to be sat up, dressed and playing on her PlayStation all day, heh. Well, MY PlayStation, but same difference I guess, heh. Guess I owe her after giving her Covid, heh.”

“Who did you catch it from, then?” Ian asked. “If — if you don’t mind me asking?” Ian smiled with confusion as the blonde girl blushed and giggled.

“From Will,” Laura replied, widening Ian’s smile at the reference to his friend's long-term boyfriend. “Hey, when you swap as much bodily fluid as we do, you’re bound to-”

“Annnnnnnnnnd that’s enough of that,” Ian interrupted, bringing a genuine laugh to the poorly girl’s lips. “But seriously, though, I am glad to see you’re — well, not doing too badly, heh.”

“Thanks,” Laura whispered. “Honestly, I think Will’s more upset about the final of the Euros than getting Covid, heh.”

“I’m not, I get to be Welsh again,” the half-English trans man retorted, bringing another laugh to his ailing friend.

“Cymru am byth, yeah,” Laura chuckled. “Ugh, now I need the loo again, heh. This is your fault for making me laugh too much.”

“Sor-ry,” Ian said in a mocking voice that earned him an eye roll from his friend. “I should log off too, Lee and Leanne will be back soon with lunch, I should at least make it look like I’ve tried to clean the flat, heh.”

“It’s gonna be weird, you not living with Lee next year,” Laura said, smiling sympathetically as her friend sadly nodded.

“Life moves on,” Ian said with a shrug. “And I’m looking forward to living with Leanne as a ‘proper’ couple. You and Will should come over some time — like, for a double dinner date, not — heh. Not ‘the other D&D,’ heh.”

“Yeah, no way am I letting you do THAT to Will,” Laura said with a tired chuckle. “Or me! Well… maybe if my fever gets worse, then maybe Dungeons and Dragons might actually seem like a fun idea, heh.”

“No offence taken,” Ian snorted as his friend giggled again. “And obviously, given our history, any double date would be strictly 'family friend.' ”

“And given our anatomy, too,” Laura sighed. “But, whatever, right? Will gives me the 'relief' I need when I need it and that's all that matters, heh. Ooh, and speaking of, guess who's calling me now?”

“I’ll let you get to your ‘relief,’ ” Ian teased. “Talk again soon!” The young trans man smiled as his friend waved and ended the call. Even though he would not be attending that evening’s party, Ian still had a smile on his face as he looked forward to the evening’s events, and for the same reason as those heading to the party — they would be spending the evening with friends who they truly loved.

However, while Ian’s ‘preparations’ for the evening consisted simply of charging up videogame controllers and ordering a pizza, those attending the party put in a lot more time and effort, and as the time for the party drew closer, anticipation levels started to rise exponentially.

“I’m getting excited…” Nikki said in a sing-song voice as she and her wife stood side-by-side applying their make-up in their bathroom mirror.

“Really?” Sarah asked teasingly. “You’d never be able to tell….”

“Well then, I’ll just have to be more hyper, won’t I?” Nikki retorted, squeaking with excitement before nibbling playfully at her wife’s shoulder.

“And if we start THAT we’ll never even get to the party!” Sarah chastised, sharing a giggle with her wife. “And we need to get dressed too, Jacinta will be round any minute.”

“And I’m VERY glad this dress is laced in,” Nikki giggled as she returned to the couple’s bedroom and stepped into her wife’s latest creation, a gold and silver halter neck dress with a flared knee-length skirt and a laced in bodice, which Sarah was only too happy to tie for her wife. As Nikki slipped her feet into a pair of matching sandals with a four-inch stiletto heel, Sarah stepped into her own dress, a less elaborate but still beautiful burgundy dress with a short pencil-style skirt and brocade detailing on the front. Sarah sighed happily as she held her ponytail out of the way so her wife could zip the dress up, before giggling as she felt a familiar pair of soft, slender arms encircle her from behind.

“Are we going to spend the entire party like this?” Sarah asked, barely suppressing her laughter.

“I’m game if you are,” Nikki replied, before sighing as a knock came from their front door. “…Oh, please, as if this is something Jacinta hasn’t seen before.”

“We’re both wearing heels, this may be tricky,” Sarah said, before giggling as her wife reluctantly released her hold and allowed Sarah to answer the door.

“Happy party day!” Jacinta squeaked as she held up several cardboard boxes, the smells from which immediately increased the married couple’s already elevated excitement levels.

“Mmm,” Nikki sighed happily as she sniffed the packages. “You know, we WERE about to put on our perfume, but I’d rather liquidise this and spray it on my body, hehe!”

“As flattered as I am, these go better in your mouth than your nose or your skin,” Jacinta replied, sharing an excited giggle with her friend as she laid the boxes on the table. “I’ve got in here 24 mini pains au chocolat; two tear and shares, one Red Leicester, the other rosemary and chive, and two dips, one tomato and basil, the other mango chili. And, of course….” Nikki and Sarah looked on in awe as Jacinta opened the final, largest box and revealed a white and dark chocolate drip cake with elaborate whipped cream decorations on the top.

“Meanwhile we raided M&S this morning and… that’s about it,” Nikki said, before giggling. “Honestly, J, this all looks, smells and will no doubt taste amazing. PLEASE let me break out the agency’s credit card and reimburse you for this? The ingredients alone must have-”

“Honestly, I don’t mind,” Jacinta interrupted with a giggle. “I had so much fun making these, heh. Well, I should give some credit to Tom for making the dips, heh. Didn’t really want the smell of spicy garlic in my hair tonight!”

“Speaking of, we need to get scented,” Sarah said, linking her hands with her wife. “D’you want a glass of wine or anything before we head off?”

“No, I’m good, thanks,” Jacinta replied as she began returning her sweet treats to their boxes. “God… feels like ages since I was here, though.”

“Feels like FOREVER,” Nikki retorted as she and her wife applied their perfume and put the finishing touches on their looks for the night. “Tonight is SO long overdue, it’s not even funny anymore.”

“It’s gonna be emotional,” Jacinta sighed. “Seeing everyone again, seeing the house again….”

“Oh — stop, I only just got my make-up on!” Nikki protested as her friend and wife giggled.

“Am I going to need to be emotional support for both of you throughout the night?” Sarah asked as she and her wife emerged back into the living room and helped their friend carry the treats for the night down to the waiting taxi.

“You’ve known me for seven years,” Jacinta replied. “You show know by now the answer is gonna be a massive ‘yes,’ heh.”

“And I don’t even need to answer the question, do I?” Nikki asked, exchanging a kiss with her wife before all three women donned their facemasks and slid onto the back seat of the taxi. “God… even if this is the only party we have for the rest of the year, it — yeah.”

“I think I know what you mean,” Jacinta sighed happily. “Like, one weekend of normalness in all the madness.”

“Even if it wasn’t, like, a ‘normal’ party, I’d probably still be feeling the same,” Sarah added. “We are still totally throwing you a proper wedding reception when we can, though, Miss — sorry, MRS Randall!” The three women all squeaked excitedly as Jacinta showed off the plain gold band on her left hand.

“Only you could get married two days before a mass lifting of Covid restrictions,” Nikki teased her friend, who rolled her eyes in response.

“It’s not my fault the government decided to lift the restrictions two days after the anniversary of me and Tom getting together,” Jacinta retorted, triggering another mass giggle in the cab.

“Ahh… though between that and Krystie’s birthday tomorrow, feels like tonight’s party is, like, an extra special celebration, you know?” Nikki said.

“Anytime we can all be together is gonna feel like an extra special celebration from now on,” Jacinta sighed happily to the agreement of her friends. “Though I wouldn’t say no to a proper wedding reception, heh.”

“Oh, that WILL be arranged,” Nikki giggled as the taxi bore them toward the evening's excitement.

The three women arrived at their destination a short while later, and their excitement levels grew when they discovered they were far from the first people there. After handing the baked and store-bought treats to the catering staff, Nikki, Sarah and Jacinta mingled with the crowds are were greeted by a throng of their friends — Jamie, Charlotte and all of the Angels; Ophelia, Katie and Lauren; all the members of Out of Heaven and many, many more, even a few faces that Nikki didn’t recognise. Even though they greeted their friends with waves rather than hugs, Nikki, along with everyone present, felt more and more at home and at peace with every familiar face they saw. The feelings of happiness weren’t dulled even when the party’s hosts stood at the front of the room and drew everyone's attention.

“Ladies, and some gentlemen,” Charlotte announced, prompting giggles from the women in the crowd and playful jeers from the men. “It has been far, FAR too long. Welcome to the party house!” The assembled men and women all cheered and raised their glasses, even as the hosts gestured to them to calm down.

“But of course, even though we’re here, Covid may still be as well,” Jamie said, shrugging at the boos that the virus’s mention earned. “I know, I know. But we all tested negative today, we’ve all had at least our first dose of the vaccine, and if anyone wants to wear a mask, please do so, no one will say anything if you do.” Stephanie and Kayla exchanged smiles with each other behind their masks as they linked fingers and listened to their friends’ announcement.

“But tonight, we’re not here to be paranoid, we are here to party!” Charlotte cheered, the entire room sharing in her ebullience. “And we have a lot to celebrate. Our sister Krystie is 29 tomorrow, our best baker Jacinta officially became Mrs. Thomas Randall last weekend, but most of all, all of us can finally be together again! We are not just colleagues. We are not just friends. We are family. And there can be only one song we play on a night like this!”

“Stuart — hit it!” Jamie gestured toward her husband, who grinned and pressed ‘play’ on his laptop. Moments later, the light levels in the room dimmed and the opening bars of Sister Sledge’s classic track filled the air, sending the excitement levels of those present into overdrive.

As they partied into the night, the assembled men and women danced, drank, ate and danced some more until late into the night, relishing in the opportunity to simply be with each other out of the fear that it may be their only opportunity for a long time.

Covid had not gone anywhere, the threat of the virus still loomed despite all the measures that had been put in place, and the partygoers knew the risks they were taking. But they also knew one simple fact — that they WERE family in all the ways that mattered. Covid wouldn’t last forever, but their feelings of love and friendship most certainly would.