Far from all the hysteria

 Melvin couldn't believe his eyes. Was Cori some sort of magician in the kitchen?

So much sliced veg it made Melvin wonder why he wasn't a vegetarian after all. Well, he still needed meat and a cheerful Caitlin would help, but evidently, he'd put her off. Put the two side by side, he'd rather sit down and eat.

Megan was nice to him, letting him have first dibs as the food was passed around. He was their guest. And the table wasn't huge, but it wasn't too cozy either.

Caitlin took her food and ate in silence. No small talk with her.

Melvin knew it wasn't the time to dwell on it but was last night that bad, he wondered. He tried to keep it all under his breath.

Everyone else was pleasantly OK. Especially, Cori and Megan. 

It felt to Melvin as if they'd known each other for a very long time, and he didn't understand why. Honestly, he'd forgotten about ever meeting Megan before, but she was like a little fairy going about making sure everyone's glass was full. Possibly she was just a very good actress because she wasn't like that the night before. She'd been brutal toward him.

Honestly. yesterday felt like a week ago. Caitlin might as well be Siberia at the moment. 

Truly, he didn't want to make a quick exit so he said he'd wash up the dishes as soon as everyone finished.

"Wait," Megan stopped everyone at the end of the meal. "We have Melvin's cheesecake, you know."

"So?" Cait looked at her as if they could eat that tomorrow for breakfast, not right now.

"I'll put on some music, we can dance," Cori's laugh was soft and Melvin was beginning to wonder if he was on something. He was never that happy at work. 

Megan's giggle was ever so soft too. It was as if they were almost mimicking each other. 

Melvin's brow furrowed, although he hated to say anything about those two. Cori and Megan took the dishes and went on to the kitchen with them.

"Just sickening isn't it?" Caitlin cringed.

"Right," Melvin nodded. "I thought so too."

"Well, I certainly won't be having what they're having," she snapped.

"What?" He was puzzled, hoping she knew he was on her side.

The playlist started with the one-hit-wonder of 'What does the Fox say.'

Melvin found it quite funny and so did Caitlin.

"They're disgustingly happy, aren't they?" Melvin shrugged.

"I dunno why," Caitlin said there was nothing to be happy about in this world. No vacations. Mask all day.

Melvin guessed it was the times that made Caitlin so unhappy, unsure of so much. 

"It's the friends we keep, you know," Melvin said he was trying to be a better friend, especially to Cori. "I didn't know he could cook so well." Truly, he knew his way around the kitchen. "I knew he liked to chop things up and then when the dough guy kept getting drunk I needed someone who could measure correctly. He really is the go-to guy at work." Melvin nodded. "I hear he can play some mean drum solos but he never lets anyone hear him play."

"I haven't seen him with any drums," Caitlin told him.

"Fascinating," but he really wasn't talking about Cori then. He really wanted to see the light freckles on Caitlin's creamed coffee face. She was quite endearing.