and
Brooke went after her. They are out front in the street.”
He doesn’t say anything but quickly walks
away in the direction of the front of the house.
“ Emma?” my mom
yells.
I look up — everyone is looking at me. James
is sitting on his knees, and Cheryl and my mom are standing by the
cake lighting his birthday candles. I smile and walk over and stand
next to James. “That’s a lot of candles; do you think you can blow
them all out?”
“ Momma, I’m big. I can blow
them all out — watch me.”
“ All right. I will. Remember
to make a wish first.”
We sing “Happy Birthday” and I watch my son
as he excitedly looks at his candles and takes a deep breath. He
closes his eyes tightly before he blows out all of his candles at
once. I smile brightly and we all clap once all the candles are
blown out. James hugs me and then hugs his grandparents. I look
around the yard and when I don’t see Brooke or Alec, I walk over to
John, Alec’s dad.
“ Quite a party, huh,
Emma?”
“ It sure is. John, Molly is
out front with Alec and Brooke. Would you mind going to see what’s
going on?”
“ I’m sure it’s nothing. Just
give me a few minutes and we’ll be back.”
James is almost finished unwrapping his gifts
when John, Alec, and Brooke return to the party. I don’t leave
James’ side. I look at Alec, and he smiles at me. I can’t be
certain whether or not it’s a genuine smile. I look at Brooke, but
she doesn’t look at me while she walks over to join her husband and
sons. I can usually read Brooke, but I need to make eye contact
with her.
“ Is everything all right?” I
ask, when Alec stands near me.
“ It’s fine. I gave her money
and she left. I’m sorry you had to be exposed to
that.”
“ I’m fine, but I’m worried
about you and Raelynn.”
“ Don’t worry about us.” He
wraps his arms securely around me and I feel safe.
“ I love
you.”
He kisses the top of my head and says, “I
love you, too.”
“ Some gifts for Raelynn are
on the table,” I say, looking over to Alec.
“ Someone brought gifts for
Raelynn? That was really nice of them.”
We watch as Raelynn and James open the last
of the few gifts left on the table. Raelynn smiles when she opens a
baby doll from Danny and Cheryl, a karaoke machine from my mom and
dad, and a Barbie doll and clothes from Alec’s mom and dad.
Once the gifts are all opened, the kids all
play in the bounce house while they wait to be picked up. Sara,
Angel, and Brea leave first, then Alec’s sister, brothers, and
their families leave next. Alec’s parents are last to leave right
after Brooke and her family.
Danny, Cheryl, mom, and dad are all going to
go to dinner together. Alec, Danny, and dad load up Alec’s pick-up
truck with all of James’ gifts and James and Raelynn fall asleep in
the truck while we wait for them to get everything loaded.
I look in the back seat and cover them both
with a blanket that Alec keeps in his truck. Alec gets in, smiles,
and says, “Are you ready?”
“ Yes, he sure got a lot of
stuff for his special day.”
“ He sure did. I thought it
was really nice of all the parents to get Raelynn something. I
didn’t expect that.”
“ Neither did Raelynn,
judging from the excitement on her face. James is the only
grandchild in our family. I guess I’m not surprised they would
include her as well.”
As we drive home, nothing is
said about Molly. I know that Alec never mentions her in front of
Rae. Alec carries both kids into the house, and I start unloading
the truck. He thinks the kids are too heavy for me to lift. Once
everything is in the house, I am surprised to see all the things
James got for his birthday: a remote control car, another train
set, and even Wii games. Plus, of course,
clothing. I was busy during part of the
time he unwrapped his presents and so I did not see everything he
got.
Alec hands me a glass of sweet tea as he sits
beside
Brooke went after her. They are out front in the street.”
He doesn’t say anything but quickly walks
away in the direction of the front of the house.
“ Emma?” my mom
yells.
I look up — everyone is looking at me. James
is sitting on his knees, and Cheryl and my mom are standing by the
cake lighting his birthday candles. I smile and walk over and stand
next to James. “That’s a lot of candles; do you think you can blow
them all out?”
“ Momma, I’m big. I can blow
them all out — watch me.”
“ All right. I will. Remember
to make a wish first.”
We sing “Happy Birthday” and I watch my son
as he excitedly looks at his candles and takes a deep breath. He
closes his eyes tightly before he blows out all of his candles at
once. I smile brightly and we all clap once all the candles are
blown out. James hugs me and then hugs his grandparents. I look
around the yard and when I don’t see Brooke or Alec, I walk over to
John, Alec’s dad.
“ Quite a party, huh,
Emma?”
“ It sure is. John, Molly is
out front with Alec and Brooke. Would you mind going to see what’s
going on?”
“ I’m sure it’s nothing. Just
give me a few minutes and we’ll be back.”
James is almost finished unwrapping his gifts
when John, Alec, and Brooke return to the party. I don’t leave
James’ side. I look at Alec, and he smiles at me. I can’t be
certain whether or not it’s a genuine smile. I look at Brooke, but
she doesn’t look at me while she walks over to join her husband and
sons. I can usually read Brooke, but I need to make eye contact
with her.
“ Is everything all right?” I
ask, when Alec stands near me.
“ It’s fine. I gave her money
and she left. I’m sorry you had to be exposed to
that.”
“ I’m fine, but I’m worried
about you and Raelynn.”
“ Don’t worry about us.” He
wraps his arms securely around me and I feel safe.
“ I love
you.”
He kisses the top of my head and says, “I
love you, too.”
“ Some gifts for Raelynn are
on the table,” I say, looking over to Alec.
“ Someone brought gifts for
Raelynn? That was really nice of them.”
We watch as Raelynn and James open the last
of the few gifts left on the table. Raelynn smiles when she opens a
baby doll from Danny and Cheryl, a karaoke machine from my mom and
dad, and a Barbie doll and clothes from Alec’s mom and dad.
Once the gifts are all opened, the kids all
play in the bounce house while they wait to be picked up. Sara,
Angel, and Brea leave first, then Alec’s sister, brothers, and
their families leave next. Alec’s parents are last to leave right
after Brooke and her family.
Danny, Cheryl, mom, and dad are all going to
go to dinner together. Alec, Danny, and dad load up Alec’s pick-up
truck with all of James’ gifts and James and Raelynn fall asleep in
the truck while we wait for them to get everything loaded.
I look in the back seat and cover them both
with a blanket that Alec keeps in his truck. Alec gets in, smiles,
and says, “Are you ready?”
“ Yes, he sure got a lot of
stuff for his special day.”
“ He sure did. I thought it
was really nice of all the parents to get Raelynn something. I
didn’t expect that.”
“ Neither did Raelynn,
judging from the excitement on her face. James is the only
grandchild in our family. I guess I’m not surprised they would
include her as well.”
As we drive home, nothing is
said about Molly. I know that Alec never mentions her in front of
Rae. Alec carries both kids into the house, and I start unloading
the truck. He thinks the kids are too heavy for me to lift. Once
everything is in the house, I am surprised to see all the things
James got for his birthday: a remote control car, another train
set, and even Wii games. Plus, of course,
clothing. I was busy during part of the
time he unwrapped his presents and so I did not see everything he
got.
Alec hands me a glass of sweet tea as he sits
beside
Similar Books
