175
Friday evening Lindy arrived full of cheers and smiles with a big, wrapped present for Abigail. She air kissed Mary-Joe who gave her a look of disdain and I had to hide my smile.
“Hello boys,” Lindy said as she bent down to look at them.
“Hi,” Wynter and Milo said simultaneously.
“Be a sweetheart and take my bag up,” she said and shoved her bag into Simon’s hands.
“I’ve got it,” I said and took the bag. “Simon lives here.”
“Oh, he looks like a butler,” she said and clicked her way to the kitchen counter as Mary-Joe glared daggers into her back.
After dinner, which was awkward as hell because Lindy didn’t eat red meat or potatoes and the vegetables had too much sugar in it. I put the kids to bed after reading them two stories and finally made it to my room at eight thirty pm.
“That took you like forever,” Lindy said as she sat on the bed with a very see-through negligee on.
“Lindy, I’m pretty sure I put your bag in the guest room,” I said.
“Exactly, what’s up with that?” she asked.
“My kids are in this house. Some nights Abby still climbs in with me, she doesn’t know you,” I said.
“Time for that to change, don’t you think?” she asked.
“Not tonight, not this weekend either,” I said.
“Are you really kicking me out of your bed, wearing only this?” she asked as she stood up and I could see every detail of her body underneath the negligee.
“Yes,” I said and opened my bedroom door.
Lindy left in a huff and I closed the door behind her quietly and locked it. If we weren’t at my house where my children were asleep literally down the hall from my room, I might have reconsidered and I had no idea why I hadn’t just ended things with her already.
“Because she’s a means to an end,” Abeloth said.
“I’m going to have to end things with her,” I said.
“She’s a moron and self-centered, seriously, you could do so much better,” he said.
“Tell me about it,” I said.
“Imagine having to bond with her,” he muttered and made gagging sounds.
I knew that Abeloth didn’t like her but like he said, she was a means to an end, an itch that I had to scratch but now that itch might turn into a rash and I was so over it. I was about to jump in the shower when my phone pinged with a message.
Unknown: Hi, it’s Nova. Thank you very much for your invitation to Abigail’s party tomorrow but we won’t be able to make it.
I read the message again and I knew she was bullshitting me. Alexis had been way too excited to come to this party. I hit the dial button and listened as her phone rang and I could almost picture her looking at her phone contemplating answering it.
“Hi,” she finally answered.
“Hey, I’m not taking no for an answer,” I said.
“Sure you are, the kids aren’t friends, we’re not friends even, but really thank you for the invitation,” she said.
“Tell me the real reason,” I said and laid back on the bed.
“Why?”
“Because Alexis was so excited to come,” I said.
“Okay listen, I barely know you but here it is because I can avoid you at school. I don’t have a car, I work from home and the school is within walking distance. I can’t get Alexis a princess dress and I really can’t afford to buy Abigail a present,” she said in one breath.
“That’s your reason for not coming?” I asked her.
“Yes, so thank you and have fun tomorrow,” she said.
“Wait, Nova, I’ll come pick you up and Abby has two princess dresses that Mary-Joe bought her and I bought her two presents so the extra one can be from Alexis,” I said.
“I can’t do that,” she said. She was proud but I saluted her for having the guts to even say the words out loud, many people would’ve just blown us off and not showed up. At least she had the decency to tell me they couldn’t come.
“Yes you can, I’ll pick you guys up at ten,” I said.
“Ryder …”
“See you tomorrow at ten,” I said and ended the call.
That night I dreamt of Nova. I dreamt of her face, her smile, the way her eyes lit up when she smiled, the way her brown hair moved when the wind blew through it. I dreamt of touching her hand, her eyes looking into mine and I woke up with a cold sweat across my forehead as Abeloth laughed at me.
“Asshole,” I said as he laughed louder.
I showered and got dressed and followed the sound of laughter down to the kitchen. “Happy birthday baby,” I said and kissed Abigail’s cheek.
“Thank you Daddy,” she said full of smiles.
“Morning Mary-Joe, Simon,” I said.
“The boys have eaten and are playing outside and your friend is still asleep,” Mary-Joe said.
“Damn, I forgot she’s still here,” I said as Simon laughed.
“Talk of the devil,” Simon murmured as Lindy walked into the kitchen.
“Why is everyone so loud in this damn house?” Lindy asked as she plopped down on a chair.
“Because it’s Saturday and it’s party day!” I said loudly as Lindy winced and Mary-Joe hid her chuckle.
We ate breakfast and Lindy asked for a no fat yoghurt which we didn’t have and settled for coffee instead. I had a few errands to run before picking Nova and Alexis up so after breakfast I grabbed my keys and left before Lindy could get dressed and join me.
“She’s all yours Mary-Joe,” I said and headed for the door.
“You owe me Ryder Grey!” Mary-Joe yelled as I ran towards my car.
I drove to town and bought everything on Mary-Joe’s list for the snacks, candy cups on the tables and the meat we’d grill later on. At ten am on the dot, I parked in front of Nova’s house. The yard was neat, the grass was mown, flowers bloomed everywhere and I could see that she took pride in what she did.
The house needed a coat of paint but it really didn’t look that bad. I got out and I saw the curtain move as I opened the small gate and walked up to the front door. I knocked twice before Nova opened it and looked at me with a frown.
“It’s ten,” I said.
“Didn’t we discuss this last night?” she asked me.
“Yeah we did and I told you I’d be here,” I said and smiled at her.
“Geez you’re insufferable,” she said as I heard Alexis coming down the stairs. “Give me a minute.”
I sat down on the top step that led up to the front door since she had closed it in my face and waited. I heard Alexis shriek and smiled at her obvious happiness. Five minutes later the door opened again and Alexis beamed when I stood up.
“Ready for a princess party?” I asked her.
“Yes!” Nova smiled as I looked at her and I cursed Abeloth as he started to laugh at me again.
“Let’s go then!” I said suddenly feeling excited as well.
I could sense Nova’s discomfort as I turned into our driveway. It was a winding road that went past the fields where the sheep were grazing and then as we went around the corner the house came into view and Alexis’s face was up against the window. “Wow!” Alexis murmured.
“This is Mary-Joe and Simon, this is Nova and Alexis,” I said.
“You’re already a pretty little girl, let’s go see what dress you want to wear,” Mary-Joe said with a smile.
“Boys, this is Miss Nova, these are my sons Wynter and Milo,” I said.
“Hi Miss Nova,” Wynter said and Milo smiled at her. “She’s pretty Dad,” Milo said as Lindy snorted.
“Let me go get the things from the car,” Simon said.
“I’ll help,” Nova said and followed him outside before I could say anything.
We unloaded the car and I found Lindy looking at Nova with jealousy when I finally finished putting the bags on the kitchen island. “Okay people, we have a lot to do and a little more than an hour to do it. Mary-Joe and Simon will give instructions … and Nova you don’t have to help, you’re a guest today,” I said.
“I’m a guest too,” Lindy said and folded her arms across her chest.
“I don’t mind helping, actually, I’d prefer to help,” Nova said.
“Okay fine, Lindy, why don’t you go get dressed and we’ll finish up here,” I said.
“I am dressed,” she said.
“What you’re wearing isn’t appropriate, we’ve got a bunch of five year old girls coming soon with their parents, at least put something on that covers your ass,” I said sternly.
The party was a great hit. I could see my talk with Abigail helped as she took Alexis’s hand and they ran towards the castle together, looking like old friends. Alexis was in her element, eyes shining brightly and all I could see was a little girl that just wanted to be accepted and have friends.
“The prize for the prettiest princess today goes to Alexis!” Abby said and I smiled as Alexis walked towards her to accept her gift. The prize was a gift voucher for the toy store in town but my heart practically broke as I watched the emotions on her face.
“That was a really nice thing to do Abby,” I said a while later just before she’d open her presents.
“It was the truth Daddy, she is the prettiest princess here today,” she said with a genuine smile this time.
“I’m very proud of you, you have no idea what you did for her today,” I said and hugged her tightly.
“I think I was wrong about Alexis, today she was so nice and we like all the same things. She gave my bottle back and said she was sorry, she took it because it’s pretty and she doesn’t have one,” Abby said.
“I think Alexis will stop doing mean things if you’re nicer to her too. She just wants to be friends with you,” I said.
“Her mommy’s really nice too,” she said.
“Come on, let’s get you some cake,” I said.
Abby and Alexis was in the living room where I’d put a movie on for them. Simon was helping Mary-Joe in the kitchen and Milo was sitting at the counter. The only people missing were Nova, Wynter and Lindy. That didn’t bode well for anyone. I was ready to kick Lindy out, she’d pouted and sulked her way through the entire party and I was done with it, done with her.
“It’s about time moron,” Abeloth said as I headed upstairs.
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