Page 18 of Say You Will

June 21, 2018

P-Day

Don’t even ask me when I started dubbing Ace’s surprise birthday party, the day I was going to propose to him, P-Day. Someone—Finn—must have joked about the party being D-Day, as in Dooms Day, like the man wasn’t blissfully happy in his marriage, with a kid—kids?—to boot. Josey, his wife, and Bunny, his daughter, kept him on his toes, and number two was on the way.

Josey glowed as she rubbed her belly in between helping hang decorations with Melody while their children, Bunny and JJ, ran underfoot, helium balloons tied to their wrists. Bunny had a smiling sun and JJ’s was a birthday cake. Jake and his father along with Papa Lark were setting up the buffet table while Terry and Jake’s mother, Lillian, assisted in the kitchen. Terry had managed to hire a few people, but not the whole complement he’d hoped for. Ace’s brother, Jack, and Finn were moving tables around, ensuring we had a decent-sized dance floor.

Ace was still out with his mom; she’d promised me to keep him busy until three. She had instructed her manicurist to “take her time,” and even convinced Ace to get a mani/pedi. A treat for his birthday. Hopefully, they wouldn’t cut his nails too short… I did so enjoy a good back scratch.

At two-thirty, I left T.J.’s and headed home. I wanted a shower and plenty of time to hang with my man before we left for the party at four. Showered, dressed, and half a pint of porter in hand, I relaxed on the couch with my e-reader. My phone pinged, and I glanced at the time. Three-thirty, and no Ace.

I touched the message icon and immediately stood. Jake had texted to tell me Ace was already there. Luckily, Terry had seen him pull up and had locked the doors. I pressed the call icon.

“Finn is trying to get him back into the car,” Jake said, in place of hello.

“Why is he there? He’s supposed to come home.”

“I can hear Finn telling him to go home, that we closed the bar until the party starts. It’s mass chaos in here. Everybody’s already drinking.”

“Everybody?”

“Yeah… Shit. I don’t know what Brett was thinking… There are about two dozen Stockton kids here, ready to get their Summer Solstice fling on.”

“What?” Pacing. “You need to get him home.” Pacing was good.

“I’m not sure it’s gonna happen, D. Look, since everyone is here, why don’t you just come over?”

“He didn’t even call.” Pacing was not good.

“D! Darren, man. C’mon. Pull it together. Hang up with me and call him. Now.”

“Okay. Yeah. I’ll call him.” The dead silence on the line clued me in to the fact that Jake had hung up on me. I pulled my cell phone from my ear and stared at it. “Jerk.” And now I was talking to the annoying buzz of an ended call. Okay. Okay. C’mon, D. You got this. I almost dropped the phone, my hands trembling as I brought up Ace’s contact info and pressed the green circle.

“Hey, babe.”

“I thought you were coming home.” God, I sounded pathetic.

“Hey… Are you okay, D? Did something happen at work?” His concern killed me. I had to do as Jake said and pull myself together.

“I’m fine. I just thought you’d be home by now. I was hoping to spend some time with you before the party. Where are you?”

“I’m at T.J.’s now. Finn’s here. Can you believe Jake locked the doors? Finn said they wanted to wait to open until the party starts. That’s, like, in fifteen minutes.”

“Yes,” I breathed, the single beer had done nothing to calm my nerves.

“Dare?”

I had to think fast. What could I say to get him to leave? Cue the light bulb. “Could you come and pick me up, love? By the time we get back, the doors should be open.”

“Oh, yeah. Good idea. Okay. I’ll see you in a few.”

Crisis averted, I tossed the phone on the couch and shouted, then laughed at myself. Fucking Ben and his Primal Scream Therapy nonsense. I collapsed next to my phone, facepalmed, and thanked God for quick thinking.

The doors were still closed when we arrived.

“Jake did say four o’clock start, right?” Ace asked as he dragged me towards the entrance, his hold on my hand eager and tight.

“He did,” I answered, trying to slow him down. As we neared, a small face appeared in the window. I shooed Bunny away.