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It felt like a huge milestone. He talked about it like I wouldn’t know what he was talking about, but I absolutely knew about it. The bonfires held on the mountain were legendary around Ashford. They didn’t use to be held as frequently and were always at their friend Aiden’s house, but over time, it expanded.
This was the first time I’d been asked if I wanted to come to one of the gatherings, and I was trying not to show just how excited I was. It felt like a big deal to have them want to include me. Obviously, it wasn’t just Everett. Deacon and Carter were excited about me coming even before I knew what they were talking about. That made me feel good. Like I was really and truly a part of something.
They were really accepting me now. I didn’t want to ruin it by letting out the squeal that I could feel building up inside me and jumping up and down elementary-school style. Instead, I nodded.
“That sounds like fun. But I do have my little boy,” I said.
I didn’t know enough about the gatherings to know if they were family-friendly or if they forgot about my son.
“I know,” Everett said. “Olly, right?”
It was touching that he’d not only considered my son when he invited me, but that he remembered his name. I tried not to talk about him nonstop, even though that was what I really wanted to do.
“Yes,” I said. “He’s two.”
“That’s perfect,” Everett said. “Bring him along. A bunch of us have kids right around that age. He will have lots of playmates.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“So, is that a yes?” Carter asked. “I know the girls would love to bring a new friend into their fold.”
I laughed. “Yes. That’s a yes.”
“Awesome,” Deacon said. “You’re going to have a great time. Everett’s bonfires are always epic.”
“Let’s not build her up too much,” Everett said. “We don’t want her to be disappointed on her first round.”
Deacon looked at me very seriously, forcing the smile off his face. “Everett is a terrible host, and his parties are awful.”
“You covered that right up,” I said. “I have no expectations now. What can I bring?”
“Just anything,” Everett said. “Everybody brings food, and we kind of spread it out, so whatever you feel like. I’ll send you a text with the address and everything.”
“Sounds good. See you then.”
Work always finished up a bit early on payday Fridays to give us a chance to get to the bank before it closed for the evening. I went straight there and deposited my check, taking out a little bit of cash I would use as my budget for the next couple of weeks. It was easier to control my spending that way rather than using a debit card. I had the cash, and when I didn’t anymore, I stopped buying stuff. It was that simple.
Deana was outside with Olly, throwing leaves up in the air from piles she must have raked up earlier, when I pulled up. My son was running around happily, and I sat still in the car for a few seconds just to watch him and listen to the gleeful giggles and squeals he let out as he played. I loved that he found so much joy in something so simple. It was the embodiment of what I wanted for him.
Knowing Deana would need to sign in for work before long, I got out of the car and was rewarded with Olly calling out to me and running into my arms. I swept him up into a big hug and kissed in the curve of his little neck until he was squirming and giggling.
“Did you have a good day?” I asked. He nodded and wriggled his way out of my arms so he could go back to his leaves. “Well, that’s as much as I’m going to get.”
My best friend came up for a hug, and we chatted about his day for a couple of minutes before heading out. When we got home, I started dinner and got Olly coloring at his little table in the kitchen while I ordered a platter of cookies from the bakery. That would be my offering for the bonfire the next night. They definitely didn’t want me trying to cook anything. That was not the kind of first impression I wanted to make if I ever hoped to be invited back again.
I knew the next day was going to be a long one for Olly, so I got him into the bath and tucked him in bed a bit earlier than usual. I already had plans to shave some time off our time at the playground so that he could get an afternoon nap before the excitement of the bonfire. Thinking about going to the gathering was starting to make me nervous, and I wasn’t sure why.
