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CHAPTER4
Mary
“Happy Birthday!”
Shit.I hate birthday parties. Iloathethem. I despisesurprisebirthday parties even more. I made the mistake of telling my mother to stop having them because I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday. IknewI screwed up the moment the words left my lips. Now, I have a party every year and sometimes two a year.
You might ask how one can have a birthday party twice year. That’s easy. Your mother throws you a party on your actual birthdayandon the day that you were conceived. Today’s birthday? This would be on the day I was conceived and that explains why my mother was able to catch me off guard. Normally, I find reasons to be out of town, but you don’t exactly circle dates on the calendar when your parents did the horizontal tango. It’s just not something you do—but after tonight, damn it all, I’m going to make a point to mark it down.
“Mom, why?” I whine, and God, I am whining. Any sane person would be.
“Because you’re my baby, and I love you, Marigold. Now, don’t be bitchy and give your momma a hug.”
I grumble under my breath, but I hug Mom, because I love her.Even when I want to kill her.When we break apart, I look over at Meadow, giving her the evil eye. “Couldn’t you have warned me?”
“Why would she do that and ruin the surprise? Meddie, come over here and take a look at the cupcakes your mother and I made for the party. I think even you will be surprised.”
I watch them walk away and sigh. If I leave, my mother might stroke out. I can take her anger, but that isn’t what deters me. No, it would be the fact she will work overtime on a way to get even. My mother is scary.
There I said it.
That woman’s mind can work in ways that even I can’t keep up with and that’s with most of my family saying I’m just like my mother.
“How’s my baby girl?” I turn to look at Jansen as he walks toward me. I go willingly into his open arms.
“Hey, Dad.”
He hugs me close, and I breathe in his scent. Jansen might not be my dad by blood, but he’s truly the only one I’ve ever known. He always called me his baby, too. Heck, he’s always claimed all my brothers and sisters as his. He never blinked when asked that question. He never missed a ballgame, a cheer competition, or even boring award ceremonies at school. Jansen has always made my mother and us his priority. I don’t remember Orville—my birth father. While I am curious about him, I could not andwould notwant to imagine my life without Jansen. He's corrected me when I was wrong, held me when I was hurt and let me cry on him when some boy broke my heart. He’s also let me vent when my mother goes crazy, and this party is something we both despise.
“Couldn’t you have distracted her from this horrible shindig,” I mutter.
“Trust me, I tried,” he mumbles with a grimace. I imagine he did. I mean, no man wants to be reminded of a day his wife created a baby with another guy—or at least I’d imagine they wouldn’t. “Like all things with your mother, however, I pick my battles. Besides, we both know she has this party to irritate you.”
“And she succeeded yet again.”
“You might as well act like you enjoy it. If you do, she’ll stop.”
“You’re a saint to put up with her this long,” I huff.
“We’d all be lost without her, and you know it.”
I give him a smile because he’s right.
“We would,” I admit softly.
“How are you, honey?”
“I’m good, Dad. You and Mom need to stop worrying about me.”
“You took your job back at the nursing home, despite making good money on your writing.”
“I make good money but not enough. I want to have enough in the bank so that I can travel and write. I don’t want to have to worry, you know?”
“Your mother and I would always help you if things got tight—you know that.”
“I know, but I need to do it my way. My plan is to live the life I want and do it while standing on my own two feet.”
“You’re just as stubborn as your mother. She’s the reason my hair is gray.”
