Pat

Connection

"Liz, Eve's holding a birthday party for her son this Saturday and I was wondering if you would like to join us," Pat asked. I was walking her to her car after another day of fun followed by dinner with the kids.

Eve’s son was a few years younger than Chance and my kids would be too young for that kind of birthday. I couldn’t let Pat know I knew that much.

“How old is Eve’s son?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I wouldn’t want the kids feeling out of place if the kids are older,”

“How do you know she has older kids?”

“I don’t, like I said, I don’t want them to feel out of place,”

“Her son is Joey’s age mate,”

“You never told me she got another child,”

“What was that?”

“I mean, you just told me that she has older kids,”

“Something isn’t adding up,”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going to get to the bottom of it,”

------

During the birthday, the adults had their own corner and the kids had their own spot. Tariq loved bouncy houses and that’s where he spent most of the day with a girl his age. Sonia was at the party too and didn’t leave Pat’s side.

“Liz, you might not remember us but we spent a lot of time together. I’m Max and this is Halima, my girlfriend,”

“Nice to meet you Halima,”

“Same here Liz. Babe, I think I saw Mercy around, let me go say hi,”

“Okay love,” Halima left and Max sat next to me.

“What happened to…” I stopped mid sentence. “I mean, how long have you been together?”

“Five years this year,”

“I always thought lesbian relationships didn’t last,”

“They do. I was in one for almost eight years before she left me and got married to a man,”

“Like I did with Pat,”

“Yours was circumstantial. You were forced to be apart because of her mistake. If she hadn’t done what she did, she’d still be with you and you with her,”

“But she moved on. She looks so happy with Sonia,”

“That smile is not Sonia’s doing. She’s happy for some other reason. I haven’t seen her laugh that hard in a long time,”

“Love makes us change,”

“Yes, love changes us,”

Pat looked at me and smiled. I almost blushed. She always had a beautiful smile but as old as I was how could I still blush from someone’s smile? Especially someone sitting right next to her partner.

“Liz, is it okay if you and the kids spent the night here?” Eve asked.

“Why?”

“Look at how much fun they are having plus, Pat is drinking so she won’t be able to drive you back tonight,”

“I don’t want to be in the way,”

“None at all, we also have an adult party after the kids go to bed. I can tell you need one,”

“It has been long since I hang out with people my age, I guess we could stay the night,”

“Perfect,” Tariq was worn out by night fall and fell asleep immediately after he had dinner.