A Bittersweet Life (1st draft)

Chapter 31

It took a lot of convincing, but Ellis finally caved and allowed me to attend the party. He and Mark had been talking on the phone for hours every night getting the last few details sorted out. I woke up that morning to hundreds of balloons in the living room and a large breakfast spread all set up by Randall and his grandkids. They all scurried around the house trying to make it all look perfect.

I stood at the bottom of the stairs rubbing the sleep from my eyes. A loud pop from one of the balloons shook me out of my tiredness.

"We can't afford to lose any of these balloons, Dana!" His older grandson snapped.

"Well maybe if you would help me out a little instead of just standing there shouting out orders at me!"

"Shhh!" Randall said above their banter. "You are going to wake the entire house."

"Do you need any help?" Randall looked surprised at my presence as well as his four grandkids.

"Oh, Talia, did we wake you?"

"No." I shook my head. "I was already up."

"Well, if you really insist, you could help Dana tie the balloons on the back deck." I agreed by walking over to Dana, grabbing a tangled mess of the ribbon attached to the silver balloons.

"Don't pop any."

"Shut up, Daniel!" Dana said over her shoulder to her brother laughing cockily. It was refreshing to see a family like that. So close. Able to joke around, even though Randall didn't seem too pleased by their shenanigans.

I followed Dana to the deck and we began to silently tie the balloons on the railing surrounding deck.

"I'm so jealous of you," She said, grabbing another balloon from my hand.

"What?" I laughed, utterly surprised that anyone would be jealous of me.

"The big party tonight, you're going right?"

"Oh. Yeah I am"

"I wish I could go. But I'm too young." Dana looked about my age. But, that could be from the tons of makeup she had caked on her small round face.

"You don't look that young," I said, trying to continue our friendly small talk.

"I'm only fourteen. Granddad said I have no business being around the riff-raff at the party." I knew that was a jab at me and it made me laugh that Randall referred to me as riff-raff. "But, you can't blame a girl for trying to get an invite. Especially when that cutie Ryland Pierce will be there." She giggled to herself and I froze. A few balloons slipped free of my hands. "No!" Dana scrambled to catch them while I still stood completely dazed.

Obviously Ryland was going to the party. But, it just didn't register in my mind. I had spent days trying not to think about him, just the slight utterance of his name sent waves of heat through me. I couldn't go now. I had to tell Ellis I wasn't going.

"Happy birthday!" Cheers sounded from inside. Dana grabbed my wrist pulling me back into the house. Ellis stood in the middle of the room accepting his birthday wishes with a large smile plastered on his face.

"You all really didn't have to do this for me." He looked around the room at all the balloons and streamers hanging from the ceiling. "Just having you here is all I need," he said while looking straight at me.

"Well, I had the chef prepare breakfast. Enjoy, and we will get out of your hair."

"Nonsense!" He fluffed off Randall's statement. "We will all eat together in the dining room."

We all sat at the large rectangular table in the middle of the dining room. Various foods scattered on the table teased out senses. Randall's grandkids dug in, so grateful for this grand gesture.