The Look Of Hope

Chapter 16: One In A Melon

Lydia's first birthday proved successful on many fronts. Mary being Mary went all out for the day, despite Bobby's protests. He murmured and said things like "Sweetie it's just the same as Christmas, she won't even remember it". Is he high or on something? She literally rolled her eyes and spoke her own protest. "A baby's first birthday is special. You only get one of those." 

She has BIG ideas, really big ideas for her little girl's special day. First, she purchased a white T-shirt, with ruffle sleeves, and took it to a screen printing shop. Speaking with one of the printer's she had them print on it "I'm One in a Melon". She also had them print a watermelon slice underneath the words. Then she bought cute, red, ruffled shorts, to go with it. To finish Lydia's look, her daughter will wear a watermelon fabric headband. It has a big red bow in the middle. SO perfect!

While she was there, she also gave them another white T-shirt in her size. She asked the printers to screenprint watermelon slices all over it. They said they would be happy to do so. Not to be left out, she then handed them a black T-shirt. On it she wants the letters DAD spelling out using watermelon wedges (a half of a melon will make both D's and a triangle wedge for the A). Bobby will hate it, but he'll have to get over it. After all, it's Lydia's first birthday! Needless to say, the printing shop was happy to have her business.

Next, she stopped at Sugar Hi, on Grand Bay's Main Street. After talking with the bakery, she ordered four dozen cookies in the shape of a number one. Her specifications were to ice them red, with black, white, and pink stripes added. Then she ordered another four dozen cookies in the shape of watermelon wedges. She told them to ice them like a watermelon (simple enough). Before she left the store another order was placed for four dozen watermelon frosted cupcakes. 

For the cake itself, she had a long discussion with Verbena. Verbena, bless her, took out a notepad and wrote down exactly what Mary detailed. The cake will be six layers, all the same size. On the bottom three layers, there will be dark green icing fading into light green. The top layers will be white fading into pinkish red. Black watermelon seed will be placed all around the top portion.

Mary told her she doesn't have to worry about the top. She ordered a special cookie from the bakery to go on there. It's a reddish-pink number one, complete with a fondant watermelon slice attached to the bottom. She also asked Verbena to make a small, tiny cake for Lydia alone. This way she can have her own personal-sized cake to smash to bits. That's what she does with food now, smashes it to bits with her tiny hands. Then she laughs thinking she did a wonderful thing.

A week before the party, unable to control her excitement, she showed Bobby the party invitations. "Look! Aren't they the sweetest thing?" She thrust one into his hand. They're all in the shape of a number one, designed to look like a watermelon (all pink with black seeds, except at a stripe of green at the bottom). The back of the card is all white, save for the words "One in a Melon". 

Noticing his wife's exuberance, he commented "Yes, Sweetie. They're precious just like Lydia." She had him help her decide who to invite. Of course, both of their families, even his dreadful Granny, were invited. Then they filled out invitations to their friends. The hard part was deciding on whether to send an invite to Jimmy and Gwen. 

"Do you think we should?" questioned Mary. In her heart, she wanted to. The real issue lies in not knowing how it will be received. She didn't want it to seem like a slap in the face or adding salt to the wound. After all, they haven't spoken for months. 

Bobby ran a hand down his face. He felt the same way Mary did. "I don't know, actually. I want to. At the same time, I don't want my daughter's birthday to be a big, nasty war of words. You know?" He looked at the invitation in his hand, then at his wife. "My gut says go on and make one out to them. We'll hope for the best."