Full Bloom

New Year, New Drama

We had to miss the party last year since Chrys wasn't feeling well, but this year we made sure to make it. We pulled up to the Rosenberg residence with Chrys in the backseat of my brand new SUV. Grandpa made the decision to downsize and sell my childhood home. He moved from our two-story colonial to a two-bedroom ranch that was only a few minutes from our house.

With the money he made from selling the house, he was able to give me the funds to buy the new car. I insisted that he save it for something more important, like my daughter's college fund, but he refused.

"Are you ready for the party, Chrys?" I asked.

"Yeah! Let's go!" she said.

Oliver got her out of her carseat and we walked up the front porch. We opened the front door and went in. There were already a lot of people here, and it was only five o'clock. We went into their massive dining room, which was full of New Year's items, but most importantly, the appetizers.

I got a pair of 2005 paper glasses for me and a little party hat for Chrys. Oliver and I made a plate of cheese and crackers for her, then took some cocktail shrimp for ourselves.

"Jen! Jen! You made it!"

I was tackled around my waist by a little brunette, who had a new pair of glasses. I was glad to see her, but I damn near dropped all my shrimp on the floor, which was the last thing that I wanted. I was dealing with a fussy two-year-old. Ya girl just wanted some shrimp, okay?

"Hey, there's Annie!" I said to her.

"You'll never believe this one," she said, lowering her voice.

"Oh what, you've got something to tell me, gossip girl?" I asked.

"Yeah-huh," she said, nodding. "My mom said she's doing an 'announcement' tonight."

"Uh-oh. Do you know what it is?" I asked.

"No. I was hoping you would."

"No, girlfriend. I'm at work and at home with Chrys. I don't hear any kind of news from anyone except on channel seven at five o'clock."

"I think it has something to do with Doctor Green," she said, quickly looking over her shoulder and back to me. "Him and Mommy have been together a while, more than some of her other boyfriends."

"Wait, Doctor Green, like the local dentist, Doctor Green?" I asked.

"Your mom is dating Doctor Green?" Oliver said, way too loudly.

I quickly shushed him and got down to Annie's level.

"What, do you think they're getting married?" She nodded, again. "But...I don't want her to, Jen. I know he can't come back, but I just want my dad. I don't want a new one."

"Yeah, I get it. But do you like Doctor Green? Is he nice to you?"

"He's okay, I guess. He made sure I got extra stickers when I had my teeth cleaned last month."

"See, that's good! That's a...step in the right direction. I think you just need to give Doctor Green some time, Annie."

"I know, I just don't want him to be my dad! It's like we're forgetting about my dad and replacing him with someone else." Annie's eyes were growing red. Damn. This girl never cried about anything. "I liked my mom better back when my dad was alive."

"Yeah, that's understandable. When someone dies, it really changes you. It's extra hard when we lose someone so close to us, and when it's all of a sudden. Just keep your head up, okay? Is Mommy happy with Doctor Green?"

She nodded. "She's different around him than with her other boyfriends."

"Hey, how about we go and do something fun instead of talking about all this stressful stuff?" I said. "Do you still have that old Harry Potter game I got you?"

"Do I!" Annie said, her little brown eyes lighting up. "Everyone got bored of playing it with me so I haven't played it in a while."

"Well let's find a place to sit and get to it, then!" I said to her.

Annie rushed into the living room, where she dug the game out of a pile of other ones on the shelf. Oliver entertained Chrys while I played the game on the area rug. It really pulled on my heartstrings. Sometimes I felt like I was Annie's mom. Hopefully now that she was with someone responsible like Doctor Green, Mary would settle down.

"Are you excited for the new year? Only one more year and you'll be going to middle school," I said.

"And Ollie will be done with college, right?" she asked.

"Fingers crossed," I said.

We played our game for a while, then she showed me her "grown up" bedroom renovations. She had new beaded curtains and the room was painted a bright magenta. The stuffed animals that were typically on the floor were now hidden away in the closet. Had it really been that long since I'd been up here?

After that, the pizzas arrived. It was a madhouse downstairs. Thankfully I got the last slice of plain cheese. In the dining room, there was a group playing poker. In the yard, a few people were smoking on the patio. In the living room, I sat on the couch with my sleeping daughter while Annie showed me this movie called Shrek. I honestly didn't get it.

About an hour before the ball dropped, Mary called everyone into the living room. Those who couldn't fit stood in the kitchen entryway. I'd heard everyone congratulating her on the engagement all night, but now I was actually getting a good look at the ring. Hot damn. That thing was huge. I looked down at my tiny engagement ring. Mine didn't even have a real diamond. I didn't care about those kinds of things, though. Mary was always so materialistic.

"Thank you all for joining in our big announcement!" Mary said, her arm wrapped around Doctor Green. It was really weird to see him in slacks and a sweater instead of his white dentist coat.

"You already told everyone you're engaged Mary! What else 'ya got?" my grandpa asked.

I playfully nudged him. He had much more to drink than he should have tonight. We'd definitely be driving him home.

"Well yes, we're engaged, but that's not all!" Mary said. "We're also having a baby!"

"Oh my gosh, is this really happening to me?" Annie said, putting her hands on her head.

I gave her the most comforting hug that I could, while secretly seething in jealousy. Mary was getting married and having another kid. We'd been engaged for a while, and I was feeling so impatient about my second baby.

"I already know what you're thinking," Oliver whispered in my ear. "You're right. Let's start trying again."