Night Dancer

Fifteen

Carefully placing the last box of chicken drumsticks into the picnic basket Bret smiled to himself. The last few weeks had been the best he'd had in a long time and he'd found ways to help Alyssa out that kept those hackles of hers down. If he suggested paying for anything he found she clammed up, avoided him. If he booked her at Fantasy Bookings for the specials it was the same outcome, a few days of silence as if he had deliberately humiliated her but taking her family for a picnic, or bringing round a home made casserole that he hadn't been able to finish; that seemed to be ok. In fact he'd discovered that anything he did for the family went down ok, as long as he didn't single anyone out, including her. So a picnic for Maeva's birthday went down very well. And Bret had been careful to ask Maeva about it first so that Alyssa couldn't refuse. Josh had amiably said he would stay home with their mama as Lucy was going to head up to the house with him for the day, freeing Alyssa up to bring Mattie, Maeva and her friend Posey along for the day trip. Lucy had said she would bring Posey across and then just stay for the day with Josh. Alyssa liked Lucy more and more each time she met the girl. She was only fifteen but without doubt one of the most responsible fifteen year olds she'd ever met.  But Lucy was fun with it; she didn't behave as if every day was a chore to be taken seriously. She'd taken her young cousin under her wing since the little girl had moved in with their grandparents and had confided in Alyssa that Maeva was really good for Posey who had a slightly reckless streak which Maeva, who was sensible and serious was curtailing as Posey wanted to be more like her best friend. This had both pleased and surprised Alyssa a little as she, to her shame, had assumed that Maeva would be the one grateful for the friendship. It had forced her to look at her younger sister through fresh eyes.

Placing the picnic basket in the trunk of the car, Bret checked the three car seats were installed correctly in the back for the kids and then grabbed the gift bag with Maeva's birthday present from him in it and headed across to Alyssa's to pick them all up. Josh and Lucy were downstairs when he arrived and said that the others were all up in Audrey's room while Maeva opened her gifts from the family. Josh smiled at Bret as Lucy went to let them know he had arrived.

"I raided the goodwill, managed to get her a few of those dolls she likes so much and a couple of bits of clothes," he said. Bret smiled and nodded.

"She's lucky to have a brother prepared to make that effort," he commented and Josh went a little pink at the praise but then shrugged.

"Most kids would get a trip to the toy store. Maeva will be happy enough with what I've got though I think. She's a good kid."

"You're all good kids," Bret agreed easily. He placed his own gift for Maeva on the kitchen table and Josh eyed it curiously. Before he could ask though Maeva bounced into the room with Posey and Mattie with Alyssa close behind them. Maeva hurried across to him and Bret lifted her to give her a birthday hug, placing her back on her feet so that he could pass her the gift bag which she accepted with a big smile. She took it through to the living room and sat on the sofa with Posey and Mattie at either side of her while she opened it. Bret had got her a Barbie car with a brand new Barbie and a brand new Ken doll and accessories. Maeva's face lit up as she opened them and then he handed across another package. "This one is from my mom," he explained. "I told her it was your birthday and she wanted to get you something too."

"Why? She doesn't know me," Maeva said, surprised but with a big smile on her face. Bret shrugged.

"She likes kids," he replied. In truth he'd told his mom quite a bit about Alyssa and her family and feeling sorry for the little girl whose birthday was coming up she'd insisted he get her a gift from the Harts. Maeva opened it to find a beautiful large cream teddy bear with a big pink bow round its neck. It was about the softest teddy she had ever felt and she fell instantly in love with it. Alyssa smiled across at him, happy to see her sister so happy and deciding against questioning him spending his money on the little girl. It would be petty to make a big deal of this when it had made Maeva so happy. And as for the picnic, he'd said that was his gift to her. Maeva hadn't wanted a party as she would only have wanted to invite Posey anyway and she knew her family couldn't afford that so she'd happily agreed to a picnic at her favourite park where there was a large play area the kids could enjoy for a good couple of hours when Bret suggested it and Alyssa had agreed to that before she'd had a slight panic about how she would provide food, but then Bret had chipped in and said he would provide food as a birthday treat for her and she'd not been in a position to argue as Maeva had been looking up at them both through those large shining eyes with so much gratitude it would have been cruel to take it away from her.