All Alone

15

"Please place the kebabs on the table outside Kim. Make sure you don't remove the cling film otherwise you'll allow the flies to get to it," Joan says.

"OK," is all I can say before going outside with a tray full of kebabs covered neatly with cling film.

Taylor is right at my heels with an aluminium pan filled with barbequed chicken thighs, legs and wings.

We go back to the kitchen to prepare potato salad.

Joan has started the rice and the pasta bake.

Rob comes in and steals a biscuit from the tin and tells us the food looks good before leaving.

After the food is prepared and laid we start to put cutlery and napkins on the tables placed around the garden.

We fill the two coolers with ice then add drinks to them.

Lastly we decorate the gazebo with pink and white ribbon.

We place champagne on a round glass table along with a bowl of mixed nuts.

After the garden is decorated and all the food is finished and put on a long table, we all go inside to take a shower.

After taking a warm shower with my favourite soap I dry off and put on a hot pink plain skirt with a white t-shirt saying, '#1 girl'. Taylor follows putting on a white dress with a pink silk ribbon around her small waist.

Guests start arriving at about two thirty.

Joan stands by the door welcoming aunts, female cousins and female friends.

Rob introduces himself to everyone and when Joan isn't looking he leaves and heads to the bar.

The place is filled with estrogen as women fill the garden. Each taking her own place at a table and eating.

There's a few other girls too some are twelve, others fifteen and some fourteen. We all hang out in the living room chatting away.

"What's high school like?" we ask the fifteen year old girls. They laugh. "Freshman year is a lot of drama, trust me," A girl called Emily says. "But don't worry it's fun too once you meet the right people," another girl called Regina says.

The rest of us just nod.

"You guys nervous for freshman year?" a girl called Aaliyah asks.

"No. I've been alone for my entire middle school life until I meant Taylor so when it comes to high school nerves don't phase me," I say casually.

The others look at me amazed and admit they're a bit nervous.

We hear a champagne glass clink and head outside.

"Thank you all for being here at my baby shower," Joan says and everyone claps. "Of course I also had help from my beautiful daughters, Taylor and Kimberly," she continues and there's another round of applause.

Taylor and I join her and she gives us both a kiss.

After everyone goes to the finely decorated gazebo.

Joan receives onesies, rattles, teething toys, blankets, hats and other clothing items.

We all sit and watch as Joan opens her presents with a smile.

After all the girls says goodbye as their mothers take them home.

Rob comes home after the baby shower is over and starts eating a bag of chips and watching television.

Taylor and I join him before preparing for bed.

We lay in the silence of the night and I wonder what would life be like if mom never died.

Maybe Taylor and I would've never become friends.

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Baby shower!!! Exciting!

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